For the last nearly 20 years, I’ve explored issues in community ecology, restoration and conservation biology at both local and large scales. My research explores the ecological consequences of plant interactions, plant-soil interactions, invasions, and restoration utilizing field and greenhouse experiments, with an over-arching goal of bridging ecological questions and on-the-ground management. (Click on the underlined text to go to the article).
Restoration and conservation of rare species and ecosystems
Many land managers lack the basic information needed to effectively conserve and restore rare species and habitats. I work with managers to identify information gaps then develop a study design grounded in ecological theory that will result in specific recommendations for management that can actually be implemented. My research in this area has included demographic studies of rare plants, determining the factors limiting population growth and recruitment, climate change effects on rare species, and biology and ecology of invasive plants. Projects also include developing adaptive management restoration strategies for native habitats occupied by threatened and endangered plants and animals.
Examplar publications:
Kaye, T.N., M.A. Bahme, A.S. Thorpe, E.C. Gray, I. Pfingsten, C. Waddell. 2019. Population extinctions driven by climate change, populations size, and time since observation may make rare species databases inaccurate. PLoS ONE: e0210378. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210378.
Thorpe, A.S., S. Perakis, C. Catricala, and T.N. Kaye. 2013. Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in Willamette Valley prairies. PLoS ONE 8: e84593. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084593
Ellis, Martha M., J.L. Williams, P.Lesica, T.J. Bell, P. Bierzychudek, M. Bowles, E.E. Crone, D.F. Doak, J. Ehrlén, A. Ellis-Adam, K. McEachern, R. Ganesan, P. Latham, S. Luijten, T.N. Kaye, T.M. Knight, E.S. Menges, W.F. Morris, H. den Nijs, G. Oostermeijer, P.F. Quintana-Ascencio, J.S. Shelly, A. Stanley, A. Thorpe, T. Ticktin, T. Valverde, and C.W. Weekley. 2012. Matrix population models from 20 studies of perennial plant populations. Ecology 93:951.
Thorpe, A.S., and T.N. Kaye. 2011. Issues in the conservation and reintroduction of the endangered Willamette daisy: effects of population size on seed viability and the influence of local adaptation. Native Plants Journal 12:289-298.
Thorpe, A.S., and A.G. Stanley. 2011. Determining appropriate goals for restoration of imperiled communities and species. Journal of Applied Ecology 48:275-279.
Thorpe, A.S. 2008. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Challenges in native plant conservation. Native Plants Journal 9:351-357
Kauffman, J.B., A.S. Thorpe, E.N.J. Brookshire. 2004. Livestock Exclusion and Belowground Ecosystem Responses in Riparian Meadows of Eastern Oregon. Ecological Applications 14:1671-1679.
Restoration and conservation of rare species and ecosystems
Many land managers lack the basic information needed to effectively conserve and restore rare species and habitats. I work with managers to identify information gaps then develop a study design grounded in ecological theory that will result in specific recommendations for management that can actually be implemented. My research in this area has included demographic studies of rare plants, determining the factors limiting population growth and recruitment, climate change effects on rare species, and biology and ecology of invasive plants. Projects also include developing adaptive management restoration strategies for native habitats occupied by threatened and endangered plants and animals.
Examplar publications:
Kaye, T.N., M.A. Bahme, A.S. Thorpe, E.C. Gray, I. Pfingsten, C. Waddell. 2019. Population extinctions driven by climate change, populations size, and time since observation may make rare species databases inaccurate. PLoS ONE: e0210378. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210378.
Thorpe, A.S., S. Perakis, C. Catricala, and T.N. Kaye. 2013. Nutrient limitation of native and invasive N2-fixing plants in Willamette Valley prairies. PLoS ONE 8: e84593. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084593
Ellis, Martha M., J.L. Williams, P.Lesica, T.J. Bell, P. Bierzychudek, M. Bowles, E.E. Crone, D.F. Doak, J. Ehrlén, A. Ellis-Adam, K. McEachern, R. Ganesan, P. Latham, S. Luijten, T.N. Kaye, T.M. Knight, E.S. Menges, W.F. Morris, H. den Nijs, G. Oostermeijer, P.F. Quintana-Ascencio, J.S. Shelly, A. Stanley, A. Thorpe, T. Ticktin, T. Valverde, and C.W. Weekley. 2012. Matrix population models from 20 studies of perennial plant populations. Ecology 93:951.
Thorpe, A.S., and T.N. Kaye. 2011. Issues in the conservation and reintroduction of the endangered Willamette daisy: effects of population size on seed viability and the influence of local adaptation. Native Plants Journal 12:289-298.
Thorpe, A.S., and A.G. Stanley. 2011. Determining appropriate goals for restoration of imperiled communities and species. Journal of Applied Ecology 48:275-279.
Thorpe, A.S. 2008. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Challenges in native plant conservation. Native Plants Journal 9:351-357
Kauffman, J.B., A.S. Thorpe, E.N.J. Brookshire. 2004. Livestock Exclusion and Belowground Ecosystem Responses in Riparian Meadows of Eastern Oregon. Ecological Applications 14:1671-1679.
The role of plant-plant and plant-soil interactions in community structure
Much of my research on plant-soil and plant-plant interactions has focused on systems invaded by exotic plants. As dominant components of plant communities, exotic species can have unusually strong effects on ecosystem processes. By replicating studies in both the invaded and native ranges of invasive species, I have explored the role of coevolution in both plant community interactions and plant-soil interactions.
I am also interested in how interactions between plant community members (regardless of nativity) can drive evolution between those species. Ecologists have extensively ‘studied the reaction of individuals to their neighbours’ (Harper 1964), arguably more than most other aspects of plant ecology, but there have been minimal efforts to tie these ‘reactions’ to evolution.
Exemplar publications:
Pollock, J.L, L.A. Kogan, A.S. Thorpe and W.E. Holben. 2011. (±)-Catechin, a root exudate of the invasive Centaurea stoebe Lam. (spotted knapweed) exhibits bacteriostatic activity against multiple soil bacterial populations. Journal of Chemical Ecology 37:1044-1053.
Thorpe, A.S. and R.M. Callaway. 2011. Biogeographic differences in the effects of Centaurea maculosa on the soil nitrogen cycle: novel weapons and soil microbes. Biological Invasions 13:1435-1445.
Thorpe, A.S., E.T. Aschehoug, D. Z. Atwater, R.M. Callaway. 2011. Plant interactions and evolution. Journal of Ecology 9:729-740. ‘Recommended’ article by Faculty of 1000 (reviewers J. Petermann and B. Schmid).
Thorpe, A.S., G.C. Thelen, A. Diaconu, R.M. Callaway. 2009. Root exudate is allelopathic in invaded community but not in native community: field evidence for the Novel Weapons Hypothesis. Journal of Ecology 97: 641-645.
Thorpe, A.S., V. Archer, and T.H. DeLuca. 2006. The invasive forb, Centaurea maculosa, increases phosphorus availability in Montana grasslands. Applied Soil Ecology 32:118-122.
Thorpe, A.S. and R.M. Callaway. 2006. Interactions between invasive species and soil ecosystems: Positive feedbacks and their potential to persist. Chapter in Cadotte, W., S.M. McMahon, and T. Fukami, editors. Conceptual Ecology and Invasions Biology: Reciprocal Approaches to Nature. Kluwer; Netherlands.
R.M. Callaway, J.L. Hierro, and A.S. Thorpe. 2005. Evolutionary trajectories in plant and soil microbial communities: Centaurea invasions and the geographic mosaic of coevolution. Chapter in Sax, D.F., S.D. Gaines, and J.J. Stachowicz, editors. Exotic species – Bane to Conservation and Boone to Understanding: Ecology, Evolution and Biogeography. Sinauer Associates; Sunderland, MA, U.S.A.
Much of my research on plant-soil and plant-plant interactions has focused on systems invaded by exotic plants. As dominant components of plant communities, exotic species can have unusually strong effects on ecosystem processes. By replicating studies in both the invaded and native ranges of invasive species, I have explored the role of coevolution in both plant community interactions and plant-soil interactions.
I am also interested in how interactions between plant community members (regardless of nativity) can drive evolution between those species. Ecologists have extensively ‘studied the reaction of individuals to their neighbours’ (Harper 1964), arguably more than most other aspects of plant ecology, but there have been minimal efforts to tie these ‘reactions’ to evolution.
Exemplar publications:
Pollock, J.L, L.A. Kogan, A.S. Thorpe and W.E. Holben. 2011. (±)-Catechin, a root exudate of the invasive Centaurea stoebe Lam. (spotted knapweed) exhibits bacteriostatic activity against multiple soil bacterial populations. Journal of Chemical Ecology 37:1044-1053.
Thorpe, A.S. and R.M. Callaway. 2011. Biogeographic differences in the effects of Centaurea maculosa on the soil nitrogen cycle: novel weapons and soil microbes. Biological Invasions 13:1435-1445.
Thorpe, A.S., E.T. Aschehoug, D. Z. Atwater, R.M. Callaway. 2011. Plant interactions and evolution. Journal of Ecology 9:729-740. ‘Recommended’ article by Faculty of 1000 (reviewers J. Petermann and B. Schmid).
Thorpe, A.S., G.C. Thelen, A. Diaconu, R.M. Callaway. 2009. Root exudate is allelopathic in invaded community but not in native community: field evidence for the Novel Weapons Hypothesis. Journal of Ecology 97: 641-645.
Thorpe, A.S., V. Archer, and T.H. DeLuca. 2006. The invasive forb, Centaurea maculosa, increases phosphorus availability in Montana grasslands. Applied Soil Ecology 32:118-122.
Thorpe, A.S. and R.M. Callaway. 2006. Interactions between invasive species and soil ecosystems: Positive feedbacks and their potential to persist. Chapter in Cadotte, W., S.M. McMahon, and T. Fukami, editors. Conceptual Ecology and Invasions Biology: Reciprocal Approaches to Nature. Kluwer; Netherlands.
R.M. Callaway, J.L. Hierro, and A.S. Thorpe. 2005. Evolutionary trajectories in plant and soil microbial communities: Centaurea invasions and the geographic mosaic of coevolution. Chapter in Sax, D.F., S.D. Gaines, and J.J. Stachowicz, editors. Exotic species – Bane to Conservation and Boone to Understanding: Ecology, Evolution and Biogeography. Sinauer Associates; Sunderland, MA, U.S.A.
Continental-scale ecology
In order to better understand and forecast the impacts of climate change, land use change, and invasive species on species and ecosystems, the National Science Foundation has funded the construction of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). NEON will facilitate studying these drivers of change, processes mediating the response of ecological systems, feedbacks influencing the drivers, and resulting ecological and organismal responses. Through open access to NEON data and infrastructure, NEON will enable users, including scientists, planners and policy makers, educators, and the general public, to address critical issues and questions in environmental sciences. We are also working with other continental-scale observatories (e.g. the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network in Australia) to ensure data are comparable across networks.
Exemplar publication:
Thorpe, A.S., D. Barnett, S. Elmendorf, E. Hinckley, D. Hoekman, K. Jones, C. Meier, J. Parnell, Y. Springer, K. Thibault. 2016. Sampling Designs for the NEON Terrestrial Observation System: Introduction to the Series. Ecosphere 7:e01627. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1627.
In order to better understand and forecast the impacts of climate change, land use change, and invasive species on species and ecosystems, the National Science Foundation has funded the construction of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). NEON will facilitate studying these drivers of change, processes mediating the response of ecological systems, feedbacks influencing the drivers, and resulting ecological and organismal responses. Through open access to NEON data and infrastructure, NEON will enable users, including scientists, planners and policy makers, educators, and the general public, to address critical issues and questions in environmental sciences. We are also working with other continental-scale observatories (e.g. the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network in Australia) to ensure data are comparable across networks.
Exemplar publication:
Thorpe, A.S., D. Barnett, S. Elmendorf, E. Hinckley, D. Hoekman, K. Jones, C. Meier, J. Parnell, Y. Springer, K. Thibault. 2016. Sampling Designs for the NEON Terrestrial Observation System: Introduction to the Series. Ecosphere 7:e01627. doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1627.
