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Kristina Stinson

Affiliated Investigator
Associate Professor, Environmental Conservation
UMass Amherst

Research Interests

I am a plant ecologist interested in the responses of individual species and populations to global change.  I combine ecological, physiological, and genetic data to assess the impacts of environmental stresses on plant growth and reproduction, and potential implications for changes in species distributions.  This work has both theoretical and applied value, and frequently aims to provide practical guidelines to stakeholders interested in ecological restoration and conservation.  Examples of my research include: characterizing the disruption of plant-mycorrhizal symbioses by invasive plant species; modeling source-sink dynamics of plant invasions to help prioritize eradication efforts; identifying priority populations of alpine plants for conservation; and quantifying the effects of climate change on plant chemistry, resource allocation and reproduction.

Education

Ph.D. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 1998
B.S.: Bennington College, Bennington, VT 1992

Experience

Senior Investigator, Harvard Forest, 2011-present
Population Ecologist, Harvard Forest, 2006-2011
Research Associate, Harvard Forest, Harvard University, 2004-2006
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard University, 1998-2004