Daniel R. Schlaepfer, Postdoctoral Researcher, PhD from ETH Zurich, Switzerland

My main scientific interest is in how global change affects plant communities, plant distribution, and consequently, the functioning of ecosystems. Previously, I have focused my research on different aspects of invasive alien plant species. I tried to understand how ecological and genetic differences within a single species relate to differential success in invasiveness. I continued my research on invasive species by investigating how species traits distinguish between invasive and non-invasive species – contributing to better tools for risk-assessments for plant introductions to new areas. Lately, I focus my research interest on how the combination of climate change and changes in disturbance regimes affects controls of the lower forest boundary in semi-arid areas.  Specifically, my current research uses simulation modeling combined with field experiments and observational surveys to understand the sensitivity, potential responses and their consequences of big sagebrush – lodgepole pine ecotones, in particular in relation to changing dynamics of soil water availability. Read more...

Current research projects:
- with Bill Lauenroth and John Bradford: Climate change ecology and plant community structure
- with Ernie Lawson (Wyoming National Science Foundation EpSCOR undergraduate research fellowship) and Bill Lauenroth: Tree and sagebrush density and its influence on snow accumulation at a the lower forest boundary