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Dr. Thilina Dilan Surasinghe
Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation Sciences
Dr. Thilina Dilan Surasinghe
Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation Sciences
Research Interests
Monitoring ecological outcomes of wetland and stream restoration efforts.
Biodiversity conservation and management of freshwater and wetland ecosystems.
Exploring conservation opportunities, strategies, and challenges beyond protected areas in tropical humid biomes.
Investigating urban wildlife ecology, with a focus on biotic homogenization along urban-to-rural gradients.
Examining the drivers and population dynamics of biological invasions, and their impacts at both community and ecosystem scales.
Investigating biodiversity change across spatial and temporal scales, with an emphasis on large geographic areas and long-term trends, within the context of macrosystems ecology.
Leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing for conservation assessments, conservation planning, and biodiversity research.
Prospective students and collaborators: I welcome prospective master’s students and collaborators to join my research endeavors, which broadly focus on urban ecology, wildlife biology, biodiversity conservation, and ecological restoration. My work spans both domestic and international contexts, including the United States and Sri Lanka. I am open to collaborating with established and early-career researchers, scientists, and students who share similar interests. I am also actively considering master’s students passionate about advancing their research skills and contributing to these fields. If you are interested in exploring opportunities for collaboration or pursuing a master’s degree, please contact me via email at tsurasinghe@bridgew.edu.
Monitoring biological responses to wetland restoration in cranberry farms
Monitoring biological responses to wetland restoration in cranberry farms
Check out our work on UN Ecosystem Restoration website
Zoonotic diseases along urban-rural gradientsÂ
Zoonotic diseases along urban-rural gradientsÂ
Biodiversity monitoring in restored freshwater wetlands
Biodiversity monitoring in restored freshwater wetlands
A collaborative project withÂ
Amphibian and Plant Phenology at Vernal Pools
Amphibian and Plant Phenology at Vernal Pools
Invasive species
Invasive species
How invasive species respond to ecological restoration?
How can we explain establishment and subsequent population dynamics of invasive species?
Leveraging remotely sensed data (satellite imagery) for (early) detection of invasive plant species
Biodiversity conservation outside protected area networkÂ
Biodiversity conservation outside protected area networkÂ
Is there a potential to protect wildlife outside the traditional conservation land network? I tackle this question while focusing on a tropical biodiversity hotspot, Sri Lanka
Biodiversity and environmental data science
Biodiversity and environmental data science
I utilize biodiversity data, both structured (e.g., NEON, LTER) & less-structured (e.g., citizen science databases), to address questions that span across both time and large spatial scales, towards tackling questions in macrosystems ecologyÂ
Collaborative research
Collaborative research
Protected Area Network Effectiveness, Sri Lanka: Evaluating the conservation effectiveness of Sri Lanka’s protected area network for endangered species on the IUCN Red List.
GIS-based Conservation Planning: Utilizing GIS to inform conservation planning for Sri Lanka’s reptile fauna.
Biodiversity Inventorying: Conducting multi-taxa biodiversity assessments outside protected areas in Sri Lanka, along environmental and disturbance gradients. Collaborators include Suranjan Karunarathna (Nature Exploration and Education Team, Sri Lanka), Thasun Amarasinghe (University of Indonesia), and Madhawa Boteju (Central Environmental Authority, Sri Lanka).
Head-starting Blanding’s Turtles: Supporting conservation of Blanding’s turtles in eastern Massachusetts through head-starting efforts in collaboration with Dr. Bryan Windmiller (Zoo New England).
Biodiversity Exploration in Sri Lanka: Investigating cryptic biodiversity, taxonomy, and systematics of Sri Lanka’s diverse fauna.
Since 2019, I have served as an advisor to the Aquatic Technical Working Group of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), providing scientific guidance on improving field survey protocols and data management. I am also a member of several research and education networks, including the NSF-funded *Training Undergraduate Biologists through Urban Agriculture* (since 2020), where I collaborate on developing course modules and research opportunities for undergraduate students. As a member of the Macrosystems Ecology for All Research Coordination Network (MEFA), I contribute to projects investigating community-wide responses to biological invasions at macrosystem scales. I also actively engage with the Biological and Environmental Data Education (BEDE) Network, where I contribute to the Quantifying Data Science Subcommittee. My work with the Ecological Research as Education Network (EREN) includes co-leading two undergraduate-focused projects on phenological asynchrony in vernal pool systems and the role of phenology in biological invasions. Additionally, I have been a member of the Freshwater Biodiversity Observation Network (FW-BON) since 2019, contributing to technical advancements in biodiversity monitoring, including the Bon-in-a-Box pipeline. My research also extends to evaluating the effectiveness of protected area networks, GIS-based conservation planning, biodiversity inventorying along environmental gradients, and head-starting efforts for *Blanding’s turtles* in Massachusetts. This work underscores my commitment to advancing restoration ecology, fostering undergraduate research, and contributing to global biodiversity conservation.
I am a wildlife ecologist with specialization in conservation biology and landscape ecology. I earned my PhD from Clemson University, with my research focus on the impacts of current and historical land uses on stream ecosystems. Understanding how human activities impact the environment and natural resources is crucial for sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. With this being the overarching goal, my recent research has focused on biotic homogenization along urban-rural gradients; landscape-scale conservation planning and reserve designing; local and landscape-scale predictors of community organization and species habitat associations; long-term biodiversity monitoring, particularly targeting post-restoration ecological responses in wetland and stream habitats; and biodiversity change across space and time. Geographic focus of my research includes numerous habitat types (forests, wetlands, streams) both in temperate and tropical biomes.Â
I am currently engaged in multiple collaborative research studies: wildlife occupancy along urban-to-rural gradients in southeastern Massachusetts (Urban Wildlife Information Network); biodiversity conservation outside protected area network in Sri Lanka (Nature Exploration and Education Team Sri Lanka); long-term change in community structure and composition of herpetofauna in southeastern Massachusetts (Mass Audubon); restoration of retired cranberry bogs into wetlands with respect to changes in the amphibian and reptile community structure and composition (spatial and temporal turnover in taxonomic and functional diversity) in collaboration with the Living Observatory and Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration; and assessing effectiveness of Sri Lankan protected area network for conservation of threatened vertebrates.  Â
Current Position
Current Position
Professor, Bridgewater State University, Southeastern Massachusetts
Education
Education
PhD in Fisheries & Wildlife Biology, Clemson University, South Carolina
BS in Biological Sciences, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
Overview
Overview
I am a biodiversity and conservation scientist and landscape ecologist with expertise in understanding the impacts of historical and contemporary land use on freshwater ecosystems. My research focuses on biodiversity shifts, species-environment relationships, and conservation planning in both temperate and tropical regions.
Research Interests
Research Interests
Biotic Homogenization: Investigating biodiversity changes along urban-to-rural gradients.
Species-Environment Relationships: Modeling species responses to local and landscape-scale environmental predictors.
Wetland & Stream Restoration: Collaborating with the MA Division of Ecological Restoration, Mass Audubon, and Tidmarsh Living Observatory to monitor ecosystem recovery at retired cranberry farms.
Tropical Biodiversity: Conducting research in Sri Lanka on amphibians, reptiles, birds, and bats, including new species discoveries.
Macrosystems Ecology: Partnering with the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to study ecological processes across large spatial and temporal scales.
Collaborative Initiatives
Collaborative Initiatives
I contribute to NSF-funded Research Coordination Networks designed to support undergraduate ecologists through programs such as:
Training Undergraduate Biologists through Urban Agriculture (TUBA)
National Ecological Observatory Network, NEON, Aquatic Biology Technical working group
Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN)
Ecological Research for Education (EREN)
Macrosystems Ecology for All
Technical Expertise
Technical Expertise
I specialize in applied statistics, including multivariate, non-parametric, and mixed-effects modeling, with extensive experience in R for data wrangling, geospatial analysis, and advanced statistical modeling.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Biodiversity & Conservation Science
Landscape Ecology
Wetland & Stream Restoration
Urban Biodiversity
Long-term Ecological & Biodiversity Monitoring
Environmental & Ecological Statistics
Geospatial Sciences (GIS & Remote Sensing)
Every picture tells a story, but field photos capture more than just moments—they document discovery, resilience, and the intricate connections between species and ecosystems.Â
From forests to restored wetlands, these images provide a glimpse into the dynamic processes shaping biodiversity and the landscapes we strive to conserve. Each frame is a testament to the science, the place, and the purpose behind the research.
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