Scott Goetz

Scott Goetz
Senior Scientist
Woods Hole Research Center
149 Woods Hole Road
Falmouth, MA 02540-1644
Phone: 508-540-9900 x130
Fax: 508-540-9700

Education

Ph.D. - University of Maryland
1996, Department of Geography
Dissertation: Modeling carbon fluxes, net primary production and light utilization of boreal forest stands

M.Sc. - University of California, Santa Barbara
1987, Department of Geography
Thesis: Predictive mapping of coast live oak in California using digital satellite and terrain data

B.Sc. - Pennsylvania State University
1982, Department of Geography
Remote sensing & digital mapping emphasis.

Professional Experience

  • 2005 - present: Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Research Center
  • February 2003 - 2005: Associate Scientist, Woods Hole Research Center
  • February 2003 - present: Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Maryland
  • January 2003 - August 1995: Associate Scientist, University of Maryland, Dept. of Geography
  • August 1995 - August 1985: Research Scientist, Hughes/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Research Interests

Analysis of environmental change, including monitoring and modeling links between land use change of various types (e.g., urbanization, fire disturbance), forest productivity, biological diversity, water quality, and epidemiology.

Recent publications

(of 80+ in refereed literature)

Climate change and ecosystem responses:

Goetz, S.J., Baccini, A., Laporte, N., Johns, T., Walker, W.S., Kellndorfer, J.M., Houghton, R.A., & Sun, M. (2009). Mapping & monitoring carbon stocks with satellite observations:a comparison of methods. Carbon Balance and Management, 4:2 doi:10.1186/1750-0680-1184-1182, Open access journal: http://www.cbmjournal.com/content/4/1/2

Goetz, S. J., H. E. Epstein, D. Alcaraz, P. S. A. Beck, U. Bhatt, A. Bunn, J. Comiso, G. J. Jia, J. O. Kaplan, H. Lischke, A. Lloyd, Q. Yu, and D. A. Walker (in press). Recent changes in Arctic vegetation: satellite observations and simulation model predictions, in G. Gutman (ed.) Arctic land cover and land use in a changing climate. Springer-Verlag, Amsterdam.

Goetz, S.J., Mack, M., Gurney, K., Randerson, J., & Houghton, R.A. (2007). Ecosystem responses to recent climate change and fire disturbance at northern high latitudes: Observations and model results contrasting northern Eurasia and North America. Environmental Research Letters 045031.

Goetz S. J., Bunn, A.G., Fiske G. & Houghton R. A. (2005) Satellite observed photosynthetic trends across boreal North America associated with climate and fire disturbance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 102 (38): 13521-13525.

Biodiversity, human health and related:

Goetz, S.J., Jantz, P. & Jantz, C.J. (2009), Connectivity of core habitat in the northeastern United States: parks and protected areas in a landscape context. Remote Sensing of Environment 113:1421-1429

Tatem, A.J., Goetz, S.J., & Hay, S.I. (2008). Fifty years of earth observation satellites. American Scientist 96:390-398.

Goetz, S. J., D. Steinberg, R. Dubayah, and J. B. Blair (2007), Lidar remote sensing of canopy habitat heterogeneity as a predictor of bird species richness in an eastern temperate forest, USA. Remote Sensing of Environment 108(3):254-263.

Land use change and water quality:

Theobald, D.M., Goetz, S.J., Norman, J., & Jantz, P. (2009), Watersheds at risk to increased impervious surface cover in the coterminous United States. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 14:362-368

Goetz, S.J., Gardiner, T., & Viers, J. (2008) Recent advances in monitoring freshwater and estuarine ecosystems with remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Environment 112:3993-3995

Goetz, S. J., and G. Fiske (2008), Linking the diversity and abundance of stream biota to landscapes in the mid-Atlantic USA. Remote Sensing of Environment 112:4075-4085

Goetz S. J. (2006), Remote sensing of riparian buffers: past progress and future prospects. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 42(1): 133-143.

Goetz, S. J., & P. Jantz (2006). Satellite maps show Chesapeake Bay urban development. Eos Transactions American Geophysical Union 87:149-152.

Examples of Current Projects

  • Carbon Dynamics of North American Boreal Forest Regrowth using Satellite Observations, Principal Investigator, Funding Agency: NOAA Carbon Cycle Science program.
  • Ecological condition of US National Parks: Enhancing Decision Support through Monitoring, Analysis, and Forecasting, Co-Investigator, Funding Agency: NASA Ecological Forecasting program.
  • Integrating vegetation 3D structure and ecological modeling for continental scale assessments of biodiversity, biomass and disturbance, Co-Investigator, Funding Agency: NASA Terrestrial Ecology program.
  • Observation and Modeling of Tundra Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change, Principal Investigator, Funding Agency: NSF Office of Polar Programs.
  • Quantifying Changes in Northern High Latitude Ecosystems and Associated Regional Feedbacks to the Climate System, Principal Investigator, Funding Agency: NASA Land Cover & Land Use Change program.
  • Urban Growth Impacts on Surface Hydrology in Mid-Atlantic and New England Watersheds, Principal Investigator, Funding Agency: NASA Land Cover Land Use Change Program.

Synergistic Activities

  • Recurring invited workshop participant focused on integrating satellite remote sensing and ecosystem models, and member of science teams for multi-agency interdisciplinary earth science experiments (CCSP, NASA, EPA, NSF, NCEAS, USGS).
  • Member of the Editorial Board of Remote Sensing of Environment and JGR-Biogeosciences.