A5069111486- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Forest Management and Policy
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Seedling growth and survival studies
- Diverse Historical and Scientific Studies
- Turfgrass Adaptation and Management
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Forest ecology and management
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- History of Science and Medicine
- Hemiptera Insect Studies
- Urban Heat Island Mitigation
University of Maryland, College Park
2019-2025
University of Baltimore
2023
University of Maryland, Baltimore
2023
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
2019-2023
Yale University
2010-2018
University of Delaware
2008-2015
Virginia Tech
2010
Managed landscapes in which non-native ornamental plants are favored over native vegetation now dominate the United States, particularly east of Mississippi River. We measured how landscaping with affects avian and lepidopteran communities on 6 pairs suburban properties southeastern Pennsylvania. One property each pair was landscaped entirely other exhibited a more conventional mixture plants--a canopy groundcover shrubs. Vegetation sampling confirmed that total plant cover diversity did not...
The impact of non‐native plant invasions on ecosystems has been controversial because obvious local effects have not yet led to the global extinction any native species continents and large islands. We suggest that is appropriate measure ecosystem function present evidence or replacement plants with ornamentals results in significant bottom‐up reductions energy available for food webs. Using replicated common gardens we compared Lepidoptera richness abundance plants, congeners those natives,...
Interactions between plants and herbivores are central in most ecosystems, but their strength is highly variable. The amount of variability within a system thought to influence aspects plant-herbivore biology, from ecological stability plant defense evolution. Our understanding what influences variability, however, limited by sparse data. We collected standardized surveys herbivory for 503 species at 790 sites across 116° latitude. With these data, we show that within-population increases...
Abstract Aim Efforts to evaluate the impact of non‐native plants on ecosystems rarely consider role such in sustaining local food webs arthropods, or whether effect is similar across arthropod feeding guilds and life stages. We assess this response by comparing herbivores native (species with evolutionary histories within webs) without histories). further compare that are congeners species those non‐natives no close relatives. Location Suburban landscapes, Mid‐Atlantic United States...
Humans promote and inhibit other species on the urban landscape, shaping biodiversity patterns. Institutional racism may underlie distribution of by creating disproportionate resources in space time. Here, we examine whether present-day street tree occupancy, diversity, composition Baltimore, MD, USA, neighborhoods reflect their 1937 classification into grades loan risk-from most desirable (A = green) to least (D "redlined")-using racially discriminatory criteria. We find that were redlined...
Abstract Increasing plant diversity in agroecosystems is often proposed as a way to reduce arthropod pest pressure and support natural enemy populations reliance on traditional chemical controls. Over 2 field seasons, we examined the effects of interplanting cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis) with alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus populations, yield, fruit quality. Arthropod sampling through visual counts, sticky cards, pitfall traps...
Abstract Effects of host plant α‐ and β‐diversity often confound studies herbivore β‐diversity, hindering our ability to predict the full impact non‐native plants on herbivores. Here, while controlling diversity, we examined variation in communities between native plants, focusing how relatedness spatial scale alter result. We found lower absolute magnitudes among tree species sites non‐natives all comparisons. However, relative only occurred for immature herbivores phylogenetically distinct...
Summary Recent interest in using trait‐based approaches to understand and predict ecosystem processes evolutionary responses environmental change highlights the need relative importance of genetic sources intraspecific trait variation within local populations dominant species. Here, I combine plant defence theory with functional quantify phenotypic plasticity nine goldenrod ( Solidago altissima ) genotypes derived from a field population Connecticut, USA, herbivory along nutrient supply...
Abstract Herbivores often induce changes in plant defensive chemistry or nutrient content that may respectively inhibit promote microbial decomposition of senesced litter. Often the directional impact herbivores on is considered to be a property species ecosystem. While rarely explored, plasticity induction strategies across environmental gradients also result divergent impacts (deceleration vs. acceleration). Here, we examined how soil conditions determine legacy effects herbivory, using...
Although decades of research have typically demonstrated a positive correlation between biodiversity primary producers and associated trophic levels, the ecological drivers this association are poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that plant microbiome, or fungi bacteria found on inside hosts, may be cryptic yet important processes, including production interactions. Here, using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized foliar fungal community diversity, composition, function from...
Human actions are decreasing the diversity and complexity of forests, a mechanistic understanding how these changes affect predators is needed to maintain ecosystem services, including pest regulation. Using large-scale tree experiment, we investigate spiders respond trees growing in plots single or mixed species combinations (4 12) by repeatedly sampling 540 spanning 15 species. In 2019 (6 years post-establishment), spider responses varied By 2021, had more consistently positive effect,...
Societal Impact Statement As cities grow, it is essential to understand how landscape management decisions in urban spaces alter ecosystem function. This study demonstrates that the ubiquitous practice of long‐term leaf litter removal suburbs, even relatively small patches a yard, reduces soil's ability cycle nutrients plant and results lower amounts carbon stored soil. Even two years retaining leaves where they previously were removed insufficient restore decomposition rates or pools....
Biodiversity within ecological communities has been shown to influence plant resistance and tolerance herbivory, may strongly interact with climate change. However, the effects of diversity microbial symbionts on their hosts' responses herbivores is less well documented, particularly context agricultural systems. Here we examine interactive rhizobial drought in promoting soybean insect mammalian an outdoor pot experiment. We demonstrate that plants provided a diverse mixture strains...
The role of tree diversity in restored forests and its impact on key ecological processes like growth resistance to herbivory has become increasingly important. We analyzed height white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus browsing damage saplings 16 broadleaved species a large-scale (13 ha) reforestation experiment Maryland, USA, where we manipulated 70 1,225-m2 plots. After four growing seasons, higher plot-level richness led increased (i.e., associational susceptibility). Despite mixed...
Abstract Invasive plant species cause a suite of direct, negative ecological impacts, but subsequent, indirect effects are more complex and difficult to detect. Where identified, other taxa can be wide‐ranging include benefits in certain habitats or locations. Here, we simultaneously examine the direct common, invasive grass ( Microstegium vimineum ) on invertebrate communities understory deciduous forests eastern United States. To do this, use two complementary analytic approaches compare...