Laura Hill Bermingham, PhD
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Laura Hill Bermingham, Ph.D.
University of Vermont Plant
Biology
Department
120A Marsh Life Science Building
Burlington, Vermont 05405
PH: (802) 656-6080, FAX (802) 656-2914
Laura.Bermingham@uvm.edu
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Research
Objectives
I am
largely interested
in researching how humans impact ecological systems and
whole-systems design. I have recently been certified as a permaculture
designer and am interested in pursuing agroecosystem research,
especially ecological interactions and productivity of polyculture
farming practices. Additionally, I am interested in using
scientific research to inform habitat restoration policies in
areas that have been severely altered by humans.
For my doctoral
research at the
University of Vermont (2003-2008), I examined how various ecological
and evolutionary factors affected rare plant persistence in wetland
habitats. Specifically, I tested how pollinators,
herbivores, and habitat type influenced long-term population dynamics
for globally threatened plant species, Polemonium vanbruntiae (Eastern
Jacob's ladder). I used a combination of field experiments and
ecological modeling to discern the factors most significantly affecting
extinction risk for these rare plant populations. I
am currently extending this research under a cooperative
contract agreement with the USDA Forest Service and the University
of Vermont to discern how forest management practices are affecting P. vanbruntiae persistence in the
Green Mountain National Forest.
Polemonium
vanbruntiae occurs in montane wetland regions throughout the
Appalachian mountain range in eastern U.S. and Canada.
Last modified September 22 2009 01:18 PM
