Much of the research in the department on ecosystems concerns analysis of interactions of processes among multiple trophic levels, at vary degrees of complexity, and makes use of approaches ranging from chemical analysis of ecosystem modeling. The following highlights just a few of the several research projects currently active in the Department (for a more complete listing, click here. Alternatively, consult web pages of the people associated with research in this area):
invasive species
& ecosystem impactsInvasive plants & ecosystemimpactsFor centuries, people have purposefully introduced plants formedicinal, agricultural and ornamental purposes or spread plantsaccidentally. Thousands of non-indigenous plant species (NIS) are known toexist outside cultivation in the United States. Only recently has the extentof the problems created by NIS received increased attention by scientistsand the public. Many NIS are benign but a minority (about 10%) have invaded our naturalareas. Many invasive NIS tend to be superior competitors and formmonospecific stands at the expense of native species. Natural areas areprotected because of their unique fauna, flora or landscape. The loss ofnatural habitats to settlements and modern agriculture in combination withthe range expansion of NIS and associated changes in plant communities arethe largest threat to the integrity of our natural ecosystems.It is estimated that in the US alone invasive plants infest over 100 millionacres and continue to expand their range by 8-20% annually (twice the sizeof the state of Delaware).
Wetland
BiodiversityPreservation of Wetland Biodiversity -Concern with loss of biodiversity world-wide has reached such proportionsthat it is the subject of newspaper editorials, TV specials, andinternational treaties. Rich fens, which are groundwater-dominatedwetlands, support some of the highest levels of plant species diversityknown world-wide. These typically small wetlands comprise only about 0.07percent of New York state but support 7 percent of its rare and uncommonspecies. The program on conservation of wetland plant diversity seeks toexplain how such high diversity can be maintained or restored in workinglandscapes of farms, forests, streams and lakes. By conducting fieldexperiments and studies on the hydrology, nutrient cycling, vegetationdynamics, and mycorrhizae of these wetlands, the program hopes to gaininformation needed by land managers and conservation organizations such asThe Nature Conservancy to stem the loss of wetland diversity. Microbial Observatory Microbial Observatory - Although microorganisms are ubiquitous in soil and sediments, we suspect that less than 5% have been isolated and described. Much work remains to cultivate, as yet, undescribed microorganisms, understand ecological relationships in microbial communities, and assess how microorganisms process water, nutrients, and energy that sustains life on Earth. Towards this goal, we recently established a Microbial Observatory, which is part of a National Science Foundation initiative to close the gap in our understanding of microorganisms in natural and managed ecosystems. Our observatory focuses on methanogenic microorganisms, which produce methane - an atmospheric greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming - inhabiting acidic peat-forming wetland ecosystems. Students involved in this project are using the latest molecular and biochemical techniques to cultivate and study microorganisms and are working in the field to describe the natural habitat of these amazing 'bugs'.
