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James Brendan Heffernan

Associate Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Ecohydrology
Environmental Natural Science

Overview


I am interested in major changes in ecosystem structure, particularly in streams, rivers and wetlands. My work focuses on feedbacks among ecological, physical, and biogeochemical processes, and uses a wide range of tools and approaches. I am particularly interested in projects that address both basic ecological theory and pressing environmental problems. Increasingly, we are applying tools and theories developed for local ecosystems to better understand ecological patterns and mechanisms at regional and continental scales.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Associate Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Ecohydrology · 2024 - Present Environmental Natural Science, Nicholas School of the Environment

In the News


Published February 13, 2019
For At-Risk Marshes, There's a Tipping Point. New Study Suggests How to Predict It
Published October 6, 2015
Nicholas Faculty Launch Five-Year Project to Research Stream Biomes

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Recent Publications


Experimental evidence for grazer control of algal stable states in Florida’s spring-fed rivers

Journal Article Hydrobiologia · January 1, 2026 Declining aquatic grazer populations can impact algal biomass, potentially prompting nuisance accumulations that are resistant to grazer recovery. Gastropods appear to influence algal biomass accumulation in Florida’s spring-fed rivers, but their role in r ... Full text Cite

Woody Plant–Soil Relationships in Interstitial Spaces Have Implications for Future Forests Within and Beyond Urban Areas

Journal Article Ecosystems · March 1, 2024 Relatively unmanaged interstitial areas at the residential–wildland interface can support the development of novel woody plant communities. Community assembly processes in urban areas involve interactions between spontaneous and cultivated species pools th ... Full text Cite

Sustainability and Biodiversity

Chapter · January 1, 2024 Extraordinary rates of biodiversity loss, coupled with rising human population and consumption rates, threaten the sustainability of Earth's life support systems. An inclusive wealth framework that considers the current and future stocks and flows of human ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Landscape Pattern: Ridge, Slough, and Tree Island Mosaics

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Florida International University · 2013 - 2024

Macrosystems, Collaborative Research: Defining Stream Biomes Beyond the Steady State

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2015 - 2023

Collaborative Proposal: MSB-FRA: Alternative Ecological Futures for the American Residential Macrosystem.

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2017 - 2020

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Education


Arizona State University · 2007 Ph.D.