Russell M, Teague A, Alvarez F, Dantin D, Osland M, Harvey J, Nestlerode J, Rogers J, Jackson L, Pilant D, Genthner F, Lewis M, Spivak A, Harwell M, Neale A. 2013. Neighborhood scale quantification of ecosystem goods and services. pp 50, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, Florida, EPA/600/R-13/295, November 2013.
Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Biography
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Ecology, Duke University, 2009
B.A., Biology, Willamette University, 2000
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
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
RESEARCH
In broad terms, my research examines the response of ecosystems to changing conditions and the implications for conservation and restoration. Much of my current research focuses on wetland ecosystems at the dynamic interface between land and ocean: mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Full publication list and links available on google scholar profile.
Osland MJ, Gabler CA, Grace JB, Day RH, McCoy ML, McLeod JL, From AS, Enwright NM, Feher LC, Stagg CL, Hartley SB. 2018. Climate and plant controls on soil organic matter in coastal wetlands. Global Change Biology, 24, 5361-5379.
Borchert, SM, Osland MJ, Enwright NM, and Griffith KT. 2018. Coastal wetland adaptation to sea-level rise: quantifying the potential for landward migration and coastal squeeze in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55, 2876-2887.
Osland MJ, Feher LC, Griffith KT, Cavanaugh KC, Enwright NM, Day RH, Stagg CL, Krauss KW, Howard RJ, Grace JB, Rogers K. 2017. Climatic controls on the global distribution, abundance, and species richness of mangrove forests. Ecological Monographs, 87, 341-359.
Gabler, CA, Osland MJ, Grace JB, Stagg CL, Day RH, Hartley SB, Enwright NM, From AS, McCoy ML, and McLeod JL. 2017. Macroclimatic change expected to transform coastal wetland ecosystems this century. Nature Climate Change, 7, 142-147.
Osland MJ, Day RH, Hall CT, Brumfield MD, Dugas JL, Jones WR. 2017. Mangrove expansion and contraction at a poleward range limit: climate extremes and land-ocean temperature gradients. Ecology, 98, 125-137.
Feher, LC, Osland MJ, Griffith KT, Grace JB, Howard RJ, Stagg CL, Enwright NM, Krauss KW, Gabler CA, Day RH, and Rogers K. 2017. Linear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands. Ecosphere, 8, article e01956.
Osland MJ, Enwright NM, Day RH, Gabler CA, Stagg CL, Grace JB. 2016. Beyond just sea-level rise: considering macroclimatic drivers within coastal wetland vulnerability assessments to climate change. Global Change Biology, 22, 1-11.
Enwright, NM, Griffith KT, and Osland MJ. 2016. Barriers to and opportunities for landward migration of coastal wetlands with sea-level rise. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 14, 307-316.
Yando, ES, Osland MJ, Willis JM, Day RH, Krauss KW, and Hester MW. 2016. Salt marsh-mangrove ecotones: using structural gradients to investigate the effects of woody plant encroachment on plant-soil interactions and ecosystem carbon pools. Journal of Ecology, 104, 1020-1031.
Osland MJ, Enwright N, Stagg CL. 2014. Freshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient. Ecology, 95, 2789-2802.
Osland MJ, Enwright N, Day RH, Doyle TW. 2013. Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species: salt marshes vs. mangrove forests in the southeastern United States. Global Change Biology, 19, 1482-1494.
Osland MJ, Spivak AC, Nestlerode JA, Lessmann JM, Almario AE, Heitmuller PT, Russell MJ, Krauss KW, Alvarez F, Dantin DD, Harvey JE, From AS, Cormier N, Stagg CL. 2012. Ecosystem development after mangrove wetland creation: plant-soil change across a 20-year chronosequence. Ecosystems, 15, 848-866.
Osland MJ, González E, Richardson CJ. 2011. Restoring diversity after cattail expansion: disturbance, resilience, and seasonality in a tropical dry wetland. Ecological Applications, 21, 715-728.
Osland MJ, González E, Richardson CJ. 2011. Coastal freshwater wetland plant community response to seasonal drought and flooding in northwestern Costa Rica. Wetlands, 31, 641-652.
Science and Products
Date published: March 26, 2019
Status: Active Identification of Hydrologic Controls on Coastal Spartina patens Marshes and Optimal Hydrological Conditions for Sustainable Mottled Duck Habitat
Mottled ducks rely on the coastal marshes of the Texas Chenier Plain, which are considered among the most critically endangered habitats in the United States. USGS scientists are evaluating what might be contributing to the degradation of high-quality mottled duck habitat to better understand the causes of habitat loss and subsequently mitigate those losses.
Date published: May 19, 2016
Status: Active Ecology and Management of “Tropical Dry Wetlands” (Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica)
In Central America, “tropical dry wetlands” provide numerous ecosystem goods and services. The mosaic of wetlands within and around Palo Verde National Park (a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance) is one of the largest complexes in the region.
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: April 18, 2016
Mangroves vs. Salt Marshes: Mangrove Forest Range Expansion at the Expense of Salt Marshes
Winter climate change has the potential to have a large impact on coastal wetlands in the southeastern United States.
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Date published: April 17, 2016
Mangrove Migration Network
At the poleward marsh-mangrove ecotone, mangrove abundance and coverage is winter temperature-sensitive in that it oscillates in response to the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of extreme winter temperatures. Future winter climate change is expected to facilitate poleward mangrove range expansion at the expense of salt marshes in Texas, Louisiana, and parts of Florida.
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Date published: April 17, 2016
Watershed Controls of Freshwater Wetland Nutrient Stoichiometry and Sensitivity to Eutrophication
When it comes to freshwater wetlands, hydrology plays a large role in nutrient stoichiometry and sensitivity to nutrient inputs. Although wetland biogeochemists intuitively understand these important relationships between landscape position, hydrology, and sensitivity to nutrient inputs, these relationships have never been quantified using geospatial data. The objective of this project will be...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: April 17, 2016
Incorporating Future Change into Current Conservation Planning: Evaluating Wetland Migration along the Gulf of Mexico under Alternative Sea-Level Rise and Urbanization Scenarios
More than half of contiguous U.S. coastal wetlands are located along the Gulf of Mexico coast. These highly-productive wetlands support many ecosystem goods and services and fish and wildlife habitat. Historically, coastal wetlands have adapted to sea-level changes via lateral and vertical movement on the landscape. As sea levels rise in the future, coastal wetlands will adapt and migrate...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Date published: April 17, 2016
Macroclimatic Controls of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem Structure and Function
At the global-scale, macroclimatic drivers govern ecosystem structure and function in tidal saline wetlands (e.g., salt marshes, mangrove forests, salt flats). However, global reviews and models for these ecosystems typically do not directly include climatic drivers. The objective of this research is to examine and forecast the effects of macroclimatic drivers on wetland ecosystem structure...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Date published: April 17, 2016
Status: Active Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
Dauphin Island, Alabama, is the only barrier island providing protection to much of Alabama's coastal natural resources. Severely impacted by repeated extreme events, like Hurricane Katrina and Deepwater Horizon oil spill, USGS and partners are conducting a joint study to evaluate the feasibility of certain alternatives to increase resiliency and sustainability of the island.
Date published: April 15, 2016
Status: Active Ecosystem Development After Wetland Restoration and Creation
Wetland restoration and creation efforts are increasingly proposed as means to compensate for wetland losses. To address the need for evaluating the development of ecosystem structure and function in restored and created wetlands, USGS compared created tidal wetlands sites to natural mangrove wetlands in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Date published: January 1, 2016
Status: Active Enhancing the Capacity of Coastal Wetlands to Adapt to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Development
Coastal wetlands provide a suite of valuable benefits to people and wildlife, including important habitat, improved water quality, reduced flooding impacts, and protected coastlines. However, in the 21st century accelerated sea-level rise and coastal development are expected to greatly alter coastal landscapes across the globe. The future of coastal wetlands is uncertain, challenging coastal...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Attribution: Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Date published: January 1, 2013
Status: Completed Establishing a Foundation for Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Wetland Ecosystems
Coastal wetlands are one of the most economically valuable ecosystems in the world. In the United States, the ecosystem services provided by wetlands are worth billions of dollars and include flood protection, erosion control, seafood, water quality enhancement, carbon storage, recreation, and wildlife habitat. Unfortunately, these ecosystems are also highly sensitive to changing climate...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D.
Attribution: Climate Adaptation Science Centers
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...
Contacts: Michael Johannes Osland, Ph.D., Richard Day
Attribution: Climate Adaptation Science Centers
Year Published: 2019
The long-term effects of Hurricanes Wilma and Irma on soil elevation change in Everglades mangrove forests
Mangrove forests in the Florida Everglades (USA) are frequently affected by hurricanes that produce high-velocity winds, storm surge, and extreme rainfall, but also provide sediment subsidies that help mangroves adjust to sea-level rise. The long-term influence of hurricane sediment inputs on soil elevation dynamics in mangrove forests are not...
Feher, Laura; Osland, Michael; Anderson, Gordon; Vervaeke, William; Krauss, Ken; Whelan, Kevin R. T.; Balentine, Karen M.; Tiling-Range, Ginger; 3663; Cahoon, Donald
Year Published: 2019
Quantifying hydrologic controls on local- and landscape-scale indicators of coastal wetland loss
Background and AimsCoastal wetlands have evolved to withstand stressful abiotic conditions through the maintenance of hydrologic feedbacks among vegetation production and flooding. However, disruption of these feedbacks can lead to ecosystem collapse, or a regime shift from vegetated wetland to open water. To prevent the loss of critical coastal...
Stagg, Camille; Osland, Michael; Moon, Jena A.; Hall, Courtney; Feher, Laura; Jones, William R.; Couvillion, Brady; Hartley, Stephen B.; Vervaeke, WilliamAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Winter climate change and the poleward range expansion of a tropical invasive tree (Brazilian pepper ‐ Shinus terebinthifolius)
Winter climate change is expected to lead to the tropicalization of temperate ecosystems, where tropical species expand poleward in response to a decrease in the intensity and duration of winter temperature extremes (i.e., freeze events). In the southeastern United States, freezing temperatures control the northern range limits of many invasive...
Osland, Michael; Feher, LauraAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) freeze damage, mortality, and recovery in North America: Refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Near the tropical‐temperate transition zone, warming winter temperatures are expected to facilitate the poleward range expansion of freeze‐sensitive tropical organisms. In coastal wetlands of eastern and central North America, freeze‐sensitive woody plants (mangroves) are expected to expand northward into regions currently dominated by freeze‐...
Osland, Michael; Day, Richard; Hall, Courtney T.; Feher, Laura; Armitage, Anna R.; Cebrian, Just; Dunton, Kenneth H.; Hughes, Randall; Kaplan, David; Langston, Amy K.; Macy, Aaron; Weaver, Carolyn A.; Anderson, Gordon H.; Cummins, Karen; Feller, Ilka C.; Snyder, Caitlin M.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Using UAS capabilities to help identify hummock-hollow formation and fragmentation in critical marsh habitat (Spartina patens) for mottled ducks in southeast Texas
For many years, marshes in the coastal areas from Texas to Louisiana have served as critical habitat for Anas fulvigula, the mottled duck. Mottled ducks are a priority species in the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast area and have been affected by critical habitat reduction. In recent years, mottled duck habitats have been threatened by natural and...
Jones, William R.; Hartley, Stephen B.; Stagg, Camille L.; Osland, Michael J.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Jones, W.R., Hartley, S.B., Stagg, C.L., and Osland, M.J., 2019, Using UAS capabilities to help identify hummock-hollow formation and fragmentation in critical marsh habitat (Spartina patens) for mottled ducks in southeast Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2019–1045, 6 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191045.
Year Published: 2019
Jump-starting coastal wetland restoration: A comparison of marsh and mangrove foundation species
During coastal wetland restoration, foundation plant species play a critical role in creating habitat, modulating ecosystem functions, and supporting ecological communities. Following initial hydrologic restoration, foundation plant species can help stabilize sediments and jump-start ecosystem development. Different foundation species, however,...
Yando, Erik S.; Osland, Michael; Jones, Scott; Hester, Mark W.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Modeling barrier island habitats using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic environments because of their position along the marine–estuarine interface. Geomorphology influences habitat distribution on barrier islands by regulating exposure to harsh abiotic conditions. Researchers have identified linkages between habitat and landscape position, such as elevation and distance from shore, yet...
Enwright, Nicholas; Lei Wang; Wang, Hongqing; Osland, Michael; Feher, Laura; Borchert, Sinéad M.; Day, RichardAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Advancing barrier island habitat mapping using landscape position information
Barrier islands are dynamic ecosystems that change gradually from coastal processes, including currents and tides, and rapidly from episodic events, such as storms. These islands provide many important ecosystem services, including storm protection and erosion control to the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, and tourism. Habitat maps,...
Enwright, Nicholas; Wang, Lei; Borchert, Sinéad M.; Day, Richard; Feher, Laura; Osland, MichaelAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
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Year Published: 2019
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In response to warming winter air temperatures, freeze-sensitive mangrove forests are expected to expand at the expense of freeze-tolerant salt marshes. To better anticipate and prepare for mangrove range expansion, there is a need to advance understanding of the modulating role of microclimate. Here, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the...
Osland, Michael J.; Hartmann, Arik M.; Day, Richard H.; Ross, Michael S.; Hall, Courtney T.; Feher, Laura C.; Vervaeke, WilliamAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Southeast
The Southeast includes vast expanses of coastal and inland low-lying areas, the southern portion of the Appalachian Mountains, numerous high-growth metropolitan areas, and large rural expanses. These beaches and bayous, fields and forests, and cities and small towns are all at risk from a changing climate. While some climate change...
Reidmiller, D. R.; Avery, C. W.; Easterling, D. R.; Kunkel, K. E.; Lewis, K. L. M.; Maycock, T. K.; Stewart, B. C.; Carter, Lynne; Terando, Adam J.; Dow, Kirstin; Hiers, Kevin; Kunkel, Kenneth E.; Lascurain, Aranzazu R.; Marcy, Doug; Osland, Michael J.; Schramm, Paul
Year Published: 2018
Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: Global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast
Mangrove forests are highly-productive intertidal wetlands that support many ecosystem goods and services. In addition to providing fish and wildlife habitat, mangrove forests improve water quality, provide seafood, reduce coastal erosion, supply forest products, support coastal food webs, minimize flooding...
Osland, Michael J.; Feher, Laura C.; López-Portillo, Jorge; Day, Richard H.; Suman, Daniel O.; Guzmán Menéndez, Jose Manuel; Rivera-Monroy, Victor H.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Osland, M.J., Feher, L.C., López-Portillo, J., Day, R.H., Suman, D.O., Guzmán Menéndez, J.M., and Rivera-Monroy, V.H., 2018, Mangrove forests in a rapidly changing world: global change impacts and conservation opportunities along the Gulf of Mexico coast: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Available Online, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2018.09.006.
Year Published: 2018
Sensitivity of mangrove range limits to climate variability
AimCorrelative distribution models have been used to identify potential climatic controls of mangrove range limits, but there is still uncertainty about the relative importance of these factors across different regions. To provide insights into the strength of climatic control of different mangrove range limits, we tested whether temporal...
Cavanaugh, Kyle C.; Osland, Michael J.; Bardou, Rémi; Hinojosa-Arango, Gustavo; López-Vivas, Juan M.; Parker, John D.; Rovai, Andre S.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Cavanaugh, K.C., Osland, M.J., Bardou, R.,Hinojosa-Arango, G., Lopez-Vivas, J.M., Parker, J.D., and Rovai, A.S., 2018, Sensitivity of mangrove range limits to climate variability: Global Ecology and Biogeography, v. 27, no. 8, p. 925-935, https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12751.
Pre-USGS Publications
Osland MJ, González E, Richardson CJ. 2011. Restoring diversity after cattail expansion: disturbance, resilience, and seasonality in a tropical dry wetland. Ecological Applications, 21, 715-728.
Osland MJ, González E, Richardson CJ. 2011. Coastal freshwater wetland plant community response to seasonal drought and flooding in northwestern Costa Rica Wetlands, 31, 641-652. DOI:10.1007/s13157-011-0180-9
Osland MJ, Pahl JW, Richardson CJ. 2009. Native bamboo (Arundinaria gigantea (Walter) Muhl., Poaceae) establishment and growth after the removal of an invasive non-native shrub (Ligustrum sinense Lour., Oleaceae): implications for restoration. Castanea, 74, 247-258.
Osland MJ (2009). Managing invasive plants during wetland restoration: the role of disturbance, plant strategies, and environmental filters. Ph.D. Dissertation. Duke University, Durham, NC.
Date published: January 25, 2017
Changes in Rainfall, Temperature Expected to Transform Coastal Wetlands This Century
Changes in rainfall and temperature are predicted to transform wetlands in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world within the century, a new study from the USGS and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley concludes.
Date published: October 3, 2016
Rising Sea Levels, Coastal Development’s Effect on Gulf Coast Wetlands
As coastal development along the Gulf Coast continues to expand, tidal saline wetlands could have difficulty adjusting to rising sea levels.