Gough Lab

Thanks for visiting! Here, you will find information about our research in plant physiological and ecosystem ecology. Our emphasis is on understanding how climate, disturbance, succession, and ecosystem structure affect leaf to ecosystem-scale function, with a focus on forest and wetland carbon cycling.  Currently, we seek undergraduate student collaborators to conduct Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA supported research at VCU's Rice Rivers Center, and the University of Michigan Biological Station. Please contact Chris.

What we do: A National Science Foundation project asks how forests respond to disturbance. NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program East (SARP-E) provides immersive training for undergraduates. And, a DOE project studies how pulse salinity and nitrogen affect wetlands. Last Spring, we launched the VCU Chesapeake Carbon Consortium (C3), supporting nature-based solutions in the region through rigorous, project-tailored carbon accounting.