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Knight Lab |
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| We study the population ecology of rare and invasive plant species, and address questions related to the causes and consequences of their abundances and distributions. Why are some species rare, while their closely related congeners are widespread? How does dispersal ability and density dependence determine the population abundance and spread of invasive plants? In particular, we focus on the role of interspecific interactions between plants and pollinators, herbivores, seed predators and competitors on the long term rates of plant population growth. We consider how inbreeding and inbreeding depression may affect interspecific interactions. Our study sites include the Tyson Research Center and the Shaw Nature Reserve (both near St. Louis, Missouri) and Point Reyes National Seashore in Northern California. |