10/13/2026
🌿 Research Spotlight: Frank Driscoll
GCRL Ph.D. student Frank Driscoll from Dr. Songjie He’s Coastal Ecosystem Biogeochemistry Lab, is studying how carbon is exchanged, transformed, and stored in coastal Mississippi's salt marshes.
His project, “Net Ecosystem Carbon Balance in Two Mississippi Salt Marshes with Distinct Hydrologic Characteristics,” examines marshes and adjacent tidal creeks, including research in the Pascagoula River Estuary. This specific field trip focused on examining vertical gas exchange between the marsh and the atmosphere through the use of automatic flux chambers.
Studying carbon exchange that is influenced by multiple factors, including water level, temperature, and salinity, helps better understand the important role coastal wetlands play in the carbon cycle.
And fieldwork is alwasy best with a charming white ibis as our research companion.