research team mentor

Research focus for summer 2024

Changes in biodiversity through space and time constitute some of the most striking features of life on earth and have broad implications for human health, the production of renewable resources, and global climate regulation. Yet human activities are altering biodiversity through changes to environmental conditions such as climate, disturbance, habitat fragmentation, and productivity. Our research team seeks to understand patterns and causes of biodiversity at multiple scales, ranging from variation in the diversity of species’ traits to gradients in the assembly, diversity, and dynamics of ecological communities across the planet. We explore three questions at the interface of ecology, biogeography, and biodiversity conservation:

• Community Assembly from Local to Global Scales: What processes determine community assembly across temperate and tropical ecosystems?

• Biotic Interactions & Environmental Change: Why does environmental change (e.g., drought, fire, ecosystem productivity) alter species interactions and ecological networks?

• Species Traits & Biodiversity Change: Why do changes in the species and trait diversity of regional biotas influence community assembly and ecological restoration in human-modified landscapes?

At Tyson Research Center, we explore these questions using a combination of field experiments, large-scale and long-term observations in natural ecosystems, and ecological analysis and synthesis of biodiversity data from around the world. Our summer research team will focus on two projects:

• A 35-year study of tree biodiversity and forest change in a large Ozark forest-dynamics plot that is part of the Smithsonian Forest Global Earth Observatory (CTFS-ForestGEO), the largest, systematically studied network of forest-ecology plots in the world (63 plots in 24 countries). Our team will conduct the first 5-year re-census of trees in the plot to explore the question of how and why forests are changing across temperate and tropical ecosystems. Read more and watch video

• A landscape-scale fire experiment in which we are exploring the question of how and why forest plant communities respond to ecological restoration with prescribed fire, environmental variation (soil-resource availability), and natural enemies (seed predators & herbivores). Read more

Skills
techniques
methods

The large-scale nature of our research projects requires a large and diverse research team. As a member of our team, you will develop field, research, and teamwork skills useful for a wide range of careers:

• Plant Identification: At the start of the field season, you will participate in a multi-day workshop on plant identification where you will learn basic plant taxonomy, how to use tree- and seed-identification keys, and how to identify plants in the field.

• Biodiversity Surveys: You will learn how to survey tree communities at all stages of forest development including seed dispersal, seedling establishment, tree growth and mortality. You will learn how to: 1) establish permanent tree and seedling plots; 2) tag, identify, measure and map trees and seedlings; 3) survey changes in experimental seedling plots in burned and unburned forests; 4) measure leaf, stem and root traits important for plant growth and survival; and 5) measure variability in environmental conditions including fire heterogeneity, soil moisture, soil nutrients, and light levels.

• "Big Data": You will learn how the data from our projects are being used by scientists to address questions about biodiversity, forest change and conservation, and ecological restoration at local to global scales.

• Ecological Analysis: You will gain experience with data entry and analysis of large databases using Excel and R.