James E. Perry, III
Professor of Marine Science,Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Contact Information
Office: Andrews Hall 103
Phone: (804) 684-7388
Email: [[v|jperry]]
Education
- B.S., Murray State University
- Ph.D., College of William & Mary
Research Interests
Dr. Perry is a Professor of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). His primary research interests involve monitoring stress and documenting long-term changes in vascular plant communities of tidal and non-tidal wetlands, and the relationship of those changes to changes in environmental parameters within watersheds. His current projects include: 1) establishing methods for determining status of watersheds and the success of created and restored habitats; 2) vegetation community dynamics in a restored and created wetlands and watersheds, and 3) life history, distribution and abundance, and threats to rare and/or endangered vascular plants.
He has done research in Asia, North America, and South America, and has presented many invited seminars and lectures abroad. He is currently involved in several international wetland projects in China designed to examine the role of environmental conservation/restoration and sustainable development in coastal wetlands. The goals of the projects are to provide research directions and education opportunities for local universities as well as providing recommendations and guidelines for the establishment of environmental policies for the local and federal agencies. He teaches courses in Asian Environmental Issues, Wetlands Ecology, and Coastal Botany.
Dr. Perry is a lifetime member of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS). He is currently the Secretary General for The Society of Wetland Scientist Professional Certification Program (SWSPCP), which he helped to develop in the early 1990's, and was one of the first wetlands ecologist to received his Professional Wetland Scientist certification. In the past he has chaired the SWSPCP Ethics Committee, the SWS South Atlantic Chapter, and has been a long time member of the SWS Outreach and Education Committee.
Current Projects
- Establishing methods for determining status of watersheds and the success of created and restored habitats;
- Ecological Processes of Woody Growth in Created and Restored Forested Wetlands;
- Vegetation community dynamics in a reclaimed mined watershed;
- Vegetation dynamics and ecosystem stress in tidal wetlands;
- Life history, distribution and abundance, and threats to rare and/or endangered vascular plants.
