Michael Burnett

Mike researches the effects of environmental changes on ecosystem functions, from organismal to landscape scales. By integrating field observations, laboratory analyses, and remote sensing technologies, he hopes to improve our understanding of how terrestrial and marine ecosystems are altered by changing climates and anthropogenic disturbances. After working for several years with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaiʻi, Mike intends to spend his time in the Young and Anderegg groups studying Pacific islands as well as Californian ecosystems. His previous research includes nutrient and hydrologic cycling on Hawaiian volcanoes, the evaporative dynamics of the Congo River Basin, traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices, dryland restoration, land crab habitat associations, and mapping the distribution of coconut palms throughout remote Pacific atolls.