I am interested in how spatial variation in demography shapes plant distributions. In my dissertation work, I investigate the relationship between demographic rates and topographically-shaped climate conditions across the entire range of an alpine plant in the White Mountains, CA.  I am currently building population models with both experimental (fully-factorial heating and watering) and non-experimental demography data from populations across my focal species range. My main study questions are:

1. Do microclimate conditions or range position (center vs. edge) explain more variation in demographic rates across a species ranges?
2. How do manipulations of multiple climate variables interact with elasticity and environmental sensitivity to shape responses in population growth in different parts of a species range?
3.  Does the community structure of higher elevation alpine sites become more similar to low elevation sites with warmer, drier conditions? 

 In addition to my dissertation research, I also work on woody vegetation monitoring plots in Northern California oak woodlands as part of the Terrestrial Biodiversity and Climate Change Collaborative. For this project, we are interested in the conceptual integration of non-stationary climate into questions about community assembly. 

Alpine plant community in White Mountains, CA (photo credit: Michael J. Koontz)

Taking soil moisture measurements under White Mountain peak (photo credit: Seema N. Sheth)

Surveying the alpine plant community at a low-elevation range edge site with experimental heating and watering (photo credit: Rachael L. Olliff-Yang)

Experimental high-elevation site just as snow is melting in early spring

Flags marking mixed-evergreen and oak seedlings in a woody vegetation long-term monitoring plot