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The Plant Ecology and Ecohydrology Lab investigates the complex relationships between climate, geology and vegetation in water limited ecosystems. Research interests span the range from plant water relations, community ecology and natural resource economy. Research methods include field ecophysiology, stable isotope analysis and mathematical modeling. Current field sites are located in the Mojave Desert of California, upland savannas of the Sonoran Desert in Southern Arizona, and karst savannas of the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. A common focus of the lab is the role of stochastic precipitation patterns in heterogeneous geologic landscapes: how do plants cope with extremely variable water availability, how does this affect plant coexistence within communities, and how do rural economies based on plant production cope with extreme rainfall variability?

The lab welcomes the participation of undergraduate students with an interest in plant ecology or ecological modeling. Inquiries about undergraduate, graduate or postdoctoral research opportunities should be sent to: