I am a biogeochemist working in coastal marine and estuarine systems principally in the area of physical-biological interactions. My previous research has included the influence of waves on seagrass ecology, sediment nutrient fluxes in estuaries, and tidal forcing of nutrient uptake on coral reefs. From 2010-2013, I worked as an Environmental Scientist for the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (Estuaries and Coastal Catchments Unit). This work gave me an interest in applied research questions that address the many challenges faced by coastal ecosystems worldwide.
I started with AIMS in 2018. My work includes leading the water quality component of the Marine Monitoring Program and conducting process-based research on productivity and nutrient transformation in the coastal ocean. Upcoming work (in development) includes:
- tidal forcing of productivity in macrotidal estuaries
- lability of dissolved organic and particulate nutrient pools
Gruber RK et al. (2018) Benthic uptake of phytoplankton and ocean-reef exchange of particulate nutrients on a tide-dominated reef. Limnology and Oceanography (in press)
Gruber RK et al. (2017) Metabolism of a tide-dominated reef platform subject to extreme diel temperature and oxygen variations. Limnology and Oceanography 62(4): 1701-1717
Ferguson AJP, Gruber R (2017) Oxygen and carbon metabolism of Zostera muelleri across a depth gradient–Implications for resilience and blue carbon. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 187: 216-230
Ferguson AJP, Gruber RK et al. (2016) Morphological plasticity in Zostera muelleri across light, sediment, and nutrient gradients in Australian temperate coastal lakes. Marine Ecology Progress Series 556: 91-104
Adams MP et al. (2016) Feedback between sediment and light for seagrass: Where is it important? Limnology and Oceanography 61(6): 1937-1955
Lowe RJ et al. (2016) Rising sea levels will reduce extreme temperature variations in tide-dominated reef habitats. Science Advances 2(8): e1600825
Lowe RJ et al. (2015) The intertidal hydraulics of tide-dominated reef platforms. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 120(7): 4845-4868
