FOREST ECOLOGY INTEREST GROUP
Program Description
The Forest Ecology interest group in the School of Forest Resources covers a broad spectrum of topics in
forest biology and environmental science. Students are involved in basic and applied research in a diversity of fields including:
aquatic-terrestrial interactions, conservation biology (see also the Restoration Ecology and Environmental
Horticulture interest group), ecological modeling, ecophysiology, ecosystem studies, entomology, fire ecology, forest
community ecology, genetics, global climate change, landscape ecology, paleoecology, pathology, and soils and nutrient cycling.
Course work is flexible to cover the diversity of interests
within the interest group. No student covers the entire range of interests within the Forest Ecology area, but all students
benefit from the diversity of interests and perspectives represented by faculty associated with the group.
Current Research
Below are examples of diverse projects currently under study. Students interested in graduate work in Forest Ecology should
contact the appropriate faculty member(s) for complete information on current research areas.
- • Molecular microbiology of nitrogen-fixing endophytes of cottonwood trees
(Doty)
- • Influence of riparian harvesting in headwater streams on soil and stream processes
(Edmonds,
D. Vogt)
- • Use of willow stakes to suppress reed canarygrass in restoration projects
(Ewing)
- • Development of crown and canopy structure of old-growth forests (
Ford)
- • Effects of thinning treatments on light patterns, understory diversity, and canopy structure in forests
(Ford, Halpern,
Sprugel)
- • Forest ecosystem responses to disturbance, natural stand development, and applications to development of ecologically sensitive
forest practices (Franklin)
- • Ecology and dynamics of mountain meadows (Halpern)
- • Factors influencing bark beetle selection behavior and the dynamics of the spread of outbreaks
(Gara)
- • Morphological and physiological limits to growth and productivity in Abies and Populus
(Hinckley)
- • Fire science, mountain ecology, and climatic change (
Peterson)
- • Disturbance and vegetation history in the Puget Sound basin (
Sprugel)
- • Remediation of explosive compounds by plants (Strand)
For current funded grants in this interest group, click here.
| Faculty | Areas of Interest |
|
Ernesto Alvarado
| Wildland fire science; Fire ecology and management; Combustion and fire behavior; Carbon emissions; Fire and climate change; Quantitative modeling; International forestry |
|
Jonathan Bakker
| Ecological restoration; Sustainable ecosystem management |
|
Susan Bolton
| Surface water hydrology; Watershed management; Water quality |
|
Matt Davies
| Fire ecology; Vegetation ecology; Conservation biology |
|
Sharon Doty
| Phytoremediation; Plant biotechnology |
|
Robert Edmonds
| Forest soil microbiology; Biology of forest diseases; Air pollution |
|
Kern Ewing
| Wetland plant ecology; Restoration ecology |
|
E. David Ford
| Analysis of the structure and function of foliage canopies; The development of simulation models of ecological systems, and the development of methods for assessing ecological models |
|
Jerry Franklin
| Forest ecology; Ecosystem processes; Landscape ecology; Succession; Structure |
|
Dean Glawe
| Forest pathology; Plant Pathology |
|
Charles Halpern
| Community ecology; Succession; Ecology of montane/subalpine meadows; Effects of forest management on plant diversity |
|
Robert Harrison
| Forest nutrition; mineral cycling; long-term forest productivity; organic waste utilization; carbon sequestration |
|
Thomas Hinckley
| Woody plant ecophysiology; Stress and carbon physiology; Subalpine-alpine systems; Old-growth to plantations; Mountain communities |
|
Soo-Hyung Kim
| Plant ecophysiology; Urban plant science; Environmental horticulture; Quantitative modeling |
|
Joshua Lawler
| Landscape ecology; Conservation biology |
|
Jim Lutz
| Forest community ecology |
|
L. Monika Moskal
| Remote sensing; Biospatial analysis |
|
David Peterson
| Mountain ecology; Fire science; Climatic variability and change |
|
Douglas Sprugel
| Conifer canopies; Shoot structure and function; Subalpine forests; Natural disturbance |
|
Stuart Strand
| Phytoremediation; Joint apppointment; primary appointment in College of Engineering |
|
Christian Torgersen
| Landscape ecology; Aquatic ecology; Remote sensing; spatial analysis |
|
Daniel Vogt
| Soil and ecosystem ecology; Natural, disturbed, and sustainable ecosystems |
|
Kristiina Vogt
| Linking social and natural science; Reserves; Conservation |
|
Darlene Zabowski
| Forest soils and soil genesis and classification; Biogeochemical cycling of forest soils |
For further information:
Interest Group Coordinator: Dr. Kristiina Vogt
School of Forest Resources
Box 352100
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-2100
email kvogt@u.washington.edu; FAX 206-685-3091; Phone 206-543-2765
For admissions packet:
Office of Student Services
School of Forest Resources
Box 352100
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington 98195-2100
email sfradv@u.washington.edu; FAX 206-685-0790; Phone 206-543-7081