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: November 5, 2020
Status: Active Sea-level Rise Vulnerability of Mangrove Forests in Micronesia and the Pacific
The USGS and partners are studying how mangrove forests in the Federated States of Micronesia may respond to sea-level rise over the coming century. Their projections will help Micronesian communities plan for the future.
Attribution: Western Ecological Research Center
Date published: February 26, 2020
Status: Active Impacts of coastal and watershed changes on upper estuaries: causes and implications of wetland ecosystem transitions along the US Atlantic and Gulf Coasts
Estuaries and their surrounding wetlands are coastal transition zones where freshwater rivers meet tidal seawater. As sea levels rise, tidal forces move saltier water farther upstream, extending into freshwater wetland areas. Human changes to the surrounding landscape may amplify the effects of this tidal extension, impacting the resiliency and function of the upper estuarine wetlands. One...
Contacts: Ken Krauss, Ph.D., Gregory Noe, Camille LaFosse Stagg, Ph.D., Hongqing Wang, Ph.D., Eric J Ward, Ph.D., Jamie A. Duberstein, William H. Conner, Zhaohua Dai, Thomas L. O'Halloran
Date published: January 1, 2020
Status: Active Understanding Impacts of Sea-Level Rise and Land Management on Critical Coastal Marsh Habitat
Coastal wetlands are some of the most productive and valuable habitats in the world. Louisiana contains 40% of the coastal wetlands in the United States, which provide critical habitat for waterfowl and fisheries, as well as many other benefits, such as storm surge protection for coastal communities. In terms of ecosystem services, biological resource production, and infrastructure investments...
Attribution: Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Date published: January 1, 2019
Status: Active 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...
Date published: September 20, 2016
Status: Completed 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
Status: Active 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
Status: Active 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
Status: Active 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
Status: Active 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
Status: Active 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.
Date published: January 1, 2012
Status: Completed Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.
Coastal wetlands purify water, protect coastal communities from storms, sequester (store) carbon, and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. They are also vulnerable to climate change. In particular, changes in winter climate (warmer temperatures and fewer freeze events) may transform coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as mangrove forests are expected to expand their range and...
Attribution: Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Year Published: 2021
Mangrove species’ response to sea-level rise across Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
Mangrove forests are likely vulnerable to accelerating sea-level rise; however, we lack the tools necessary to understand their future resilience. On the Pacific island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, mangroves are habitat to endangered species and provide critical ecosystem services that support local communities. We developed a...
Buffington, Kevin J.; MacKenzie, Richard A.; Carr, Joel A.; Apwong, Maybeleen; Krauss, Ken W.; Thorne, Karen M.Attribution: Western Ecological Research Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Buffington, K.J., MacKenzie, R.A., Carr, J.A., Apwong, M., Krauss, K.W., and Thorne, K.M., 2021, Mangrove species’ response to sea-level rise across Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021–1002, 44 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20211002.
Year Published: 2021
Does geomorphology determine vulnerability of mangrove coasts to sea-level rise?
The greatest climate-based threat to coastlines worldwide is sea-level rise. We tested the hypothesis that tropical coasts fringed by mangroves and receiving high inputs of terrigenous sediment are less vulnerable to sea-level rise than biogenic systems dependent upon peat formation for vertical land development. An analysis of published data...
McKee, Karen L.; Krauss, Ken; Cahoon, Donald
Year Published: 2021
Mangroves and people: Impacts and interactions
Mangroves have long been associated with human populations, as coastal communities rely on the various ecosystem services that mangroves provide. However, human degradation and destruction of mangrove forests is common, despite and because of our reliance on them as valuable ecosystems. Mangrove research and management must elucidate and reconcile...
Freiss, Daniel A; Chua, Siew Chin; Jaafer, Zeehan; Krauss, Ken; Yando, Erik S.
Year Published: 2021
Surface elevation change evaluation in mangrove forests using a low‐cost, rapid‐scan terrestrial laser scanner
Mangrove forests have adapted to sea level rise (SLR) increases by maintaining their forest floor elevation via belowground root growth and surface sediment deposits. Researchers use surface elevation tables (SETs) to monitor surface elevation change (SEC) in mangrove forests, after which this information is used to assess SLR resiliency or to...
Kargar, Ali Rouzbeh; MacKenzie, Richard A.; Fafard, Alexander; Krauss, Ken; van Aardt, Jan
Year Published: 2021
Carbon stock losses and recovery observed for a mangrove ecosystem following a major hurricane in Southwest Florida
Studies integrating mangrove in-situ observations and remote sensing analysis for specific sites often lack precise estimates of carbon stocks over time frames that include disturbance events. This study quantifies change in mangrove area from 1985 to 2018 with Landsat time series analysis, estimates above and belowground stored carbon...
Peneva-Reed, Elitsa I.; Krauss, Ken; Bullock, Eric L.; Zhu, Zhiliang; Woltz, Victoria; Drexler, Judith Z.; Conrad, Jeremy R.; Stehman, Stephen V
Year Published: 2021
Scientific contributions of the Mangrove Macrobenthos and Management (MMM) conference series, 2000-2019
The conservation of mangrove forests has become an important international policy priority in recent decades, and is mirrored by a large increase in research interest. Multiple disciplines now use mangroves as a study system, from molecular biology to social science. The variety of research conducted in mangroves is exemplified by the Mangrove...
Friess, Daniel A.; Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid; Satyanarayana, Behara; Cannicci, Stefano; Vannini, Marco; Chua, Siew Chin; Duke, Norman; Feller, Ilka C.; Jaafer, Zeehan; Jayatissa, L.P.; Koedam, Nico; Krauss, Ken; Lee, Shing Yip; Mancera Pineda, Jose Ernesto; Ruwa, Renison; Yando, Erik S.
Year Published: 2020
A global biophysical typology of mangroves and its relevance for ecosystem structure and deforestation
Mangrove forests provide many ecosystem services but are among the world’s most threatened ecosystems. Mangroves vary substantially according to their geomorphic and sedimentary setting; while several conceptual frameworks describe these settings, their spatial distribution has not been quantified. Here, we present a new global mangrove...
Thorley, Julia; Worthington, Thomas A.; zu Ermgassen, Philine S.E.; Friess, Daniel A.; Krauss, Ken; Lovelock, Catherine E.; Tingey, Rick; Woodroffe, Colin D.; Bunting, Pete; Cormier, N.; Lagomasino, David; Lucas, Richard; Murray, Nicholas J.; Sutherland, William J.; Spalding, Mark
Year Published: 2020
Mangrove blue carbon in the face of deforestation, climate change, and restoration
Coastal wetlands have disproportionately high carbon densities, known as blue carbon, compared to most terrestrial ecosystems. Mangroves and their blue carbon stocks are at risk globally from land‐use and land‐cover change (LULCC) activities such as aquaculture, alongside biophysical disturbances such as sea‐level rise and cyclones. Global...
Friess, Daniel A.; Krauss, Ken; Taillardat, Pierre; Adame, Maria Fernanda; Yando, Erik S.; Cameron, Clint; Sasmito, Sigit D.; Sillanpaa, Meriadec
Year Published: 2020
Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events
Plant associations with soil microbiota can modulate tree seedling growth and survival via mutualistic or antagonistic interactions. It is uncertain, however, whether soil microbiota influence seedling growth of coastal trees when exposed to extreme flooding regimes. We evaluated the role of soil microbes in promoting baldcypress (Taxodium...
Torres-Martínez, Lorena; Sánchez-Julia, Mareli; Kimbrough, Elizabeth; Hendrix, Trey; Hendrix, Miranda; Day, Richard H.; Krauss, Ken W.; Van Bael, Sunshine A
Year Published: 2020
Salinity, water level, and forest structure contribute to baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) rhizosphere and endosphere community structure
As rising sea levels alter coastal ecosystems, there is a pressing need to examine the effects of saltwater intrusion on coastal communities. Using 16S Illumina profiling, we characterized the communities of baldcypress tree (Taxodium distichum) root endosphere and rhizosphere soil bacteria. Our study utilized established sites along salinity and...
Lumibao, Candice Y; Kimbrough, Elizabeth; Formel, Steven; Day, Richard; From, Andrew; Conner, William H.; Krauss, Ken; Van Bael, Sunshine A
Year Published: 2020
Small gradients in salinity have large effects on stand water use in freshwater wetland forests
Salinity intrusion is responsible for changes to freshwater wetland watersheds globally, but little is known about how wetland water budgets might be influenced by small increments in salinity. We studied a forested wetland in South Carolina, USA, and installed sap flow probes on 72 trees/shrubs along a salinity gradient. Species investigated...
Duberstein, Jamie A.; Krauss, Ken; Baldwin, M.J.; Allen, Scott T.; Conner, William H.; Salter, John S.; Miloshis, Michael
Year Published: 2020
Divergent biotic and abiotic filtering of root endosphere and rhizosphere soil fungal communities along ecological gradients
Plant roots assemble two distinct microbial compartments: the rhizosphere (microbes in soil surrounding roots) and the endosphere (microbes within roots). Our knowledge of fungal community assembly in these compartments is limited, especially in wetlands. We tested the hypothesis that biotic factors would have direct effects on rhizosphere and...
Lumibao, Candice Y; Kimbrough, Elizabeth; Day, Richard; Conner, William H.; Krauss, Ken; Van Bael, Sunshine APre-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.
Date published: May 30, 2019
Considering carbon in our Nation's tidal freshwater wetlands
This article is part of the Spring 2019 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.
Attribution: Climate Research and Development Program
Date published: November 30, 2017
Testing the Resiliency of Created Tidal Wetlands
This article is part of the Fall 2017 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.
Attribution: Climate Research and Development Program