Environmental & Plant Biology faculty are actively researching various aspects of forest biology, ranging from basic ecological processes to applied management concerns.
They primarily use the oak-dominated hardwood forests of southeastern Ohio and beyond as a laboratory ecosystem, but they also contribute to knowledge bases and debates on forest processes at a national level.
Forest ecologists are mutually contributing insight at the levels of individual plants, populations, communities, ecosystems, and landscapes.
Our Faculty Researchers
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Jared L. DeForest
- Ecosystem Ecology
- Plant-Microbe-Soil Interactions
- Coupled Biogeochemical Cycling
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Brian McCarthy
- Forest Ecology
- Dendrochronology
- Invasive Species Biology
- Restoration Ecology
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David Rosenthal
- Physiological Ecology
- Global Change
- Invasion Biology
- Ecological Genetics
Adjunct Participating Faculty
- Sarah Davis
- Todd F. Hutchinson — Forest Ecology
Affiliated Faculty from other Departments
- Dr. James M. Dyer — Forest Ecology & Biogeography; Department of Geography
Recent Accomplishments
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Wildfire ecology and destruction in LA“Southern California experienced a rather wet spring this year. This gave rise to the germination of a large number of herbaceous plants resulting in a thick luscious vegetation,” said Dr. Brian McCarthy. “As part of the natural cycle of this region of the country, these plants then died at the end of the growing season and left an enormous amount of highly flammable fuel on the ground in the autumn.”
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Glenn Matlack awarded 2024-25 OURC/Baker AwardGlenn Matlack was awarded a Baker Fund grant to support his project, "Forest in the City: Residual Effects of Historical Land Use and Soils." The grant totaled $6,165.
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Protecting the green for the greater goodOverbrowsing by deer on certain can lead to the elimination of sensitive tree species, reducing biodiversity and bringing species to the brink of extinction. How do you manage this situation to avoid the worst outcome for the plant species while ensuring the deer feed sufficiently?
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Researchers study impact of exceptional droughtSoutheast Ohio is currently in the midst of the most severe drought in the area in recent history. Ohio University Professor Jared DeForest is working to study the drought and potentially apply the results to other ecosystems.