My research focuses on the hydrologic effects of forest and land management practices in the southeast U.S. I joined the Landscape Ecology Lab at the Jones Center at Ichuaway in January 2021 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate where I’m working on modeling the streamflow effects of Longleaf pine restoration and other NRCS conservation practices on the southeast Coastal Plain. Evapotranspiration is the largest terrestrial water flux after precipitation, thus by reducing evapotranspiration we can increase groundwater recharge and streamflow. My dissertation research quantified watershed scale evapotranspiration in the southeast U.S and precipitation partitioning in young bioenergy plantations.

Interests

  • Hydrology
  • Practical GIS Applictions
  • Soils and Geomorphology

Education

  • Ph.D. Forestry and Natural Resources, 2020

    University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

  • M.S. Geography, 2013

    University of Georgia, Geography Department

  • BS Geography, 2010

    Radford University, Geography Department

Publications

Impacts of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) on long-term hydrology at the watershed scale

We compared the hydrology of gaged watersheds with and without longleaf pine woodlands and found that watersheds with longleaf pine woodlands had higher streamflow and higher low flows than watersheds without longleaf pine woodlands.
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Little vertical and circumferential variations in stem xylem water δ2H and δ18O in three tree species

We quantified tree water δ2H and δ18O vertically and circumferentially to reveal patterns within trees and found less variability within trees than between trees.
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Evapotranspiration partitioning of Eucalyptus benthamii and Pinus taeda during early stand development

We quantified evapotranspiration and its components (interception, soil evaporation, transpiration) in young bioenergy plantations.
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Water use in a young Pinus taeda bioenergy plantation: Effect of intensive management on stand evapotranspiration

We compared evapotranspiration estimates at the plot scale to Eddy flux estimated evapotranspiration in young bioenergy plantations.
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Relationships among forest type, watershed characteristics, and watershed ET in rural basins of the Southeastern US

We found regional forested watershed evapotranspiration is primarily controlled by abiotic factors, but forest type has some control on evapotranspiration and reduces watershed discharge.
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Do southern Appalachian Mountain summer stream temperatures respond to removal of understory rhododendron thickets?

We investigated how understory riparian rhododendron thickets moderate summer stream temperatures using a paired watershed approach. Removal of this low light microclimate produced significant, but highly variable increases in summer stream temperatures.
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Dynamic domain kinematic modeling for predicting interflow over leaky impeding layers

A dynamic domain Kinematic model for estimating interflow over perched soil water with a varying spatial extent.
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Wetness Index based on Landscape position and Topography (WILT): Modifying the TWI using parameters related to landscape positions

We created Wetness Index based on Landscape position and Topography by modifying the classic Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) to better incorporate topography and improve performance on low relief groundwater dominated landscapes.
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Woody bioenergy crop selection can have large effects on water yield: A southeastern United States case study

We compared water use of of 14-year old Sweetgum and Loblolly pine grown under intensive management. We found that Sweetgum were able to utilize almost 100% of precipitation while pine were efficient in their water use.
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