I have research interests at a variety of scales, from microhabitat utilization of mice to biogeographic structures of entire island chains. Current research projects include: (1) the use of remotely sensed images and geographical information systems to produce chonosequences of insular vegetation, (2) testing of theories of socially induced dispersal, (3) biogeography of insular mammals, and (4) characteristics of image sources (satellites and aerial photographs) that affect perceptions of ecological landscapes.

The techniques I use to test ecological theories are similarly varied. Field experimentation is my preferred methodology when a hypothesis is testable at a scale where manipulations are logistically feasible. At larger scales, I use multivariate statistical analysis coupled with Monte-Carlo simulation models and geographical information systems. I serve as the Data Manager for the Virginia Coast Research Long-Term Ecological Research (VCR/LTER) project and mange the Remote-sensing and Geographical Information System Laboratory within the Department of Environmental Sciences.

Selected Recent Publications

Porter, J. H. 2001. Ecological Society of America. Pp. 587-588 in Encyclopedia of Environmetrics,. ed. A. H. El-Shaarawi and W. W. Piegorsch. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Porter, J.H. 2000. Scientific Databases for Environmental Research. In W.K. Michener, ed., Ecological Data. Blackwell Science Limited, Oxford UK.

Baker, K.S., B. Benson, D.L. Henshaw, D. Blodgett, J.H. Porter, and S.G. Stafford. 2000. Evolution of a multi-site network information system: the LTER information management paradigm. Bioscience 50(11):963-978.

Olson, R.J., J.M. Briggs, J.H. Porter, G.R. Mah, and S.G. Stafford. 1999. Managing data from multiple disciplines, scales, and sites to support synthesis and modeling. Remote Sensing Environment 70:99-107.