People
John Stella, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
One Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210
Email: stella@esf.edu
Phone: 315-470-4902
Curriculum vitae (PDF)
Department homepage
Anna Harrison
M.S. student
Previous Degree: University of Michigan, B.S. in Biology
Research Interests: My research attempts to better understand the landscape factors that drive beaver occupancy in the Adirondack Region of New York State. The duration and frequency at which beavers occupy a site is determined by specific landscape characteristics. My project combines a 30-year beaver occupancy dataset at Huntington Forest in the Central Adirondacks with extensive field work and geospatial analyses to quantifythe forest impacts associated with varying degrees of beaver occupancy. As part of this, I am also analyzing relationships between beaver occupancy and: (1) the availability of forest resources, (2) potential habitat size, and (3) forest composition and structure. PROJECT LINK
Cheryl Bondi
Ph.D. student
Previous Degrees: Salem State College, Massachusetts, B.S. in Biology. Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, M.A. in Biology
Research Interests: My main research interests as a biologist are investigating influences of physical river processes on stream ecosystems. More specifically, I am interested in how changes in flow regimes affect life history events of aquatic organisms. In past research, I investigated the breeding habitat relationships of the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog in response to altered hydrologic flow regimes. My thesis research was investigating how declines in aquatic habitats, due to seasonal drying in an intermittent river system, influence the migration patterns and body condition of Western Pond Turtles. Currently I am working on influences of physical river processes on the population structure of Fremont cottonwood, a dominant riparian tree along the Sacramento River, California. PROJECT LINK
Jess Riddle
Dendroecology Lab Manager and M.S. student (Don Leopold, major professor)
Research Interests: I am studying the climate-growth relationships of eastern redcedar and its close relative common juniper. The species grow together at my study sites where redcedar approaches its northern range limit and common juniper approaches its southern range limit. In general, I am interested in anything that lives in forests and doesn't run away from me: trees, herbaceous plants, lichens, and other fungi are all fair game. PROJECT LINK
Former Members of the Stella Lab
Elizabeth Harper, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral Research Fellow, 2008-2010
Elizabeth is now a Lecturer at Paul Smith's College.
Previous Degrees: Middlebury College B.A. in Biology;
University of Missouri - Columbia, Ph.D. in Biological Sciences
Research Interests: I am developing patch-based population models for Fremont cottonwood stands on the Sacramento River in California's Central Valley. The models will be used to predict the effects of climate change and changes in flow regime on the riparian ecosystem. PROJECT LINK
Sara Scanga, Ph.D.
Post-doctoral Research Fellow, 2009-2010
Sara is now an Assistant Professor in Biology at Utica College.
Previous Degrees: Drew Univerisity, Madison, NJ, B.A. in Biology; SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Ph.D. in Ecology
Research Interests: I am broadly interested in plant and wetland ecology. My dissertation research (Dr. Don Leopold, major professor, SUNY-ESF) concerns the population ecology and conservation of the rare wetland plant Trollius laxus, which grows in fens in the northeastern US. In the Stella Lab I examined riparian tree seedling establishment patterns along aridland rivers. PROJECT LINK
Alex Fremier, Ph.D.
Post-Doc, 2008
Alex is now an Assistant Professor in Fish and Wildlife Resources at University of Idaho.
Previous Degrees: University of California, Davis, Ph.D. in Ecology; M.A.in Geography;
Principia College, Elsah, IL, B.S. in Environmental Science & Mathematics
Research Interests: Riparian Ecology and River Restoration; Landscape Ecology of Large Rivers; Semi Arid River Systems; Watershed Scale Dynamics of Large Woody Debris; Modeling of Landscape Genetics; Geographic Information Systems; EcoAgriculture. PROJECT LINK
Laura Schifman
M.S., Graduated 2010
Laura is now in the Ph.D. program in Geociences at University of Rhode Island.
Previous Degree: Union College, B.S. in Biology
M.S. Thesis Title: Water stress response and plant survival in four shrub willow varieties across three sites with varying soil substrates in Central New York.
Research Interests: My research uses stable isotopes to study the ecophysiological functioning of willows used in biomass crops and phytoremediation. The stable carbon isotope ratio in tissues of woody plants is related to their water use efficiency and can give an idea of plant water stress. My study is part of a larger investigation that seeks to optimize the phytoremediation effort of a local landfill by creating a willow cover that transpires large amounts of water across a large range of soil and climatic conditions, thus reducing contaminated runoff from the site. PROJECT LINK
Kacie Gehl
M.S., Graduated 2010
Kacie is now a community watershed and environmental educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Syracuse, NY.
Previous Degree: State University of New York, Binghamton, B.S. in Biology
M.S. Thesis Title: Multi-scale analysis of synoptic streamwater chemistry and seasonal nutrient limitation in a mixed-use catchment (Onondaga Creek, NY)
Research Interests: I study the biogeochemistry and nutrient stoichiometry of the Onondaga Creek watershed in Syracuse, NY. I am interested in how water chemistry varies throughout a network with land-use and natural features such as tributary confluences, salt springs, and mudboils. I am analyzing gradients in nutrient loading and limitations for in-stream production at different catchment scales. My goal is to understand the most relevant perspective for evaluating stream physio-chemical gradients in a catchment with diverse land uses (forest, agriculture, urban) and cumulative impacts to water quality. PROJECT LINK
Tyler Talucci
M.P.S., Graduated 2010
Research Interests: I am interested in the dynamics and control of invasive species, particularly non-native aquatic macrophytes in lakes and rivers.
Johanna Duffy
M.P.S., Graduated 2009
Research Interests: My interests are associated with wetland resources and the diversity and interactions of animal and plant species that are found within these complex ecosystems. I enjoy ecological sampling and wetland monitoring, especially if these actions relate to wetland protection issues and/or state and federal environmental regulations. My capstone seminar will focus on ecological sampling and wetland monitoring at landfill sites.
Rachel Ribaudo
M.S., Graduated 2009 (Co-major professor Laura K. Lautz, Syracuse University)
Rachel is now working for EA Engineering, Science and Technology in Syracuse, NY.
Previous Degree: University of Evansville, B.S. in Environmental Science
M.S. Thesis Title: Heat and chemical tracing of groundwater discharge to Ninemile Creek, New York
Lisa Kurian
M.S., Graduated 2009 (Co-major professor Laura K. Lautz, Syracuse University)
Lisa is now working for the US Forest Service in the Willamette National Forest in Oregon.
Previous Degree: Slippery Rock University, BA in Environmental Geoscience
M.S. Thesis Title: Winter hydrology and nitrogen export from a forested watershed of the Adirondack Mountains