Lauren Umek
Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe,
IL
USA
Biographical Sketch: Lauren Umek is a PhD candidate and Presidential Fellow in Plant Biology and Conservation, a program between Northwestern University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. Her dissertation research connects ecological theory with restoration practice. She investigates the impact of land management practices on plant communities and ecosystem processes, with a focus on decomposition, fungal communities and soil nutrient cycling in the Chicago region. Understanding these relationships between practices and processes in managed urban areas will guide future land conservation and management practices to ensure long-term sustainability of natural areas.
Papers:
189
100 Sites for 100 Years: Implementing a collaborative, long-term, large-scale, urban biodiversity research program in Chicago Wilderness