A plant ecologist studies plants and how they function on the landscape.
Curiosity
Broad training and background
Strong interests in how nature works
Why are some introduced species invasive and others are not? Why are some habitats more vulnerable to species invasions than others?
I use geographic information systems (GIS) technology to locate and map the distribution of invasive species. I also use GIS to map the projected spread and distribution of many invasive species in the future using various climate change models.
I recently completed a study reporting the richness and distribution of invasive and other documented hybrid plants in the United States. The results show that human disturbances create novel niches for newly formed hybrid species to establish and persist. This is similar to factors controlling the richness and distribution of exotic species. This is the first such report at the national level for hybrid plants in the United States.
I’ve known I wanted to be a scientist since high school when I learned about some big names in science and their stories.
