Karen Stahlheber

Website

http://www.karenstahlheber.com/

Research Interests

I am a plant community ecologist interested in the connections among species diversity, ecosystem processes and human management. My past and current projects span natural and agricultural landscapes, with a focus on savannas and grasslands. Presently my research addresses questions such as: How does plant species diversity in Midwest grasslands affect the potential for bioenergy production? How might genetic diversity within a dominant species and/or invasion by exotic species affect ecosystem processes? How are mutualistic partnerships (such as those between plants and mycorrhizae) affected by global change? I am also interested in restoration of natural ecosystems, both in terms of the predictability of outcomes and the resulting changes to desired ecosystem services.

Education

Ph.D., Ecology, University of California Santa Barbara; B.A., Environmental Studies/Biology, Middlebury College