A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.
Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Michael Osland is a Research Ecologist at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana.
In broad terms, his research examines the effects of global change on ecosystems and the implications for ecological conservation and restoration. Much of his research focuses on wetland ecosystems at the dynamic interface between land and ocean (mangrove forests, salt marshes).
Professional Experience
2011-Present Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Louisiana, USA
2009-2011 Postdoctoral Research Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Ecology Division, Florida, USA
2006-2007 Fulbright Fellow; via the Organization for Tropical Studies, Costa Rica
2003-2009 Graduate Student, Duke University, North Carolina, USA
2000-2003 U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, Agroforestry, El Salvador
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Ecology, Duke University, 2009
B.A., Biology, Willamette University, 2000
Science and Products
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations
Habitat Vulnerability to Climate Change: Identifying Climate Change Induced Mass Mortality Events Across Large Landscapes of the United States
Synthesizing Surface Elevation Change Data to Advance Understanding of Sea-level Rise Impacts to Mangrove Forests and Salt Marshes
Decision Support for Managers Restoring Texas Coastal Marshes with Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
Coastal Wetland Dynamics and Impacts on Hurricane Flood Risk along the Texas Gulf Coast in a Changing Climate
Landscape Connectivity and Wildlife Access to Water in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
Evaluating Impacts of Border Wall Construction on Wildlife Entrapment and Drowning in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
Mangrove Forest Responses to Sea-Level Rise in the Greater Everglades
Restoring Texas Coastal Wetlands: Decision Support for the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Grand Bay Estuary, Mississippi, 2015 - 2022 Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Grand Bay Estuary, Mississippi, 2015 - 2022
Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, 2021 Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, 2021
North American dataset of ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands—Canopy height, aboveground biomass, productivity, soil carbon density, and soil carbon accumulation North American dataset of ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands—Canopy height, aboveground biomass, productivity, soil carbon density, and soil carbon accumulation
Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold (ver. 2.0, Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold (ver. 2.0,
Roads within 13 tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas: 2004 and 2024 Roads within 13 tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas: 2004 and 2024
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States? When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States?
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida
Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida
A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.
Variation in soil organic carbon across a latitudinal chronosequence of mangrove poleward expansion Variation in soil organic carbon across a latitudinal chronosequence of mangrove poleward expansion
Causal interpretations can be based on mechanistic knowledge Causal interpretations can be based on mechanistic knowledge
Causal effects verses causal mechanisms: Two traditions with different requirements and contributions towards causal understanding Causal effects verses causal mechanisms: Two traditions with different requirements and contributions towards causal understanding
Ecological thresholds and transformations due to climate change: The role of abiotic stress Ecological thresholds and transformations due to climate change: The role of abiotic stress
Nature-based solutions could offset coastal squeeze of tidal wetlands from sea-level rise on the U.S. Pacific coast Nature-based solutions could offset coastal squeeze of tidal wetlands from sea-level rise on the U.S. Pacific coast
Waterfront property owners' shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions Waterfront property owners' shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions
Salt marsh habitats and diamondback terrapins in a rapidly changing climate: A review Salt marsh habitats and diamondback terrapins in a rapidly changing climate: A review
Mangrove freeze resistance and resilience across a tropical-temperate transitional zone Mangrove freeze resistance and resilience across a tropical-temperate transitional zone
Coastal wetlands in the Anthropocene Coastal wetlands in the Anthropocene
Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
Barriers and Opportunities for Landward Migration of Coastal Wetlands along Texas' Upper and Middle Coast
Understanding Ecosystem Response and Infrastructure Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise for Gulf Islands National Seashore
Coastal Wetland Vulnerability to Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise: Understanding Ecological Thresholds and Ecosystem Transformations
Habitat Vulnerability to Climate Change: Identifying Climate Change Induced Mass Mortality Events Across Large Landscapes of the United States
Synthesizing Surface Elevation Change Data to Advance Understanding of Sea-level Rise Impacts to Mangrove Forests and Salt Marshes
Decision Support for Managers Restoring Texas Coastal Marshes with Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
Coastal Wetland Dynamics and Impacts on Hurricane Flood Risk along the Texas Gulf Coast in a Changing Climate
Landscape Connectivity and Wildlife Access to Water in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
Evaluating Impacts of Border Wall Construction on Wildlife Entrapment and Drowning in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas)
Mangrove Forest Responses to Sea-Level Rise in the Greater Everglades
Restoring Texas Coastal Wetlands: Decision Support for the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material
Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Grand Bay Estuary, Mississippi, 2015 - 2022 Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Grand Bay Estuary, Mississippi, 2015 - 2022
Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, 2021 Digital elevation models with elevation uncertainty treatment, Plum Island Estuary, Massachusetts, 2021
North American dataset of ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands—Canopy height, aboveground biomass, productivity, soil carbon density, and soil carbon accumulation North American dataset of ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands—Canopy height, aboveground biomass, productivity, soil carbon density, and soil carbon accumulation
Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold (ver. 2.0, Wetland transformations for three relative sea-level rise scenarios along the middle and upper Texas Coast, wetland current condition map and wetland transformation maps by decade, sea-level rise scenario, and coastal wetland drowning threshold (ver. 2.0,
Roads within 13 tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas: 2004 and 2024 Roads within 13 tracts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge in South Texas: 2004 and 2024
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Biscayne National Park, Florida
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States? When and where could rising seas cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across conterminous United States?
Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida Sea-level rise and high tide flooding inundation probability and depth statistics at De Soto National Memorial, Florida
Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida Wetland migration analysis for relative sea-level rise scenarios in Nassau and Duval Counties, Florida
A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.
A mangrove forest along the western Gulf of Mexico coast (near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico). With warming winters, mangrove forests are expected to expand northward at the expense of salt marshes in parts of Texas, Louisiana, and north Florida.
Variation in soil organic carbon across a latitudinal chronosequence of mangrove poleward expansion Variation in soil organic carbon across a latitudinal chronosequence of mangrove poleward expansion
Causal interpretations can be based on mechanistic knowledge Causal interpretations can be based on mechanistic knowledge
Causal effects verses causal mechanisms: Two traditions with different requirements and contributions towards causal understanding Causal effects verses causal mechanisms: Two traditions with different requirements and contributions towards causal understanding
Ecological thresholds and transformations due to climate change: The role of abiotic stress Ecological thresholds and transformations due to climate change: The role of abiotic stress
Nature-based solutions could offset coastal squeeze of tidal wetlands from sea-level rise on the U.S. Pacific coast Nature-based solutions could offset coastal squeeze of tidal wetlands from sea-level rise on the U.S. Pacific coast
Waterfront property owners' shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions Waterfront property owners' shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions
Salt marsh habitats and diamondback terrapins in a rapidly changing climate: A review Salt marsh habitats and diamondback terrapins in a rapidly changing climate: A review
Mangrove freeze resistance and resilience across a tropical-temperate transitional zone Mangrove freeze resistance and resilience across a tropical-temperate transitional zone
Coastal wetlands in the Anthropocene Coastal wetlands in the Anthropocene
Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico
Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Projected sea-level rise and high tide flooding at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.