Karen Thorne, Ph.D.
Dr. Karen Thorne is a Research Ecologist with the USGS Western Ecological Research Center,
Her research focus is on climate change impacts to coastal ecosystems. In particular, her work has included assessing sea-level rise and storm impacts to coastal ecosystems, wetland ecology, restoration, and blue carbon. She received her Ph.D. and MS from the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Thorne's interests lie in conservation and management issues surrounding climate-related research that assess changes to ecosystems. Her current focus is assessing how sea-level rise and storms impact tidal wetland ecosystems in the U.S. and island habitats. She conducts research to inform climate adaptation and planning to help managers mitigate impacts and conduct restoration. Her research is based on field data collection methods that can be developed into climate change impact models using ArcGIS and other remote sensing tools.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Global Change Biology
- Coastal Ecosystems
- Wetland Ecology
- Restoration
- Threatened & Endangered Species
- Blue Carbon
- Landscape Ecology
- Ecological Response Modeling
- Storm Monitoring
- Sea-level Rise Planning & Decision Support
Professional Experience
Research Ecologist, USGS, Western Ecological Research Center, Davis Field Station, 2012 - present
Biologist, USGS, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, 2005 to 2012
Research Associate, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, 2002 to 2005
Education and Certifications
PhD, Geography, Global Change, University of California, Davis, 2012
MSc, Geography, Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis, 2008
BS, Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis 2000
Affiliations and Memberships*
California Landscape Conservation Cooperative Science Team
Science and Products
Rising tides: Assessing habitat vulnerability for an endangered salt marsh-dependent species with sea-level rise
El Niño increases high‐tide flooding in tidal wetlands along the U.S. Pacific coast.
Sea‐level rise, habitat loss, and potential extirpation of a salt marsh specialist bird in urbanized landscapes
Vertical zonation and niche breadth of tidal marsh plants along the Northeast Pacific coast
Climate-related variation in plant peak biomass and growth phenology across Pacific Northwest tidal marshes
U.S. Pacific coastal wetland resilience and vulnerability to sea-level rise
Inundation, vegetation, and sediment effects on litter decomposition in Pacific Coast tidal marshes
Are coastal managers ready for climate change? A case study from estuaries along the Pacific coast of the United States
Statistical correction of lidar-derived digital elevation models with multispectral airborne imagery in tidal marshes
Balanced sediment fluxes in southern California’s Mediterranean-climate zone salt marshes
Effects of climate change on tidal marshes along a latitudinal gradient in California
Assessing wildlife benefits and carbon storage from restored and natural coastal marshes in the Nisqually River Delta: Determining marsh net ecosystem carbon balance
Science and Products
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Rising tides: Assessing habitat vulnerability for an endangered salt marsh-dependent species with sea-level rise
Salt marsh-dependent species are vulnerable to impacts of sea-level rise (SLR). Site-specific differences in ecogeomorphic processes result in different SLR vulnerabilities. SLR impacts to Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus) of Southern California (SC) and San Francisco Bay (SF), U.S.A. could foreshadow SLR effects on other coastal endemic species. Salt marsh vulnerabilities to SLR were forecasted aAuthorsJordan A. Rosencranz, Karen M. Thorne, Kevin J. Buffington, Cory T. Overton, John Takekawa, Michael L. Casazza, Jennifer McBroom, Julian K. Wood, Nadav Nur, Richard L. Zembal, Glen M. MacDonald, Richard F. AmbroseEl Niño increases high‐tide flooding in tidal wetlands along the U.S. Pacific coast.
Periodic oscillations between El Niño and La Niña conditions in the Pacific Basin affect oceanographic and meteorological phenomena globally, with impacts on the abundance and distribution of marine species. However, El Niño effects on estuarine hydrology and tidal wetland processes have seldom been examined rigorously. We used detailed wetland elevation and local inundation data from 10 tidal wetAuthorsArianna Goodman, Karen M. Thorne, Kevin J. Buffington, Chase M. Freeman, Christopher N. JanousekSea‐level rise, habitat loss, and potential extirpation of a salt marsh specialist bird in urbanized landscapes
Sea‐level rise (SLR) impacts on intertidal habitat depend on coastal topology, accretion, and constraints from surrounding development. Such habitat changes might affect species like Belding's savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis beldingi; BSSP), which live in high‐elevation salt marsh in the Southern California Bight. To predict how BSSP habitat might change under various SLR scenarios, wAuthorsJordan Rosencranz, Karen M. Thorne, Kevin J. Buffington, John Y. Takekawa, Ryan F. Hechinger, Tara E. Stewart, Richard F. Ambrose, Glen M. MacDonald, Mark A. Holmgren, Jeff A. Crooks, Robert T. Patton, Kevin D. LaffertyVertical zonation and niche breadth of tidal marsh plants along the Northeast Pacific coast
The distribution patterns of sessile organisms in coastal intertidal habitats typically exhibit vertical zonation, but little is known about variability in zonation among sites or species at larger spatial scales. Data on such heterogeneity could inform mechanistic understanding of factors affecting species distributions as well as efforts to assess and manage coastal species and habitat vulnerabiAuthorsChristopher N. Janousek, Karen M. Thorne, John Y. TakekawaClimate-related variation in plant peak biomass and growth phenology across Pacific Northwest tidal marshes
The interannual variability of tidal marsh plant phenology is largely unknown and may have important ecological consequences. Marsh plants are critical to the biogeomorphic feedback processes that build estuarine soils, maintain marsh elevation relative to sea level, and sequester carbon. We calculated Tasseled Cap Greenness, a metric of plant biomass, using remotely sensed data available in the LAuthorsKevin J. Buffington, Bruce D. Dugger, Karen M. ThorneU.S. Pacific coastal wetland resilience and vulnerability to sea-level rise
We used a first-of-its-kind comprehensive scenario approach to evaluate both the vertical and horizontal response of tidal wetlands to projected changes in the rate of sea-level rise (SLR) across 14 estuaries along the Pacific coast of the continental United States. Throughout the U.S. Pacific region, we found that tidal wetlands are highly vulnerable to end-of-century submergence, with resultingAuthorsKaren M. Thorne, Glen M. MacDonald, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Richard F. Ambrose, Kevin J. Buffington, Bruce D. Dugger, Chase M. Freeman, Christopher Janousek, Lauren N. Brown, Jordan A. Rosencranz, James Homquist, John P. Smol, Kathryn Hargan, John Y. TakekawaInundation, vegetation, and sediment effects on litter decomposition in Pacific Coast tidal marshes
The cycling and sequestration of carbon are important ecosystem functions of estuarine wetlands that may be affected by climate change. We conducted experiments across a latitudinal and climate gradient of tidal marshes in the northeast Pacific to evaluate the effects of climate- and vegetation-related factors on litter decomposition. We manipulated tidal exposure and litter type in experimental mAuthorsChristopher Janousek, Kevin J. Buffington, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Karen M. Thorne, Bruce D. Dugger, John Y. TakekawaAre coastal managers ready for climate change? A case study from estuaries along the Pacific coast of the United States
A key challenge for coastal resource managers is to plan and implement climate change adaptation strategies inlight of uncertainties and competing management priorities. In 2014, we held six workshops across estuaries along the Pacific coast of North America with over 150 participants to evaluate resource managers' perceived level of understanding of climate change science, where they obtain inforAuthorsKaren M. Thorne, Deborah L. Elliott-Fisk, Chase M. Freeman, Thuy-Vy D. Bui, Katherine Powelson, Christopher Janousek, Kevin J. Buffington, John Y. TakekawaStatistical correction of lidar-derived digital elevation models with multispectral airborne imagery in tidal marshes
Airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) is a valuable tool for collecting large amounts of elevation data across large areas; however, the limited ability to penetrate dense vegetation with lidar hinders its usefulness for measuring tidal marsh platforms. Methods to correct lidar elevation data are available, but a reliable method that requires limited field work and maintains spatial resolutAuthorsKevin J. Buffington, Bruce D. Dugger, Karen M. Thorne, John Y. TakekawaBalanced sediment fluxes in southern California’s Mediterranean-climate zone salt marshes
Salt marsh elevation and geomorphic stability depends on mineral sedimentation. Many Mediterranean-climate salt marshes along southern California, USA coast import sediment during El Niño storm events, but sediment fluxes and mechanisms during dry weather are potentially important for marsh stability. We calculated tidal creek sediment fluxes within a highly modified, sediment-starved, 1.5-km2 salAuthorsJordan A. Rosencranz, Neil K. Ganju, Richard F. Ambrose, Sandra M. Brosnahan, Patrick J. Dickhudt, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Glen M. MacDonald, John Y. Takekawa, Karen M. ThorneEffects of climate change on tidal marshes along a latitudinal gradient in California
Public SummaryThe coastal region of California supports a wealth of ecosystem services including habitat provision for wildlife and fisheries. Tidal marshes, mudflats, and shallow bays within coastal estuaries link marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats, and provide economic and recreational benefits to local communities. Climate change effects such as sea-level rise (SLR) are altering theseAuthorsKaren M. Thorne, Glen M. MacDonald, Rich F. Ambrose, Kevin J. Buffington, Chase M. Freeman, Christopher N. Janousek, Lauren N. Brown, James R. Holmquist, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Katherine W. Powelson, Patrick L. Barnard, John Y. TakekawaAssessing wildlife benefits and carbon storage from restored and natural coastal marshes in the Nisqually River Delta: Determining marsh net ecosystem carbon balance
Working in partnership since 1996, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nisqually Indian Tribe have restored 902 acres of tidally influenced coastal marsh in the Nisqually River Delta (NRD), making it the largest estuary-restoration project in the Pacific Northwest to date. Marsh restoration increases the capacity of the estuary to support a diversity of wildlife species. Restoration also inAuthorsFrank Anderson, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Isa Woo, Susan De La Cruz, Judith Z. Drexler, Kristin Byrd, Karen M. Thorne - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government