A headshot of Jennifer Dijkstra of the EOS Earth Systems Research Center.

Jennifer Dijkstra

Research Associate Professor
Research Associate Professor
Phone: (603) 862-1775
Office: Chase Ocean Engineering Laboratory, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:

Dr. Jenn Dijkstra is a Research Associate Professor the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. Dr. Dijkstra was the University member representative on the New Hampshire commission for Coastal Marine Natural Resources and Environment. She is the chair of the Diving Control Board.

 

Broadly, we characterize the benthic environment (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.

 

Dr. Dijkstra received a B.A. from the University of New Brunswick (Canada), a M.Sc. in Marine Biology from the University of Bremen (Germany), and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire.

Courses Taught

  • BIOL 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research
  • INCO 790: Advanced Research Experience
  • ZOOL 999: Doctoral Research

Education

  • Ph.D., Zoology/Animal Biology, University of New Hampshire
  • M.S., University of Bremen
  • B.A., University of New Brunswick

Research Interests

  • Coastal Environment
  • Ecology
  • Invasive Species
  • Marine and Ocean Sciences
  • Marine Biology
  • Application of remotely sensed data and GIS
  • Climate Change - Impacts

Selected Publications

  • Van Volkom, K. S., Goldstein, J. S., Jellison, B. M., Gutzler, B. C., Robinson, J., & Dijkstra, J. A. (2025). Anthropogenically induced prey shift may negatively impact native crustaceans: Impact of the slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata on crab and lobster predators within the Gulf of Maine. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 592, 152125. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2025.152125

  • Milne, G., Miksis-Olds, J., Wilford, D., Dijkstra, J., & Brown, B. (2025). Identifying sentinel indicators of acoustic propagation conditions using the soundscape codea).. J Acoust Soc Am, 158(2), 1319-1333. doi:10.1121/10.0038944

  • Trudeau, G. A., Lowell, K., & Dijkstra, J. A. (2025). Coral reef detection using ICESat-2 and machine learning. Ecological Informatics, 87, 103099. doi:10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103099

  • Beregovyi, K., Dijkstra, J. A., & Butkiewicz, T. (2025). Calculating 3D rugosity maps for complex habitat scans. Frontiers in Marine Science, 12. doi:10.3389/fmars.2025.1449332

  • 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

  • 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

View All
  • Most Cited Publications