valiela@bu.edu

Marine Biology Ecology and Conservation Biology

Professor of Biology, Boston University Marine Program
Ph.D., Cornell University, 1968

Community and ecosystem ecology, predation, herbivory, coastal wetlands, watershed-estuary couplings, applied ecology

Our laboratory focuses on question relating to the structure and function of salt marsh ecosystems and coastal embayments, including predation, herbivory, decomposition and nutrient cycles, eutrophication in coastal marine communities, watershed and coastal water interactions. We have been investigating short and long-term consequences of experimental eutrophication of salt marshes, using those manipulations to study how producers, consumers, and decomposers are linked in salt marshes and how these components of ecosystems are related to geochemical cycles of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, to decomposition of organic matter and to issues of eutrophication of salt marshes. We also investigate the coupling of coastal watersheds and shallow coastal waters, including coastal bays and lagoons. Increased urbanization of coastal watersheds leads to increased nutrient loading of groundwater. Since groundwater flows to the sea, it transports nutrients to nearshore waters. We are measuring the extent of the nrient transport to coastal bays on Cape Cod and examining the consequences of nutrient entry on water quality, nutrient cycles, producers, and consumers.

LaMontagne MG, Duran R, Valiela I. 2003. Nitrous oxide sources and sinks in coastal aquifers and coupled estuarine receiving waters. Sci Total Environ. Jun 20;309(1-3):139-49.

Millman M, Teichberg M, Martinetto P, Valiela I. 2002. Response of shrimp populations to land-derived nitrogen in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts. Biol Bull. Oct;203(2):263-4.

Gaines EF, Carmichael RH, Grady SP, Valiela I. 2002. Stable isotopic evidence for changing nutritional sources of juvenile horseshoe crabs. Biol Bull. Oct;203(2):228-30.

Suggs DN, Carmichael RH, Grady SP, Valiela I. 2002. Effects of individual size on pairing in horseshoe crabs. Biol Bull. Oct;203(2):225-7.

Valiela I, Bowen JL. 2002. Nitrogen sources to watersheds and estuaries: role of land cover mosaics and losses within watersheds. Environ Pollut. 118(2):239-48.

Alber, M., and I. Valiela. 1994. Production of microbial organic aggregates from macrophyte-derived dissolved organic material. Limnol. Oceanogr. 39:37-50. 

Comin, F.A., and I. Valiela. 1993. On the controls of phytoplankton abundance and production in coastal lagoons. J. Coast. Res. 9:895-906.

Valiela, I., K. Foreman, M. LaMontagne, D. Hersh, J. Costa, P. Peckol, B. DeMeo-Anderson, C. D'Avanzo, M. Babione, C.H. Sham, J. Brawley, K. Lajtha. 1992. Coupling of watersheds and coastal waters: sources and consequences of nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts. Estuaries 15:443-457.

Valiela, I., J. Costa, K. Foreman, J.M. Teal, B. Howes and D. Aubrey. 1990. Transport of groundwater-borne nutrients from watersheds and their effects on coastal water. Biogeochemistry 10:177-97.

D'Avanzo, C., and I. Valiela. 1990. Use of detrital foods and assimilation of nitrogen by coastal detritivores. Estuaries 13:20- 24.

Valiela, I. 1988. Conditions and motivations for long-term ecological research: Some notions from studies on salt marshes and elsewhere. In: Long-Term Ecological Research. (G.E. Likens, ed.), pp. 158-69. Springer-Verlag.

Questions and comments are always welcome.
Copyright © 1996, The Trustees of Boston University
This document was last modified on October 14, 2003.