Principal Investigator:
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Katharine Suding ksuding@uci.edu (949) 824-7495 |
Katie received her B.S. from Williams College and PhD from University of Michigan (with Deborah Goldberg). She did postdoctoral work at University of Colorado and Michigan State University, and joined UCI in 2003. Her research has focused on species interactions, and more recently, plant-soil feedbacks and how these interactions influence ecosystem processes. |
Postdoctoral Associates:
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Stan
Harpole wharpole@uci.edu |
Stan received his PhD in 2005 from University of Minnesota with David Tilman, working at Sedgwick Ranch near Santa Barbara. During his postdoc, Stan is continuing his work in California grasslands, conducting experimental tests for multiple stable states. He is also working on questions on blue oak regeneration: whether a demographic bottleneck prevents the transition from early to intermediate age classes. |
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Isabel
Ashton iashton@uci.edu |
Isabel comes to work with us from SUNY Stony Brook, where she received her PhD in 2005 with Manuel Lerdau. She is using her expertise in ecophysiology and ecosystem ecology to study how resource partitioning and species effects influence diversity in the Colorado Alpine. She is also continuing her interest in invasions by investigating how shrub expansion in the alpine is influencing ecosystem processes. |
Graduate Students:
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Rebecca
Aicher raicher@uci.edu |
Rebecca received her Bachelor's from George Washington University in DC, and after stints in the Galapagos and the Rocky Mountains, is working in California Grasslands. She is focusing on community assembly, particularly on the relative roles of trait-deteministic effects and more neutral abundance effects, in the context of restoration. |
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Leah
Goldstein goldstel@uci.edu |
Leah received her B.S. from UC Berkeley in 2002. She is interested in invasion ecology, and is examining whether the match between resource impacts of the resident community and resources use traits of the invader can be used to predict invasion success in Coastal Sage Scrub communities. She has been in the E&E program since 2004. |
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Heather McGray hmcgray@uci.edu |
Heather is our resident molecular guru, having received her bachelor's degree in molecular biology at UC Davis in 2002 and then working for two years in Don Strong's lab on the population genetics of exotic Spartina. She is interested in the relative importance of phenotypic plasticity, genetic diversity, and genetic adaptability in driving plant invasions in novel environments. |
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Marko Spasojevic mspasoje@uci.edu |
After working with penguins in Argentina and plants on Mount St. Helens, Marko joined our lab in 2005. He is interested in how plant hemiparasites may influence community structure and ecosystem functioning in alpine tundra. Marko received his BS from University of Washington in 2004. |
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Loralee
Larios LLarios@uci.edu |
Loralee graduated from CSU Fullerton in 2005 where she worked with Paul Stapp on small mammal and insect communities in Coastal Sage Shrub and was part of the prestigious Southern California Ecosystem Research Program. She knows plants, insects and small mammals, as well as how to get about anything done through the UCI system. She will be starting as graduate student this coming fall. |
Lab Manager:
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Margaret Royall mroyall@uci.edu |
Margaret previously worked as an environmental scientist in the corporate world, where she acquired GIS and databasing skills. She is now working on a project to facilitate the elimination of the invasive Cynara cardunculus (artichoke thistle) in parts of Orange County. She assists on various projects in the lab and is in charge of the organizational and administrative business pertaining to the lab. |
Research Assistants:
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Chris Kopp koppc@uci.edu |
Chris joined our lab in the fall 2007. He received his
Masters at South Dakota State University and then spent several years
at a technician at Univeristy of Nebraska. He primarily works on
the DOE-funded environmental change project at Loma Ridge. |
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William Schlegel wschlege@uci.edu |
William graduated from the University of Montana in 2001 with a B.A. in Biology emphasizing botany. He is experienced in plant identification, and native plant restoration/gardening. William is primarily working on the projects at the Sierra Foothill Research Extension Center involving grazing and vegetation states. |
Former lab members