I am interested in how multiple factors interact to shape terrestrial ecosystems. Early in my career, a special feature in Ecology called Higher Order Interactions as a Foil to Reductionist Ecology (Vol. 75, No. 6. Sep., 1994) alerted me to the idea that many of the important shaping factors in community ecology were second order interactions. I quickly recognized that the theories could be applied to the factors shaping the forest systems that I work in, and that interactions between disturbances are frequently overlooked. Since then, my work has focused on looking at how natural and anthropogenic factors interact to shape the northern hardwood forest.

In particular, I am interested in:

• Tree regeneration in northern hardwood forests, particularly sugar maple
• How natural and anthropogenic disturbances interact to affect plant diversity
• Conservation of rare plant species and habitats