Research
Research approach
I am a coastal biogeochemist who focuses on organic matter cycling and nutrient dynamics at the land-ocean margin. My current research activities center on:
The biogeochemistry of sandy shores, including diagenetic processes in sandy sediments,
Land-ocean exchange of pollutants, specifically nutrients,
Coastal and estuarine eutrophication, hypoxia and acidification,
The biogeochemical implications of coastal engineering interventions such as beach nourishment and channel realignment.
Scroll below for more information on specific research initiatives.
Sand biogeochemistry
Sandy shores are both a key coastal habitat and the main attraction for the vibrant tourism industry that serves millions of people every year the world over. Evaluating the state of our sandy shores and vulnerability to external impacts requires an understanding of interdisciplinary baseline conditions. Data must be collected with regularity, i.e., over a time series, to capture natural variation due to seasons, tides, weather, etc. Knowledge of baseline conditions allows a more precise investigation of living and non-living processes underlying and dictating those conditions. Ultimately, this knowledge can be used to gauge the impacts of human activities and natural disturbance events on the health and function of this important coastal system. We've been documenting interdisciplinary sedimentary conditions across the intertidal zone of numerous beaches in the Grand Strand in order to:
Establish baseline conditions through time and how they influence land-ocean exchange of matter
Assess the impact of hurricanes and storm surges on sandy shore biogeochemistry
Superimpose the effects of coastal engineering interventions (e.g., beach nourishment, channel dredging) on the above.
We stimulate discussion on knowledge gaps in the above and to spearhead efforts to fill them by engaging various initiatives: the South Carolina Beach Advocates, the U.S. Coastal Research Program, and the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.
Coastal tidal creek (swash) biogeochemistry, eutrophication and hypoxia
We are currently probing the role of coastal swashes in regulating the release of land-derived macronutrients to the ocean, by interactions between water columns and underlying sandy seafloors, and how redirection works may affect this regulation. We want to use our findings to inform local authorities of the potential impacts of proposed engineered alterations to the channel of these swashes on the marshes behind them and the coastal ocean ahead of them.
With funding from local government, we are monitoring conditions at two coastal "swashes," tidal creeks in coastal sand fields, Singleton Swash and White Point Swash, through live camera feeds and sensor loggers recording water level, temperature, salinity and oxygen. The latest images below are from the camera feeds at Singleton Swash (left) and White Point Swash (right).
Coastal and estuarine acidification
We are collaborating with our colleagues at the Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN) to conduct the first coastal and estuarine acidification assessment of its kind in South Carolina, with funding from the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. Researchers in CCU's Environmental Quality Laboratory (EQL) and volunteer monitors coordinated by CCU's Waccamaw Watershed Academy (WWA) have been conducting extensive monitoring of coastal-ocean and marsh waters for more than a decade. Data has shown that low oxygen (hypoxia) and low pH (acidification, the topic of this project), two of the major environmental issues of our time, are common occurrences, likely impacting living resources and their commercial and recreational uses, and therefore are a particular concern in our state.
Our project focuses on acidification and has two major objectives: the characterization of the problem in our waters, and the development of educational and outreach programs. Specifically, we aim to provide researchers and coastal managers with a first clear picture of the degree and extent of the problem in South Carolina waters and what drives it. Through our field campaign during July 2022-February 2023, we are testing whether very widely used methods to measure pH, which are often deemed not accurate enough, are reliable enough for monitoring in coastal areas and marshes. Our research findings will allow us to develop, in collaboration with educators and outreach specialists through high-school and university levels, a local case study through which they can approach this major water quality issue, while training undergraduate and graduate students in research tools to study and assess acidification conditions.
Coastal-ocean observing
We are monitoring coastal-ocean conditions, including meteorological as well as surface and bottom-water real-time data, at two piers in the Grand Strand: Apache Pier (funded by Horry County) and Cherry Grove Pier (funded by the city of North Myrtle Beach and Horry County). This monitoring is motivated by regular observations of hypoxic conditions on the coast and the need to understand key drivers behind them. Follow the links below to access: