Jarrett Byrnes

Dr. Jarrett Byrnes is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where he leads the Byrnes Lab focused on marine community ecology, climate change impacts, and biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships. His research spans kelp forest ecology, salt marsh ecosystem services, and the consequences of modern species loss, combining intensive fieldwork with advanced quantitative analysis.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Population Biology from UC Davis (2008)
• BS in Biology from Brown University (2001)

Dr. Byrnes' research interests center on marine community ecology, particularly in the Gulf of Maine. He investigates how climate change affects kelp forest ecosystems, the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function, and the impacts of human activities on coastal ecosystems. His work often employs innovative approaches including citizen science projects like Floating Forests, which uses satellite imagery to track global kelp forest changes. He is particularly interested in understanding how warming oceans impact kelp forest resilience and how local variability influences ecosystem responses to climate change. His research bridges fundamental ecological questions with practical conservation applications, especially regarding the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, particularly kelp forests. There's a clear trajectory toward integrating remote sensing, citizen science, and causal inference methods to understand ecosystem dynamics at larger scales. His work demonstrates how warming undermines kelp forest recovery even after the decline of sea urchin populations, highlighting the complex interactions between climate change and ecosystem resilience.

Dr. Byrnes actively mentors PhD students interested in kelp forest ecology and ocean data science. His lab collaborates with various institutions including the Stone Living Lab, Boston Harbor Islands via the Cat Cove Marine Lab, the Nantucket Field Station, the Plum Island Ecosystem LTER, the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Shoals Marine Lab. He emphasizes training students to become well-rounded scientists with strong critical thinking skills, excellent written and oral communication abilities, and practical field experience.

His lab is currently involved in multiple projects including the Living Seawalls initiative in East Boston and the Seaport as part of the Stone Living Lab, which evaluates the effects of green shoreline protections. Recent findings published in 2024 show concerning declines in Gulf of Maine kelp forests due to warming, despite the potential for recovery after urchin population declines.