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).
RESEARCH AREAS: ecology, global change, climate change, plant ecology, wetlands, restoration ecology, ecosystem ecology, biogeography, mangrove forests, salt marshes, sea-level rise
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
Science and Products
Ecology and Management of “Tropical Dry Wetlands” (Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica)
Mangroves vs. Salt Marshes: Mangrove Forest Range Expansion at the Expense of Salt Marshes
Incorporating Future Change into Current Conservation Planning: Evaluating Wetland Migration along the Gulf of Mexico under Alternative Sea-Level Rise and Urbanization Scenarios
Watershed Controls of Freshwater Wetland Nutrient Stoichiometry and Sensitivity to Eutrophication
Mangrove Migration Network
Macroclimatic Controls of Coastal Wetland Ecosystem Structure and Function
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment at Dauphin Island
Ecosystem Development After Wetland Restoration and Creation
Enhancing the Capacity of Coastal Wetlands to Adapt to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Development
Establishing a Foundation for Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Wetland Ecosystems
Ecological Implications of Mangrove Forest Migration in the Southeastern U.S.
Everglades National Park sediment elevation and marker horizon data release
Local and landscape-scale data describing patterns of coastal wetland loss in the Texas Chenier Plain, U.S.A.
Temperature thresholds for black mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery: refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
Using relative topography and elevation uncertainty to delineate dune habitat on barrier islands
Microclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
Winter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species in the southeastern United States
Landward migration of tidal saline wetlands with sea-level rise and urbanization: a comparison of northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries
The impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
Barrier island habitat map and vegetation survey, Dauphin Island, AL, 2015
Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: gaps and opportunities for developing a coordinated regional sampling network
Linear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Climatic controls on the global distribution, abundance, and species richness of mangrove forests
The impacts of mangrove range expansion on wetland ecosystem services in the southeastern United States: Current understanding, knowledge gaps, and emerging research needs
Extreme precipitation and flooding contribute to sudden vegetation dieback in a coastal salt marsh
Identifying the ecological and management implications of mangrove migration in the northern Gulf of Mexico
The distribution and structure of mangroves (Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle) near a rapidly changing range limit in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Effects of chronic and acute stressors on transplanted black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) seedlings along an eroding Louisiana shoreline
Assessing habitat change and migration of barrier islands
Reply to comment by R. Parkinson on “Increasing rates of carbon burial in southwest Florida coastal wetlands” by J. Breithaupt et al.
Tropicalization of temperate ecosystems in North America: The northward range expansion of tropical organisms in response to warming winter temperatures
A comparison of plant communities in restored, old field, and remnant coastal prairies
Changes in ecosystem nitrogen and carbon allocation with black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) encroachment into Spartina alterniflora salt marsh
Frequency of extreme freeze events controls the distribution and structure of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) near their northern range limit in coastal Louisiana
A tropical cyclone-induced ecological regime shift: Mangrove forest conversion to mudflat in Everglades National Park (Florida, USA)
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
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Filter Total Items: 23
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.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.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 landward...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 to...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.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 and...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.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.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 envirEstablishing 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 conditionEcological 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 replac - Data
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Everglades National Park sediment elevation and marker horizon data release
This data set represents the relevant study site information for the Everglades National Park LTER sediment elevation table - marker horizon study. Nine SETs study sites are located near U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hydrological stations in Everglades National Park. The coupling of coastal sediment elevation with Hydrology data is important aid in evaluating sea level changes influences to coastaLocal and landscape-scale data describing patterns of coastal wetland loss in the Texas Chenier Plain, U.S.A.
We characterized coastal wetland responses to flooding stress by measuring vegetation cover, wetland elevation and water elevation in healthy and degrading wetlands dominated by Spartina patens. Wetland elevation was measured using real-time kinematic survey methods. Vegetation cover was determined by visual estimation methods, and water elevation was measured using in situ continuous recorders. ITemperature thresholds for black mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery: refining tipping points for range expansion in a warming climate
To advance understanding of mangrove range dynamics in eastern North America, there is a need to refine temperature thresholds for mangrove freeze damage, mortality, and recovery. Here, We integrated data from 38 sites spread across the mangrove range edge in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States, including data from a regional collaborative network called the MaUsing relative topography and elevation uncertainty to delineate dune habitat on barrier islands
Dunes with a high relative topography can often be easily distinguished in high-resolution lidar-based digital elevation models (DEMs). Thus, researchers have begun using relative topography metrics, such as the topographic position index (TPI; Weiss, 2001), to identify ridges and upper slopes for extracting dunes from lidar-based DEMs (Wernette et al., 2016; Halls et al. 2018). DEMs are often useMicroclimate influences mangrove freeze damage: Implications for range expansion in response to changing macroclimate
In this data release, we present data from three nights of chilling temperatures in 2015 (18th/19th January 2015; 18th/19th February 2015; 5th/6th March 2015) and from three nights of freezing temperatures in 2017/2018 (6th/7th January 2017; 1nd/2nd January 2018; 16th/17th January 2018). In the paper that accompanies this release, we synthesized hypotheses regarding the effects of microclimatic vaWinter climate change and coastal wetland foundation species in the southeastern United States
In this study, we investigated the potential effect of winter climate change upon salt marsh and mangrove forest foundation species in the southeastern United States. Our research addresses the following three questions: (1) What is the relationship between winter climate and the presence and abundance of mangrove forests relative to salt marshes; (2) How vulnerable are salt marshes to winter climLandward migration of tidal saline wetlands with sea-level rise and urbanization: a comparison of northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries
Coastal wetland ecosystems are expected to migrate landward in response to accelerated sea-level rise. However, due to differences in topography and coastal urbanization extent, estuaries vary in their ability to accommodate wetland migration. The landward movement of wetlands requires suitable conditions, such as a gradual slope and land free of urban development. Urban barriers can constrain migThe impact of lidar elevation uncertainty on mapping intertidal habitats on barrier islands
These data represent low-lying lands and intertidal lands on Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA for January 2015. These data were delineated using airborne lidar elevation data, in situ elevation observations, lidar metadata, and tide gauge information. We applied Monte Carlo simulations to incorporate uncertainty into a digital elevation model and produce probabilistic outputs with regards to elevationBarrier island habitat map and vegetation survey, Dauphin Island, AL, 2015
This dataset includes barrier island land cover types collected from mid-November 2015 to mid-December 2015 along randomly placed transects at seven sites throughout the east end of Dauphin Island. Specifically, this data collection included characterizing land cover types and measuring horizontal position and elevation. We characterized plant community composition and structure for a subset of thAssessing coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: gaps and opportunities for developing a coordinated regional sampling network
The study area included the coasts of all five U.S. states along the northern Gulf of Mexico (i.e., Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). We contacted federal, state, and university-affiliated scientists working with SET-MH data within this area to obtain the geographic coordinates and the installation year for each SET-MH station. Please note that while our inventory is extensiveLinear and nonlinear effects of temperature and precipitation on ecosystem properties in tidal saline wetlands
Macroclimatic drivers, such as temperature and rainfall regimes, greatly influence ecosystem structure and function in tidal saline wetlands. Understanding the ecological influence of macroclimatic drivers is important because it provides a foundation for anticipating the effects of climate change. Tidal saline wetlands include mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats, which occupy similar gClimatic controls on the global distribution, abundance, and species richness of mangrove forests
Mangrove forests are highly productive tidal saline wetland ecosystems found along sheltered tropical and subtropical coasts. Ecologists have long assumed that climatic drivers (i.e., temperature and rainfall regimes) govern the global distribution, structure, and function of mangrove forests. However, data constraints have hindered the quantification of direct climate-mangrove linkages in many pa - Multimedia
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The impacts of mangrove range expansion on wetland ecosystem services in the southeastern United States: Current understanding, knowledge gaps, and emerging research needs
Climate change is transforming ecosystems and affecting ecosystem goods and services. Along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States, the frequency and intensity of extreme freeze events greatly influences whether coastal wetlands are dominated by freeze-sensitive woody plants (mangrove forests) or freeze-tolerant grass-like plants (salt marshes). In response to warAuthorsMichael Osland, A. Randall Hughes, Anna R. Armitage, Steven B. Scyphers, Just Cebrian, Savannah H. Swinea, Christine C. Shepard, Michael S. Allen, Laura Feher, James A. Nelson, Cherie L. O'Brien, Colt R. Sanspree, Delbert L. Smee, Caitlin M. Snyder, Andrew P. Stetter, Philip W. Stevens, Kathleen M. Swanson, Lauren H. Williams, Janell M. Brush, Joseph Marchionno, Remi BardouExtreme precipitation and flooding contribute to sudden vegetation dieback in a coastal salt marsh
Climate extremes are becoming more frequent with global climate change and have the potential to cause major ecological regime shifts. Along the northern Gulf of Mexico, a coastal wetland in Texas suffered sudden vegetation dieback following an extreme precipitation and flooding event associated with Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Historical salt marsh dieback events have been linked to climate extremeAuthorsCamille Stagg, Michael Osland, Jena A. Moon, Laura Feher, Claudia Laurenzano, Tiffany C. Lane, William Jones, Stephen HartleyIdentifying the ecological and management implications of mangrove migration in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Climate change is transforming ecosystems and affecting ecosystem goods and services. Along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the southeastern United States, the frequency and intensity of extreme freeze events greatly influences whether coastal wetlands are dominated by freeze-sensitive woody plants (mangrove forests) or freeze-tolerant grass-like plants (salt marshes). In response to warAuthorsMichael OslandThe distribution and structure of mangroves (Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle) near a rapidly changing range limit in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
In coastal wetlands, one of the most striking examples of climate change is the poleward range expansion of mangrove forests in response to warming winters. In North America, the Cedar Key region has often been considered the range limit for mangroves along the western coast of Florida (USA). However, within the past several decades, robust stands of Avicennia germinans and Rhizophora mangle haveAuthorsCaitlin M. Snyder, Laura Feher, Michael Osland, Christopher J. Miller, A. Randall Hughes, Karen L CumminsEffects of chronic and acute stressors on transplanted black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) seedlings along an eroding Louisiana shoreline
Coastal wetland restoration can be used to offset past wetland losses and/or reduce future losses due to land-use changes, rising sea levels, and accelerating climate change. However, there is a need for information regarding the restoration-relevant performance of foundation species like mangrove and marsh plants, including their responses to acute and chronic stressors that can affect restoratioAuthorsAaron Macy, Michael Osland, Julia A. Cherry, Just CebrianAssessing habitat change and migration of barrier islands
Barrier islands are dynamic environments that experience gradual change from waves, tides, and currents, and rapid change from extreme storms. These islands are expected to change drastically over the coming century due to accelerated sea-level rise and changes in frequency and intensity of storm events. The dynamic nature of barrier islands coupled with the importance of these environments make iAuthorsNicholas Enwright, Lei Wang, P. Soupy Dalyander, Hongqing Wang, Michael Osland, Rangley C. Mickey, Robert L. Jenkins, Elizabeth GodseyReply to comment by R. Parkinson on “Increasing rates of carbon burial in southwest Florida coastal wetlands” by J. Breithaupt et al.
Breithaupt et al. (2020) investigated why rates of organic carbon (OC) burial in coastal wetlands appear to increase over the past ∼120 years. After comparing dating methods and applying biogeochemical analyses, we concluded that neither dating method nor carbon degradation contribute to the observed trend. Rather, we concluded that OC burial has increased in the past century. Parkinson's (2021) CAuthorsJoshua L. Breithaupt, Joseph M. Smoak, Thomas S. Bianchi, Derrick Vaughn, Christian J. Sanders, Kara R. Radabaugh, Michael Osland, Laura Feher, James C. Lynch, Donald Cahoon, Gordon Anderson, Kevin R. T. Whelan, Brad E. Rosenheim, Ryan P. Moyer, Lisa G. ChambersTropicalization of temperate ecosystems in North America: The northward range expansion of tropical organisms in response to warming winter temperatures
Tropicalization is a term used to describe the transformation of temperate ecosystems by poleward‐moving tropical organisms in response to warming temperatures. In North America, decreases in the frequency and intensity of extreme winter cold events are expected to allow the poleward range expansion of many cold‐sensitive tropical organisms, sometimes at the expense of temperate organisms. AlthougAuthorsMichael Osland, Philip Stevens, Margaret Lamont, Richard Brusca, Kristen Hart, Hardin Waddle, Catherine Langtimm, Caroline Williams, Barry Keim, Adam Terando, Eric Reyier, Katie Marshall, Michael E. Loik, Ross Boucek, Amanda Lewis, Jeffrey A. SeminoffA comparison of plant communities in restored, old field, and remnant coastal prairies
Temperate grasslands are experiencing worldwide declines due to habitat conversion. Grassland restoration efforts are employed to compensate for these losses. However, there is a need to better understand the ecological effects of grassland restoration and management practices. We investigated the effects of three different grassland management regimes on plant communities of coastal prairie ecosyAuthorsLaura Feher, Larry Allain, Michael Osland, Elisabeth Pigott, Christopher Reid, Nicholas LatiolaisChanges in ecosystem nitrogen and carbon allocation with black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) encroachment into Spartina alterniflora salt marsh
Increases in temperature are expected to facilitate encroachment of tropical mangrove forests into temperate salt marshes, yet the effects on ecosystem services are understudied. Our work was conducted along a mangrove expansion front in Louisiana (USA), an area where coastal wetlands are in rapid decline due to compounding factors, including reduced sediment supply, rising sea level, and subsidenAuthorsAaron Macy, Michael Osland, Julia A Cherry, Just CebrianFrequency of extreme freeze events controls the distribution and structure of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) near their northern range limit in coastal Louisiana
AimClimate change is expected to result in the tropicalization of coastal wetlands in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as warming winters allow tropical mangrove forests to expand their distribution poleward at the expense of temperate salt marshes. Data limitations near mangrove range limits have hindered understanding of the effects of winter temperature extremes on mangrove distribution and structuAuthorsMichael Osland, Richard Day, Thomas C. MichotA tropical cyclone-induced ecological regime shift: Mangrove forest conversion to mudflat in Everglades National Park (Florida, USA)
The ecological effects of tropical cyclones on mangrove forests are diverse and highly location- and cyclone-dependent. Ecological resistance, resilience, and enhancement are terms that describe most mangrove forest responses to tropical cyclones. However, in the most extreme cases, tropical cyclones can trigger abrupt and irreversible ecological transformations (i.e., ecological regime shifts). HAuthorsMichael Osland, Laura Feher, Gordon Anderson, William Vervaeke, Ken Krauss, Kevin R.T. Whelan, Karen S. Balentine, G. Tiling-Range, Thomas J. Smith, Donald CahoonNon-USGS Publications**
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.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/s13157-011-0180-9Osland 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.**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.
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