The ecology of human-dominated landscapes
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Our lab studies ecological systems and landscapes that have been altered by humans, with a strong focus on urban ecology and cities. We study how plants, birds, insects, and humans interact in these landscapes. We are interested in broad-scale spatial patterns in the environment, how they affect ecological processes, and vice versa. Our research methods include field studies, GIS, computer modeling, and social surveys. Below are some past and ongoing research themes in the lab.
Urban and suburban ecosystems
Cities are novel ecosystems that differ in structure, function, and composition from other ecosystems. Although sometimes regarded as 'ecological wastelands' with little biodiversity, urban areas are home to a surprising number of species. We study distributions of these species, interactions between them, and the potential for cities to contribute to biodiversity conservation. Lab members have worked in vacant lots, suburban forest preserves, cemeteries, community gardens, powerline rights-of-way, and residential yards.
Some recent publications:
Landscape patterns and connectivity
Social and ecological processes create ecological patterns across a landscape. In turn, those landscape patterns can affect social and ecological processes, such as seed dispersal and animal movement. We are interested in understanding the drivers and consequences of ecological patterns, especially in urban ecosystems.
Some related publications:
- Plant communities in Chicago residential neighborhoods show distinct spatial patterns
- Connectivity in the urban landscape (2015–2020): Who? Where? What? When? Why? and How?
- Anthropogenic and climatic factors differentially affect waterbody area and connectivity in an urbanizing landscape: A case study in Zhengzhou, China
Conservation and management
As human populations and demand for resources continue to grow, distributions of other species are shrinking. Parks and nature preserves are important for conserving these species, but their spatial extent is limited. We believe that human-dominated landscapes can also contribution to conservation, and we are interested in exploring creative 'win-win' solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.
Some recent publications:
- Prescribed burns homogenize traits but not species across suburban forest understories over 30 years
- Powerline corridors can add ecological value to suburban landscapes when not maintained as lawn
- Butterfly declines in protected areas of Illinois: Assessing the influence of two decades of climate and landscape change
Human-environment interactions
All humans interact with the environment in many different ways. People often make decisions, both intentionally and unintentionally, that affect other species. Through the provision of ecosystem services, those decisions can feed back to affect human quality of life. Our lab is interested in how people perceive, benefit from, and modify their environment.
Some recent publications:
- Wildlife gardening initiates a feedback loop to reverse the "extinction of experience"
- Insights into human-wildlife interactions in cities from bird sightings recorded online
- Bird feeders and rat traps: Understanding the relationships among psychosocial factors, wildlife observations, and yard management decisions
