Research Focus
I conduct research on reclaimed mine lands in Ohio. The objective of my dissertation research is to determine how non-native flowering plants and seeded restoration treatments influence the diversity and abundance of floral resources available to pollinators. The state of Ohio has obtained thousands of hectares of reclaimed coal mining lands that function ecologically as grasslands. Due to poor soil quality, these historically deciduous hard wood forests are arrested in a grassland successional stage. Additionally, the establishment and abundance of non-native plant species increases after reclamation, potentially shifting the structure of plant communities and the floral resources available to flower visiting fauna. I am quantifying the effects of these vegetation changes on plant reproduction and pollinator communities using interaction networks.