Kumara, M.P., L.P. Jayatissa, K.W. Krauss, D.H. Phillips, & M. Huxham. 2010. High mangrove density enhances surface accretion, surface elevation change, and tree survival in coastal areas susceptible to sea-level rise. Oecologia 164: 545-553.
Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Biography
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2004
M.S., Forestry, Louisiana State University, 1997
B.S., Biology, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1994
RESEARCH
Ken Krauss' research spans several habitats, from mangroves to tidal freshwater forested wetlands and marshes. His research takes a multi-tiered approach to understanding eco-physiological processes in coastal wetland forests; defining gas exchange between the soil and atmosphere, and among the leaf, tree, and atmosphere. Research has defined thresholds to tidal freshwater forested wetland habitat change in the face of persistent environmental drivers (esp. sea level rise and salinity), defined the potential of forested wetlands to influence water cycling in coastal areas, and has begun to establish the potential of other wetland types to contribute to water conservation, especially under drought and perennial salinization. Krauss also focuses on the vulnerability of coastal swamp forests and mangroves to sea-level rise, and on how science can inform management and restoration activity within the coastal zone.
BACKGROUND
He has been a scientist with the federal government since 1997, first with the USDA Forest Service in Stoneville, Mississippi and, then, in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he studied sedimentation, systematics, regeneration, growth, invasion biology, and ecophysiology of Pacific island forested wetlands in the Federated States of Micronesia and Hawaii. Krauss began working at the USGS National Wetlands Research Center in 2001 (renamed to USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, or WARC, in 2015), where he maintains an expertise in forest ecology and ecophysiology, and serves as one of WARC's climate change scientists focusing on mangroves and tidal freshwater forested wetlands.
2004-present, Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana
2001-2004, Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana
1997-2001, Ecologist, USDA Forest Service, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Honolulu, Hawaii
1996-1997, Ecophysiologist Technician, USDA Forest Service, Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Forestry, Stoneville, Mississippi
1995-1996, Graduate Research Assistant, Louisiana State University, School of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Science and Products
Date published: September 20, 2016
Status: Active Improving Our Ability to Forecast Tidal Marsh Response to Sea Level Rise
Our overall objective is to understand what controls the vulnerability of coastal marshes to risks associated with global change drivers and rising sea levels. Fundamental questions pertaining to coastal wetland vulnerability still need to be addressed. What factors explain spatial and geographic variation in tidal wetland vulnerability? How do short term climatic events (storms) influence the...
Date published: April 8, 2016
Status: Active Evaluating Structural and Surface Elevation Recovery of Restored Mangroves
Hydrologic restoration is one of several approaches to rehabilitate mangroves on a large-scale. USGS evaluates how solely restoring tidal hydrologic flows affect the recovery of mangroves in Florida.
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D., Amanda Demopoulos, Ph.D.
Date published: April 8, 2016
Ecology of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Coastal Wetlands
Wetlands have the potential to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide via photosynthesis, and flooded soils have low oxygen levels which decrease rates of decomposition to promote the retention of soil carbon. However, the type of greenhouse gases emitted from wetlands varies by wetland type and soil condition. A suite of approaches are being used to assess fluxes of greenhouses gases, like...
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Date published: April 8, 2016
Stress Physiology, Scaling, and Water Use of Forested Wetland Trees and Stands
USGS investigates the eco-physiological responses of coastal forested wetland vegetation to envrionmental stressors, and what role vegetation may have in affecting local hydrological cycling as a result of these stressors.
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Date published: April 8, 2016
Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States
Tidal freshwater forested wetlands - TFFWs - can be found in the upper intertidal areas of many estuaries and act as a transition between coastal marshes and bottomland hardwood wetlands. However, it is because of their location that makes them vulnerable to sea-level rise, and they are constantly transitioning to different wetland types. USGS addresses how various processes are affected in...
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Date published: April 8, 2016
Restoration of Climate Change-Induced Retreat of Tidally Influenced Freshwater Forested Wetlands
Wetlands in river deltas - like the Mississippi River Delta Plain - may be more vulnerable to sea-level rise. Historically, coastal wetlands responded to these changes by increasing surface elevation or migrating up-slope. USGS conducts research to identify the biogeochemical influences on sediment addition in coastal wetland areas.
Contacts: Camille LaFosse Stagg, Ph.D., Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Date published: April 7, 2016
Surface Elevation Vulnerability of Coastal Forested Wetlands to Sea-Level Rise
Wetlands vary in their abilities to keep up with sea-level rise; they either adjust vertically and/or move inland. USGS is working with partners around the world to measure rates of surface elevation change relative to local sea-level rise.
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D.
Year Published: 2019
A 3-year in-situ measurement of CO2 efflux in coastal wetlands: Understanding carbon loss through ecosystem respiration and its partitioning
Understanding the link between ecosystem respiration (Reco) and its influential factors is necessary to evaluate the sources of gaseous carbon loss in coastal wetlands. Seablite (Suaeda salsa Pall.) is the main vegetation type pioneering temperate coastal wetlands in northeast China, and is generally an understudied wetland type. To evaluate the...
Yu, Xueyang; Ye, Siyuan; Olsson, Linda; Wei, Mengjie; Krauss, Ken; Brix, HansAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Yu, X., Ye, S., Olsson, L., Wei, M., Krauss, K.W., and Brix, H., 2019, A 3-year in-situ measurement of CO2 efflux in coastal wetlands: understanding carbon loss through ecosystem respiration and its partitioning: Wetlands, First Online, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-019-01197-0.
Year Published: 2019
FLUXNET-CH4 Synthesis Activity: Objectives, observations, and future directions
Here we describe a new coordination activity and initial results for a global synthesis of eddy covariance CH4 flux measurements. This paper describes the formation of, and initial results for, a new FLUXNET coordination network for ecosystem-scale methane (CH4) measurements at 60 sites globally, organized by the Global Carbon Project in...
Knox, Sara H.; Jackson, Robert B.; Poulter, Benjamin; McNicol, Gavin; Fluet-Chouinard, Etienne; Zhang, Zheng; Hugelius, Gustaf; Bousquet, Philippe; Canadell, Josep G; Saunois, Marielle; Papale, Dario; Chu, Housen; Keenan, Trevor F.; Baldocchi, Dennis; Torn, Margaret S; Mammarella, Ivan; Trotta, Carlo; Aurela, Mika; Bohrer, Gil; Campbell, David I; Cescatti, Alessandro; Chamberlain, Samuel D.; Chen, Jiquan; Chen, Weinan; Dengel, Sigrid; Desai, Ankur R.; Euskirchen, Eugenie S; Friborg, Thomas; Gasbarra, Daniele; Goded, Ignacio; Goeckede, Mathias; Heimann, Martin; Helbig, Manuel; Hirano, Takashi; Hollinger, David Y.; Iwata, Hiroki; Kang, Minseok; Klatt, Janina; Krauss, Ken; Kutzbach, Lars; Lohila, Annalea; Mitra, Bhaskar; Morin, Timothy H; Nilsson, Mats B; Niu, Shuli; Noormets, Asko; Oechel, Walter C.; Peichl, Matthias; Peltola, Olli; Reba, Michele L.; Richardson, Andrew D.; Runkle, Benjamin R K; Ryu, Youngryel; Sachs, Torsten; Schäfer, Karina V R; Schmid, Hans Peter; Shurpali, Narasinha; Sonnentag, Oliver; Tang, Angela C I; Ueyama, Masahito; Vargas, Rodrigo; Vesala, Timo; Ward, Eric; Windham-Myers, Lisamarie; Wohlfahrtd, Georg; Zona, DonatellaAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, Ecosystems, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis
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Knox, S.H., Jackson, R.B., Poulter, B., McNicol, G., Fluet-Chouinard, E., Zhang, Z., Hugelius, G., Bousquet, P., Canadell, J.G., Saunois, M., Papale, D., Chu, H., Keenan, T.F., Baldocchi, D., Torn, M.S., Mammarella, I., Trotta, C., Aurela, M., Bohrer, G., Campbell, D.I., Cescatti, A., Chamberlain, S., Chen, J., Chen, W., Dengel, S., Desai, A.R., Euskirchen, E., Friborg, T., Gasbarra, D., Goded, I., Goeckede, M., Heimann, M., Helbig, M., Hirano, T., Hollinger, D.Y., Iwata, H., Kang, M., Klatt, J., Krauss, K.W., Kutzbach, L., Lohila, A., Mitra, B., Morin, T.H., Nilsson, M.B., Niu, S., Noormets, A., Oechel, W.C., Peichl, M., Peltola, O., Reba, M.L., Richardson, A.D., Runkle, B.R.K., Ryu, Y., Sachs, T., Schäfer, K.V.R., Schmid, H.P., Shurpali, N., Sonnentag, O., Tang, A.C.I., Ueyama, M., Vargas, R., Vesala, T., Ward, E.J., Windham-Myers, L., Wohlfahrt, G., and Zona, D., 2019, FLUXNET-CH4 synthesis activity: objectives, observations, and future directions: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, First Online, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-18-0268.1.
Year Published: 2019
Carbon dioxide emissions and methane flux from forested wetland soils of the Great Dismal Swamp, USA
The Great Dismal Swamp, a freshwater forested peatland, has accumulated massive amounts of soil carbon since the postglacial period. Logging and draining have severely altered the hydrology and forest composition, leading to drier soils, accelerated oxidation, and vulnerability to disturbance. The once dominant Atlantic white cedar, cypress, and...
Gutenberg, Laurel; Krauss, K.W.; Qu, John; Ahn, Changwoo; Hogan, Dianna M.; Zhu, Zhiliang; Xu, ChenyangAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Eastern Geographic Science Center, Ecosystems, Land Change Science Program, Northeast
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Gutenberg, L., Krauss, K.W., Qu, J.J., Ahn, C., Hogan, D., Zhu, Z., and Xu, C., 2019, Carbon dioxide emissions and methane flux from forested wetland soils of the Great Dismal Swamp, USA: Environmental Management, First Online, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-019-01177-4.
Year Published: 2019
Global patterns of tree stem growth and stand aboveground wood production in mangrove forests
Mangrove forests provide important ecological and economic services including carbon sequestration and storage. The conservation and restoration of mangroves are expected to play an important role in mitigating climate change, and understanding the factors influencing mangrove stem growth and wood production are important in predicting and...
Xiong, Yanmei; Cakir, Roxelane; Phan, Sang Minh; Ola, Anne; Krauss, Ken; Lovelock, Catherine E.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Carbon storage potential in a recently created brackish marsh in eastern North Carolina, USA
Carbon (C) sequestration through accumulated plant biomass and storage in soils can potentially make wetland ecosystems net C sinks. Here, we collected GHG flux, plant biomass, and litter decomposition data from three distinct vegetation zones (Spartinaalterniflora, Juncus roemerianus and Spartina patens) on a 7-...
Shiau, Yo-Jin; Burchell, Michael R.; Krauss, Ken W.; Broome, Stephen W.; Birgand, FrancoisAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Chapter 13: Terrestrial wetlands
1. The assessment of terrestrial wetland carbon stocks has improved greatly since the First State of the Carbon Cycle Report (CCSP 2007) because of recent national inventories and the development of a U.S. soils database. Terrestrial wetlands in North America encompass an estimated 2.2 million km2, which constitutes about 37% of the global wetland...
Kolka, Randall; Trettin, Carl; Tang, Wenwu; Krauss, Ken W.; Bansal, Sheel; Drexler, Judith Z.; Wickland, Kimberly P.; Chimner, Rodney A.; Hogan, Dianna M.; Pindilli, Emily J.; Benscoter, Brian; Tangen, Brian A.; Kane, Evan S.; Bridgham, Scott D.; Richardson, Curtis J.
Year Published: 2018
Expectations of Maurepas Swamp response to a river reintroduction, Louisiana
Mississippi River reintroductions (freshwater diversions) into wetlands previously disconnected from the river have been implemented in southeastern Louisiana as a means to rehabilitate degraded and submerging wetlands. To date, all active Mississippi River reintroductions have targeted marsh habitat. However, a 57 cubic meter per second (2,000...
Krauss, Ken W.; Shaffer, Gary P.; Keim, Richard F.; Chambers, Jim L.; Wood, William B.; Hartley, Stephen B.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Krauss, K.W., Shaffer, G.P., Keim, R.F., Chambers, J.L., Wood, W.B., and Hartley, S.B., 2018, Expectations of Maurepas Swamp response to a river reintroduction, Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2018–3072, 4 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20183072.
Year Published: 2018
Floristic quality index and forested floristic quality index: Assessment tools for restoration projects and monitoring sites in coastal Louisiana
The Floristic Quality Index (FQI) has been used in many areas throughout the United State to assess the integrity of plant communities and restoration projects. Here, we summarize two tools that have been developed for monitoring sites in coastal Louisiana wetlands. The FQI was modified for herbaceous data collected in coastal Louisiana monitoring...
Dorney, John; Savage, Rick; Tiner, R.W.; Adamus, Paul; Cretini, Kari; Wood, William B.; Visser, Jenneke M.; Krauss, Ken W.; Sharp, Leigh Anne; Steyer, Gregory D.; Shaffer, Gary P.; Piazza, SaraiAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Cretini, K.F., Wood, W.B., Visser, J.M., Krauss, K.W., Sharp, L.A., Steyer, G.D., Shaffer, G.P., and Piazza, S.C., 2018, Floristic quality index and forested floristic quality index: Assessment tools for restoration projects and monitoring sites in Coastal Louisiana, in Dorney, J., Savage, R., Tiner, R.W., and Adamus, P., eds., Wetland and Stream Rapid Assessments: Development, Validation, and Application: London, Academic Press, Chapter 4.5.2, p. 459 - 473, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-805091-0.00049-9.
Year Published: 2018
Moving from generalisations to specificity about mangrove-saltmarsh dynamics
Spatial and temporal variability in factors influencing mangrove establishment and survival affects the distribution of mangrove, particularly near their latitudinal limit, where mangrove expansion into saltmarsh is conspicuous. In this paper the spatial variability in mangrove distribution and variability in factors influencing mangrove...
Rogers, Kerrylee; Krauss, Ken W.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Rogers, K., and Krauss, K.W., 2018, Moving from generalisations to specificity about mangrove-saltmarsh dynamics: Wetlands, Online First, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-018-1067-9.
Year Published: 2018
Growth stress response to sea level rise in species with contrasting functional traits: A case study in tidal freshwater forested wetlands
With rising sea levels, mortality of glycophytes can be caused by water and nutrient stress under increasing salinity. However, the relative effects of these two stressors may vary by species-specific functional traits. For example, deciduous species, with leaves typically emerging during low salinity periods of the year, may suffer less from...
Zhai, Lu; Krauss, Ken W.; Liu, Xin; Duberstein, Jamie A.; Conner, William H.; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Sternberg, Leonel d.S.LAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Zhai, L., Krauss, K.W., Liu, X., Duberstein, J.A., Conner, W.H., DeAngelis, D.L., and da Silveira Lobo Sternberg, L., 2018, Growth stress response to sea level rise in species with contrasting functional traits: a case study in tidal freshwater forested wetlands: Environmental and Experimental Botany, Available Online, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2018.07.023.
Year Published: 2018
Ghost forests of Marco Island: Mangrove mortality driven by belowground soil structural shifts during tidal hydrologic alteration
Land use changes often create in situ stress and eventual mortality in mangroves as unsuitable hydroperiods are created through tidal flow alterations. Here, we document mangrove forest and soil structural changes within transects established in tidally restricted areas on Marco Island (Collier County,...
Krauss, Ken W.; Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.; Cormier, Nicole; From, Andrew; McClain-Counts, Jennifer P.; Lewis, Roy R.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Krauss, K.W., Demopoulos, A.W.J., Cormier, N., From, A.S., McClain-Counts, J.P., and Lewis, R.R., III, 2018, Ghost forests of Marco Island: Mangrove mortality driven by belowground soil structural shifts during tidal hydrologic alteration: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, v. 212, p. 51-62, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2018.06.026.
Year Published: 2018
Flooding alters plant-mediated carbon cycling independently of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations
Plant‐mediated processes determine carbon (C) cycling and storage in many ecosystems; how plant‐associated processes may be altered by climate‐induced changes in environmental drivers is therefore an essential question for understanding global C cycling. In this study, we hypothesize that environmental alterations associated with near‐term climate...
Jones, Scott F.; Stagg, Camille L.; Krauss, Ken W.; Hester, Mark W.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
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Jones, S.F., Stagg, C.L., Krauss, K.W., and Hester, M.W., 2018, Flooding alters plant-mediated carbon cycling independently of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Accepted Articles, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JG004369.
Pre-USGS Publications
Huxham, M., M. Kumara, L. Jayatissa, K.W. Krauss, J. Kairo, J. Langat, M. Mencuccini, M. Skov & B. Kirui. 2010. Intra and inter-specific facilitation in mangroves may increase resilience to climate change threats. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B 365: 2127-2135.
Krauss, K.W. 2009. Mangrove energetics. Ecology 90: 3588-3589. [book review]
Krauss, K.W., C.E. Lovelock, K.L. McKee, L. López-Hoffman, S.M.L. Ewe & W.P. Sousa. 2008. Environmental drivers in mangrove establishment and early development: a review. Aquatic Botany 89: 105-127.
Conner, W.H., T.W. Doyle & K.W. Krauss, Eds., 2007. Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States. Springer. 505 p.
Krauss, K.W., J.L. Chambers & D. Creech. 2007. Selection for salt tolerance in tidal freshwater swamp species: advances using baldcypress as a model for restoration. Pages 385-410 in W.H. Conner, T.W. Doyle, K.W. Krauss (eds.), Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States. Springer. 505 p.
Conner W.H., K.W. Krauss & T.W. Doyle. 2007. Ecology of tidal freshwater forests in coastal deltaic Louisiana and northeastern South Carolina. Pages 223-253 in W.H. Conner, T.W. Doyle, K.W. Krauss (eds.), Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States. Springer. 505 p.
Conner, W.H., C.T. Hackney, K.W. Krauss & J.W. Day, Jr. 2007. Tidal freshwater forested wetlands: future research needs and an overview of restoration. Pages 461-485 in W.H. Conner, T.W. Doyle, K.W. Krauss (eds.), Ecology of Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands of the Southeastern United States. Springer. 505 p.
Gardiner, E.S. & K.W. Krauss. 2001. Photosynthetic light response of flooded cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda) seedlings grown in two light regimes. Tree Physiology 21: 1103-1111.
Krauss, K.W., R.A. Goyer, J.A. Allen & J.L. Chambers. 2000. Tree shelters effective in coastal swamp restoration (Louisiana). Ecological Restoration18: 200-201.
Allen, J.A., K.W. Krauss, N.C. Duke, O. Björkman, D.R. Herbst & C. Shih. 2000. Bruguiera species in Hawai’i: systematic considerations and ecological implications. Pacific Science 54: 331-343.
Doyle, T.W. & K.W. Krauss. 1999. The sands and sambars of St. Vincent Island. Florida Wildlife 53: 22-25.
Krauss, K.W., J.L. Chambers & J.A. Allen. 1998. Salinity effects and differential germination of several half-sib families of baldcypress from different seed sources. New Forests 15: 53-68.
Allen, J.A., W.H. Conner, R.A. Goyer, J.L. Chambers & K.W. Krauss. 1998. Chapter 4: Freshwater forested wetlands and global climate change. Pages 33-44 in G.R. Guntenspergen and B.A Vairin (eds.), Vulnerability of coastal wetlands in the Southeastern United States: climate change research results, 1992-97. U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR-1998-0002. 101 p.