I am a post-doctoral fellow working with Lars Brudvig
(Michigan State) and Jim Bever (U of Kansas).
I use a combination of field experiments and observations, greenhouse
experiments on plant community mesocosms, and laboratory analysis of soils and
microbial communities to identify the mechanisms that stabilize the coexistence
of plant species, influence community assembly, and drive successional change.
I generally do this work in the context of ecological restoration efforts. Specifically,
I have focused on the reassembly of native plant communities following invasive
species removal and on species coexistence and plant succession in restored
grasslands. My current work focuses the mechanisms underlying community
assembly of plant and soil fungal communities and the links between these
communities and ecosystem function.
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