Ferdinand Oberle
Research Geologist with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Research Focus
2020-present: Geologist, USGS, Santa Cruz, CA, USA. I am currently involved in three fields of research: groundwater discharge through coastal aquifers; conceptualizing hydrologically and cryogenically driven permafrost erosion; and physicochemical drivers of coral reef health. I also created the Unmanned Aerial System Coastal Aquifer Project, which develops new drone-based technologies to investigate permafrost stability, wetlands, and aquifers. All projects have a strong interdisciplinary nature focusing on anthropogenic versus natural disturbances that rely on a multitude of oceanographic, marine geological, hydrogeological, and geochemical methods. As part of my older research interests I also continue to collaborate and advise on research focusing on the geological and geochemical consequences of bottom trawling.
Professional Experience
2020-present: Geologist, USGS, Santa Cruz, CA
2016, Mendenhall Postdoctoral Researcher, USGS
2014, Visiting Professor, Quest University, Squamish (Vancouver), BC, Canada
2013, Visiting Scientist at the USGS, Santa Cruz and Menlo Park, CA, USA
2008-2011, Adjunct Professor, Chabot-Las Positas College, Livermore, CA, USA
2007-2011, Sedimentologist/Hydrogeologist, Garcia & Associates, San Anselmo, CA, USA
2006-2007, Middle School Oceanography Teacher, San Francisco Maritime Assoc., CA, USA
2002-2003, Staff Geologist, German Environmental Protection Agency, Rheinfelden, Germany
2000-2001, NASA Space Grant Fellowship, Hawaii Space Consortium, Honolulu, HI, USA
Education and Certifications
2015, MARUM-IODP Center, University of Bremen, Germany, Ph.D. (Dr. rer. nat.)
2012 - 2014, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Ph.D. study with Chris Reddy
2005, University of Bremen, Germany – M.S. Environmental and Marine Geology
2002, Bowdoin College, USA – B.A. Geology
2000 - 2001, (SOEST) School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, Hawaii
Science and Products
Observations of coral reef oceanographic and groundwater properties off Makua, Kauai, HI, USA, August 2016 Observations of coral reef oceanographic and groundwater properties off Makua, Kauai, HI, USA, August 2016
Pervasive and sustained coral diseases contribute to the systemic degradation of reef ecosystems, however, an understanding of the physicochemical controls on a coral disease event is still largely lacking. Water circulation and residence times and submarine groundwater discharge all determine the degree to which reef organisms are exposed to the variable chemistry of overlying waters
Filter Total Items: 14
High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS
Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can deliver substantial nutrient and contaminant loads to nearshore coral reefs. Correctly scaling SGD rates from a point source to a reef is generally a linear process involving simplified assumptions on the hydrogeology, bathymetry, and nearshore hydrodynamics that are essential to properly assess SGD scale and impact to individual coral heads...
Authors
Ferdinand K.J. Oberle, Nancy G. Prouty, Segun B. Adebayo, Curt D. Storlazzi
Late Holocene environmental change in Celestun Lagoon, Yucatan, Mexico Late Holocene environmental change in Celestun Lagoon, Yucatan, Mexico
Epikarst estuary response to hydroclimate change remains poorly understood, despite the well-studied link between climate and karst groundwater aquifers. The influence of sea-level rise and coastal geomorphic change on these estuaries obscures climate signals, thus requiring careful development of paleoenvironmental histories to interpret the paleoclimate archives. We used foraminifera...
Authors
Kyle Hardage, Joseph Street, Jorge A. Herrera-Silveira, Ferdinand K.J. Oberle, Adina Paytan
Physicochemical controls on zones of higher coral stress where Black Band Disease occurs at Mākua Reef, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Physicochemical controls on zones of higher coral stress where Black Band Disease occurs at Mākua Reef, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
Pervasive and sustained coral diseases contribute to the systemic degradation of reef ecosystems, however, to date an understanding of the physicochemical controls on a coral disease event is still largely lacking. Water circulation and residence times and submarine groundwater discharge all determine the degree to which reef organisms are exposed to the variable chemistry of overlying...
Authors
Ferdinand Oberle, Curt D. Storlazzi, Olivia M. Cheriton, Renee K. Takesue, Daniel J. Hoover, Joshua B. Logan, Christina M. Runyon, Christina A. Kellogg, Cordell Johnson, Peter W. Swarzenski
Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system
Arctic permafrost stores vast amounts of methane (CH4) in subsurface reservoirs. Thawing permafrost creates areas for this potent greenhouse gas to be released to the atmosphere. Identifying ‘hot spots’ of methane flux on a local scale has been limited by the spatial scales of traditional ground-based or satellite-based methane-sampling methods. Here we present a reliable and an easily...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Li H. Erikson, Mark P. Waldrop, Peter W. Swarzenski
Atoll groundwater movement and its response to climatic and sea-level fluctuations Atoll groundwater movement and its response to climatic and sea-level fluctuations
Groundwater resources of low-lying atoll islands are threatened due to short-term and long-term changes in rainfall, wave climate, and sea level. A better understanding of how these forcings affect the limited groundwater resources was explored on Roi-Namur in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As part of a 16-month study, a rarely recorded island-overwash event occurred and the...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Peter W. Swarzenski, Curt D. Storlazzi
Fishing activities Fishing activities
Unlike the major anthropogenic changes that terrestrial and coastal habitats underwent during the last centuries such as deforestation, river engineering, agricultural practices or urbanism, those occurring underwater are veiled from our eyes and have continued nearly unnoticed. Only recent advances in remote sensing and deep marine sampling technologies have revealed the extent and...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Pere Puig, Jacobo Martin
Non-USGS Publications**
Proceedings of the International Conference on DELTAS: Geological Modeling and Management. AIST, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Abstract, Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 38th Meeting
NASA Space Consortium
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Observations of coral reef oceanographic and groundwater properties off Makua, Kauai, HI, USA, August 2016 Observations of coral reef oceanographic and groundwater properties off Makua, Kauai, HI, USA, August 2016
Pervasive and sustained coral diseases contribute to the systemic degradation of reef ecosystems, however, an understanding of the physicochemical controls on a coral disease event is still largely lacking. Water circulation and residence times and submarine groundwater discharge all determine the degree to which reef organisms are exposed to the variable chemistry of overlying waters
Filter Total Items: 14
High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS
Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can deliver substantial nutrient and contaminant loads to nearshore coral reefs. Correctly scaling SGD rates from a point source to a reef is generally a linear process involving simplified assumptions on the hydrogeology, bathymetry, and nearshore hydrodynamics that are essential to properly assess SGD scale and impact to individual coral heads...
Authors
Ferdinand K.J. Oberle, Nancy G. Prouty, Segun B. Adebayo, Curt D. Storlazzi
Late Holocene environmental change in Celestun Lagoon, Yucatan, Mexico Late Holocene environmental change in Celestun Lagoon, Yucatan, Mexico
Epikarst estuary response to hydroclimate change remains poorly understood, despite the well-studied link between climate and karst groundwater aquifers. The influence of sea-level rise and coastal geomorphic change on these estuaries obscures climate signals, thus requiring careful development of paleoenvironmental histories to interpret the paleoclimate archives. We used foraminifera...
Authors
Kyle Hardage, Joseph Street, Jorge A. Herrera-Silveira, Ferdinand K.J. Oberle, Adina Paytan
Physicochemical controls on zones of higher coral stress where Black Band Disease occurs at Mākua Reef, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Physicochemical controls on zones of higher coral stress where Black Band Disease occurs at Mākua Reef, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
Pervasive and sustained coral diseases contribute to the systemic degradation of reef ecosystems, however, to date an understanding of the physicochemical controls on a coral disease event is still largely lacking. Water circulation and residence times and submarine groundwater discharge all determine the degree to which reef organisms are exposed to the variable chemistry of overlying...
Authors
Ferdinand Oberle, Curt D. Storlazzi, Olivia M. Cheriton, Renee K. Takesue, Daniel J. Hoover, Joshua B. Logan, Christina M. Runyon, Christina A. Kellogg, Cordell Johnson, Peter W. Swarzenski
Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system Towards determining spatial methane distribution on Arctic permafrost bluffs with an unmanned aerial system
Arctic permafrost stores vast amounts of methane (CH4) in subsurface reservoirs. Thawing permafrost creates areas for this potent greenhouse gas to be released to the atmosphere. Identifying ‘hot spots’ of methane flux on a local scale has been limited by the spatial scales of traditional ground-based or satellite-based methane-sampling methods. Here we present a reliable and an easily...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond, Li H. Erikson, Mark P. Waldrop, Peter W. Swarzenski
Atoll groundwater movement and its response to climatic and sea-level fluctuations Atoll groundwater movement and its response to climatic and sea-level fluctuations
Groundwater resources of low-lying atoll islands are threatened due to short-term and long-term changes in rainfall, wave climate, and sea level. A better understanding of how these forcings affect the limited groundwater resources was explored on Roi-Namur in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As part of a 16-month study, a rarely recorded island-overwash event occurred and the...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Peter W. Swarzenski, Curt D. Storlazzi
Fishing activities Fishing activities
Unlike the major anthropogenic changes that terrestrial and coastal habitats underwent during the last centuries such as deforestation, river engineering, agricultural practices or urbanism, those occurring underwater are veiled from our eyes and have continued nearly unnoticed. Only recent advances in remote sensing and deep marine sampling technologies have revealed the extent and...
Authors
Ferdinand K. J. Oberle, Pere Puig, Jacobo Martin
Non-USGS Publications**
Proceedings of the International Conference on DELTAS: Geological Modeling and Management. AIST, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Abstract, Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 38th Meeting
NASA Space Consortium
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.