Grassland Ecosystems

Grassland ecosystems are integral to our agricultural systems, and understanding their functioning is critical to their conservation and sustainable use. Faculty conduct research on a variety of fundamental and applied environmental questions that arise in grasslands ranging from Africa to New Zealand and many parts of North America. Research interests include the following: climate change biology and carbon sequestration; population, community, and ecosystem ecology; and ecosystem function and evolution.

• Jonathan Newman (grassland ecology, invasion biology, climate change)

Faculty in other academic units/departments working on Grassland Ecosystems are:

• Christina (Chris) Caruso (phenotypic diversification and speciation in natural populations)
• John Fryxell (herbivore migration, carnivore and herbivore spatial distribution, predator-prey interactions)
• Andrew MacDougall (ecosystem function and global carbon sequestration in semi-arid prairie)
• Hafiz Maherali (ecophysiology, evolution, ecosystem ecology)