Dr. Kathleen Shea
Professor, Department of Biology
Curator of Natural Lands
Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder
E-mail - sheak@stolaf.edu
Phone - 507-786-3396
Office - Regents Hall 418
Classes - Ecological Principles, Field Ecology, Tropical Ecology, Equatorial Biology, Conservation Biology, Evolution and Diversity, Introduction to Environmental Stuldies, Environmental Studies Senior Seminar, adviser for Field Research in Costa Rica semester program
Research - My research interests center on plant evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. The effects of habitat fragmentation and small population size on genetic variation in the tree species, balsam fir (Abies balsamea) have been examined by comparing isolated populations with populations in the center of its range. These studies have shown that balsam fir has adapted to lower levels of genetic variability than most conifers, but suggest that the isolated populations may require active management to survive periods of rapid climate change.
Our studies of forest restoration have compared early growth patterns of hardwood and conifer tree species. We have examined the effects of tree tubes on early growth and have found that they are effective in enhancing growth in areas with high levels of herbivory. We are also examining successional patterns in maple-basswood forests with the goal of making recommendations for future forest restoration projects. We are mapping tree locations with a GPS system and importing the information into a GIS program to make it easier to locate and identify individual trees in the future.