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Research Focus

Ecology of Coastal Wetlands:     Along our coasts, vegetated wetlands play invaluable roles in supporting marine ecosystems, yet these habitats and the plants that characterize them are poorly understood. I am interested in the functions of these habitats and how plants respond to stresses (flooding, salinity, pollution, disease, and human alterations), that can lead to changes in wetlands and their functions. Currently, I am examining the structure and function of salt marshes and seagrass beds, their responses to impacts from development (eutrophication, shading, tidal restriction), and methods to assess success of creation and restoration activities. I also develop and participate in several community based habitat monitoring and restoration programs.

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• Burdick*, D.M., R.M. Boumans and M. Dionne. 1999. "Modeling Habitat Change Following Tidal Restoration in New England Salt Marshes". Estuarine Research Federation, Biennial Meeting, fall 1999. New Orleans, LA
  
  
• Burdick*, D.M., R. Buchsbaum and E. Holt. 2000. "Tidal Manipulation and Pragmites Invasion of Salt Marshes". International Association of Ecology, 6^th International Wetlands Symposium (INTECOL), August 6-12, 2000, Quebec Canada. p. 335 Abstract.
  
  
• Bowden*, A.A., D. M. Burdick and F.T. Short. 2000. "Effects of Urban Runoff on the Invertebrate Communities of Natural and Created Salt Marshes in Portsmouth, New Hampshire". New England Estuarine Research Society Spring Meeting 2000, Portland, ME.
  
  
• Burdick*, D.M., M. Summer and A.A. Bowden. 2001. "Use of Biodegradable Baffles to Reverse Erosional Losses in Natural and Created Salt Marshes". ERF 2001: An Estuarine Odyssey, 16^th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Pete Beach, Fl. p. 18 Abstract.
  
  
• Konisky*, R.A. and D.M. Burdick. 2001. "A Simulation Model to Predict Plant Community Response to Hydrologic Restoration of Tidal-Restricted New England Salt Marshes". ERF 2001: An Estuarine Odyssey, 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Pete Beach, FL. p. 74 Abstract.
  
  
• Seliskar*, D.M., J.L. Gallagher and D.M. Burdick. 2001. "The Regulation of Ecosystem Functions by Ecotypic Variation in the Dominant Plant: Resource and Modifier Activity of Spartina alterniflora". ERF 2001: An Estuarine Odyssey, 16th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, November 4-8, 2001, St. Pete Beach, FL. p. 124 Abstract.
  
  
• Burdick*, D. M. and R. Konisky. 2002. "Understanding the Success of Phragmites australis as it Exploits Human Impacts to Coastal Marshes". In: Technical Forum: Phragmites australis: A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing? January 2002, Vineland, NJ. Abstract.
  
  
• Konisky*, R.A. and D.M. Burdick. 2002. "Tidal Restriction and Restoration: a Spatial Simulation Model of Drakes Island Marsh (Wells, Maine)". New England Estuarine Research Society Spring Meeting, May 9-11, 2002, Bar Harbor, ME.
  
  
• Duff*, E.B., R. Buchsbaum, A. Ridlon and D.M. Burdick. 2002. "Salinity and Phragmites: What's the Relationship? A Preliminary Assessment from the Mass Audubon Salt Marsh Science Project". New England Estuarine Research Society Spring Meeting, May 9-11, 2002, Bar Harbor, ME.
  
  
• Burdick*, D.M. and F.T. Short. 2003. "Effects of Boat Docks on Eelgrass". NOAA and Mass EOEA, Dock and Pier Workshop, UMASS, January 22-23, 2003. Boston, MA.
  
  
• Burdick, D.M. 2003. "Monitoring Phragmites australis, a Species With Disappearing Native But Invasive Exotic Genotypes". EPA, Coastal Habitat Monitoring Meeting, April 10, 2003, Narragansett, RI.
  
  
• Burdick*, D.M., R.E. Grizzle., J. Greene, L.G. Ward. and A. Reid. 2003. "An Integrated Multi-Habitat Restoration of South Mill Pond Using Volunteers". Restore America's Estuaries and NOAA's Community-Based Habitat Restoration Program, First Annual Coastal Habitat Restoration Meeting, April 13-16, 2003, Baltimore, MD.
  
  
• Konisky*, R., M. Dionne, H. Neckles and D.M. Burdick. 2003. "Evaluating the Effects of Tidal Restoration in the Gulf of Maine". Restore America's Estuaries and NOAA's Community-Based Habitat Restoration Program, First Annual Coastal Habitat Restoration Meeting, April 13-16, 2003, Baltimore, MD.
  
  
• Eberhardt*, A.L., and D.M. Burdick. 2003. "Fish Versus Human Corridors - The Impact of Road Culverts on Fish Movement". Estuarine Research Federation Biennial Meeting, fall 2003, Seattle, WA.
  
  
• Bozek*, C.M., and D.M. Burdick. 2003. "Impacts of Seawalls on Salt Marsh Plant Communities". Estuarine Research Federation Biennial Meeting, fall 2003, Seattle, WA.

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Web Connections

Department of Natural Resources web site
Establishing monitoring protocols for salt marsh restoration in the Gulf of Maine
Salt Marsh Science Project of the Massachusetts Audubon Society

Selected Publications

• Burdick, D. M. and I. A. Mendelssohn. 1987. Waterlogging responses in dune, swale and marsh populations of Spartina patens under field conditions. Oecologia 74:321-329.
  
  
• McKee, K. L., I. A. Mendelssohn, and D. M. Burdick. 1989. Effect of long-term flooding on root metabolic response in five freshwater marsh plant species. Canadian Journal of Botany 67:3446-3452.
  
  
• Burdick, D. M., D. Cushman, R. Hamilton, and J. G. Gosselink. 1989. Faunal changes due to bottomland hardwood forest loss in the Tensas watershed, Louisiana. Conservation Biology 3:282-292.
  
  
• Burdick, D. M. and I. A. Mendelssohn. 1990. Relationship between anatomic and metabolic responses to soil waterlogging in the coastal grass Spartina patens. Journal of Experimental Botany 41:223-228.
  
  
• Burdick, D. M., F. T. Short, and J. Wolf. 1993. An index to assess and monitor the progression of wasting disease in eelgrass Zostera marina. Marine Ecology Progress Series 94:83-90.
  
  
• Hester, M. W., K. L. McKee, D. M. Burdick, M. S. Koch, K. S. Flynn, S. Patterson, and I. A. Mendelssohn. 1994. Clonal integration in Spartina patens across a nitrogen and salinity gradient. Can. J. Bot. 72:767-770.
  
  
• Short, F. T., D. M. Burdick, and J. E. Kaldy, III. 1995. Mesocosm experiments quantify the effects of coastal eutrophication on eelgrass, Zostera marina L. Limnology and Oceanography 40:740-749.
  
  
• Short, F. T. and D. M. Burdick. 1996. Quantifying eelgrass habitat loss in relation to housing development and nitrogen loading in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts. Estuaries 19:730-739.
  
  
• Burdick, D. M., M. Dionne, R. M. Boumans and F. T. Short. 1997. Ecological responses to tidal restorations of two northern New England salt marshes. Wetland Ecology and Management 4:129-144.
  
  
• Davis, R.C., F.T. Short and D.M. Burdick. 1998. Quantifying the effects of bioturbation by Carcinus maenas L. (green crabs) on Zostera marina (eelgrass) transplants using mesocosm experiments. Restoration Ecology 6:197-202.
  
  
• Burdick, D.M., and F.T. Short. 1999. The effects of boat docks on eelgrass beds in coastal waters of Massachusetts. Environmental Management 23:231-240.
  
  
• Dionne, M., F.T. Short and D. M. Burdick. 1999. Fish utilization of restored, created, and reference salt-marsh habitat in the Gulf of Maine. American Fisheries Society Symposium 22:384-404.
  
  
• Short, F. T., D. M. Burdick, C. A. Short, R. C. Davis, and P. Morgan. 2000. Developing success criteria for restored eelgrass, salt marsh and mud flat habitats. Ecological Engineering 15:239-252.
  
  
• Burdick, D.M. and G.A. Kendrick. 2001. Standards for seagrass collection, identification and sample disign. In: Short, F.T. and R.G. Coles (eds.). Global Seagrass Research Methods. Elsevier Science B.V. Amsterdam. pp. 79-100.
  
  
• Burdick, D. M., R. Buchsbaum and E. Holt. 2001. Variation in soil salinity associated with expansion of Phragmites australis in salt marshes. Environmental and Experimental Botany 46:247-261.
  
  
• Short, F.T., K. Matso, H.M. Hoven, J. Whitten, D.M. Burdick and C.A. Short. 2001. Lobster use of eelgrass habitat in the Piscataqua River on the New Hampshire/Maine border, USA. Estuaries 24:277-284.
  
  
• Boumans, R. M. J., D. M. Burdick, and M. Dionne. 2002. Modeling habitat change in salt marshes after tidal restoration. Restoration Ecology. 10:543-555.
  
  
• Seliskar, D. M., J. L. Gallagher, D.M. Burdick and L. A. Mutz. 2002. The regulation of ecosystem functions by ecotypic variation in the dominant plant: a Spartina alterniflora salt-marsh case study. Journal of Ecology 90:1-11.
  
  
• Short, F.T., R.C. Davis, B.S. Kopp, C.A. Short and D.M. Burdick. 2002. Site-selection model for optimal transplantation of eelgrass Zostera marina in the northeastern US. Marine Ecology Progress Series 227:253-267.
  
  
• Neckles, H.A., M. Dionne, D.M. Burdick, C.T. Roman, R. Buchsbaum and E. Hutchins. 2002. A monitoring protocol to assess tidal restoration of salt marshes on local and regional scales. Restoration Ecology 10:556-563.
  
  
• Burdick, D.M. and R.A. Konisky. 2003. Determinants of expansion for Phragmites australis, common reed, in natural and impacted coastal marshes. Estuaries 26:407-416.
  
  
• Short, F.T. and D.M. Burdick. 2003. The NPI: A nutrient pollution indicator for monitoring coastal eutrophication using eelgrass. CD-ROM. UNH/CICEET, Durham, NH.
  
  
• Lee, K.-S., F.T. Short and D.M. Burdick. 2004. Development of a nutrient pollution indicator using the seagrass, Zostera marina, along nutrient gradients in three New England estuaries. Aquatic Botany 78:197-216.

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