Sustainable management in a changing world 

I am an insect and plant community ecologist interested in understanding how global change will alter insect and plant communities and how to mitigate these changes via sustainable management. My research combines natural observation, field and greenhouse manipulation, and large-scale data analysis to better identify sustainable management practices.

 

Grasslands make up approximately 40% of the earth’s ice-free surface and offer an array of ecological services, support diverse flora and fauna, and assist in carbon sequestration. However, grasslands around the world are endangered due to land-use change, woody encroachment, and fragmentation. My current work sets out to understand this beautiful but diminishing ecosystem and work with land-owners and managers to preserve the ecosystem while also utilizing it for the many agricultural services that it provides.