Conservation of biological diversity is now a global concern. The newly developing science of conservation biology seeks to enhance the connections between basic ecological theory and its application to conservation, thus providing sound principles for guiding conservation practice. Support from a Career Advancement Award will provide training to enable the Principal Investigator to direct future research on applied problems in the conservation and management of plant communities. Basic theory on plant succession (i.e., the growth and recovery of plant communities following disturbance) will be considered for its applicability to issues of plant community conservation and management. Research time during a one-year sabbatical leave will be divided between two locations: 1) The Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, which has a growing program in conservation ecolgy, and 2) The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, which has an established record of research on plant succession and the recovery of disturbed plant communities, particularly wetlands. Specific objectives will include: 1) literature research on the existing theory of conservation and restoration in order to identify those areas most in need of futher research, 2) training in methods of analyzing ecological landscapes, and 3) practical experience in plant community restoration.
