Quantitative Disturbance and Vegetation Ecology In Forested Landscapes

I am interested in understanding the patterns and processes of forested landscapes. Specifically, my research program aims to disentangle how disturbances in forested landscapes, such as fires or insect outbreaks (1) modify the mechanisms responsible for generating local plant communities, (2) interact with subsequent disturbances, and (3) the consequences these modifications and interactions have for forest conservation and management. Importantly, all of these processes occur in the context of global climate change which can directly and indirectly modify each level of my theoretical diagram (above). Understanding the causes and consequences of forest disturbance requires investigations that span spatial and temporal scales. To address my interests, I use a variety of methods such as field surveys, statistical models, geographic information systems, and mathematical and theoretical frameworks. My ultimate goal is to conduct research that is relevant both in theory and for management application.