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James Brendan Heffernan

Associate Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Ecohydrology
Environmental Natural Science
90328, Durham, NC 27708
9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708

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


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

North Carolina Coastal Plain Ditch Types Support Distinct Hydrophytic Communities

Journal Article Wetlands · June 1, 2023 The drainage ditches of the North Carolina Coastal Plain retain ecological structural characteristics of the wetlands they often replace. We surveyed 32 agricultural, freeway, and forested ditch reaches across this region for hydrologic indicators, soil or ... 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, Training & Certifications


Arizona State University · 2007 Ph.D.