Grassy ecosystems are cool! They cover ~30% of global land cover and are important contributors to fire and carbon cycles. Climate change-induced variation in these cycles can have huge ramifications for land cover change. And compared to forested ecosystems, they are relatively understudied– especially when it comes to the applications of remote sensing and spatial modeling techniques.

I’m interested in studying non-forested ecosystems, broadly– and understanding how the timing and magnitude of their growth is changing in response to climate.

Questions I am interested in include:

• How is the timing of grassland growth in Eastern Kansas changing, and how does this differ between grasslands that use different kinds of photosynthesis?
• How does a new remote sensing index, solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence, track patterns of plant productivity?
• Where might the invasive grass Ventenata dubia expand its range, both now and in the future?
• What are the most appropriate species to use in restoration projects on the Colorado Plateau?
• How has the flowering time of native Utah flowers changed in response to climate change?