Chris Kelble

Research Highlights

Research Interests

Understanding how humans alter coastal marine ecosystems and in turn how these coastal ecosystems help to support coastal communities.

Investigating climate change with coupled climate, physics, and ecosystem models.

Researching the effects of red tide on the Southwest Florida ecosystem.

Chris Kelble, Ph.D.

Director, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

305.361.4330

Chris_Kelble

4301 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149

“Ecosystem‐based management is an integrated management approach that recognizes the full array of interactions within an ecosystem, including humans, rather than considering single issues, species or ecosystem services in isolation.”

Dr. Chris Kelble is the Director of the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and is the principal investigator for the Ecosystem Assessment and Modeling Laboratory within the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division at AOML. Dr. Kelble’s primary research interest is to holistically understand how humans alter coastal marine ecosystems and in turn how these coastal ecosystems help to support coastal communities. His research has a heavy emphasis on research to applications by working closely with the resource managers most likely to use these research results. Dr. Kelble’s research has ranged from understanding how altered watersheds affect salinity variability and thus habitat suitability to understanding how natural and anthropogenic drivers of change affect the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. He currently serves on leadership committees for NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Program, NOAA’s Ecosystem Indicators Working Group, NOAA’s Biscayne Bay Habitat Blueprint Focus Area, NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Regional Collaboration Team, the US Interagency Blue Carbon Working Group, and the Science Coordination Group of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.

Current Work

Director, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division

Download Full CV

1998, B.S. Marine Science Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

2003, M.S. Marine Biology & Fisheries, RSMAS, U. Miami, Virginia Key, FL

2010, Ph.D. Marine Biology & Fisheries, RSMAS, U. Miami, Virginia Key, FL

  1. Enochs, I.C., M.S. Studivan, G. Kolodziej, C. Foord, I. Basden, A. Boyd, N. Formel, A. Kirkland, E. Rubin, M. Jankulak, I. Smith, C.R. Kelble, and D.P. Manzello. Coral persistence despite marginal conditions in the Port of Miami. Scientific Reports, 13:6759, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33467-7 2023
    Ref. 4256
  2. Alarcon, V.J., A.C. Linhoss, C.R. Kelbe, P.F. Mickle, G.F. Sanchez-Banda, F.E. Mardonez-Meza, J. Bishop, and S.L. Ashby. Coastal inundation under concurrent mean and extreme sea-level rise in Coral Gables, Florida, USA. Natural Hazards, 111(3):2933-2962, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-05163-0 2022
    Ref. 4060
  3. Freitag, A., S. Blake, P.M. Clay, A.C. Haynie, C. Kelble, M. Jepson, S. Kasperski, K.M. Leong, J.H. Moss, and S.D. Regan. Scale matters: Relating wetland loss and commercial fishing activity in Louisiana across spatial scales. Nature and Culture, 17(2):144-169, https://doi.org/10.3167/nc.2022.170202 2022
    Ref. 4122

National Oceanographic Partnership Program Excellence in Partnering Award 2017

For contributions to the project entitled National Marine Sanctuaries at Sentinel Sites for a Demonstration Marine Biodiversity Observation Network.

Department of Commerce Bronze Medal 2015

For advancing ecosystem-based management via the first comprehensive Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem Status Report that includes more than 140 ecological indicators.

Department of Commerce Silver Medal 2006

For conducting field operations immediately following Hurricane Katrina’s Gulf of Mexico passage that were vital to ensuring seafood was safe for public consumption, saving millions in potential fishery losses.