Research Interests

Response of populations, communities, and ecosystems to catastrophic disturbance

My work on this topic is focused on the plants, animals, and soils of the primary successional Pumice Plain of Mount St. Helens. Much of this work is focused on herbivore effects on keystone plant colonists, such as a Lupin (Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii, and its specialist lepidopterna herbivores), and Willows (Salix sitchensis) and cascading effects on community and ecosystem development.

Click here to view the PBS Newshour video about our work at Mount St. Helens

NSF’s Science Nation video about our work on willows at Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens: Rising From the Ashes

Mount St. Helens Institute