Ecology and Management for Resilient and Adapted Forests

Students at this REU site will partner with faculty mentors to conduct research that, broadly, identifies best management practices for managing resilient forest ecosystems that produce multiple ecosystem services in the southeastern United States. Please navigate the other tabs on this page to learn more about the REU program and application requirements. If you have any questions, please contact the REU program coordinators, Dr. Ashley Schulz (ash.schulz@msstate.edu) or Dr. Adam Polinko (adam.polinko@msstate.edu).

Climate Change

  • Mitigating climate change by reducing atmospheric greenhouse gasses
  • Enhanced productivity through genetic improvement
  • Evaluating the biomass capability of short rotation woody crops
  • Investigate the carbon-sequestration potential of non-traditional forests

Ecosystem Function

  • Direct effects (management) and indirect effects (wildlife) on biodiversity
  • Conservation of imperiled or at-risk woody plant species
  • Monitoring of pollinator communities in restored ecosystems and urban environments
  • Regeneration of ecologically important hardwood species

Forest Health

  • Increased resistance and resilience to biotic and abiotic disturbances
  • Disturbance effects on invertebrate communities
  • Plant-pollinator
  • Evaluating risk and control of non-native species
Ecology and Management of Resilient Forests