Global Change Biology just published our study of disequilibrium in plant functional biogeography. A classic idea is that the functional composition of plant communities is a function of contemporary climate – for example, warmer and wetter environment may support taller trees. However, this argument only works well if species respond quickly to climate change, such…

The Journal of Ecology just published our four-year study of community dynamics of alpine plants. The study is part of a multi-journal special feature on linking traits and demography. Predicting community assembly is one of the key goals of modern ecology – it is necessary for theory-driven land management, climate change forecasting, policy-making for invasive…

Lab postdoctoral researcher and Carlsberg Foundation fellow Lars Iversen just published a letter in Science on field safety and harassment. It focuses on the role funding agencies have to play in promoting a positive research culture. It is a short and important read – you can see it directly at the journal, or download a…

Fifty thousand people don’t come to spend the day outside the Arizona state capitol on a 100°F day without a reason. In this case, the reason was to demand increased state funding for public K-12 education – in particular, for teacher salaries and school infrastructure. I spent an afternoon at the state house in Phoenix…