Welcome to the Environmental Research Laboratory of Dr. Nathaniel Weston, in the Department of Geography and the Environment at Villanova University.
Research in our laboratory is focused on understanding how human activities such as climate change and land use alterations impact tidal wetland ecosystem function. We’re especially interested in the response of microbial and plant communities to rising sea-levels and salt-water intrusion, changing organic matter sequestration and sediment accretion rates, and the resultant alterations to ecosystem function. We are also interested in the impacts of natural gas extraction (horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing) from the Marcellus Shale on surface and ground-water quality. More information of research in our laboratory can be found in the research page.
Marshes and Sea Level Rise
How climate change is impacting marshes
The National Science Foundation’s “Science Nation” features research on impacts of climate change on marshes in the Delaware River estuary.