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Laura Gemery, Ph.D.

Laura Gemery is a Ecologist at the Florence Bascom Geoscience Center.

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D., University of Maryland, Center for Marine and Environmental Science (UMCES)

  • M.A. University of Maryland, Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science (MEES) Graduate Program, Specialization: Environmental Science

  • B.A. Miami University, Oxford, Ohio,  Double Major: Zoology/Environmental Science and Journalism

Science and Products

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Researcher samples sediments on exposed cliff face.

Sea Level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present

Sea level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present is a multidisciplinary study of past changes in sea level. Prehistoric shorelines can be used as a baseline for current and future sea level changes under warmer-than-present climate. Emphasis is placed on looking at sea levels during warm periods of the last 500,000 years as well as how base level changes increase the risk of coastal inundation during...
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

Sea Level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present

Sea level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present is a multidisciplinary study of past changes in sea level. Prehistoric shorelines can be used as a baseline for current and future sea level changes under warmer-than-present climate. Emphasis is placed on looking at sea levels during warm periods of the last 500,000 years as well as how base level changes increase the risk of coastal inundation during...
Learn More
link
Researchers deploying gravity corer off boat in Chukchi Sea.

Land-Sea Linkages in the Arctic

The Arctic is undergoing historically unprecedented changes in weather, sea ice, temperature and ecosystems. These changes have led to greater coastal erosion, greater export of freshwater, and changes to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, habitats, and productivity, among other trends. Meanwhile, many believe the Arctic “amplifies” large climate changes during both warm periods and ice ages and...
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
link

Land-Sea Linkages in the Arctic

The Arctic is undergoing historically unprecedented changes in weather, sea ice, temperature and ecosystems. These changes have led to greater coastal erosion, greater export of freshwater, and changes to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, habitats, and productivity, among other trends. Meanwhile, many believe the Arctic “amplifies” large climate changes during both warm periods and ice ages and...
Learn More
link

New publication examines biogeographic boundaries of Pacific versus Arctic meiobenthic ostracode species in response to climate change in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

A new ecological study of ostracodes was recently published by Climate R&D scientists.

Read Article
link

USGS Researchers Develop New Oxygen Isotope Method for Paleoclimate Studies

A new paleoceanography paper was recently published by Climate R&D scientists. 

Read Article
link

Climate R&D Research Activities: Arctic Research Cruise

This article is part of the Fall 2019 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.

Read Article
link

Studying Arctic Sea Ice Ecosystem Change

This article is part of the Fall 2014 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.

Read Article

Marine latitudinal diversity gradients, niche conservatism and out of the tropics and Arctic: Climatic sensitivity of small organisms

AimThe latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is a consequence of evolutionary and ecological mechanisms acting over long history, and thus is best investigated with organisms that have rich fossil records. However, combined neontological‐palaeontological investigations are mostly limited to large, shelled invertebrates, which keeps our mechanistic understanding of LDGs in its infancy. This paper ai
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Late Holocene paleoceanography in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Arctic Ocean, based on benthic foraminifera and ostracodes

Calcareous microfossil assemblages in late Holocene sediments from the western Arctic continental shelf provide an important baseline for evaluating the impacts of today’s changing Arctic oceanography. This study compares 14C-dated late Holocene microfaunal assemblages of sediment cores SWERUS-L2-2-PC1, 2-MC4 and 2-KL1 (57 mwd), which record the last 4200 years in the Herald Canyon (Chukchi Sea sh
By
Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
A lab technician updates data in a spreadsheet
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A lab technician swirls samples in a watch glass to assist in extracting pollen
link
Thomas Sheehan swirling palynomorph samples in a watch glass before creating slides.
link
Corals collected from the base of the Canetrap Formation. The corals are growing on disarticulated oyster and scallop shells.
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A nearshore shell hash deposit from the Socastee Formation.
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A unit at the base of the Canepatch Formation with many shells encased in dense estuarine clay.
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Laura Gemery examines back barrier deposits of the Canepatch formation.
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Dr. Robert Poirier scouts for samples in a Canepatch formation outcrop.
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Dr. Robert Poirier is describing an outcrop of the Socastee formation.
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In this image, Dr. Robbert Poirier is examining a facies change within the Socastee Formation at an outcrop in S.C.
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scanning electron microscope image of ostracode
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Sunset view of calm Chukchi Sea waters with sea ice
link
Researchers deploying gravity corer off boat in Chukchi Sea.
link
Pancake ice in Bering Sea.
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Science and Products

  • Science
    link
    Researcher samples sediments on exposed cliff face.

    Sea Level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present

    Sea level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present is a multidisciplinary study of past changes in sea level. Prehistoric shorelines can be used as a baseline for current and future sea level changes under warmer-than-present climate. Emphasis is placed on looking at sea levels during warm periods of the last 500,000 years as well as how base level changes increase the risk of coastal inundation during...
    By
    Climate Research and Development Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
    link

    Sea Level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present

    Sea level and Storm Hazards: Past and Present is a multidisciplinary study of past changes in sea level. Prehistoric shorelines can be used as a baseline for current and future sea level changes under warmer-than-present climate. Emphasis is placed on looking at sea levels during warm periods of the last 500,000 years as well as how base level changes increase the risk of coastal inundation during...
    Learn More
    link
    Researchers deploying gravity corer off boat in Chukchi Sea.

    Land-Sea Linkages in the Arctic

    The Arctic is undergoing historically unprecedented changes in weather, sea ice, temperature and ecosystems. These changes have led to greater coastal erosion, greater export of freshwater, and changes to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, habitats, and productivity, among other trends. Meanwhile, many believe the Arctic “amplifies” large climate changes during both warm periods and ice ages and...
    By
    Climate Research and Development Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
    link

    Land-Sea Linkages in the Arctic

    The Arctic is undergoing historically unprecedented changes in weather, sea ice, temperature and ecosystems. These changes have led to greater coastal erosion, greater export of freshwater, and changes to marine and terrestrial ecosystems, habitats, and productivity, among other trends. Meanwhile, many believe the Arctic “amplifies” large climate changes during both warm periods and ice ages and...
    Learn More
  • News
    link

    New publication examines biogeographic boundaries of Pacific versus Arctic meiobenthic ostracode species in response to climate change in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

    A new ecological study of ostracodes was recently published by Climate R&D scientists.

    Read Article
    link

    USGS Researchers Develop New Oxygen Isotope Method for Paleoclimate Studies

    A new paleoceanography paper was recently published by Climate R&D scientists. 

    Read Article
    link

    Climate R&D Research Activities: Arctic Research Cruise

    This article is part of the Fall 2019 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.

    Read Article
    link

    Studying Arctic Sea Ice Ecosystem Change

    This article is part of the Fall 2014 issue of the Earth Science Matters Newsletter.

    Read Article
  • Publications

    Marine latitudinal diversity gradients, niche conservatism and out of the tropics and Arctic: Climatic sensitivity of small organisms

    AimThe latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is a consequence of evolutionary and ecological mechanisms acting over long history, and thus is best investigated with organisms that have rich fossil records. However, combined neontological‐palaeontological investigations are mostly limited to large, shelled invertebrates, which keeps our mechanistic understanding of LDGs in its infancy. This paper ai
    By
    Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

    Late Holocene paleoceanography in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, Arctic Ocean, based on benthic foraminifera and ostracodes

    Calcareous microfossil assemblages in late Holocene sediments from the western Arctic continental shelf provide an important baseline for evaluating the impacts of today’s changing Arctic oceanography. This study compares 14C-dated late Holocene microfaunal assemblages of sediment cores SWERUS-L2-2-PC1, 2-MC4 and 2-KL1 (57 mwd), which record the last 4200 years in the Herald Canyon (Chukchi Sea sh
    By
    Florence Bascom Geoscience Center
  • Multimedia
    A lab technician updates data in a spreadsheet
    link
    A lab technician swirls samples in a watch glass to assist in extracting pollen
    link
    Thomas Sheehan swirling palynomorph samples in a watch glass before creating slides.
    link
    Corals collected from the base of the Canetrap Formation. The corals are growing on disarticulated oyster and scallop shells.
    link
    A nearshore shell hash deposit from the Socastee Formation.
    link
    A unit at the base of the Canepatch Formation with many shells encased in dense estuarine clay.
    link
    Laura Gemery examines back barrier deposits of the Canepatch formation.
    link
    Dr. Robert Poirier scouts for samples in a Canepatch formation outcrop.
    link
    Dr. Robert Poirier is describing an outcrop of the Socastee formation.
    link
    In this image, Dr. Robbert Poirier is examining a facies change within the Socastee Formation at an outcrop in S.C.
    link
    scanning electron microscope image of ostracode
    link
    Sunset view of calm Chukchi Sea waters with sea ice
    link
    Researchers deploying gravity corer off boat in Chukchi Sea.
    link
    Pancake ice in Bering Sea.
    link