A forest ecologist studies how forests work. We try to understand the relationships between all the living organisms and their environment.
The skill set I depend on the most for my work is paying close attention to details. I take great care to be organized as this always helps to be efficient with my work.
How do invasive plants affect forest areas?
I often use an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) to measure the photosynthesis of plants. The IRGA provides information on how well a plant is performing photosynthesis which can indicate whether a plant is stressed in its environment. With an IRGA we are able to investigate how plants respond to differing conditions.
Strawberry guava is one of the worst invasive species in Hawaiian rainforests. We were excited to discover that the seeds of strawberry guava do not live very long in the soil. This information is useful for controlling this invasive species and to protect our native forests and the many rare plants they contain.
I spent a lot of my childhood climbing trees and playing in the woods. Over time, I became more interested in plants and was fascinated with how they do what they do. This definitely led to my desire to be a scientist.
