Research Interests and Background

-As a plant ecologist, my research interests include plant demography, life history, plant/animal interactions, and pollination biology.  I have recently been investigating the population biology of a threatened understory palm, Chamaedorea radicalis, that grows in the montane cloud forests of northeastern Mexico.  Leaves of this palm are harvested by local collectors called palmilleros, and there is a concern that over-harvesting is causing a decline in wild C. radicalis populations.  As part of my research, I have constructed mathematical models that project the affects of leaf harvest and other disturbances such as livestock grazing on long-term population growth rates.  These results are currently being used to develop management strategies that promote sustainable leaf harvest practices.
     Future research is focused on the pollination biology of the locally endangered wildflower Lupinus perennis.  In addition to being of conservation interest in its own right, L. perennis is also an important food source for three rare butterfly species.  One species, the karner blue (Lycaedies melissa), is the New Hampshire state butterfly and has recently gone extinct in the wild.  In collaboration with Saint Anselm biology professor Dr. Barry Wicklow, my research will be working toward identifying the factors that most affect reproductive success and population growth in L. perennis, which has significant consequences for the rare Lepidopterans that feed on it.

Directed Studies Projects

-Research in my lab is primarily focused on plant population ecology and conservation.  Students interested in conducting an independent research project are welcome to work with me on the pollination biology and population dynamics of wild lupine (see research interests) or other local plant species that are rare, invasive, or otherwise ecologically important.
     For students with an interest in horticulture, I am also interested in studying the impact of escaped landscaping plants on the structure of native plant communities.  A number of non-native species that are common in local landscapes have naturalized in this area and have become invasive, nuisance plants.