I’m interested in lots of different topics in applied ecology, but my research focuses on two major topics: assessing human impacts on ecosystems and identifying solutions to these problems. I’ve used lots of different methods to investigate these topics, but I am particularly experienced in using evidence synthesis techniques such as systematic review, systematic mapping, and meta-analysis. I am especially interested exploring these topics in the context of forest management and restoration.
Human-induced impacts
The natural world is facing unprecedented global-scale changes as a result of human conversion of natural ecosystems, climate change, overexploitation of natural populations, pollution, and invasive non-native species. My work has particularly investigated the impacts of human disturbance on forest ecosystems and on the recovery and resilience of these following disturbances. My work currently focuses on the resilience of forest soil biodiversity to disturbances associated with climate change.
Some of my previous work on this topic includes:
- How long do tropical secondary forests take to recover after agricultural clearance?
- The impacts of tropical selective logging on carbon storage and tree biodiversity
Identifying solutions
Despite the fact that conservation in a mission-driven discipline, relatively few papers on the topic attempt to identify and test solutions to environmental problems. My work in this area has mainly focused on identifying what works best when trying to solve environmental problems and providing decision-support for practitioners.
Some of my previous work on solutions includes: