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Ellen Damschen named Ecological Society of America Fellow

She's honored for her pioneering research in basic ecology and applied plant conservation.

by Aaron R. Conklin April 15, 2020
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Ellen Damschen has spent her career studying how and why plant species survive in habitats that are increasingly influenced by human activities. Much of her research asks how different conservation and restoration strategies alter biodiversity.

Damschen, a professor of integrated biology, is one of 22 professors nationwide to be included in the Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) 2020 class of Fellows.  The lifetime election honors researchers who have made outstanding contributions to fields that advance or apply ecological knowledge in academics, government, non-profit organizations and the broader society.

Ellen Damschen

“It is incredibly exciting to have the long-term and large-scale research that my lab conducts acknowledged in this way,” says Damschen. “Becoming a part of this prestigious group of individuals that contribute so much to the field of ecology is humbling and I am very grateful. This award inspires confidence to continue to ask questions about the local and landscape factors that control biodiversity.”

Last year, multi-decadal work conducted by Damschen and her collaborators revealed that connecting small remaining habitat fragments with landscape corridors can make a significant difference in plant species survival. Using the world’s largest habitat connectivity experiment, Damschen’s team showed that connecting habitats with corridors led to a five percent annual increase in the species gains and a two percent annual decrease in species losses relative to unconnected habitats. Like annual interest in a bank account, these annual rates compound over time increasing the number of species in habitats connected by corridors. The work was published in Science.

Damschen’s ESA Fellowship also honors her skills in teaching and mentorship. Damschen won the Chancellor’s Inclusive Excellence Teaching Award in 2018 for her work in addressing gender inequities in research and the classroom.