Heather Joesting

Heather Joesting is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology within the College of Science and Mathematics at Georgia Southern University, with offices at both the Armstrong Campus in Savannah and the main campus in Statesboro. She teaches courses including Barrier Island Ecology (BIOL 5400), Plant Ecology (BIOL 5546), Principles of Biology II (BIOL 1108), and Environmental Biology (BIOL 1230).

Dr. Joesting earned her PhD in Biology from Wake Forest University. Her research program focuses on coastal plant ecology, with particular attention to plant adaptations in challenging coastal environments and applications for coastal management.

Her research interests center on plants in coastal habitats, including their unique adaptations to the coastal environment, the critical role they play in maintaining coastal ecosystem processes, and their potential use in coastal management techniques. She investigates how coastal plants like Spartina alterniflora and Hydrocotyle bonariensis adapt to environmental stressors including salt spray, varying soil conditions, and tidal influences. Her work bridges fundamental plant ecology with practical applications for coastal restoration and management in Georgia.

Analysis of Dr. Joesting's publications reveals a consistent focus on coastal plant ecology, particularly salt marsh and dune ecosystems. Her research spans plant physiology, reproductive ecology, phenotypic plasticity, and practical applications for coastal restoration. A significant thread throughout her work is understanding how coastal plants adapt to their challenging environments and how this knowledge can inform better coastal management practices, especially regarding Spartina alterniflora restoration in Georgia.

• Outstanding Student Poster Presentation Award from the Southeastern Section of the Botanical Society of America

Dr. Joesting has mentored students through honors theses and research projects, with student work presented at regional conferences including the Southern Regional Honors Council Annual Conference, Georgia Southern University Honors Symposium, and various Association of Southeastern Biologists meetings. Her research has been supported through various projects examining coastal plant adaptations, nursery production techniques, and ecological relationships in Georgia's coastal ecosystems.

The Joesting Lab maintains active research programs in coastal plant ecology, with dedicated facilities for studying Spartina alterniflora growth, nursery production techniques, and aquaponics systems that simulate tidal conditions. The lab collaborates with other researchers including Dr. Michele Guidone in the Biology Department at Georgia Southern University on projects examining plant-animal interactions in coastal ecosystems.