CURRICULUM VITAE: CHRIS J. PETERSON

Associate Professor. Ph.D., Rutgers University, 1992.

EDUCATION

B.A. 1985, Biology and Environmental Science, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. Minor: Chemistry

Ph.D. 1992, Graduate Program in Ecology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Title: "The role of history and patch dynamics in the revegetation of a catastrophic windthrow in an old-growth beech-hemlock forest." Thesis advisor: Steward T.A. Pickett.

Postdoctoral Researcher.  1992-1994, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

Fulbright Fellow, 2004, Dept. of Forest Ecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

2004    Piedmont/South Atlantic Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Grant, for $73,002, over 24 months.  Title “Inventory, monitoring and management planning in rare biotic communities of Cherokee National Forest.”  Sole PI.

2001    U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Cooperative Agreement, for $ 52,460, over 24 months.  Title “Influences of disturbance severity and salvaging on patterns of forest regeneration after catastrophic windthrow.”  Sole PI.

2000 National Science Foundation Grant, for $309,778, over 60 months. Title "LTREB: Annual seedling dynamics surveys in the Forest Dynamics Plot, BCI." Co-PI: Dr. Steve Hubbell.

1998 Andrew Mellon Foundation grant, for $152,000, over 36 months. Title "Linking disturbance and forest characteristics to predict vegetation dynamics."

1997 National Environmental Research Parks grant, for $20,000, over 12 months. Title "Role of fire management in species composition, distribution of soil resources, and plant resource status for fall-line sandhill oak communities." Co-PIs: Dr. Lisa Donovan and Dr. Ken McLeod.

1996 University of Georgia Research Foundation grant, for $ 2000, over 12 months. Title "Comparative clonal architecture of four temperate zone shrubs."

1995 U.S.D.A. Forest Service grant, for $32,550, over 22 months. Title "Prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to restore presettlement structure in longleaf pine forest: effects on ground layer restoration." Co-PI: Dr. Joan Walker, U.S.D.A. Forest Service.

1995 National Science Foundation Grant, for $ 180,000, over 36 months. Title "Research toward sustainable land use and biodiversity in a mosaic of agriculture and tropical forest." Co-PI: Dr. Bruce Haines.

1995 U.S.D.A. Forest Service grant, for $62,800, over 18 months. Title "A large-scale experimental test of the effect of landscape pattern on Sceloporus undulatus."

1994 University of Georgia Research Foundation grant, for $ 1500 over 12 months. Title "Comparative Studies of Wind Disturbance in North Georgia Forests."

1991 National Science Foundation Grant BSR 91-07243, for $ 131,770 over 24 months. Title "Tests of the Equivalence of Competitors and Asymmetry of Competition Hypotheses in Multi-Species Woody Communities." Co-PI: Dr. Steward T. A. Pickett.

SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

Ecological Society of America (1985-present)

Torrey Botanical Club (1986-present)

American Institute of Biological Sciences (1984-present)

International Association for Vegetation Science (1990-present)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & SERVICE

2001-present:  Associate Professor, Dept. of Plant Biology, Univ. of Georgia

1998-2004:  Associate Editor, Journal of Ecology

1996 & 1997:  National Science Foundation panel member - Ecological Studies Program, Dissertation Improvement Grants panel.

1997-2005:  Graduate Studies Committee, Dept. of Plant Biology, University of Georgia

1995-Present:  Member, Graduate Faculty, University of Georgia.

1994-1997, 2005-present:  Executive Committee, Dept. of Plant Biology, University of Georgia

1994-Present:  Courses taught: Community Ecology (graduate); Vegetation Analysis (under- graduate & graduate); Natural History of Georgia Plants (undergraduate); Introductory Botany of Non-Majors (undergraduate).

1994-present:  Grant Proposal reviewer, National Science Foundation, Ecological Studies Program.

1994-2001:  Assistant Professor, Dept. of Botany, University of Georgia.

1993:  Visiting Instructor, Dept. of Ecology & Evol. Biology, Princeton University.

1992:  Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University.

1989-present:  Manuscript reviewer, Ecology, American Naturalist, American Journal of Botany, Biotropica, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Journal of Ecology, Canadian Journal of Botany, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal of Vegetation Science, Journal of Applied Ecology.

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Published:

Peterson, C.J.  2006.  Consistent influence of tree diameter and species on damage in nine eastern North America tornado blowdowns.  Forest Ecology and Management, in press.

Krueger, L., and C.J. Peterson. 2006.  Effects of white-tailed deer on Tsuga canadensis regeneration: evidence of microsites as refugia from browsing.  American Midland Naturalist, in press.

Jones, F.A., J.A. Hamrick, C.J. Peterson, and E.R. Squiers. 2006.  Inferring colonization history from analyses of spatial genetic structure within populations of Pinus strobus and Quercus rubra.  Molecular Ecology, 15: 851-861.

Dosch, J.J., C.J. Peterson, and B.L. Haines. 2006. Seed rain during initial colonization of replicate abandoned pastures in the premontane wet forest zone of southern Costa Rica. Journal of Tropical Ecology, in press.

Peterson, C.J. and W.P. Carson.  2006. Constraints on forest regeneration in abandoned tropical pastures: do temperate paradigms of succession apply to the tropics?  in review, for      forthcoming edited volume, Tropical Forest Ecology, edited by W.P. Carson & S. Schnitzer.

Peterson, C. J.  2004. Within-stand variation in windthrow in southern-boreal forests of Minnesota: is it predictable?  Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 34: 365-375.

Jones, F. A., C. J. Peterson, and B. L. Haines. 2003.  Seed predation in neotropical pre-montane pastures: site, distance, and species effects.  Biotropica, 35: 219-225.

Franks, S. J., and C. J. Peterson. 2003. Burial disturbance leads to facilitation among coastal dune plants.  Plant Ecology, 168: 13-21.

Jin, V. L., L. T. West, B. L. Haines, and C. J. Peterson. 2001. P retention in tropical pre-montane soils across forest-pasture interfaces. Soil Science , 165: 881-889.

Peterson, C. J., and S. T. A. Pickett. 2000. Experimental patch dynamics: patch type influences on components of regeneration in a catastrophic forest windthrow. Oikos, 90: 489-500.

Peterson, C. J. 2000. Damage and recovery from two different tornadoes in the same old growth forest: a comparison of infrequent events. Forest Ecology & Management, 135: 237-252.

Peterson, C. J. 2000. Catastrophic wind damage to North American forests and the potential impact of climate change. Science of the Total Environment, 262: 287-312.

Dale, V. H., L. A. Joyce, S. McNulty, R. P. Neilson, M. P. Ayres, M. D. Flannigan, P. J. Hanson, L. C. Irland, A. E. Lugo, C. J. Peterson, D. Simberloff, F. J. Swanson, B. J. Stocks, and B. M. Wotton. 2000. Climate change and forest disturbances. BioScience, 723-734.

Peterson, C. J., and B. L. Haines. 2000. Potential facilitation of tree seedling colonization by rotting logs in southern Costa Rican pastures. Restoration Ecology, 8: 361-369.

Turner, M. G., W. L. Baker, C. J. Peterson, and R. K. Peet. 1998. Factors influencing succession: lessons form large, infrequent natural disturbances. Ecosystems, 1: 511-523.

Haines, B., and C. J. Peterson. 1998. El desarrollo sustentable in montanas desde la perspectiva de un ecologico: el case del "Proyecto Charral" en Costa Rica. Geografia Aplicada y Desarrollo 18(37): 33-42.

Long, Z.A., W.P. Carson, & C.J. Peterson. 1998. Can disturbances create refugia from herbi vores: an example with hemlock regeneration on treefall mounds. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, 125: 165-168.

Peterson, C.J. & R. H. Jones. 1997. Clonality in woody plants: a review and comparison with clonal herbs. pp. 263-290 in H. deKroon & J. van Groenendael, editors, The ecology and evolution of clonal plants. Backhuys Publishers, Leyden, The Netherlands.

Peterson, C.J. & A.J. Rebertus. 1997. Tornado damage and initial recovery in three adjacent, lowland temperate forests in Missouri. Journal of Vegetation Science, 8:559-564.

Peterson, C.J. & W.P. Carson. 1996. Generalizing forest regeneration models: The dependence of propagule availability on disturbance history and stand size. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 26: 45-52.

Peterson, C.J. and S.T.A. Pickett. 1995. Forest reorganization: a case study in an old-growth forest catastrophic blowdown. Ecology, 76: 763-774.

Peterson, C.J. and E.R. Squiers. 1995a. Competition and succession in an aspen-white pine forest. Journal of Ecology, 83: 642-650.

Peterson, C.J. and E.R. Squiers. 1995b. An unexpected change in spatial pattern during 10 years of mortality in an aspen-white pine forest. Journal of Ecology, 83: 847-855.

Peterson, C.J. & J.E. Campbell. 1993. Microsite differences and temporal change in plant communities of treefall pits and mounds in an old-growth forest. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 120: 451-460.

Peterson, C.J. & J.M. Facelli. 1992. Contrasting germination and seedling growth of Betula alleghaniensis Britton and Rhus typhina L. subjected to various amounts and types of plant litter. American Journal of Botany 79: 1209-1216.

Peterson, C.J. & S.T.A. Pickett. 1991. Stem damage and resprouting following catastrophic windthrow in an old-growth hemlock-hardwoods forest. Forest Ecology & Management 42: 205-217.

Peterson, C.J., W.P. Carson, B.C. McCarthy, & S.T.A. Pickett. 1990. Microsite variation and soil dynamics within newly created treefall pits and mounds. Oikos 58: 39-46.

Carson, W.P. & C.J. Peterson. 1990. The role of litter in an old-field community: Impact of litter quantity in different seasons on plant species richness and abundance. Oecologia 85: 8-13.

Peterson, C.J. & S.T.A. Pickett. 1990. Microsite and elevational influences on forest regeneration three years after catastrophic windthrow. Journal of Vegetation Science 1: 657-662.

Submitted:

Peterson, C.J., B.L. Haines, and J.J. Dosch. No Initial Floristic Composition and limited Nucleation during early secondary succession in premontane southern Costa Rica.  submitted to Biotropica.

Leach, A.D., and C.J. Peterson.  Limited effects of post-windthrow salvaging on recovery in a moderately-disturbed pine-hardwood forest.  submitted to Ecological Applications.

Hillstrom, S.S., C.J. Peterson, and B.L. Haines. Rotting log microsites facilitate forest regeneration in abandoned pastures of southern Costa Rica.  submitted to Restoration Ecology.

ABSTRACTS (past 10 years)

Cowden, C., and C.J. Peterson.  2006. EctoComm: A simulation of ectomycorrhizal community dynamics in forests. Abstracts of the 91st annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Memphis, TN.

Peterson, C.J. 2006.  Stasis and invasion in our understanding of clonal woody plant ecology: the herbs are far ahead.  Abstracts of the 91st annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Memphis, TN.

Haines, B.L., and C.J. Peterson. 2006. The nucleation model does not apply to early post- agricultural succession in five Costa Rican premontane pasture sites. Abstracts of the 91st annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Memphis, TN.

Peterson, C.J., and B.L. Haines. 2005. Woody colonists in Costa Rican premontane successional pastures are more common on microscale slopes than level ground.  Abstracts of the 90th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Montreal, QE.

Peterson, C. J. 2004. A new scheme for classifying microhabitats, with application in five southern-boreal stands, after catastrophic windthrow.  Abstracts, 5th International Workshop on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests.  Moscow, Russia.

Peterson, C.J. 2003. Factors influencing treefall risk in tornadoes in natural forests.  Proceedings American Meteorological Society, Symposium on F-scale.  pp. 3.1-3.7.

Peterson, C. J., and B. L. Haines. 2002. Change in community structure and composition across 44 months of early succession in four premontane abandoned pastures in southern Costa Rica.  Abstracts of the 87th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.  Tucson, AZ.

Leach, A. D., and C. J. Peterson. 2002. Post-windthrow salvaging does not alter seedling density or richness but does alter species composition.  Abstracts of the 87th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.  Tucson, AZ.

Peterson, C. J., and A. D. Leach. 2002. Predicting treefall risk from tree size in a sub-boreal forest catastrophic windthrow. Abstracts, 4th International Workshop on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests. Prince George, British Columbia.

Franks, S. J., and C. J. Peterson.  2001. Competitive and facilitative interactions among two species of coastal dune perennials.  Abstracts of the 86th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.  Madison, WI.

Leach, A. D., and C. J. Peterson.  2001. Causes and correlates of tree damage in two old-growth sub-boreal forests subject to catastrophic wind. Abstracts of the 86th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.  Madison, WI.

Peterson, C. J.  2000.  Wind damage and revegetation across 10 years in a hemlock-white pine forest remnant: the importance of severity and pre-disturbance vegetation characteristics. Abstracts of the 85th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, p. 176. Snowbird, UT.

Franks, S. J., and C. J. Peterson.  2000.  Coastal dune perennials facilitate seed accumulation: Results of a seedbank study.  Abstracts of the 85th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, p. 100.  Snowbird, UT.

Haines, B. L., and C. J. Peterson.  2000.  Research towards sustainable land use and biodiversity in a mosaic of agriculture and tropical forest in Costa Rica.  Abstracts of the 85th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, p. 111.  Snowbird, UT.

Panfil, S. N., T. J. Killeen, and C. J. Peterson.  2000.  Modern forest-savanna boundary dynamics at the southern edge of the Amazon.  Abstracts, 2000 Annual Meeting of  Association of Tropical Biologists, Bloomington, IN.

Ward, G. C., and C. J. Peterson. 1999. Influences on insect herbivory in Costa Rican Passiflora: shade, ant, and parasitoid effects. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 80: 289.

Peterson, C. J., and B. L. Haines. 1999. Potential facilitation of tree seedling colonization by rotting logs in southern Costa Rican pastures. USDA Forest Service/Society for Restoration Ecology international conference, "Tropical Restoration for the New Millenium". May, 1999, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Haines, B. L., and C. J. Peterson. 1999. Research towards sustainable land use and biodiversity in a mosaic of agriculture and tropical forest in Costa Rica. USDA Forest Service / Society for Restoration Ecology international conference, "Tropical Restoration for the New Millenium". May, 1999, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Jin, V. L., B. L. Haines, L. T. West, and C. J. Peterson. 1999. Phosphorus adsorption in Costa Rican soils along a forest-pasture gradient. USDA Forest Service/ Society for Restora- tion Ecology international conference, "Tropical Restoration for the New Millenium". May, 1999, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Peterson, C. J., B. L. Haines, A. Kaplan, and R. de Gouvenain. 1998. Seed predation in tropical abandoned pastures, as influenced by distance, site, and species of seed. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 79 (3): 106.

Jin, V.L., B. L. Haines, and C. J. Peterson. 1998. Phosphorus adsorption in Costa Rican soils along a forest-pasture gradient. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 79 (3): 181.

Peterson, C. J. 1998. Repeatability of rare disturbance events: tornado wind damage and initial recovery in old-growth forests in northwestern Pennsylvania, USA. Abstracts, IUFRO conference "Wind and Other Abiotic Risks to Forests", p. 24.

Peterson, C. J. 1996. Experimental tests of equivalence of competitive effects among Acer pensylvanicum, Betula allegheniensis, and Fagus grandifolia. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 77 (2): 147.

Long, Z. A., W. P. Carson, and C. J. Peterson. 1996. The influence of treefall mounds on the regeneration of hemlcok following a catastrophic blowdown in an old-growth hemlock-northern hardwoods forest. Abstracts, 4th Ancient Eastern U.S. Old-Growth Forests conference, pg. 15.

STUDENTS SUPERVISED

Degrees Completed:

Brian vanEerden. B.S. 1991, The Pennsylvania State University. Fall 1994 - Spring 1997 (M.S.). Thesis title: "Studies on the Reproductive Biology of Wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michx.)".

Randall Mejeur. B.A. 1995, Taylor University. Fall 1995 - Spring 1998 (M.S.). Thesis title: "Effects of fire on the reproductive ecology of Tephrosia virginiana (L.) Pers. in the Carolina sandhills".

Stephen N. Panfil. B.S. 1992, Princeton University. Fall 1994 – Spring 2001 (Ph.D.). Dissertation title: "Patterns and causes of vegetation conversion on the Huanchaca Plateau, Bolivia".

Gordon C. Ward. B.A. 1985, Beloit College; M.S. 1994, Univ. of Kansas. Fall 1994 – Spring 2002 (Ph.D.). Dissertation title: "Effect of environment on levels of herbivory in a tropical vine, Passiflora biflora."

Steven Franks. B.A. 1995, Brown University. Fall 1996 – Spring 2002 (Ph.D.). Dissertation title: "Vegetation patterns and dynamics along a coastal dune stress/disturbance gradient".

Andrea D. Leach B.A. 1996, University of Texas, Austin. Fall 2000 – Spring 2003 (M.S.) Thesis title: Forest recovery following natural windthrow and salvage logging in central Tennessee hardwood forests.”

Jodi L. Cohen B.A. 1996, Alfred University.  Fall 2001 - July 2004. (M.S.)  Thesis title: “Persistence of effects of disturbance created microsites on vegetation in young forests.”

Current Students:

Lisa Krueger.  Fall 2002 - present.  Goal: Ph.D.  Dissertation title: “Deer herbivory impact on forest regeneration and its interaction with post-windthrow salvage logging.”

Charles Cowden.  Fall 2002 - present.  Goal: Ph.D.  Dissertation title: “Mycorrhizal community dynamics following wind disturbance in three eastern North American forests”.

Leigh Griggs.  Summer 2004 - present.  Goal: M.S.  Thesis title: “Site inventory and threats to 26 rare communities in Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee.”

Stephen Hovick.  Fall 2005 - present.  Goal:  Ph.D.  Dissertation title:  “Testing resource/competition theory with invasive plant mesocosms.”

Luanna Prevost.  Fall 2005 - present.  Goal:  Ph.D.  Dissertation title:  “Similarity of island biogeography trends in species richness of forest fragments in two Costa Rican landscapes.”

Recent Invited Seminars & Symposia:

2006:  Invited speaker in clonal woody plant symposium, 2006 meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Memphis, TN.

2005:  Nordic Forest Research workshop, keynote speaker, Kaunas, Lithuania.

2004:  University of Helsinki, Finland, Dept. of Biological Sciences.

2004:  Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa, Finland.

2004:  Swedish Agricultural University, Alnarp, Sweden

2004:  Swiss Federal Research Institute, Dept of Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.

2003:  American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, symposium on revision of the Fujita scale of tornado rating.  Long Beach, CA.

2002:  Berry College, Rome, GA.

2001:  International Society of Arboriculture invited speaker, Tree Structure and Mechanics Conference, Savannah, GA. 

2000:  Forestry & Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan.

1999:  Fifth Eastern U.S. Old-Growth Forest Conference, Duluth, MN.

1998:  IUFRO international workshop, Wind and other abiotic risks to forests, Joensuu, Finland.

1997:  Fifth International Clonal Plant Ecology Workshop, Bangor, Wales.

1997:  Fourth Eastern U.S. Old-growth Forests conference, Clarion, PA.

1996:  National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis workshop: Comparing large, infrequent disturbances. Santa Barbara, CA.

1995: Fourth International Workshop on Clonal Plants, Visegrad, Hungary.