Mark W. Luckenbach

Education

• B.S., University of North Carolina 1977
• Ph.D., University of South Carolina 1985

Research Interests

My research interests broadly include the ecology and restoration of shallow-water marine habitats. For the past several years my research has been focused in four areas: (1) the ecology and restoration of native oyster reefs, (2) the biology and ecology of Asian oyster species, (3) interactions between shellfish aquaculture and the environment and (4) land-use practices and water quality in tidal-water environments. Much of this work has involved interdisciplinary and team-based approaches that have included working with physical oceanographers, numerical modelers, and toxicologists.

Selected Publications

• Orth, R. J., J. S. Lefcheck, K. S. McGlathery, L. Aoki, M. W. Luckenbach, K. A. Moore, M. P. J. Oreska, R. Snyder, D. J. Wilcox, and B. Lusk. 2020. Restoration of seagrass habitat leads to rapid recovery of coastal ecosystem services. Science Advances. In Press.
• Hernández, A. D., R. Brumbaugh, P. Fredrick, R. Grizzle, M. W. Luckenbach, C. H. Peterson, C. Angelini. 2018. Restoring the eastern oyster: How much progress has been made in 53 years of effort. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 16(8):463-471.
• Luckenbach, M. W., J. N. Kreauter and D. Bushek. 2016. Effects of clam aquaculture on nektonic and benthic assemblages in two shallow water estuaries. J. Shellfish Res. 35(4):1-19.
• Schmitt, E. L., M. W. Luckenbach, J. S. Lefcheck, and R. J. Orth. 2016. Predator-prey interactions in a restored eelgrass ecosystem: strategies for maximizing success of reintroduced bay scallops (Argopecten irradians). Restoration Ecology. 24:558-565.
• Kellogg, M. L., A. R. Smyth, M. W. Luckenbach, R. H. Carmichael, B. L. Brown, J. C. Cornwell, M. F. Piehler, M. S. Owens, D. J. Dalrymple, C. B. Higgins. 2014. (Invited feature article) Use of oysters to mitigate eutrophication in coastal waters. Estuar. Coastal and Shelf Science 151:156-168.
• Murphy, A. E., I. C. Anderson, A. R. Smyth, B. Song and M. W. Luckenbach. 2016. Microbial nitrogen processing in commercial hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) aquaculture sediments: the relative importance of denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). Limnol. Oceanogr. (doi:10.1002/lno.10305)
•  Kellogg, M. L., A. R. Smyth, M. W. Luckenbach, R. H. Carmichael, B. L. Brown, J. C. Cornwell, M. F. Piehler, M. S. Owens, D. J. Dalrymple, C. B. Higgins. 2014. (Invited feature article) Use of oysters to mitigate eutrophication in coastal waters. Estuar. Coastal and Shelf Science 151:156-168.
•  zu Ermgassen, P.S.E, M. D. Spalding, P. Banks, B. Blake, L. Coen, B. Dumbauld, S. Geiger, J. H. Grabowski, R. Grizzle, M. W. Luckenbach, K. MacGraw, B. Rodneyl, J. Ruesink, S. Powers, R. Brumbaugh. 2012 Historical ecology with real numbers: Past and present extent and biomass of an imperilled estuarine ecosystem. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 279:3393-3400.
• Fulford, R. S., D. L. Breitburg, M. W. Luckenbach. 2011. Differences in relative predation vulnerability between native and non-native oyster larvae and the influence on restoration planning in an estuarine ecosystem. Estuaries and Coasts. 34:618-629.
• Beck, M.W., R. D. Brumbaugh, L. Airoldi, A. Carranza, L. D. Coen, C. Crawford, O. Defeo, G. J. Edgar , B. Hancock, M. Kay, H. Lenihan, M. W. Luckenbach, C. L. Toropova, G. Zhang. 2011. Shellfish Reefs at Risk Globally and Recommendations for Ecosystem Revitalization. Bioscience 61:107-116.
• Luckenbach, M. W., L. D. Coen, P. G. Ross, Jr. and J. A. Stephen. 2005. Oyster reef Habitat Restoration: Relationship between oyster abundance and community development based on two studies in Virginia and South Carolina. J. Coast. Res. Special Issue No. 40:64-78.
• Luckenbach, M. W. and H. V. Wang. 2004. Linking watershed loading and basin-level carrying capacity models to evaluate the effects of land use on primary production and shellfish aquaculture. Bull. Fish. Res. Agency, Suppl. 1:123-132.
• Coen, L. D. and M. W. Luckenbach. 2000. Developing success criteria and goals for evaluating shellfish habitat restoration: ecological function or resource exploitation? Ecological Engineering. 15:323-343.
• Luckenbach, M. W. 1986. Sediment movement around animal tubes: the roles of hydrodynamic processes and biological activity. Limnol. Oceanogr. 31:779-787.