Jennifer Dijkstra
My research is motivated by the rapid warming of our oceans. Broadly, we characterize the changes occurring in benthic (seafloor, including foundation and non-native species, and demersal fishes) communities using a combination of remote sensing (e.g., active acoustics (echosounders), unmanned aerial imagery, ground-truth, photogrammetry) and in-situ observations (diver surveys) and experiments. We study communities that span the deep sea to kelp forests and warm water coral reefs.
This includes the study of changes in community composition, biogenic structure of reefs (temperate and coral), and relationships between bathymetry and species composition.
Courses Taught
- BIOL 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research
- INCO 790: Advanced Research Experience
- ZOOL 999: Doctoral Research
Research Interests
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change - Impacts
- Coastal Environment
- Ecology
- Invasive Species
- Marine and Ocean Sciences
- Marine Biology
- Application of remotely sensed data and GIS
Selected Publications
Byrnes, J. E. K., Brown, A., Sheridan, K., Peller, T., Lawlor, J., Beaulieu, J., . . . Benes, K. (2024). Notes from the past show how local variability can stymie urchins and the rise of the reds in the Gulf of Maine. Ecosphere, 15(4). doi:10.1002/ecs2.4800
Hartwell, A. M., Wheat, A. E., & Dijkstra, J. A. (2024). Natural warming differentiates communities and increases diversity in deep-sea Ridge Flank Hydrothermal Systems.. Commun Biol, 7(1), 379. doi:10.1038/s42003-024-06070-3
Van Volkom, K. S., Harris, L. G., Lambert, W. J., & Dijkstra, J. A. (2023). The effect of surface orientation on early successional fouling communities in the southern gulf of Maine. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 569, 151952. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2023.151952
Dijkstra, J. A., & Westerman, E. L. (2023). From kelp forests to cunner: The long-tendrilled impact of a 50-year career studying marine ecology in the Gulf of Maine. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 569, 151951. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2023.151951
Wilson, N., Parrish, C. E., Battista, T., Wright, C. W., Costa, B., Slocum, R. K., . . . Tyler, M. T. (2022). Mapping Seafloor Relative Reflectance and Assessing Coral Reef Morphology with EAARL-B Topobathymetric Lidar Waveforms. ESTUARIES AND COASTS, 45(4), 923-937. doi:10.1007/s12237-019-00652-9
Dijkstra, J. A., Harris, L. G., Mello, K., Litterer, A., Wells, C., & Ware, C. (2017). Invasive seaweeds transform habitat structure and increase biodiversity of associated species. JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, 105(6), 1668-1678. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.12775
Dijkstra, J. A., Buckman, K. L., Ward, D., Evans, D. W., Dionne, M., & Chen, C. Y. (2013). Experimental and Natural Warming Elevates Mercury Concentrations in Estuarine Fish. PLOS ONE, 8(3). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0058401
Dijkstra, J. A., Westerman, E. L., & Harris, L. G. (2011). The effects of climate change on species composition, succession and phenology: a case study. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 17(7), 2360-2369. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2010.02371.x
Bullard, S. G., Lambert, G., Carman, M. R., Byrnes, J., Whitlatch, R. B., Ruiz, G., . . . Heinonen, K. (2007). The colonial ascidian Didemnum sp A: Current distribution, basic biology and potential threat to marine communities of the northeast and west coasts of North America. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY, 342(1), 99-108. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2006.10.020
Dijkstra, J., Harris, L. G., & Westerman, E. (2007). Distribution and long-term temporal patterns of four invasive colonial ascidians in the Gulf of Maine. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY, 342(1), 61-68. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2006.10.015
