Research
Root and mycorrhizal trait effects on drought strategies.
We are working with numerous species commonly used in restoration throughout the southwest to better understand how root traits interact with mycorrhizal colonization rates to influence plant performance under drought. This project is being completed in collaboration with partners at Northern Arizona University, the United States Geological Survey, and collaborators participating in RestoreNet. For more information, contact Bella Johnson.
Integrating functional and genetic variability into seed selection of Bouteloua curtipendula.
We are assessing functional trait and genetic variability of Bouteloua curtipendula to clarify how climate shapes intraspecific trait variability and to identify relationships between trait variability and genetic variability. This project is being completed with support of the NM Bureau of Land Management and is being undertaken in close collaboration with Dr. Sara Fuentes-Soriano. For more information, contact Eron Schulte.
The role of functional traits in population and community synchrony.
This is a collaborative project through which we will determine the influence of global change drivers and functional traits on the synchrony of plant populations and communities through space and time. This research will be completed in close collaboration with members of the Shoemaker Lab at the University of Wyoming and with Dr. Jonathan Walter at the University of California Davis. Numerous members of the Nutrient Network are also involved with this work. For more information, contact Dr. Garbowski.
Integrating Functional and Phylogenetic Underpinnings into Restoration Science (sFutures Working Group)
This sDiv working group is focused on understanding how multiple facets of biodiversity emerge in restored systems. With this working group, we hope to advance understanding of how taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity shape and are shaped by restoration efforts. We believe this is crucial for upholding the promise of ecological restoration as a key solution for reestablishing biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions and services to degraded ecosystems. For more information, contact Dr. Garbowski.
Soil effects on seedling functional traits and performance.
We are completing greenhouse experiments to determine how soil texture modifies the influence of traits on seedling survival. For more information, contact Summer Vasquez.
Nutrient Network (NutNet) & Disturbances and Resources in Global Grasslands Network (DRAGNet).
Magda and colleagues from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin oversee a DRAGNet site in the Lubelszczyzna region of Eastern Poland. The DRAGNet experiment aims to assess the impacts of disturbance and nutrient enrichment on plant community assembly.