Shimon C. Anisfeld
Senior Lecturer and Research Scientist in Water Resources and Environmental Chemistry
Degrees
A.B., Princeton University; Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
About
Dr. Anisfeld’s research interests lie in three areas. First, he is interested in tidal marsh dynamics, particularly the complex interactions among nutrients, vegetation, sediment, and hydrology, and how these control marsh surface elevation. This linkage is especially of interest recently, because of increasing evidence that some Long Island Sound marshes are “drowning,” i.e., not keeping up with sea level rise. Second, Dr. Anisfeld has been involved in many studies of water quality in rivers, particularly related to understanding the spatial and temporal variability in levels of pollutants, and how these are controlled, respectively, by land use and by stream hydrology. A third area of research relates to nutrient loading in coastal areas, especially in urban settings; a water and nitrogen budget for New Haven is a recent example of this type of work. All three research areas have in common a desire to understand human impacts on rivers and wetlands, and to carry out integrated research that has direct relevance to watershed management.
