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 a Wetland Scientist in the Water Sciences Section of Division of Water Resources at the N.C. Dept. of Environmental Quality (Raleigh, NC). Learn more about about wetlands at NCwetlands.org.
Prior to joining NC-DWR, I was a Partnership Coordinator for the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP) houses at NC-DEQ. Prior to been employed by the state of N.C., I was a researcher and lab manager in Dr. Emily Bernhardt's #DukeBGC lab and Duke River Centerat 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, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and U.S. Geological Survey as a collaborator/advisor. I've assessed 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.
14. Signatures of North American Wetland Dissolved Organic Matter. M.R. Kurek, K. P. Wickland, N. A. Nichols , A.M. McKenna, S.M. Anderson, M.M. Dornblaser, N. Koupaei-Abyazani, B.A. Poulin, S. Bansal, J.B. Fellman, G.K. Druschel, A. Desai, E.S. Bernhardt, and R.G.M Spencer(2024). Global Biogeochemical Cycles.
13. “This is fine”: form, function, and fire risk predict key dimensions of flammability in fire-adapted longleaf pine savanna. Simha A., A. Coughlin, S M. Anderson, D. De La Mater. E. Thayer, R.J. Wong, and J.P. Wright.(in review).
6. Size-Based Differential Transport, Uptake, and Mass Distribution of Ceria (CeO2) Nanoparticles in Wetland Mesocosms. Geitner, N.K., J.R. Cooper, A. Avella, B.T. Castellon, B.G. Perrotta, N. Bossa, M. Simonin, S.M. Anderson, S. Inoue, M.F. Hochella, C.J. Richardson, E.S. Bernhardt, G.V. Lowry, P.L. Ferguson, C.W. Matson, R.S. King, J.M. Unrine, M.R. Wiesner, H. Hsu-kim. 2018.
3. Functional traits of the understory plant community of a pyrogenic longleaf pine forest across environmental gradients.Ames, G.M., S.M. Anderson, E.A. Ungberg, J.P. Wright. 2017. Ecology 8:2225. Article on cover page.