Erika Hersch-Green

Research Description

Broadly speaking I am an evolutionary ecologist who studies how plants interact with their abiotic and biotic communities. My work integrates the theory and techniques from the disciplines of ecology, evolution, genetics, chemistry, and physiology.  My research makes both fundamental and applied contributions and current projects include:

1. deciphering the interplay between the abiotic environment (especially nutrient eutrophication and water availability), the genomic structure (genome size and composition) of terrestrial plants, and multitrophic communities (plants, herbivores, pathogens, pollinators),
2. examining the efficacy of management efforts and the cultural, social, and ecological impacts of invasive plant (e.g., baby’s breath, Eurasian milfoil) and/or insect (e.g., Spotted winged drosophila on soft mass fruit) species,
3. ecological and evolutionary consequences of hybridization,
4. pseudoflower formation and fungal ecology on huckleberries.

I enjoy teaching at all levels and try to incorporate my research program into undergraduate and graduate education. Currently I teach undergraduate courses in Ecology, Evolution, and Plant Sciences.