Dr. Robinson, a biologist, has co-authored recent papers on a range of ecological topics, with emphasis on biological conservation. His work contributes to a firmer theoretical basis for ecological restoration. One paper engages experimental studies of the potential for natural ecological processes to contribute during recovery of degraded lands and waters (in Ecological Restoration). A second is concerned with understanding and predicting species interactions in human-dominated landscapes, including seed predation in forest fragments (submitted to Journal of Mammology) and the ecological background of the spread of Lyme-disease agents (submitted to Ecological Applications). Other papers are on the ecosystem context for biodiversity conservation, including biodiversity assessments in the context of acid deposition (J. No. Amer. Benthological Society), and indicators of water quality in rural and urban watersheds (Northeastern Naturalist).
While the EPA project has concluded, other studies listed will continue. The studies on ecology of Lyme disease and previous work on the ecological consequences of tree disease have led Robinson to join in a new university initiative in the Ecology of Infectious Disease (EID). Parties to this initiative are faculty in Biological Sciences, members of CSDA from other departments, and colleagues from the NYS Dept. of Health. Biological Sciences is currently recruiting new faculty in the field of EID.
Robinson contributes to the Center’s Biodemography Initiative for his ecological research is population-based, in two senses. First, it reflects increasing human population densities and changing land use (fragmentation and degradation of natural habitats, changing contact zones with wild species); second, it reflects feedbacks to the human population (costs of restoring degraded lands and waters, geographic spread of pests and diseases, relationship of land use to Lyme disease). Such feedbacks are often ignored in population and ecological research, but the University’s commitment to graduate training and research in EID will create bridges to examine demographic data in ecological contexts. CSDA and EID have already begun to jointly sponsor speakers concerning the Ecology of Human Infectious Disease.
Research that directly compares ecological patterns with human demographic patterns is often conducted at very coarse spatial and temporal scales, in large part because human population and habitation are exceedingly dynamic and variable. The Center’s computing infrastructure and GIS-support will allow Robinson and other Center associates more direct matches between ecological and population trends.