Sustainability Leadership Fellow Cohort: 2017-2018
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Biology
Graduate Degree Program in Ecology
Research Summary: One of the most consistent patterns in ecosystems is that species vary in their abundance: a few species are very common while many are rare. These common species are disproportionately responsible for how ecological communities function. In particular, variation within the common species may be important for responding to and protecting communities from climate change. I study the very common drought-tolerant prairie grasses of the American Midwest to answer questions about within-species diversity. By exploring genetic diversity within the common species, I am helping determine if they can buffer ecological communities from dramatic shifts caused by drought.