Much of my research focuses on linking above- and belowground processes. I am interested in how global changes - such as reductions in biodiversity, shifts in climate, and spread of invasive species - influence critical ecosystem services. Portions of my research also focus on cliff face plant communities and nutrient dynamics.

 

Plant chemistry and belowground processes
Many belowground processes are driven by the quality and quantity of aboveground inputs. Although secondary metabolites are best known for their herbivore and pathogen defense roles in living leaves, they also have several important impacts on terrestrial nutrient cycling.  Several of my projects address the specific afterlife effects of leaf litter quality on belowground processes

 

Genes to ecosystems: Genetic variation and ecosystem functioning
The diversity, including intraspecific genetic diversity, of temperate forests can have large implications for nutrient release during leaf litter decomposition. Plant genotype can also interact with nutrient availability to influence belowground processes. In addition to the direct effects of leaf litter decomposition, plant genotypes can also have indirect genetic effects by mediating the ecosystem responses of canopy herbivores. My research in genes to ecosystems research spans from small plot-based studies to large observational field studies. For instance, at large spatial scales aspen forests can create spatial mosaics of genetically-mediated ecosystem functioning across natural landscapes.

 

Remote sensing as a proxy for biological data

Understanding the causes and implications of global declines in biodiversity is at the forefront of ecological research. Remote sensing techniques provide a means to combine fine-scale biological across large spatial scales. I am involved with collaborative projects that use remote sensing to estimate aboveground diversity and the consequences thereof on belowground processes. Central to this work in the concept of optical surrogacy; that spectral data can serve as a proxy for important biological processes.

 

Belowground effects of invasive species
Invasive species can have severe and long-lasting effects on ecosystems and native communities. We are looking at how multiple invasive plant species influence belowground processes, and how these effects may change with climate and geographic range. We are developing black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) as a model system because if its symbiotic relationship with nitrogen fixing Rhizobium and because it is a severe invader in parts of the midwestern U.S. and Eurasia where it occurs outside of its native Appalachian range.

 

Cliff face ecology
Cliff face ecosystems are chronically understudied and are potentially rich reservoirs of genetic diversity. In addition, cliff ecosystems are increasingly facing pressures from multiple users and land managers often lack basic biological information to make informed decisions. We work in collaboration with land managers to better understand and predict plant distributions on cliff faces. My lab also focuses on nutrient cycling in cliff systems to determine the relationships between nutrient availability and species abundance.

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