I'm an ecosystem ecologist with a passion for plant ecology, forest ecosystems, conservation, and how ecosystems change through time and in response to environmental change. I look at both how small things (like genes) scale up to affect ecosystems, and how big things (like climate change and volcanic eruptions) scale down. I both teach and do research. A fundamental part of my teaching philosophy is that these two worlds are not separate. Teaching and research are synergistic, and my classes are a process of discovery for my students and me, every time.
My research addresses linkages between plant diversity and ecosystem function, as well as ecosystem responses to disturbance. I focus on riparian forest ecology, forest carbon cycling, community change, nutrient cycling, root dynamics, and whole-tree tree physiology.
For more information see my publications and my lab page.
Education
Ph.D., Forest Science, Northern Arizona University, 2005; M.S., Forest Science, Northern Arizona University, 2001; B.S., Environmental Science, Oregon State University, 1998 .
Teaching Style
My teaching allows me to work in a broad array of ecosystems because my classes often focus on conducting field studies and hands-on ecological science. Recent remote field sites I have worked in include the Skokomish River (WA), Mount Saint Helens (WA), Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (AZ), Grand Canyon (AZ), The Sinlahekin Valley (WA), the Metolius River (OR), and the prairies of the southern Puget Sound lowlands (WA).
Feel free to contact me about projects, ideas, and classes!