John Lehrter

Dr. John Lehrter is a Professor of Marine Sciences and Associate Director of the Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama, as well as a Senior Marine Scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. He holds a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from the University of Alabama (2003). His research focuses on coastal biogeochemistry, ecosystem modeling, and satellite ocean color remote sensing, with an emphasis on understanding eutrophication, hypoxia, and multiple stressor impacts on coastal ecosystems. Dr. Lehrter has advised numerous graduate and undergraduate students and leads a lab engaged in field studies, numerical modeling, and satellite data analysis. His work addresses societal challenges in coastal management and climate change adaptation.

Research Interests: Multiple Stressor Impacts to Coastal Ecosystems, Marine Biogeochemistry, Ecosystem Modeling, Satellite Remote Sensing, and Hypoxia Dynamics. His lab develops tools to quantify nutrient pollution effects and predict ecosystem responses to management actions.

Advising and Grants: Dr. Lehrter oversees a dynamic lab with graduate students, postdocs, and technicians. Current projects include modeling nutrient dynamics, satellite data applications for water quality, and experimental studies on multiple stressors (e.g., temperature, pH) impacting marine organisms. His lab collaborates with agencies like the EPA and NOAA, contributing to coastal policy and restoration efforts.

Labs/Teams: Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) and the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences. The lab recently established a state-of-the-art facility for multiple stressor experiments on marine species.