I am an ecosystem ecologist with over a decade of research, student mentorship and natural resources management experience. I am passionate about understand the effects of natural and human-induced disturbance on biological diversity and resilience of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in all work that I do to better conserve our world.
I am currently the Partnership Coordinator for the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (Raleigh, NC), which is one of 28 estuary programs funded by the U.S. EPA. Prior to joining APNEP, I was a researcher and lab manager in Dr. Emily Bernhardt's #DukeBGC lab and Duke River Center at Duke University. I was particularly engaged in urban ecology and how a long history of systemic environmental racism and economic inequities pair with climate change and infrastructure disinvestment which has lasting destructive impact on human and ecological health as a result of poor water quality, increased flooding, heat, and habitat loss. I have been drawn to this work while focused on Ellerbe Creek watershed in Durham, NC with Duke Biology, Duke River Center, and Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association, incredible community partners, and funders like River Network, ASTC, Duke Bass Connections, and The Conservation Fund. Since 2020, I've been engaged in researching how the frequency and duration of flooding regimes impact forest communities in riverine floodplains. This is work I've been doing on the lower Roanoke River with The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service funded by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers . I assesses plants responses to altered flooding frequency and duration using long-term survey data and dendrochronological techniques. Here, biologically diverse bottomland hardwood forests are changing due to altered hydro-periods as a result of climate change and upstream dam controls. |
"The Seeds of Ghost Forests"
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Mentors/Friends/Collaborators
MARCELO ARDON EMILY BERNHARDT JUSTIN WRIGHT MARIE SIMONIN BEN COLMAN JONNY BEHRENS BONNIE MCGILL JASON FRIDLEY MATT ROSS |