Summary of Qualifications

Trained as an ecosystem ecologist and biogeochemist, I have a wide range of interests focused on understanding and protecting the natural environment and supporting human communities. In addition, I am very interested in having my scholarly work be useful to policy and decision making (see my Policy Profile of where my work has been cited in policy publications). I explore innovative conservation opportunities including the role of ecosystem service valuation and environmental markets in conservation efforts and in U.S. policies and programs (see, for example, Crooks et al., 2018, Polefka and Sutton-Grier 2016, Schaefer et al. 2015, Sutton-Grier et al. 2014). A recent paper examined beneficiairies, equity and trade-offs when considering different coastal and marine ecosystem services (Arkema et al. 2024).

One focus of my research in the last decade or more has been opportunities to improve coastal ecosystem and human community resilience to climate change. To hear more about this work, listen to a recent Audubon video on Coastal Resilience in which I was one of the experts interviewed, or a webinar I gave on global coastal and ocean stressors and what we can do about it. My research includes a focus on wetlands and how they can help communities be more resilient (Endter-Wada et al., 2020); this includes coastal wetlands and their role in climate change mitigation and adaptation (Crooks et al., 2018 , Fargione et al., 2018, and Moomaw et al. 2018). I have also focused on increasing the use of natural and hybrid infrastructure in coastal infrastructure planning and decision making (see Palinkas et al. 2022, Sutton-Grier & Gittman et al. 2018 and Sutton-Grier et al. 2015). The 2015 paper won the 2016 Ecological Society of America "Innovation in Sustainability Science" award. And this work includes research examining what factors lead to successful coastal restoration (see DeAngelis et al. 2020 and Gittman et al. 2019). Recently, working with a student we published an analysis of stakeholder science needs to support coastal resilience efforts (Molino et al. 2020).

Another major theme of my research is the role of coastal wetlands in storing carbon (called “blue carbon”) which is one of the natural climate solutions we can use to mitigate climate change. Recently I worked on a paper that compares the climate mitigation role of different coastal ecosytsems and concludes that coastal wetlands are the best place to focus climate mitigation efforts (see Howard et al. 2023, Howard and Sutton-Grier et al. 2017 and Sutton-Grier and Howard 2018). Listen to the Restore America's Estuaries podcast about the paper results. Also, listen to my interview for the radio show "Ocean Currents" and my National Ocean Service podcast. My blue carbon work also has included an analysis of how carbon services can be incoporated into U.S. federal policies (see Crooks et al., 2018, Sutton-Grier and Moore 2016, Sutton-Grier et al. 2014, Pendleton et al. 2013), into international projects to support ecosystem conservation and community livelihoods (see Wylie et al. 2016), and into U.S. natural climate solutions (Fargione et al. 2018). See my blog post on the Sigma Xi website about opportunities to use nature to fight climate change.

I, also, have been examining the role of environmental stressors, including natural or technological disasters, on ecosystem services and how this impacts human health (Sandifer et al., 2017, Sandifer and Sutton-Grier 2014) and the role of wetlands in reducing disaster risk (Miesse et al., 2023, Sutton-Grier and Sandifer, 2018 and Endter-Wada et al., 2018). Additionally, I have gotten really excited about research examining the role that nature and biodiversity exposure play in human health and well-being (Sandifer and Sutton-Grier et al. 2015). I have also examined the impacts of derelict traps on coastal ecosystems and species (Arthur and Sutton-Grier et al. 2014) and measured the impact restoration projects have on local economies (Edwards et al. 2012).

I continue to have a strong interest in mentoring and how to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in science. I find balancing all of these interests immensely fun and rewarding.

Experience

Program Coordinator, USGS Climate Research and Development Program, Ecosystems Mission Area, July 2022-Present
Visiting Associate Research Professor, University of Maryland Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, June 2017-Present
Policy Analyst, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, July 2020-July 2022          
Director of Science, The MD/DC Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. May 2017-June 2019
Assistant Research Scientist , University of Maryland Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, 2014-May, 2017
Environmental Scientist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, 2012-2014
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Habitat Conservation, 2010-2012
Adjunct Faculty, Goucher College, Towson, MD, teaching "BIO 240: Ecology and Evolution," Fall 2009
Smithsonian Fellow, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 2008-2010

Education

Ph.D., Ecology. Duke University, 2008.
B.S., Environmental Science. Oregon State University, 2000.
B.A., International Studies. Oregon State University, 2000.

Research Interests

Ecosystem ecology and restoration, ecosystem services and environmental markets, climate change, coastal science and policy, biogeochemistry, biodiversity and ecosystem function, nature and human health

Publications

* Denotes undergraduate or post-baccalaureate mentee
+ Denotes co-first authored publication

Arkema, K., S.K. Cunningham, J.M.S. Delavaux, B. Guzman Celina, S. Klain, J.B. Lamb, L.K. Nelson, S. Scyphers, H. Stewart, and A. Sutton-Grier. 2024. Beneficiaries, Equity,and Trade Offs in Estuarine and Coastal Ecosystem Services. In book: Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences.

Howard, J., A. Sutton-Grier, L. Smart, S. Simpson, C. Lopes, J. Hamilton, J. Kleypass, J. McGowan, A. Pessarrodona, H. Alleway, and E. Landis. 2023. Blue carbon pathways for climate mitigation: Known, emerging and unlikely. Marine Policy.

Miesse, T.*, A. de Sousa de Lima, A. Khalild, F. Cassalho, D. Coleman, C. Ferreria, and A. Sutton-Grier. 2023. Numerical modeling of wave attenuation: implications of representing vegetation found in coastal saltmarshes in the Chesapeake Bay. Env Monitoring and Assessment.

Palinkas, C.M., P. Orton, M.A. Hummel, W. Nardin, A.E. Sutton-Grier, L. Harris, M. Gray, M. Li, D. Ball, K. Burkes-Copes, M. Davlasheridze, M. De Schipper, D. A Geroge, D. Halsing, C. Maglio, J. Marrone, S. K. McKay, H. Nutters, K. Orff, M. Taal, A. P.E. Van Oudenhoven, W. Veatch, and T. Williams. 2022. Innovations in Coastline Management With Natural and Nature-Based Features (NNBF): Lessons Learned From Three Case Studies. Frontiers in the Built Environment.

Feagin, R., T. Bridges, B. Bledsoe, E. Losos, S. Ferreira, E. Corwin, Q. Lodder, M. Beck, B. Reguero, A.E. Sutton-Grier, J. Figlus, R. Palmer, D. Nelson, C. Smith, L. Olander, B. Silliman, H. Pietersen, R. Costanza, R.Gittman, S. Narayan, N. Pontee, M. Donahue, D.McNeil, and T. Guidry. 2021. Infrastructure policy must incorporate Nature's lessons in a rapidly changing world. One Earth.

Sutton-Grier, A.E. 2021. Career Profiles: Options and Insights. Oceanography. 34 (3): 91-92. DOI: 10.5670/oceanog.2021.318.

Casselho, F., T. W. Miesse*, A.de S. de Lima, A. Khalid, C.M. Ferreira, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2021. Coastal Wetlands Exposure to Storm Surge and Waves in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System during Extreme Events. Wetlands. 41:49. DOI: 10.1007/s13157-021-01443-4.

Weiskopf, S.R., M.A. Rubenstein, L.G. Crozier, S. Gaichas, R. Griffis, J.E. Halofsky, K.J.W. Hyde, T.L. Morelli, J.T. Morisette, R.C. Muñoz, A.J. Pershing, D.L. Peterson, R. Poudel, M.D. Staudinger, A.E. Sutton-Grier, L. Thompson, J. Vose, J.F. Weltzin, and K.P. Whyte. 2020. Climate change effects on biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural resource management in the United States. Science of the Total Environment 733:137782.

Molino, G.D.*, M.A. Kenney, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2020. Stakeholder-defined scientific needs for coastal resilience decisions in the Northeast U.S. Marine Policy. 118:103987. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103987.

Endter-Wada, J., K. Kettenring, and A. E. Sutton-Grier. 2020. Protecting wetlands for people:Strategic policy action can help wetlands mitigate risks and enhance resilience. Environmental Science & Policy 108:37-44.

DeAngelis, B., A.E. Sutton-Grier, A. Colden, K. K. Arkema, C. J. Baillie, R. O. Bennett, J. Benoit, S. Blitch, A. Chatwin, A. Dausman1, R. K. Gittman, H. Greening, J. Henkel, R. Houge, R. Howard, A. R. Hughes, J. Lowe, S. B. Scyphers, E. T. Sherwood, S. Westby, and J. H. Grabowski. 2020.  Social Factors Key to Landscape-Scale Coastal Restoration: Lessons Learned from Three U.S. Case Studies. Sustainability 12(3).

Gittman, R. K., C. J. Baillie, K. K. Arkema, R. O. Bennett, J. Benoit, S. Blitch, J. Brun, A. Chatwin, A. Colden, A. Dausman, B. DeAngelis, N. Herold, J. Henkel, R. Houge, R. Howard, A. R. Hughes, S. B. Scyphers, T. Shostik, A. Sutton-Grier and J. H. Grabowski. 2019. Voluntary Restoration: Mitigation's Silent Partner in the Quest to Reverse Coastal Wetland Loss in the USA. Frontiers in Marine Science 6.

Herr, D.*, J. Blum, A. Himes-Cornell, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2019.  An analysis of the potential positive and negative livelihood impacts of coastal carbon offset projects. Journal of Environmental Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.067.

Crooks, S. A.E. Sutton-Grier, T. Troxler, N. Herold, B. Bernal, L. Schile-Beers, and T. Wirth. 2018.  Coastal wetland management as a contribution to the U.S. national greenhouse gas inventory. Nature Climate Change.

Fargione, J.E., S. Bassett, T. Boucher, S.Bridgham, R.T. Conant, S.C. Cook-Patton, P. W. Ellis, A. Falcucci, J. Fourqurean, T. Gopalakrishna, H. Gu, B. Henderson, M. D. Hurteau, K. D. Kroeger, T. Kroeger, T. J. Lark, S. M. Leavitt, G. Lomax, R. I. McDonald, P. J. Megonigal, D. A. Miteva, C. Richardson, J. Sanderman, D. Shoch, S. A. Spawn, J. W. Veldman, C.A. Williams, P. Woodbury, C. Zganjar, M. Baranski, P. Elias, R. A. Houghton, E. Landis, E. McGlynn, W. H. Schlesinger, J. V. Siikamaki, A. E. Sutton-Grier, and B. W. Griscom. 2018. Natural Climate Solutions for the United States. Science Advances.

Fleming, E., J. Payne, W. Sweet, M. Craghan, J. Haines, J.F. Hart, H. Stiller, and A. Sutton-Grier, 2018. Coastal Effects. In Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II [Reidmiller, D.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA.

Holmquist, J., L. Windham-Myers, B. Bernal, K.B. Byrd, S. Crooks, M.E. Gonneea, N. Herold, S.H. Knox, K. Kroeger, J. McCombs, J.P. Megonigal, L. Meng, J.T. Morris, A.E. Sutton-Grier, T.G. Troxler, and D.Weller. 2018. Uncertainty in United States coastal wetland greenhouse gas inventorying. Environmental Research Letters.

Endter-Wada, J., K. Kettenring, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2018. "Sustaining wetlands to mitigate disasters and protect people." Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. DOI.

Sutton-Grier, A.E. and P. Sandifer. 2018. Conservation of Wetlands and Other Coastal Ecosystems: a Commentary on their Value to Protect Biodiversity, Reduce Disaster Impacts, and Promote Human Health and Well-Being. Wetlands. DOI.

Moomaw, W.R., G. L. Chmura, G.T. Davies, C. M. Finlayson, B. A. Middleton, S.M. Natali, J. E. Perry, N. Roulet, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2018. Wetlands in a Changing Climate: Science, Policy, and Management. Wetlands. DOI.

Sutton-Grier, A.E. and J. Howard. 2018. Coastal wetlands are the best marine carbon sink for climate mitigation. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 16 (2): 73-74.

Sutton-Grier, A.E., R.K. Gittman+, K. K. Arkema, R. O. Bennett, J. Benoit, S. Blitch, K. A. Burks-Copes, A. Colden, A. Dausman, B.M. DeAngelis, A. R.l Hughes, S. B. Scyphers, and J.H. Grabowski. 2018. Investing in Natural and Nature-based Infrastructure: Building Better Along Our Coasts. Sustainability 10:523. DOI.

Hamin, E.H., Y. Abunnasr, M.R. Dilthey, P.K. Judge, M.A. Kenney, P. Kirshen, T.C. Sheahan, D.J. DeGroot, R.L. Ryan, B.G. McAdoo, L. Nurse, J.A. Buxton, A.E. Sutton-Grier, E.A. Albright, M.A. Marin, and R. Fricke. 2018. Pathways to Coastal Resiliency: The Adaptive Gradients Framework. Sustainability: 10:2629. DOI: 10.3390/su10082629.

Finlayson, C.M., G.T. Davies, W.R. Moomaw, G.L. Chmura, S.M. Natali, J.E. Perry, N. Roulet, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2018. The Second Warning to Humanity – Providing a Context for Wetland Management and Policy.  Wetlands.  DOI:10.1007/s13157-018-1064-z.

*Wellman, E., A. Sutton-Grier+, M. Imholt+, and A. Domanski+. 2017. Catching a wave? A Case Study on Incorporating Storm Protection Benefits into Habitat Equivalency Analysis. Marine Policy 83:118-125. DOI.

Sandifer, P., L. Knapp, T. Collier, A. Jones, R. Juster, C. Kelble, R. Kwok, J. Miglarese, L. Palinkas, D. Porter, G. Scott, L. Smith, W. Sullivan, and A. Sutton-Grier. 2017. A conceptual model to assess stress-associated health effects of multiple ecosystem services degraded by disaster events in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. Geohealth 1: 1-20.

Howard, J., A.E. Sutton-Grier+, D. Herr, J. Kleypas, E. Landis, E. Mcleod, E. Pidgeon, S. Simpson. 2017. Clarifying the role of coastal and marine systems in climate mitigationFrontiers in Ecology and Environment.15(1):42-50. DOI.

Polefka, S. and A.E. Sutton-Grier+.  2016. Making ecosystem services part of
business as usual in federal governance.
  Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. 14(4):175. DOI.

Sutton-Grier, A.E. and A. Moore. 2016.  Leveraging Carbon Services of Coastal Ecosystems for Habitat Protection and Restoration.  Coastal Management.44(3):259-277. DOI.

*Wylie, L., A.E. Sutton-Grier, and A. Moore. 2016. Keys to successful blue carbon projects: Lessons learned from global case studies. Marine Policy. 65:76-84. DOI.

Funk, J.L, Larson, J.E., Ames, G.M., Butterfield, B.J., Cavender-Bares, J., Firn, J., Laughlin, D.C., Sutton-Grier, A.E., Williams, L. and J. Wright. 2016. Revisiting the Holy Grail: using plant functional traits to understand ecological processes. Biological Reviews. DOI.

Sutton-Grier, A.E., K. Wowk, and H. Bamford. 2015. Future of our coasts: The Potential for Natural and Hybrid Infrastructure to Enhance the Resilience of Our Coastal Communities, Economies and Ecosystems. Environmental Science and Policy. 51:137-148.  DOI.

Schaefer, M., E. Goldman, A. Bartuska, A.E. Sutton-Grier, and J. Lubchenco. 2015. Nature as capital: Advancing and incorporating ecosystem services in United States federal policies and programs. Proceedings of the National Academcy of Sciences. 112 (24):7383-7389. (also see the full issue on Nature as Capital)

Sandifer, P.A., A.E. Sutton-Grier+, and B.P. Ward. 2015. Exploring connections among nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health and well-being: Opportunities to enhance health and biodiversity conservation. Ecosystem Services. 12:1-15.

Arthur, C., A.E. Sutton-Grier+, P. Murphy, and H,. Bamford. 2014.  Out of sight but not out of mind: Harmful effects of derelict traps in selected U.S. coastal waters.  Marine Pollution Bulletin.

Sandifer, P. and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2014. Connecting stressors, ocean ecosystem services, and human health. Natural Resources Forum. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E., A.K. Moore, P.C. Wiley, and P.E.T. Edwards. 2014. Incorporating ecosystem carbon into U.S. federal policies: A "win-win" for climate and coastal habitat conservation. National Wetlands Newsletter. 36(1):14-17.

Sutton-Grier, A.E., A.K. Moore, P.C. Wiley, and P.E.T. Edwards. 2014. Incorporating ecosystem services into the implementation of existing U.S. natural resource management regulations: The case for carbon sequestration and storage. Marine Policy. 43:246-253. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E. Contributed to: Assessing Ecological Integrity Across Jurisdictional Boundaries. Report Available Online. Defenders of Wildlife and Oregon State University.

Pendleton, L.H., A.E. Sutton-Grier+, D.R. Gordon, B.C. Murray, B.E. Victor, R.B. Griffis, J.A.V. Lechuga, and C. Giri. 2013.  Considering “Coastal Carbon” in Existing U.S. Federal Statutes and Policies.  Coastal Management. 41:439-456. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E., J. Wright, and C. Richardson. 2012.  Different plant traits affect two pathways of riparian nitrogen removal in a restored freshwater wetland. Plant and Soil. 365:41-57. DOI

Edwards, P., A.E. Sutton-Grier, and G. Coyle*. 2012.  Investing in Nature: Restoring Coastal Habitat Blue Infrastructure and Green Job Creation.  Marine Policy. 38:65-71. DOI

Keller, J., A.E. Sutton-Grier, A. Bullock*, and J.P. Megonigal. 2012.  Anaerobic metabolism in tidal freshwater wetlands: I. Plant removal effects on iron reduction and methanogenesis.  Estuaries and Coasts. 36(3):457-470. DOI

Emerson, D., W. Bellows, J. Keller, C. Moyer, A.E. Sutton-Grier, and J.P. Megonigal. 2012.  Anaerobic metabolism in tidal freshwater wetlands: II. Effects of plant removal on Archaeal microbial communities.  Estuaries and Coasts. 36(3):471-481. DOI

*Bullock, A., A. E. Sutton-Grier, and J.P. Megonigal.  2012.  Anaerobic metabolism in tidal freshwater wetlands: III. Temperature regulation of iron cycling. Estuaries and Coasts. 36(3):482-490. DOI

Wright, J. P., and A. E. Sutton-Grier. 2012. Does the leaf economic spectrum hold within local species pools across varying environmental conditions? Functional Ecology 26:1390-1398. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E., J. Keller, R. Koch*, C. Gilmour, and J.P. Megonigal.  2011.  Electron donors and acceptors influence anaerobic soil organic matter mineralization in tidal marshes.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry.  43: 1576-1583. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E. and J.P. Megonigal.  2011.  Plant species traits regulate methane production in freshwater wetland soils.  Soil Biology and Biochemistry 43:412-420. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E., J. Wright, B. McGill*, and C. Richardson.  2011. Environmental conditions influence the plant functional diversity effect on denitrification potential.  PLoS ONE 6(2): e16584. DOI

Unghire, J.M.*, A.E. Sutton-Grier, N. Flanagan, and C. Richardson.  2011.  Spatial Impacts of Stream and Wetland Restoration on Riparian Soil Properties in the North Carolina Piedmont.  Restoration Ecology 19(6):738-746. DOI 

Brantley, S.L., J.P. Megonigal, F.N. Scatena, Z. Balogh-Brunstad, R.T. Barnes, M.A. Bruns, P. van Cappellen, K. Dontsova, H. Harntnett, T. Hartshorn, A. Heimsath, E. Herndon, L. Jin, C. K. Keller, J.R. Leake, W.H. McDowell, F.C. Meinzer, T.J. Mozdzer, S.Petsch, J. Pett-Ridge, K.S. Pregitzer, P. Raymond, C.S. Riebe, K. Shumaker, A. Sutton-Grier, R. Walter, and K. Yoo.  2011.  Twelve Testable Hypotheses on the Geobiology of Weathering.  Geobiology 9(2):140-165. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E., M. Kenney, and C.J. Richardson. 2010. Examining the relationship between ecosystem structure and function using structural equation modeling: A case study examining denitrification potential in restored wetlands. Ecological Modelling. 221:761-768. DOI

McGill, B.M.*, A.E. Sutton-Grier, and J. P. Wright.  2010. Plant trait diversity buffers variability in denitrification potential over changes in season and soil conditionsPLoS One 5(7): e11618. DOI

Smith, Z. and A.E. Sutton-Grier. 2010. Making the Most of Your Postdoc. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Published online July 16, 2010.

Sutton-Grier, A.E., M. Ho, and C.J. Richardson. 2009. Organic amendments improve soil conditions and denitrification in a restored riparian wetland. Wetlands. 29:343-352. DOI

Kenney, M.A., A.E. Sutton-Grier, R. Smith, and S. Gresens. 2009. Benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality: the intersection of science and policy. Terrestrial Arthopod Review. 2(2):99-128. DOI

Freidenburg, T.L., B.A. Menge, P.M. Halpin, M. Webster, and A.E. Sutton-Grier. (2007). Cross-scale variation in top-down and bottom-up control of algal abundance. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology(2). 347:8-29. DOI

Sutton-Grier, A.E. & M.A. Kenney. (2005). Recruiters and Academia: A Class Act. Nature. 436:886.

Grants

Awards

Activities

Research and Career Featured In

(Last updated Sept, 2023)

back to top

Creative Commons License Title Photo: M. Ho     This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.