Nathan Roe

Natural Resources: Forestry M.S.

Research Topic: Determining the indicator value of understory plant species using niche modeling techniques

Understory species have often been proposed as indicators of environmental conditions for forest management and conservation. However, understory species’ niches remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to use them as indicator species. My research aims to improve the understanding of understory species' niche using plant abundance, soil chemistry, lidar-derived topographic metrics, and modern statistical approaches to niche modeling.