We investigate how ecosystem responses to global change drivers are mediated by biotic processes. Specifically, we study how ecosystem function is influenced by mutualisms, competition, consumers, and alterations in abiotic resource availability. Projects in our lab examine a diverse suite of global change drivers, such as nutrient deposition and runoff, consumer loss, altered climatic regimes, and species invasions. We use a variety of techniques to investigate ecosystem responses to global change agents, including long-term experiments, observational data collection, and statistical data synthesis.
We work across a broad range of sites within the United States, studying species invasions in California grasslands, rangeland sustainability in Montana, Wyoming, and Kansas, grassland dynamics in Kansas, forest dynamics in Maryland, and soybean agriculture in Maryland.
Recent Happenings:
April 2024: It was a big month for the Community Dynamics lab! Zachary Bunch defended his master's thesis, Rachael Brenneman defended her dissertation proposal, and Millie Ortiz defended her thesis proposal. Congratulations to all three on successfully completing these big milestones!
April 2024: The lab spent some time outside at UNCG's annual Science Everywhere talking to people about our plant microbiome work and helping them culture their own microbiomes!
April 2024: The lab spent some time outside at UNCG's annual Science Everywhere talking to people about our plant microbiome work and helping them culture their own microbiomes!
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January 2024: Welcome to new lab members, undergraduate students Ryan Hargrove and Maleak Whittaker!
January 2024: We say a sad farewell to lab technician Sara Gora this month, thanks for all of your hard work over the past year processing samples and entertaining us all! At the same time, we are excited to welcome Maya Parker-Smith to the lab group as our new lab manager!
January 2024: We say a sad farewell to lab technician Sara Gora this month, thanks for all of your hard work over the past year processing samples and entertaining us all! At the same time, we are excited to welcome Maya Parker-Smith to the lab group as our new lab manager!
