Sarah C. Davis

Institute for Genomic Biology
Room 1400
1206 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Telephone: (217) 244-5952
E-mail:davissc@igb.uiuc.edu

CV

My research interests focus on understanding the effects of human activity on ecological processes by describing the physiological and structural differences of forests that vary in connectivity, land use histories, and exposure to atmospheric pollutants.

My recent research explored the role of Central Appalachian hardwood forests in the global carbon (C) balance during a century of regeneration with changing land use and atmospheric pollution. I explored the effects of N-saturation on processes that control productivity using a model that I modified to reflect conditions associated with Stage 2 of N-saturation. I then applied the model to forests that have experienced different harvest histories during the last century of forest re-growth. I found that carefully planned harvests, such as diameter-limit cutting and single tree selection cutting, can stimulate ecosystem productivity by as much as 37%. Modeled estimates of forest carbon storage are stimulated up to 20% by N saturation, a process that varies in intensity across the region and may be correlated with a transition in tree species composition. Eventually, I plan to link an ecological model of forest productivity in West Virginia to an economic model of harvest decisions made by landowners in the state so I can project how societal changes impact ecological processes that control terrestrial carbon storage.

While at UIUC, I would like to further develop ecosystem productivity estimates for forests of different ages in the Duke Forest of North Carolina. In the process, I will address questions about carbon sequestration changes associated with atmospheric CO2 increases.