Samantha Chapman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biology
Area of Expertise:
- Biodiversity Loss
- Invasive Species
- Fire and Insect Damage to Ecosystems
- Carbon Storage and Sequestration
Summary
Climate change, encroaching development, and accelerating environmental degradation of natural habitats pose a serious threat to an increasing number of plant and animal species. Dr. Chapman researches and can discuss leading issues and possible solutions to reversing biodiversity loss.
Education
- Postdoctoral Fellow, The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
- Ph. D., Northern Arizona University
- M.S., Northern Arizona University
- B.S., The Pennsylvania State University
Selected Publications
- Jones, R.O.* and S.K. Chapman. “The roles of biotic resistance and nitrogen deposition in regulating non-native understory plant diversity.” Plant and Soil 345 (2011) 257–269. DOI 10.1007/s11104-011-0778-y * graduate student author
- Chapman, S.K. and I.C. Feller. “Away-field advantage: mangrove seedlings grow best in litter from other mangrove species.” Oikos 120 (2011) 1880-1888.
- Chapman, S.K. and G.S. Newman. “Biodiversity at the plant soil interface: Microbial abundance and community structure respond to litter mixing.” Oecologia 162 (2010) 763–769.
- Chapman, S.K. and G.W. Koch. “What type of biodiversity yields synergy during mixed litter decomposition in a natural forest ecosystem?” Plant and Soil 299 (2007) 153–162.
Selected Professional Experience
- Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Fellow
- Research Assistant, Johnson and Johnson, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Drug Discovery
Selected Research
- NASA ROSES with I.C. Feller, J.A. Langley and W. Walker. “Mangroves marching northward: the impacts of rising seas and temperatures on ecosystems at Kennedy Space Center.” 2012-2015.
- USDA-CSREES-NRI Managed Ecosystems with J.A. Langley. “Christmas Trees and Soil Carbon Storage: Maximizing Ecosystem Management and Sustainability in A Future Carbon Economy.” 2008-2010, extension to 2012.
- USDA Forest Service RSJVA with J. Hom. “Interactions of invasive insects, wildfire and climate change: Mechanisms, processes and adaptations on forest productivity, composition and decline.” 2010-2013.
- NSF RAPID with J.A. Langley. “Manipulating plant and microbial resource environment to optimize oil degradation in coastal marshes.” 2010-2012.
