The southeastern US is part of one of the thirty-six global biodiversity hotspots. The region has extraordinary species richness and endemism (species found nowhere else on the planet) due to long-term relative climatic stability, diverse geology and soils, precipitation, and other factors. Despite this incredible diversity the region remains much understudied and often misunderstood. This is especially true for the prairie grasslands of the region. It is estimated that 90% of southeastern grasslands have been lost since Euro-American settlements consequently leading to at least one-third of the species listed on the Endangered Species Act concentrated in the grasslands of this region.

In addition to the loss of habitat due to growing urban infrastructure, agriculture, and fire suppression climate change is among the biggest threats to this vulnerable ecosystem.  Investigating responses to threats at an ecosystem level is thus essential and can be understood by studying plant communities.

• Climate Change and the campus prairie

• The Campus Prairie Project - the "Living Museum" at Jacksonville State University

• Environmental impact assessment - Emerald Mountain Expressway Bridge, Wetumpka, AL.

• Impacts of climate change on vegetation phenology and distribution ranges using natural history sources, experimental studies, and remote sensing in India and the US Southeast.

• Research on rangeland dynamics - Prairies of the Southeast