Research Themes

There is only one constant: Change. Characterizing temporal and spatial dynamics of habitat configurations across the seascape allows for a deeper understanding of the status and trends of coastal ecosystems and the services they provide.

Episodically submerged coastal ecosystems are notoriously hard to observe via optical remote sensing. That is why, in addition to acoustic methods, I explore novel approaches using UAV, high-resolution satellite imagery, machine learning, and cutting-edge image processing techniques to study coastal change.

With 200 million people living in the coastal zone globally, our way of life is tightly linked to the nearshore ocean. However, human impacts threaten the ecological integrity of many coastal waters. I am particularly interested in the way nitrogen and phosphorus delivery from terrestrial runoff affects coastal nutrient regimes and elemental cycling.

Coastal vegetated ecosystems are recognized as potential sites of carbon sequestration, offering a nature-based approach to mitigate climate change. However, these ecosystems are diverse with complex carbon cycles, where methane production and calcification potentially offset organic carbon burial, warranting meticulous research to inform effective policymaking.