Faculty Listed by Foundation
Ecological Systems
Andrew Baldwin (*currently not accepting students)
baldwin@umd.edu
web site
Wetland ecology and water quality; plant community dynamics of coastal marshes and mangroves; disturbance and regeneration ecology of wetland vegetation; wetland seed banks; influence of sea level rise on coastal wetlands; community and ecosystem processes of created and restored wetlands; nutrient effects on wetland plant communities
Hongsheng Bi
hbi@umces.edu
web site
Ocean-climate variability and ecosystem response; zooplankton community and population dynamics; application of satellite techniques in marine fisheries
Mercedes Burns (*currently not accepting students)
burnsm@umbc.edu
web site
Evolutionary ecology of reproductive traits and behaviors, sexual conflict, reproductive polymorphism, arthropod biology
Paulinus Chigbu
pchigbu@umes.edu
web site
Fisheries ecology; influence of variations in climatic factors on water quality and biota; culture of rotifers and copepods for use in rearing marine fish larvae; trophic dynamics in marine and freshwater environments; zooplankton ecology
J. Sook Chung
chung@umces.edu
web site
Response of crustaceans to the neurotransmitter, neurohormones and pheromones that regulate critical events in the life cycle
Mark Cochrane (*currently not accepting students)
mark.cochrane@umces.edu
web site
Understanding spatial patterns, interactions and synergisms between the multiple physical and biological factors that affect ecosystems; climate change, human dimensions of land-cover change and the potential for sustainable development; the drivers and effects of disturbance regime changes resulting from various forms of forest degradation, including fire, fragmentation and logging as well as the mitigating effects of forest and land management.
Emily Cohen
emily.cohen@umces.edu
web site
Understanding animal migration biology in the context of the full annual cycle; using field, lab, and remotely sensed data integrated with rigorous quantitative tools to: address fundamental questions about migration biology, understand how and why migration is changing and migratory species are declining, and develop tools for the inclusion of stopover and airspace habitats into conservation and management efforts for migratory species.
Victoria J. Coles (*currently not accepting students)
vcoles@umces.edu
web site
Physical and biological response and feedbacks to climate variability and change; Observation and modeling of ocean circulation and ventilation, biogeochemical tracer, and ecosystem cycling
Jeffrey C. Cornwell
cornwell@umces.edu
web site
Sediment biogeochemistry; burial of sediment and associated chemical constituents; nutrient exchange in sediment; influence of tidal marshes on ecosystem N and P balances
Maurice Crawford (*currently not accepting students)
mkcrawford@umes.edu
web site
Estuarine habitat conservation/restoration; the dispersal and movement of organisms, and the interplay between science and policy.
Jonathan Cumming
jrcumming@umes.edu
web site
Plants exhibit a wide degree of variation in their ability to function under environmentally stressful conditions, such as nutrient deficiencies, drought, and toxins in soils. This variation reflects genetic pathways conferring stress resistance, including morphological and metabolic adjustments that overcome stress. Plant roots additionally cooperate with soil microbes in many ways, bring new capabilities to the host plant. These symbioses involve mycorrhizal fungi and a vast variety of bacteria that improve access soil resources, overcome limitations of saline and metalliferous soils, and broadly improve root metabolic function. We are currently growing various lines of poplar (Populus spp.) that have been selected for stress resistance, investigating drought tolerance, soil microbial communities, and the contribution of poplar trees and microbes to soil carbon sequestration as a means of mitigating climate change.
Eric Davidson (*currently not accepting students)
edavidson@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, including the effects of management, land use change, and climatic change on soil C and N stocks, trace gas emissions from soils, and leaching of plant nutrients to streams and groundwater. Current study areas include the Brazilian Amazon Basin and Cerrado region and the forests of New England.
William Dennison
dennison@umces.edu
web site
Coastal ecosystem ecology; ecophysiology of marine plants; bioindicators in nearshore environments; assessing ecosystem health
Andrew Elmore (*currently not accepting students)
aelmore@umces.edu
web site
Land use and land cover change; ecohydrology; biogeochemistry; remote sensing and spatial analysis; effects of urban development and agriculture on stream ecosystems; impact of climate change om forest phenology and biogeochemistry
Katharina Engelhardt (*currently not accepting students)
kengelhardt@umces.edu
web site
Effects of species richness on wetland ecosystem functioning and services; community ecology and ecosystem ecology
Matthew Fitzpatrick (*currently not accepting students)
mfitzpatrick@umces.edu
website
My research emphasizes the development and application of spatial modeling approaches for understanding and mapping past, current, and future patterns of biodiversity, with a focus on terrestrial systems, mainly plants.
J. Edward Gates
egates@umces.edu
web site
Wildlife, habitat and landscape ecology; habitat fragmentation and alteration, connectivity, edge effects and boundary dynamics; habitat suitability for vertebrate species
Matthew Gray (*currently not accepting students)
mgray@umces.edu
web site
Oysters and other marine invertebrate provide numerous benefit to coastal communities and local environments. As an ecophysiologist, my research focuses on understanding the physiological response of marine invertebrates to current and future environmental conditions (e.g. ocean acidification) and the ecological benefits provided by these organisms over space and time. My studies are intended to broaden our knowledge base and provide relevant information to help inform stakeholder, management, and policy in Maryland and elsewhere.
Jacqueline Grebmeier
jgrebmei@umces.edu
web site
Pelagic-benthic coupling on continental shelves, benthic ecology, invertebrate zoology, contaminant distributions, high latitude oceanography
Reginal M. Harrell (*currently not accepting students)
rharrell@umd.edu
web site
Environmental and bioethics; conservation and restoration ecology; breeding genetics and hybridization; stress physiology of vertebrates
Lora A. Harris (*currently not accepting students)
harris@umces.edu
web site
Systems ecology; theoretical ecology; primary producers from phytoplankton to macrophytes; ecosystem modeling
Robert H. Hildebrand (*currently not accepting students)
rhilderbrand@umces.edu
web site
Ecology and conservation biology of running waters; watershed and stream habitat restoration; linking landscapes and populations
Edward D. Houde (*currently not accepting students)
ehoude@umces.edu
web site
Fisheries science and management; recruitment mechanisms; effects of environment on reproductive success of fishes; ecology of marine and estuarine fishes, especially early-life stages
Patrick Kangas
pkangas@umd.edu
web site
Ecological engineering; natural resource management; tropical ecosystems
Paul T. Leisnham
leisnham@umd.edu
web site
Population and Community ecology; Invasion ecology; Vector ecology; Entomology; Coupled Human-Natural Systems; Socio-Ecology
Sairah Malkin
smalkin@umces.edu
web site
Biogeochemistry and microbial ecology, particularly in sediment environments; benthic ecology; coastal and large lakes ecology. Current projects are investigating the ecology of sulfur oxidizing bacteria in coastal marine systems.
Eric B. May
ebmay@mail.umes.edu
web site
Effects of environmental contamination and habitat degradation on aquatic animal health; use of biochemical and metabolic indicators to determine the response of fish to injurious agents of conditions; establishment of clinical methods for non-lethal testing
Tamra Mendelson (*currently not accepting students)
tamram@umbc.edu
web site
Ecology & evolution of communication; rate of communication evolution vs. ecological divergence & other reproductive barriers; biology at the science-policy-practice interface.
Thomas Miller (*currently not accepting students)
miller@umces.edu
web site
Recruitment and population dynamics of aquatic animals; fish early life history; feeding and bio-physical interactions; aquatic ecology; blue crabs
Carys Mitchelmore
mitchelm@umces.edu
web site
Investigating molecular, biochemical and cellular responses of aquatic organisms to inorganic and organic pollutants; determining species-specificity; biochemical pathways and toxic effects; applying and developing novel biomarkers to existing and emerging environmental problems
Jennifer L. Mullinax (Murrow)
wildlife@umd.edu
web site
Applied spatial wildlife ecology, with emphasis on habitat modeling, habitat use and selection, and animal movements in suburban and urban ecosystems; conflict resolution and conservation planning in natural resources
David M. Nelson (*currently not accepting students)
dnelson@umces.edu
web site
Ecosystem responses to natural and human-induced variations in climatic and environmental conditions; study of plants and microbes in geologic and modern settings utilizing isotopic, paleoecological, genomic and biogeochemical tools
Elizabeth North
enorth@umces.edu
web site
Fisheries oceanography with emphasis on shellfish in estuaries; Three-dimensional habitat and particle trajectory modeling; Carbon capture with microalgae; Stakeholder-driven research
Judith O'Neil (*currently not accepting students)
joneil@umces.edu
web site
Harmful Algal Bloom dynamics; plankton nutrient and trophodynamics; Cyanobacteria ecophysiology
Margaret Palmer (*currently not accepting students)
palmer@umces.edu
web site
Stream community and ecosystems ecology; restoration ecology; stream ecosystem structure and function; influence of land use, hydrology and geomorphology on health of running-water ecosystems
James J. Pierson (*currently not accepting students)
jpierson@umces.edu
web site
Zooplankton ecology; how individual behaviors affect population dynamics; how zooplankton individuals and groups function within an ecosystem; microplastic distribution and transport in estuaries; broadening participation in geoscience and ocean science.
Louis V. Plough
lplough@umces.edu
web site
Population genetics of marine animals, quantitative genetics and experimental breeding of shellfish; oyster biology and aquaculture; ecological genomics of stress adaptation in marine animals; larval biology of marine invertebrates
Karen L. Prestegaard
kpresto@umd.edu
web site
Sediment transport and depositional processes; mechanisms of streamflow generation and their variations with watershed scale, geology and land use; hydrology of coastal and riparian wetlands
Martin Rabenhorst
mrabenho@umd.edu
web site
Genesis, morphology and classification of hydromorphic soils, particularly non-tidal wetlands and coastal marshes; pedogenesis and resource inventory of subaqueous soils
Michael R. Roman
roman@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography; zooplankton ecology
Kenneth Rose
krose@umces.edu
web site
Dr. Rose is the France-Merrick Professor in Sustainable Ecosystem Restoration at Horn Point Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Prior to coming to UMCES, Dr. Rose was a professor at Louisiana State University and a research staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His research centers on using mathematical and computer simulation modeling to predict and better understand fish population and food web dynamics in estuaries, lakes, reservoirs, and oceans.
Christopher Rowe (*currently not accepting students)
rowe@umces.edu
web site
Physiological ecology and ecotoxicology of ectothermic animals. Research is focused on bioenergetic and resource-related effects of climate warming and environmental contamination.
Lawrence P. Sanford (*currently not accepting students)
lsanford@umces.edu
web site
Coastal and esturaine physical oceanography; fine sediment transport mechanics, geophysical boundary layers, turbulence, surface and internal waves
David Secor (*currently not accepting students)
secor@umces.edu
web site
Fish ecology; fish life history and migration studies; fisheries stock enhancement; migration and habitat use as behaviors controlling and regulating population dynamics
Eric Schott
schott@umces.edu
web site
The Schott lab research focuses on understanding aquatic health in two main areas: the discovery and tracking of estuarine pathogens in the blue crab and other shellfish and the health of urban estuaries for living resources and people. Dr. Schott collaborates with numerous researchers and stakeholders, applying molecular methods to study the health of fisheries and describe the biodiversity of Baltimore Harbor.
Greg Silsbe
gsilsbe@umces.edu
web site
Biological oceanography with an emphasis on the role of phytoplankton in the global carbon cycle. Satellite remote sensing; phytoplankton physiology; African Great Lake limnology.
Lorie Staver (*currently not accepting students)
lstaver@umces.edu
web site
The common denominator in my work has been the role of nitrogen in aquatic plant ecology. I am most interested in how to build resilience into restored coastal habitats, given that most of these sites are impacted to some degree by eutrophication, and are also on the front lines of climate change and sea level rise. I am currently collaborating with others on biogeochemistry, restoration genetics, geomorphology, and the application of facilitation theory to vegetation establishment methods in tidal marsh restoration.
J. Court Stevenson (*currently not accepting students)
court@umces.edu
web site
Coastal zone resources and water quality management; ecology of marsh and sea grass systems; effects of sea-level rise on wetlands and coastal shorelines; environmental history of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed
Christopher Swan (*currently not accepting students)
cmswan@umbc.edu
web site
Steam community and ecosystem ecology; riparian biodiversity and stream processes; urban riparian-steam ecology
Jeremy M. Testa (*currently not accepting students)
jtesta@umces.edu
web site
Coastal marine ecology, including eutrophication, nutrient cycling, and dissolved oxygen dynamics; interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes in coastal ecosystems using a combination of experimental efforts, historical data analysis, and coupled biogeochemical-hydrodynmaic modeling studies to examine these aspects of estuarine and coastal aquatic science.
Stephen Tomasetti
sjtomasetti@umes.edu
web site
Global change ecology with emphasis on warming, deoxygenation, and acidification; Shellfishes and biogenic habitats; Resilience and climate-adapted habitat restoration; Aquaculture and sustainable coastal food systems; Socio-ecological systems
Allison Tracy (*currently not accepting students)
amtracy@umbc.edu
web site
I am a community ecologist studying the impact of the environment on species interactions. I'm especially interested in the ecology and evolution of disease, spatial ecology, and the role of habitat-forming foundation species in ecosystems.
My research focuses on marine health and disease, with a focus on Chesapeake Bay organisms and ecosystems. I study the ecology of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, including the reef habitat they form, the impact of restoration and management, and species interactions. Chesapeake Bay oysters are a well-studied system for understanding marine disease, which serves as a strong foundation for my work on host-parasite interactions. The other branch of my research focuses on co-infection, immunity, and environmental drivers on corals reefs in Puerto Rico. Understanding and conserving foundation species is a uniting theme of my work.
Gerardo R. Vasta
GVasta@som.umaryland.edu
web site
Molecular aspects and evolution of the acute phase response in vertebrates and invertebrates; structure/function relationships in carbohydrate-binding proteins; role of lectins in development and internal defense; host/parasite interactions; disease prevention, control in fisheries
Lisa Wainger
wainger@umces.edu
web site
Risk analysis and decision support tools for prioritizing natural resource management options; invasive species risk assessment; wetland restoration prioritization; ecological and economic indicators for communicating relative costs and benefits of natural resource change
Raymond R. Weil (*currently not accepting students)
rweil@umd.edu
web site
Soil ecology; plant-soil relationships; soil fertility; soil quality; environmental impacts of agricultural systems; nutrient and carbon cycling; cover crops in sustainable cropping systems; soil management.
Justine Whitaker
jwhitaker@umes.edu
web site
I use genomic and epigenomic tools to answer ecological and evolutionary questions about imperiled and invasive species
Michael Wilberg
wilberg@umces.edu
web site
Stock assessment; dynamics of exploited populations; harvest policy development and application; statistical model selection and averaging
Ryan Woodland (*currently not accepting students)
woodland@umces.edu
web site
Trophic and food web ecology, anthropogenic effects on coastal ecosystems, stable isotope ecology, ecological connectivity across coastal ecosystems