My Research
My research examines how aquatic ecosystems, ranging from freshwater to marine, respond to environmental change.
I combine in situ instrumentation, experimental manipulation, and frequentist and Bayesian modeling approaches to monitor spatial and temporal change in aquatic environments. As a biogeochemist, my role is to investigate what is happening on a molecular level and translate the potential impacts at the ecosystem scale.
I combine in situ instrumentation, experimental manipulation, and frequentist and Bayesian modeling approaches to monitor spatial and temporal change in aquatic environments. As a biogeochemist, my role is to investigate what is happening on a molecular level and translate the potential impacts at the ecosystem scale.
ONGOING PROJECTS
Modeling River Resilience
In collaboration with researchers at the Universities of Wyoming and Montana, as well as the USGS, I am modeling stream productivity (i.e., algal biomass) and how it responds to disturbance events. We are comparing model-estimated disturbance thresholds with those that are derived using geomorphological methods.
|
Predicting NEarshore Greening
Following increased reports of algal growth along the shores of Lake Tahoe in late winter/early spring, I am modeling metabolism at stream outlets and incorporating nearshore nitrogen cycling measurements. We aim to develop better predictions of nearshore algal growth in response to nitrogen availability.
|
Additional Projects
Check back for upcoming project information to be posted soon!
|
PAST PROJECTS
Terrestrial Organic Matter Exports
I collaborated as part an NSF RAPID project to investigate the sources and transport of terrestrial organic matter along a mountains-to-ocean transect following periods of drought and winter storm events. Read more about our findings here.
|
Consumer-Derived Nutrients
I participated in projects designed to measure the excretion rates of various consumers, including beach hoppers (pictured above), and the impacts of this nutrient subsidy on the surrounding marine and terrestrial communities. Read more about our findings here.
|
MacroAlgal Nutritional Content
I collaborated with Santa Barbara Coastal LTER researchers to examine decadal changes in giant kelp tissue nutritional content in relationship to changing seawater temperatures and oceanographic indices. Read more about our findings here.
|
Responses to Extreme WEather |
SEDIMENTS AS A SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS |
Following the Thomas Fire and the resulting Montecito debris flow, I traced the transport of terrestrial debris deposited on a local beach during emergency response efforts into nearshore sediment. Read more about our findings here.
|
I used nearshore marine sediments collected in the Santa Barbara Channel to investigate their potential to contribute nutrients to the overlying water column. We focused primarily on their contribution during warm, stratified conditions, when nutrients are in high demand by nearby giant kelp forests.
|