Projects
Desert Ecosystems
Fire is an emerging ecological threat in fragile desert systems of North America. Fires are becoming larger, more frequent and intense as a result of the introduction of invasive grasses. It is not well understood how desert organisms and communities respond to these changes in fire.
Our research examines the ecological factors that contribute to plant invasion and the spread of fire in deserts and how it impacts desert ecosystem function and stability. Long-term studies are underway to understand how invasive grass driven fires change desert ecosystems by altering biological interactions among plants, insects pollinators, ants and rodents. The goal is to better predict post-fire recovery potential of the biological community and identify management approaches that are most likely to prevent fire or aid in post-fire recovery.
See our Desert, Fire, Mammal and Plant Research (Desert-FMP) website.
Our research examines the ecological factors that contribute to plant invasion and the spread of fire in deserts and how it impacts desert ecosystem function and stability. Long-term studies are underway to understand how invasive grass driven fires change desert ecosystems by altering biological interactions among plants, insects pollinators, ants and rodents. The goal is to better predict post-fire recovery potential of the biological community and identify management approaches that are most likely to prevent fire or aid in post-fire recovery.
See our Desert, Fire, Mammal and Plant Research (Desert-FMP) website.
Garden Biome Project
We are surrounded and constantly interacting with millions of microbes every day, shaping our health in ways we are just beginning to understand. This project aims to understand how biodiversity restoration and microbiome rewilding impact plant and soil health, human health, food security, and student engagement. We are investigating whether vegetables grown in native compost with a rich microbial community enhance gut microbiome diversity and overall well-being.
Additionally, we are studying how biodiversity gardens influence student learning, well-being, and attitudes toward food through surveys and engagement studies. This interdisciplinary project integrates ecology, nutrition, and behavioral science to advance sustainability while providing hands-on research opportunities for students.
Additionally, we are studying how biodiversity gardens influence student learning, well-being, and attitudes toward food through surveys and engagement studies. This interdisciplinary project integrates ecology, nutrition, and behavioral science to advance sustainability while providing hands-on research opportunities for students.
Aspen Conifer Forests
In western North America, aspen forest communities support high biodiversity and are important sources of water from melting snowpack for human use. However, changing environmental conditions are altering the function and composition of aspen forests. Long-term studies are being conducted that examine how facilitation and competition between aspen and conifer, changing fire regimes, climate change and animal browsing are altering aspen forests of western North America. We are also characterizing functional traits that confer tolerance to the wide spectrum of stresses that aspen experiences.
Visit our website on aspen ecology.
Visit our website on aspen ecology.
Seed Biome Project
We're under construction! More info to come...