I am an organismal ecologist with interests in both the ecosystem implications of physiological processes and the evolutionary underpinnings of these processes. My research centers around fundamental questions of resource acquisition and allocation in plants and touches upon such topics as herbivory and tri-trophic interactions, atmospheric chemistry and air pollution, community and ecosystem impacts of biological invasions, and organismal controls over nutrient cycling.
I combine experimental and observational research and collaborate with modelers in the development of process-based ecosystem models. My research currently centers around questions regarding ecological and phylogenetic regulation of nutrient cycling, trace gas exchange between plants and the atmosphere, and biological invasions. My newest project involves the effects of global environmental changes on biological invasions, ecosystems, and interactions between the biosphere and atmosphere.

Selected Recent Publications

Ashton*, I. and M. Lerdau. (2008) Tolerance to herbivory, and not resistance, may explain differential success of invasive, naturalized, and native North American temperate vines. Diversity and Distributions. DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2007.00425.x.

Lerdau, M. and C. Avery (2007) The utility of standardized tests. Science. 316: 1694.

Leger*, E., J. Gurevitch, K. Howe*, J. Hickman*, E. Woo*, & M. Lerdau. (2007) The interaction between soil nutrients and leaf loss during early establishment in plant invasion. Forest Science 53:701-709.

Lerdau, M. (2007) A positive feedback with negative consequences. Science, 316: 212-213.

Funk*, J., C. Jones, M. Lerdau. (2007) Leaf- and shoot-level plasticity in response to varying nutrient and water availability in Populus deltoides. Tree Physiology. 27: 1731-1739.

Wang*, J., R. Bras, M. Lerdau, G. Salvucci. (2007) A maximum principle of transpiration. Journal Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. G03010, doi:10.1029/2006JG000255.

Brilli*, F., C. Barta*, A. Fortunati*, M. Lerdau, F. Loreto, M. Centritto* (2007) The relationship between isoprene biosynthesis and photosynthesis in poplar (Populus alba) saplings in response to soil drying and rewatering. New Phytologist. 175: 244-254.

Theis*, N., M. Lerdau, R. Raguso. (2007) The challenge of attracting pollinators while evading herbivores: patterns of fragrance emission in Cirsium arvense and Cirsium repandum. International Journal Plant Sciences. 168: 587-601.

Gray* DW, Goldstein AH, and M. Lerdau (2006) Thermal history regulates methylbutenol basal emission rate in Pinus ponderosa. Plant, Cell and Environment. 29: 1298-1308.

Funk*, J., C. Giardina, A. Kohl*, and M. Lerdau (2006) The influence of nutrient availability, stand age, and canopy structure on isoprene flux in a Eucalyptus saligna experimental forest. Journal Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. 111: G02012, doi:10.1029/2005JG000085

Ashton*, I., J. Gurevitch, L. Hyatt*, and M. Lerdau (2005) Invasive species accelerate decomposition and litter nitrogen loss in a mixed deciduous forest. Ecological Applications. 15:1263-1272

Powers*, J and M. Lerdau (2005) Fine roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae and soil nutrients in four neotropical rain forests: patterns across large geographic distances. New Phytologist. 165: 913-921.

Babst*, B., D. Schyler, D. Gray*, M. Lerdau, R. Ferrieri, and C. Orians. (2005) Jasmonic acid induces rapid changes in carbon transport and partitioning in Populus. New Phytologist. 167: 913-921

* denotes student or post-doc in the Lerdau Lab