Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
College of Biological Sciences
Twin Cities
Award Year
2020
University Award
Distinguished McKnight University Professors
Section A
, Location 14
Advancing biodiversity science through integration of ecology, remote sensing and the tree of life
Biodiversity forms the basis of ecosystem functioning and our life support systems. Jeannine Cavender-Bares pioneered the use of the “tree of life” in ecology with the first empirical examples that explain current biodiversity patterns based on their evolutionary history. Her work explains the ecological diversification and community assembly of the dominant group of trees in North America. Currently, she is harnessing remote sensing to detect hotspots of tree diversity, tree disease, and ecosystem services for sustainability.