In a broad sense, my primary research interest lies on the interaction between plants and their environment. This includes research questions at larger scales, for example why plants occur where they occur, how their distribution changes over time, and what the drivers of observed changes are. Examples of such drivers are disturbances including fire and insects, competition with other species, as well as climate change. These are mostly questions in the field of Plant Ecology.
I am also interested in how plants function, specifically the relationship between water and plants. We have a fairly good understanding how water moves from the soil through the plant into the atmosphere (i.e. transpiration). However, a lot of questions remain unanswered regarding the mechanisms involved in water uptake and redistribution through the roots. The umbrella term for this research is Plant Physiology.
Research that combines above two disciplines yields the hybrid discipline of Plant Ecological Physiology. Data for my research are primarily obtained in the field but I also am interested in agricultural research to optimize yield and quality of produce. I consider myself an applied ecologist with the goal to inform predictive models and to optimize land management and conservation efforts.
You can learn more about my research in the video below, produced by the Office of Research at Kennesaw State University.
