Research Interests | Publications | Professional Experience | Courses Taught | Lab Members

Research Interests
If you take a drive or bike ride almost anywhere in the world today you will pass through natural habitat, built environments, and agricultural lands. For a long time we studied these parts of our world as if they were isolated and independent. As the planet becomes increasingly crowded and interconnected, however, the distinction between wilderness, cities, and farms gets harder to discern. In addition, we are beginning to understand that interactions between landscape elements underlie many of the important issues we face as a human society. I am fascinated by the ecological processes that tie landscapes together. That's a lot of stuff. At the moment, though, these particular bits are occupying most of my time.

Quantifying Ecosystem Services
Landscapes provide us with a number of valuable goods and services. Somewhat surprisingly, we are just beginning to document and quantify these services. Accurate information about ecosystem services is critical to making informed decisions about land use. I am currently leading an NRCS funded project to develop a practical landowner tool to help Oregon farmers evaluate the potential value of riparian restorations within the framework of an emerging ecosystem marketplace for the Willamette Valley. This is a collaborative project with David Sandrock, the center for Sustainable Plant Research and Outreach (SPROut), the Institute for Natural Resources, the Willamette Partnership, and Clean Water Services.

One important ecosystem service is the protection that arthropod natural enemies provide our crops. We currently don't have a very good understanding of how natural enemies move around in landscapes or how changes to landscapes influence the services they provide. I am just starting a project with Vaughn Walton to investigate how these processes influence the insect communities inhabiting Hazelnut orchards and surrounding habitats.

Invasive Species
Invasions of non-native species are profoundly changing the world's ecosystems. Predicting invasive spread and impact requires understanding processes that take place at the intersection of wild, urban, and agricultural landscapes. I am starting to investigate how these processes influence the invasion of oak woodlands in Oregon. I have also studied the spread of pampas grass (Cortaderia) in Mediterranean-type shrublands and the spread of Atlantic cordgrass (Spartina) in Pacific estuaries. The Spartina work was part of a large Biocomplexity project at UC Davis. Extending this work, I am currently investigating how wetland ecosystems recover following the eradication of invasive Spartina.

Ecosystem Engineers
Species that strongly modify their physical surroundings are important producers of ecosystem services and can be effective tools for achieving restoration goals. I am currently studying ecosystem engineers as part of an NCEAS working group.

Publications
Melbourne, B., H. Cornell, K. Davies, C. Dugaw, S. Elmendorf, A. Freestone, R. Hall, Sharrison, A. Hastings, M. Holland, M. Holyoak, J. Lambrinos, K. Moore, H. Yokomizo. Invasion in a heterogeneous world: resistance, coexistence or hostile takeover? In press, Ecology Letters.

Byers,J.E., Jones, C.G., Cuddington, K., Talley, T.S., Hastings, A., Lambrinos, J.G., Crooks, J.A., and Wilson, W.G. 2006. Using Ecological Engineers to restore ecological systems. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 21: 493-500.

Lambrinos, J.G., Kleier, C.C., Rundel, P.W. 2006. Plant community variation across a puna landscape in the Chilean Andes. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 79:233-243.

Lambrinos, J.G. 2006. Spatially variable propagule pressure and herbivory influence invasion of chaparral shrubland by an exotic grass. Oecologia 147:327-334.

Kleier, C.C. and Lambrinos, J.G. 2005. The importance of nurse associations in neotropical alpine habitats. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 37:331-336.

Hastings, A., K. Cuddington, K. Davies, C. Dugaw, S. Elmendorf, A. Freestone, S. Harrison, M. Holland, J. Lambrinos, U. Malvadkar, B. Melbourne, K. Moore, C. Taylor, D. Thomson. 2005. The spatial spread of invasions: new developments in theory and evidence. Ecology Letters 8:91-101

Lambrinos, J.G. 2004. A tale of two invaders: the dynamic history of pampas grass and jubata grass in California. Cal-IPC News 12:4-6.

Lambrinos, J.G. 2004. How interactions between ecology and evolution influence cotemporary invasion dynamics. Ecology 85:2061-2070.

Davis, H.G., Taylor, C.M., Lambrinos, J.G., Strong, D.R. 2004. Pollen limitation causes an Allee Effect in a wind-pollinated invasive grass. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101:13804-13807.

Rundel, P.W., Gibson, A.C., Midgley, G.S., Wand, S.J.E., Palma, B., Kleier, C. and Lambrinos, J.G. 2003. Ecological and ecophysiological patterns in a pre-Altiplano shrubland of the Andean cordillera in northern Chile. Plant Ecology 169:179-193

Lambrinos, J.G and Kleier, C.C. 2003. Thermoregulation of juvenile Andean toads (Bufo spinulosus) at 4,300 meters. Journal of Thermal Biology 28:15-19.

Lambrinos, J.G. 2002. The variable invasive success of Cortaderia species in a complex landscape. Ecology 83:518-529.

Lambrinos, J.G. 2001. The expansion history of a sexual and asexual species of Cortaderia in California, USA. Journal of Ecology 89: 88-98.

Lambrinos, J.G. 2000. The impact of Cortaderia jubata (Lemoine) Stapf on an endangered Mediterranean-type shrubland in California. Diversity and Distributions 6: 217-231.

Alpert, P., Simms, E., Lambrinos, J.G., Kittelson, Wipple, A. 1996. A restoration plan for Holcus-dominated coastal prairie. Bodega Marine Laboratory.

Professional Experience
Education
2000 Ph.D., Biology, University of California, Los Angeles. Dissertation title: The expansion and impact of alien pampas grass in California
1992 B.A., Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Professional Appointments
2006-present Assistant Professor, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University
2001-2005 Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Davis.
2000-2001 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles.
1999-2000 Fellow, Mildred E. Mathias Botanic Garden.
1998-2000 Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles. Courses: Field Ecology of Southern California; The Biology of Introductions and Invasions; Exploring Chaparral Habitats.
1996-1997 Instructor, California State University, Los Angeles. Course: Introductory Biology, Model Hispanic Health Careers Opportunity Program.
1993-1997 Teaching Assistant, University of California, Los Angeles. Courses: Tropical Field Biology; General Biology; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; Ecology.
1990-1992 Undergraduate Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health.

Professional Activities
2004-present NCEAS working group participant. Habitat modification in conservation problems: modeling invasive ecosystem engineers.
2004 Session organizer. ESA Annual Meeting, Invasive ecosystem engineers in the west: effects on community function.
2003-present Ad-hoc subject editor, Ecology
2002-present Book review contributor. Plant Systematics and Evolution 237:108-110. Plant Systematics and Evolution 243:249-257.
2000-present Peer review. Diversity and Distributions, Ecology, CALFED Bay-Delta program, Journal of Vegetation Science, Acta Oecologia, Ecoscience.
1998-1999 Secretary, Biological Sciences Council. Graduate Student Assoc., UCLA
1996 Member, Admissions and Support Committee. Department of Biology, UCLA.
1995-1999 President, UCLA Ecology Club

Research Funding
2006 NRCS, Conservation Innovation grant ($175,097)
2006 L.L. Stewart Faculty Development Award (with D. Sandrock (PI), $2000)
1999 Latin American Center Research Grant ($3000)
1997, 1998 Steven A. Vavra Research Fellowship ($5000 each year)
1998 Botanical Society of America Travel Grant ($500)
1997 UCLA Graduate Fellowship ($5000)

Invited talks/symposia
2006 Department of Botany and Plant Pathology Seminar, Oregon State University. Title: Manageing the engineers: the importance of ecosystem engineers in conservation and restoration.
2005 Todd Spieker Colloquium Series, UCLA Geography Dept. Title: How Space and time change the context of plant invasions.
2004 Third International Conference on Invasive Spartina. Title: Regulators of Spartina alterniflora recruitment in Willapa Bay, WA.
2004 California Exotic Pest Plant Council Annual Symposium. Title: A tale of two invaders: the dynamic history of pampas grass and jubata grass in California.
2004 Public Science Outreach Program, Coastal Resources Alliance, WSU. Title: What is the impact of Spartina alterniflora wrack on shoreline function in Willapa Bay, WA?
2003 Santa Barbara Co. Noxious Weed Management Area Noxious Weed Seminar. Title: The history and impact of Cortaderia in California’s natural areas.
2002 California Exotic Pest Plant Council Annual Symposium. The creeping loss of California’s once widespread shrublands to pampas grass and other aliens.

Outreach
2005 South Bend, WA Kiwanis Club and Raymond, WA Lions Club. Workshops and talks: "The battle against Spartina"
2005 South Bend High School. Lecture: "Spartina invasion and control"

Courses Taught
Hort 4XX/5XX Introduction to the ecology of managed ecosystems

Hort 4XX/5XX Ecology of managed ecosystems: field methods

Hort 5XX Biodiversity, conservation, and ecosystem functioning in managed landscapes

Lab Members

Mike Russell

Mike is interested in understanding the plant and insect community dynamics associated with grassland restorations. In particular he would like to develop strategies that maximize the beneficial services grassland restorations provide such as habitat for beneficial insects.