My research largely focuses on taxa that are of conservation concern. Despite this, dead wood may markedly enhance the quality of the environment for certain species, especially in managed forested environments devoid of other habitat structure. An ongoing research project examines the importance of dead wood to small vertebrates in managed pine ecosystems of the southeastern United States. This research focuses on the ability of fallen logs to retain moisture and serve as refuges for animals requiring moisture, such as salamanders. I hope to extend this work to managed forests of central New York, such as plantations of Norway spruce.
European buckthorn is a shrub or small tree native to warm-temperate Eurasia.
It was introduced in North America before 1850 as a hedge and windbreak. At present, European buckthorn is found in virtually all types of ecological communities in northeastern and northcentral North America. Presence of European buckthorn has been linked to reduced growth and reproduction of native plants. Although several species of songbirds nest in buckthorn, recent evidence suggests that North American birds nesting in buckthorn experience higher rates of predation than in a comparable, native species. Consumption of leaves and stems of R. cathartica caused liver disease in laboratory mice and has been implicated in a nervous disorder of horses, suggesting a negative effect of this plant on herbivorous mammals.