"An understanding of the natural world and what's in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment."
~David Attenborough
~David Attenborough
How does biodiversity impact ecosystem functioning? Why are these species present in this system, but not in that one? These are foundational questions in ecology, and ones I am highly interested in. Though much of my focus is on interactions of plant communities and hydrologic parameters, I am also quite interested in the animals that rely on wetland and floodplain ecosystems.
If we are to restore degraded ecosystems, are some methods better than others? What does it mean for restoration to be "successful" anyway? Some of my research below seeks to answer these, and other, questions. |
Wetland Mitigation and Biodiversity SupportWhat methods lead to high ecological integrity of wetland mitigation? There is much debate about the types of wetlands impacted and those used for mitigation. Increasing the effectiveness of wetland mitigation should be an ongoing goal of scientists and regulators.
Wetland Mitigation Sites |
Plant Community Diversity and Wetland HydrologyWetland plant communities respond to hydrologic regimes, soils, disturbance, and landscape position. How can we use what we know to create performance standards for wetland restoration and mitigation?
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Amphibian populations of National ForestsAmphibians are the canary in the coal mine for wetlands. Understanding how amphibian communities utilize pristine wetlands can provide a comparison for restored system Amphibians of Routte National Forest |