Forest ecology lab
 
birdhouse

 
RESEARCH FOCUS: Evolutionary ecology of tree life history traits. Forest fire ecology. Forest response to disturbances. Tropical forest ecology.

Recent and ongoing research projects:

1. Difference in fire regimes across the USA-Mexico border and its effect on the evolution of Tecate cypress life history traits. Read the abstract here.

This is a joint research project with Dr. Jose Delgadillo, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico, Ensenada,
Facultad de Ciencias. We thank Chapman University, Rhode Island College, and RI-EPSCoR for funding.

2. Southern New England hardwood forest trees response to gap creation. Influence of human-created edges on forest structure, growth, regeneration, and conservation. Yale-Myers Forest, Connecticut.

3. Southern New England hardwood forest soils response to gap creation. Yale-Myers Forest, Connecticut. Research lead by Ronald Smith, MS student. Read description here.

For these two projects, we thank the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (YSFES), Dr. Mark Ashton, and the YSFES research committee for allowing the RIC Forest Ecology Lab to conduct research in the Yale-Myers Forest. We thank the RIC Faculty Research Committee and RI-EPSCoR for financial support.

4. Comparative dendrochronology of several tropical tree species. Read poster here.


 PUBLICATIONS

Other research
Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research Assistants:

Current students:
Ronald Smith (MS) and Danielle Aube (undergraduate) 
Ronald Smith's research project is described here.

Past students at Rhode Island College:
Titilayo Adedeji-Campbell, Guyana Avagyan, Heather Boulanger, Ken Calci, Kristen Chauvin Kaitlin Geagan, Jessica Goyette, Hanane Hamdaoui, 
Jessica Harris, Jenifer Loaiza, Sarah Peixoto, Kiely Schultz, Trisha Whipple, Eric Wood.
 
Catherine D'Ovidio (Summer intern from Cranston High School)

Past students at Chapman University:
Ali Ansary, Cheryl Mantia, Chelsea Loveall and Rachel Pickrell  (2004-2006)

Coring tree

Updated January 18, 2013
Forest Ecology Lab undergraduate
and graduate students

Tree ring measuring
 

 

 

 

 

From L to R: Eric Wood, Hanane Hamdaoui, Kiely Schultz
in a Yale Forest Experimental Gap, Connecticut

Tree ring measuring
Ronald Smith collecting data in the Yale Forest, Connecticut

 Tree ring measuring
Titilayo Adedeji-Campbell measuring tree rings
from tree cores sampled in the Yale Forest, Connecticut

Coring tree
Ali Ansary collecting a tree core from an island scrub oak
(Quercus pacifica) on Catalina Island, California