My research examines the interactions of terrestrial ecosystems with climate. It integrates ecological, biogeochemical, hydrological, and atmospheric sciences to study terrestrial ecosystems, their responses to climate change, terrestrial feedbacks that amplify or mitigate climate change, and human perturbations in land cover, land use, and ecosystem functions that alter climate. I specialize in the development of and experimentation with coupled models of Earth's biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere system.

Honors

Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2013)
Fellow, American Meteorological Society (2018)
Fellow, Ecological Society of America (2019)
American Geophysical Union, Tyndall History of Global Environmental Change Lecture (2020)
Clarivate Web of Science highly cited researcher (2014-2021)
American Geophysical Union, 2023 editor's citation for excellence in refereering (J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst.), 18 June 2024

Ecological Climatology, 3rd edition (Cambridge University Press, 2016)

Ecological Climatology introduces an interdisciplinary framework to understand the interaction between terrestrial ecosystems and climate. Written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying ecology, environmental science, atmospheric science and geography, the textbook reviews basic meteorological, hydrological and ecological concepts to examine the physical, chemical and biological processes by which terrestrial ecosystems affect and are affected by climate. The 3rd edition has expanded the scope beyond its initial focus on energy, water, and carbon to include reactive gases and aerosols in the atmosphere. This new edition emphasizes Earth as a system, recognizing interconnections among the planet's physical, chemical, biological, and socioeconomic components, and emphasizing global environmental sustainability. New chapters include: nitrogen, chemistry, and climate; aerosols, chemistry, and climate; climate intervention and geoengineering; and coevolution of climate and life.

Climate Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling (Cambridge University Press, 2019)

Climate Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling describes the modeling of terrestrial ecosystems in Earth system models. This companion book to Ecological Climatology builds on the concepts introduced there and provides the mathematical foundation upon which to develop and understand ecosystem models and their relevance for Earth system models. Ecological Climatology describes why the biosphere matters for understanding climate and climate change. Climate Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling describes how to model the biosphere. Using theory and practice, the comprehensive text covers the fundamentals of environmental biophysics, biometeorology, biogeochemical cycles, and vegetation dynamics and integrates those principles into a complete model. The book bridges the disciplinary gap among land surface models developed by atmospheric scientists; biogeochemical models, dynamic global vegetation models, and ecosystem demography models developed by ecologists; and ecohydrology models developed by hydrologists. It shows the commonality across disciplines and provides a foundation for exchange of knowledge among ecologists, hydrologists, and atmospheric scientists.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Forests, Climate Change, and Our Future (Cambridge University Press, 2023)

For centuries, people have understood that forests, and our utilisation of them, influence the climate. With modern environmental concerns, there is now scientific, governmental, and popular interest in planting trees for climate protection. This book examines the historical origins of the idea that forests influence climate, the bitter controversy that ended the science, and its modern rebirth. Spanning the 1500s to the present, it provides a broad perspective across the physical and biological sciences, as well as the humanities, to explain the many ways forests influence climate. It describes their use in climate-smart forestry and as a natural climate solution, and demonstrates that in the forest–climate question, human and sylvan fates are linked. Accessibly written with minimal mathematics, it is ideal for students in environmental and related sciences, as well as anyone with an interest in understanding the environmental workings of forests and their interactions with climate.