Faculty

Chun-Ta Lai

I am an ecosystem ecologist who seeks to characterize how biological organisms respond and adapt to environmental stressors exacerbated by climate change and human activities. My research agenda is guided with the goal to assist science-informed decision making as local governments develop adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts by human-induced climate change.
Graduate students

Brianna Mayoka (MS-Ecology), thesis title “How does persistent organic pollutants affect the adaptation of Mytilus Edulis to ocean warming?”

Jake Arakawa (MS-Ecology)

Moisés Bezzera (PhD-Ecology), dissertation title “Tying Trophic Ecology with Chemical Pollution in California Coastal Ecosystems”

Kimberley Miller (PhD-Ecology), dissertation title “Impacts of anaerobic methane oxidation, electron acceptors, and physical controls on net methane emissions from northern peatlands in Alaska and Finland”

Xuerui Dang (PhD-Ecology), dissertation title “Biosphere-atmosphere exchange of CO2 fluxes and isotopologues in AmeriFlux network”

Madison Davis (MS-Ecology), thesis title “Understanding impacts of changing sea surface temperature on foraging of a North Pacific pinniped (Zalophus californianus)”

Joshua Miu (MS-Ecology), thesis title “Inferring plant water use from atmospheric water vapor observation in an old-growth forest”

Adam Taylor (MS-Ecology), thesis title “Radiocarbon measurements of root and soil respired CO2 in an old-growth coniferous forest for estimates of residence time and flux partitioning”

Joshua Rambo (MS-Ecology), thesis title “Investigating forest-atmosphere water exchange with high frequency spectroscopy isotope observations”

Brian Brigham (MS-Ecology), thesis title “An estimate of methane emission in two southern California salt Marsh systems”