Landscape Ecological Research

Themes

My research investigates ecology in a landscape context. Landscapes are complex systems built by social, historical, and ecological forces. Using field and computational methods, my research seeks management solutions that integrate human activities sustainably and equitably within their ecological systems, fulfilling people’s needs while restoring and protecting natural biodiversity.

Uncovering ecological process from pattern

What can we learn about ecological processes from spatial and temporal patterns? I am interested in how, and to what degree, do ecological processes organize and influence their own distributions, as opposed to reflect their environmental context. This knowledge has important implications for planning successful ecological interventions and predicting ecological resilience.

Designing for ecosystem services in the landscape

How can we design landscapes to leverage ecological processes for multiple ecosystem services, like pollination, water purification, and crop production? My work investigates how the landscape influences ecosystem functions and services through the composition and configuration of natural habitats and human land uses.

Understanding impacts of landscape transformation

How do changes in complex systems in landscapes happen? My work searches for leverage points where relatively small changes can lead to broader impacts that help build resilient socio-ecological systems.