Department of Zoology

3029 Cordley Hall

Oregon State University

Corvallis, OR 97331

Telephone: 541-737-3707

Fax: 541-737-0501

hackers@science.oregonstate.edu

BS, University of Washington

MS, University of Maine

PhD, Brown University

I am a community ecologist interested in natural and managed marine and estuarine communities. The theme that guides my work is an interest in species interactions and modifications and how they influence community formation and species diversity. Understanding the factors controlling species diversity, and how species affect community function, is a major goal of community ecologists both for basic and applied reasons. From a basic point of view, ecologists want to know how natural communities work, what role species play in controlling how they work, and how physical conditions modulate these interactions. From an applied perspective, ecologists want to use information about how communities work to better understand the consequences of species loss (extinction) and addition (introduced, invasive species) by human induced disturbances. We know that species losses and additions can transform the nature of communities by changing and rearranging species interactions. When particular species are removed or added to systems, dramatic effects can occur that involve loss of community function or services. However, the mechanisms responsible for these effects are poorly understood in many cases.

To better understand these mechanisms, I have chosen research projects that investigate the magnitude and importance of native and non-indigenous species interactions and modifications to patterns of species diversity and community function under different spatial scales and community contexts. There are two major research themes or areas of concentration in my laboratory:

1. 1.Mechanisms important to community species diversity and productivity at large, meta-ecosystem scales in estuarine and rocky intertidal communities.
   

2. 2.Invasion, modification, and restoration dynamics of invasive estuarine and dune grasses.

Click here to view my curriculum vitae