Karen C. Abbott, PhD

Professor of Biology, Case Western Reserve University

I use mathematical models to explore possible causes for why species occur where they do, what makes their abundances fluctuate over time, and what creates patterns in their spatial arrangements. My lab focuses on natural phenomena that are not fully explained by existing ecological theory, and we investigate how new biologically-motivated models might improve our mechanistic understanding of these phenomena. At its core, all of our research explores how the inherent nonlinearities in ecological processes drive changes in the abundances and distributions of species. The effects of these nonlinearities are influenced in complex ways by space, including habitat patchiness across the landscape and the dispersal of individuals among patches, and by stochasticity (random perturbations).

Ecological theory is a highly interdisciplinary field, and my accomplishments in research would not be possible without a strong and diverse network of collaborators. The BioScience Alliance is an invaluable venue for exchanging ideas and interacting with researchers and practitioners with broad expertise.

Jean H. Burns PhD

Associate Professor, CWRU

Adjunct Scientist, Holden Forests & Gardens

Plant communities provide numerous benefits to humans, filtering our air and water and sequestering carbon. Understanding the mechanisms that structure plant communities is thus increasingly important as humans change landscapes and climate. My research addresses basic questions in plant population and community ecology, such as: What makes some introduced species invasive, spreading rapidly in the introduced range and causing harm, while closely related species might fail to invade (e.g. Burns et al. 2013, Murphy et al. 2016, Burns et al. 2019)? How might plant-soil interactions, and the soil heterogeneity they create, influence coexistence (e.g. Burns et al. 2017) and restoration success (Lance et al. 2019, Lance et al., 2020)?

Since coming to CWRU, my research has been greatly enhanced by collaborations with the Burke (e.g. Burns et al. 2015, Burke et al. 2019, Lance et al. 2020) and Medeiros labs (e.g. Medeiros et al. 2017, Medeiros et al. 2020). We have explored the roles of soil microbial communities in native tree restoration (e.g. Lance et al. 2020) and used the Rhododendron collection at Holden Arboretum as a “common garden” to test predictions about disease suppressive soils.

Christopher Cullis, PhD

Francis Hobart Herrick Professor of Biology, Case Western Reserve University

Director Biotechnology Entrepreneurship Master’s Program Case Western Reserve University

My work has focused primarily on rapid genomic variation in plants, and in particular the responses observed in flax to the growth environment. Currently, the flax project is aimed at identifying the genes responsible for this apparent 'editing' of the flax genome in response to environmental stress. I have a wide experience working on many different plant species.

I am currently working on a number of collaborative projects including one developing a wild legume (marama, Tylosema esculentum) into a crop for resource poor farmers in Southern Africa. I served as a program director at the National Science Foundation (for the Plant Genome Research Program), on national and international grant review panels, on advisory boards for international projects and as an editor and on editorial advisory boards of multiple journals. He has more than 150 published articles as well as writing one book (Plant Genomics and Proteomics) and editing a recent volume, the Genetics and Genomics of Linum. I have also been on the Research Advisory Committee of The Holden Arboretum for many years and spent 10 years on the board of Directors of The Arboretum.

Ronald G. Oldfield, PhD

Senior Instructor, CWRU

The overall goal of my research is to study the origin and conservation of biodiversity, with most work being done on freshwater fishes of North and South America. I do research in the field, in the laboratory, and at institutions such as zoos and natural history museums. The methods I use involve behavior, ecology, anatomy, physiology, and taxonomy and systematics. Some of my projects seek to better understand the evolution of social behavior, with a focus on mating systems such as monogamy and polygyny. My conservation-oriented research seeks to advance the social and psychological wellbeing of fishes held in captivity and to understand and control non-native introduced species.

At the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, I have been conducting collections-based research and teaching a yearly Ichthyology course since 2008. At the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, I have collaborated on multiple research projects involving fish behavior and conservation. At the Cleveland Botanical Garden, I have hosted class meetings and symposia related to the study abroad course I teach at Case Western Reserve University, Biology Field Studies: Costa Rica.

Robin Snyder, PhD

Professor, Case Western Reserve University

I'm interested in demography and life history and the effects of random chance. I'm originally trained as a physicist, so I bring mathematical ways of thinking to my ecological research. Much of my work is about creating new mathematical tools that allow people to ask questions like, "What are the most important mechanisms allowing these species to coexist?" or "How much of an individual's lifetime reproductive success is a result of their traits and how much is a matter of luck?"