Judith Drexler is a Research Hydrologist/Wetland Ecologist at the California Water Science Center. She specializes in ecosystem ecology with a special emphasis on the interactions among biogeochemical, ecological, and hydrologic processes in wetland and aquatic ecosystems.
RESEARCH
My research is focused on biological carbon sequestration and the impact of disturbance including climate change and sea-level rise, invasive species, land use change, and hydrologic alteration on ecosystem sustainability. Throughout my career, I have chosen to conduct much of this research in a wide variety of terrestrial and coastal wetlands and aquatic systems. In recent years, I have been studying how to regain critical ecosystem services, such as carbon storage and habitat for threatened and endangered species, through restoration. As part of my research, I use marsh sustainability modeling to better understand the vulnerability of wetlands to drowning under future sea-level rise scenarios. My current work on the island of Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i has allowed me to combine my interests in Western science and indigenous knowledge to evaluate potential options for restoring coastal wetlands and their critical linkages to adjacent ecosystems.
Professional Experience
I began my career at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Drinking Water Branch. As a postdoc, I worked at the USDA Forest Service in Honolulu, Hawai‘i studying groundwater-surface water interactions in coastal wetland complexes in Micronesia. I have been at the USGS California Water Science Center since 2000.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Natural Resources, Cornell University
M.A., Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder
B.A., Environmental Science, University of California, Berkeley
Science and Products
Delta Wetlands and Resilience: Blue Carbon and Marsh Accretion
Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) are coastal ecosystems, such as tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses, with manageable and atmospherically significant carbon stocks and fluxes. The tidal marshes and scrub-shrub wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of California are examples of BCEs. The Delta is a 2,400 square kilometer tidal freshwater region located at the landward end of the...
A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Wetland restoration on Moloka'i is needed to expand habitat for endangered species, improve ecosystem services, increase access to cultural resources including sedges for weaving, and increase opportunities for growing taro. The goal of this project is to assess the current status of wetlands on the island of Moloka‘i, evaluate potential impacts of projected sea level rise on these habitats, and...
A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Moloka‘i has great wetland restoration potential in Hawaiʻi, but most remaining sites are highly degraded. The future of several endangered waterbirds and insects relies on restoring coastal wetland habitat that is resilient under sea-level rise and coastal flooding. Currently, managers lack background data on Molokaʻi to prioritize sites for restoration. In this project, Researchers will develop
Ecosystem Engineering Impacts of Water Primrose in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Many non-native fish, invertebrates, and plants have colonized the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of California, the landward most region of the San Francisco Estuary. Included among these invasive species is the water primrose (Ludwigia spp.), an aggressive floating aquatic plant that is native to South and Central America and parts of the US, but invasive in California. Water primrose is...
Science to Inform the Management of Mangrove Ecosystems Undergoing Sea Level Rise at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida
Mangroves are forested tidal wetlands that occur in tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate coastal regions around the world. Mangroves occupy a significant area of coastlines globally and provide important ecosystem services to humans and wildlife. These services include aesthetic value, storm protection, food provisioning, recreation, critical wildlife habitat, and biological carbon sequestra
NASA-USGS National Blue Carbon Monitoring System
The NASA-USGS National Blue Carbon Monitoring System project will evaluate the relative uncertainty of iterative modeling approaches to estimate coastal wetland (marsh and mangrove) C stocks and fluxes based on changes in wetland distributions, using nationally available datasets (Landsat) and as well as finer scale satellite and field derived data in six sentinel sites.
Assessing the Benefits and Vulnerability of Current and Future Potential Ecosystem Services of the Nisqually River Delta and other Puget Sound Estuaries
The Nisqually River Delta represents the largest wetland restoration in the Pacific Northwest. The restoration resulted in a 50% increase in potential salt marsh habitat. The Delta supports threatened salmon fisheries, large populations of migratory birds, and provides unique opportunities for recreation. The Delta also provides multiple ecosystem services, which are the benefits that wildlife or
Ecosystem Engineers: Impacts of Invasive Aquatic Vegetation on the Delta’s Critical Ecosystems
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is home to a diverse community of plants and animals and is the hub of California’s freshwater delivery system. The Delta supplies water for over 25 million Californians and supports millions of acres of farming, commercial and sport fishing, shipping and ports, and recreational boating.
Fate of Endangered Species in San Francisco Bay Tidal Marshes with Sea-Level Rise
The San Francisco Bay estuary contains the largest remaining expanse of tidal salt marshes in the western U.S. These marshes are home to a variety of federal and state protected species, such as the California clapper rail, California black rail, and the salt marsh harvest mouse. The estuary is also located on the Pacific Flyway, and is an important site for migrating and wintering birds. As clima
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Delta Wetlands and Resilience: Blue Carbon and Marsh Accretion
Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) are coastal ecosystems, such as tidal marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses, with manageable and atmospherically significant carbon stocks and fluxes. The tidal marshes and scrub-shrub wetlands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of California are examples of BCEs. The Delta is a 2,400 square kilometer tidal freshwater region located at the landward end of the...A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Wetland restoration on Moloka'i is needed to expand habitat for endangered species, improve ecosystem services, increase access to cultural resources including sedges for weaving, and increase opportunities for growing taro. The goal of this project is to assess the current status of wetlands on the island of Moloka‘i, evaluate potential impacts of projected sea level rise on these habitats, and...A Prioritization Plan for Coastal Wetland Restoration on Moloka‘i
Moloka‘i has great wetland restoration potential in Hawaiʻi, but most remaining sites are highly degraded. The future of several endangered waterbirds and insects relies on restoring coastal wetland habitat that is resilient under sea-level rise and coastal flooding. Currently, managers lack background data on Molokaʻi to prioritize sites for restoration. In this project, Researchers will developEcosystem Engineering Impacts of Water Primrose in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Many non-native fish, invertebrates, and plants have colonized the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) of California, the landward most region of the San Francisco Estuary. Included among these invasive species is the water primrose (Ludwigia spp.), an aggressive floating aquatic plant that is native to South and Central America and parts of the US, but invasive in California. Water primrose is...Science to Inform the Management of Mangrove Ecosystems Undergoing Sea Level Rise at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida
Mangroves are forested tidal wetlands that occur in tropical, sub-tropical, and warm temperate coastal regions around the world. Mangroves occupy a significant area of coastlines globally and provide important ecosystem services to humans and wildlife. These services include aesthetic value, storm protection, food provisioning, recreation, critical wildlife habitat, and biological carbon sequestraNASA-USGS National Blue Carbon Monitoring System
The NASA-USGS National Blue Carbon Monitoring System project will evaluate the relative uncertainty of iterative modeling approaches to estimate coastal wetland (marsh and mangrove) C stocks and fluxes based on changes in wetland distributions, using nationally available datasets (Landsat) and as well as finer scale satellite and field derived data in six sentinel sites.Assessing the Benefits and Vulnerability of Current and Future Potential Ecosystem Services of the Nisqually River Delta and other Puget Sound Estuaries
The Nisqually River Delta represents the largest wetland restoration in the Pacific Northwest. The restoration resulted in a 50% increase in potential salt marsh habitat. The Delta supports threatened salmon fisheries, large populations of migratory birds, and provides unique opportunities for recreation. The Delta also provides multiple ecosystem services, which are the benefits that wildlife orEcosystem Engineers: Impacts of Invasive Aquatic Vegetation on the Delta’s Critical Ecosystems
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is home to a diverse community of plants and animals and is the hub of California’s freshwater delivery system. The Delta supplies water for over 25 million Californians and supports millions of acres of farming, commercial and sport fishing, shipping and ports, and recreational boating.Fate of Endangered Species in San Francisco Bay Tidal Marshes with Sea-Level Rise
The San Francisco Bay estuary contains the largest remaining expanse of tidal salt marshes in the western U.S. These marshes are home to a variety of federal and state protected species, such as the California clapper rail, California black rail, and the salt marsh harvest mouse. The estuary is also located on the Pacific Flyway, and is an important site for migrating and wintering birds. As clima - Data
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