Research Themes
I am broadly interested in understanding the spatial patterns, environmental conditions, and physiological constraints that contribute to how resilient marine organisms are to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors.
Species Distribution Modeling
Response of Marine Species to Climate Change
Oceanography
Coastal Resiliency
Response of Marine Species to Climate Change
Oceanography
Coastal Resiliency
Species Distribution Modeling
Species distribution models are an increasingly used tool to predict the distribution of species at unexplored sites, quantify niche space, and identify and prioritize conservation targets. The ability of models to predict distributions based on an easily collectible set of environmental data often proves especially beneficial in the deep sea by reducing the time and expense of both scientific research and ocean management planning. I have developed species distribution models to predict the distribution of cold-water corals in the Gulf of Mexico, to tease apart evolutionary relationships between related taxa, and to support the conservation of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific.
Rowden AA, Anderson OF, Georgian SE, Bowden DA, Clark MR, Pallentin A, Miller A. 2017. High-resolution habitat suitability models for the conservation and management of vulnerable marine ecosystems on the Louisville Seamount Chain, South Pacific Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:335.
Etnoyer PJ, Wagner D, Fowle HA, Poti M, Kinlan B, Georgian SE, Cordes EE. 2017. Models of habitat suitability, size, and age-class structure for the deep-sea black coral Leiopathes glaberrima in the Gulf of Mexico. Deep-Sea Research Part II doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2017.10.008
Georgian SE, Shedd W, Cordes EE. 2014. High-resolution ecological niche modelling of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa in the Gulf of Mexico. Marine Ecology Progress Series 506:145–161.
Quattrini AM, Georgian SE, Byrnes L, Falco R, Stevens A, Cordes EE. 2013. Niche divergence by deep-sea octocorals in the genus Callogorgia across the upper continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico. Molecular Ecology 22:4123–4140.
Rowden AA, Anderson OF, Georgian SE, Bowden DA, Clark MR, Pallentin A, Miller A. 2017. High-resolution habitat suitability models for the conservation and management of vulnerable marine ecosystems on the Louisville Seamount Chain, South Pacific Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:335.
Etnoyer PJ, Wagner D, Fowle HA, Poti M, Kinlan B, Georgian SE, Cordes EE. 2017. Models of habitat suitability, size, and age-class structure for the deep-sea black coral Leiopathes glaberrima in the Gulf of Mexico. Deep-Sea Research Part II doi: 10.1016/j.dsr2.2017.10.008
Georgian SE, Shedd W, Cordes EE. 2014. High-resolution ecological niche modelling of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa in the Gulf of Mexico. Marine Ecology Progress Series 506:145–161.
Quattrini AM, Georgian SE, Byrnes L, Falco R, Stevens A, Cordes EE. 2013. Niche divergence by deep-sea octocorals in the genus Callogorgia across the upper continental slope of the Gulf of Mexico. Molecular Ecology 22:4123–4140.
Response of Marine Species to Climate Change
Experimentally determining the physiological response of species to climate change is a crucial first step in predicting their long-term resilience or sensitivity to our changing oceans. My research in this area has focused on how key physiological rates of cold-water corals are affected by ocean acidification. I found that geographically separated cold-water coral populations from the Gulf of Mexico and the Norwegian Skagerrak responded very differently to acidification. Gulf of Mexico corals reduced net calcification, respiration, and feeding in response to low pH, while Norwegian corals were able to largely maintain net calcification by significantly increasing respiration and feeding.
Kurman MD, Gomez E, Georgian SE, Lunden JJ, Cordes EE. 2017. Intra-specific variation reveals potential for adaptation to ocean acidification in a cold-water coral from the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:111.
Georgian SE, Dupont S, Kurman M, Butler A, Strömberg S, Larsson A, Cordes EE. 2016. Biogeographic variability in the physiological response of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa to ocean acidification. Marine Ecology 37(6):1345–1359.
Kurman MD, Gomez E, Georgian SE, Lunden JJ, Cordes EE. 2017. Intra-specific variation reveals potential for adaptation to ocean acidification in a cold-water coral from the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:111.
Georgian SE, Dupont S, Kurman M, Butler A, Strömberg S, Larsson A, Cordes EE. 2016. Biogeographic variability in the physiological response of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa to ocean acidification. Marine Ecology 37(6):1345–1359.
Oceanography
A detailed baseline of the current oceanographic conditions of a marine system is necessary in order to accurately assess the threat posed by global climate change and other stressors. I have conducted extensive water sampling throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico to quantify the carbonate chemistry, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature of near-surface, water column, and benthic environments. This research uncovered extensive cold-water coral reefs growing in waters with an unexpectedly low pH, low availability of carbonate ions, and near undersaturation of aragonite.
Georgian SE, DeLeoD, Durkin A, Gomez C, Lunden J, Kurman M, Cordes EE. 2016. Oceanographic patterns and carbonate chemistry in the vicinity of cold-water coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico: implications for resilience in a changing ocean. Limnology and Oceanography 61(2):648–665.
Lunden JJ, Georgian SE, Cordes EE. 2013. Aragonite saturation states at cold-water coral reefs structured by Lophelia pertusa in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Limnology and Oceanography 58:354–362.
Georgian SE, DeLeoD, Durkin A, Gomez C, Lunden J, Kurman M, Cordes EE. 2016. Oceanographic patterns and carbonate chemistry in the vicinity of cold-water coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico: implications for resilience in a changing ocean. Limnology and Oceanography 61(2):648–665.
Lunden JJ, Georgian SE, Cordes EE. 2013. Aragonite saturation states at cold-water coral reefs structured by Lophelia pertusa in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Limnology and Oceanography 58:354–362.
Coastal Resiliency
Sea level rise resulting from global warming will aggravate ongoing anthropogenic disturbances to marine habitats and coastal regions, endangering both human infrastructure and natural habitats alike. This research incorporates two complimentary modeling approaches: an inundation model that yields spatial predictions of flooding caused by sea level rise, and a Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) that predicts how rising seas will alter coastal habitats. Inundation models are particularly useful to identifying flooding risks to human infrastructure, while SLAMM allows for the prediction of how key habitats may be lost or expanded with rising seas.