Dr. Schäfer’s primary research interests lie in the realm of global change and its effects on terrestrial ecosystems. To this point, her research has focused on refining carbon budgets of forest ecosystems through sapflow based canopy conductance. In her current project she is adapting and re-parameterizing the Canopy Conductance Constrained Assimilation model (4CA) which she originally developed for a pine ecosystem at Duke. Once the model has been parameterized and validated at a specific site, climate change scenarios can be tested by using predicted values and implementing into the model predicting the outcome for that scenario for that site.

In addition, Karina is working in urban ecology through eddy-covariance measurements in the Meadowlands of New Jersey assessing CO2 and CH4 fluxes. Restoration of wetlands may or may not help in the carbon sequestration potential of wetlands and whether they will be able to keep up with sea level rise. Expanding the knowledge along the terrestrial – aquatic interface will enable predictions of resilience for these ecosystems.