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JLab Marine ecology for a changing planet
Research
We are marine ecologists who conduct experiments in shallow and intertidal marine ecosystems. Our research uses ecological theory to understand how global change affect ecosystem function as mediated by species interactions. For instance, how do benthic invertebrates respond to a marsh fleeing a rising sea? What happens to a New England neighborhood when a southern crab moves in because of ocean warming?
Current Projects
Crab Trax
Blue crabs in Maine. Fiddler crabs, too! What's going on!? These are climate migrants migrating into new territories because of climate change. We are on the frontier of tracking these changes in biodiversity and understanding the impacts of climate migrants on ecosystems.
Marshes on the move
Marshes migrate upland to keep up with sea-level rise. This creates 'ghost forests.' We are learning how marsh invertebrates (crabs, amphipods, ants) track marsh migration and how they use ghost forests.
Can you dig it?
We are looking at the impact of sand dredging on benthic invertebrates in the Gulf of Mexico. This sand is used to restore barrier islands and marshes in Louisiana.
Zombie Shrimp
Technically, amphipods (but that's between you and me). When infected with a trematode they turn pumpkin orange and are no longer afraid of the light. We are using this parasite-host system to understand how parasites can influence marsh processes such as energy flow in food webs and carbon storage.
Previous Projects
BP Oil Spill and marsh invertebrates
Over 4 million gallons of crude oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico during the BP oil spill of 2010. The oil smothered marshes, killing all oil-soaked plants and most of the animals. We found that even almost a decade after the spill, the benthic invertebrates had not recovered.
TIDE Project
Eutrophication (chronic nutrient pollution) is a major threat to coastal ecosystems worldwide. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, we experimentally added nutrients to entire salt marshes for over a decade. This experiment You reshaped the entire ecosystem and our way of thinking about coastal eutrophication. You can find out more here.
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