Section for Ecosystem Health
Connecting physical, chemical, biological, and socioeconomic systems to address environmental and community vulnerabilities.
Researchers in the Section for Ecosystem Health work to improve fundamental knowledge of ecosystem processes and functions, while also investigating the impacts of global change on ecological and organismal health. We assess the abundance and toxicity of critical environmental pollutants, and we explore the ecology and evolution of diseases affecting key coastal and marine species.
Through this integrated approach, the section provides vital insights into the complex web of interactions that shape ecosystem health, generating knowledge that informs resilient and sustainable management strategies for coastal and marine environments.
Bongkeun Song, Section Chair
Bongkeun “BK” Song studies the key roles that microbial communities play in biogeochemical cycling and marine organismal health using techniques such as isotope biogeochemistry, metagenomics, and bioinformatics. He also investigates interactions between microbes and microplastic pollution and is involved in work to quantify microplastics in natural and engineered environments. Read the Chair's full biography and resume.