Research & Collaborative Projects

I have worked on a range of projects, mainly throughout the Midwest and Southeast, that focus on habitat and population monitoring, floristic inventories, reproductive ecology and seed biology studies, and pollinator and associate species assessments. This work primarily focuses on rare species, often plants protected under the Endangered Species Protection Act.

Click the drop-down menus below to learn more about the various projects I have been working on over the years.

Illinois

Flora of North Chicago Ravines

Conducted floristic assessments and documented occurrence records of listed plants and Plants of Concern throughout Illinois North Shore ravines. Documented the flora, plant communities, and erosion risk. Managed and assisted with data cleaning and analysis for reporting and publications as well as general project oversight and team coordination. Project lead for sponsor and public engagement and education.

Grassland Surveys for Species of Greatest Conservation Needs

Surveyed grasslands throughout Illinois to locate focal plant species and critical habitats for insect species of greatest conservation need for the Midwest. Compiled condition, source population proximity, and species lists for each site.

Environmental effects of salt pollution on Thuja occidentalis populations in Illinois Fen Ecosystems

Assessed the impact of salt runoff on the survival and recruitment of Thuja occidentalis by assessing soluble salts in the soil and evaluating germination of seeds under varying salt concentrations. Collected seed set and morphometric data from multiple Thuja occidentalis populations in the Chicago region for the Illinois Tollway.

Read our preliminary report here and our Publication in Botany here.
Hear about this project on the In Defense of Plants Podcast: Arborvitae on the Limit

Florida

Reassessing the Conservation Status of Macbridea alba

Created and field-verified habitat suitability models and identified habitat associations for a rare mint species, Macbridea alba in the Florida panhandle. Using this map, I located new populations and documented potential reintroduction sites. We worked with multiple governmental agencies including the USFWS to assess populations within the species range. Additionally, I created and implemented a protocol for reproductive studies and ex-situ conservation of the species.

Watch my SePPCon 2020 Talk about SDM for Macbridea alba.
Watch our SePPCon 2020 Lightning Talk about the Reproductive Ecology of Macbridea alba.
Hear my interview with In Defense of Plants for an overview of this project.

Read our recent publication in Frontiers in Conservation Science regarding the ESA at 50 Years and our research on the reproductive biology of Macbridea alba in the PLANTS special issue "Advances in Plant Reproductive Ecology and Conservation Biology." Habitat Suitability Models built for Macbridea alba can be viewed in our Conservation Science and Practice Publication here.

Population Dynamics of three Pinguicula species

Assisted with population and reproductive studies of three state listed Pinguicula species in the Florida panhandle including greenhouse germination and transplant trials.

Read more about this work over on my blog

Texas

Physaria thamnophila (Zapata Bladderpod)

Surveyed populations, studied pollinators, and conducted reproductive biology and seed ecology studies for Physaria thamnophila, a rare, federally endangered, South Texas endemic bladderpod.

Read more on the Illinois News Bureau blog about our work with the Zapata Bladderpod and a feature of some of this work in our recent publication, "Utilizing herbarium specimens to assist with the listing of rare plants" in Frontiers in Conservation Science.

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