Holly Jones (Visiting Scholar)

I am a restoration ecologist and work at the intersections of ecological theory, community ecology, invasive species biology, and ecosystem ecology. I have broad research interests that include using ecosystem resilience theory and ecosystem service theory to prioritize restoration, and using geospatial information to prioritize climate change adaptation strategies. My broad research questions are (1) How can current ecological resilience theory be used and built upon to guide ecosystem restoration efforts; (2) How can biodiversity contribute to ecosystem restoration and human well-being; and (3) How does global change affect coupled human and natural systems and what role can ecosystem restoration play in helping people adapt to climate change? I have used meta-analysis, small-scale field experiments, ecosystem-scale natural experiments, geospatial analysis, and modeling to address these questions. The unifying theme of my research is applying basic ecological theory to answer fundamental applied questions.

Using basic science to inform ecological theory and restoration practice

My pre-graduate work developed an innovative meta-analytic approach to quantify the effects of invasive rats on seabirds globally. The data were on disparate scales and had varying quality, so I developed a new way to account for this variability and different scaling. My dissertation work focused on ecosystem recovery following invasive rodent eradication on islands using an interdisciplinary approach. I looked at passive recovery and at the role that actively restoring seabird populations can play in speeding recovery.

Using ecosystem resilience theory to guide restoration priorities
My research interest in one particular perturbation and ecosystem has now expanded into an interest in a variety of perturbations across myriad ecosystems. Given the rise of human populations and continued exploitation of the ecosystems on which humans depend, restoration is becoming one of the most important tools in managers’ toolboxes. I am collaborating with two universities and an NGO to employ ecological theory to improve ways to guide restoration priorities. I have teamed up with Peter Kareiva of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Michelle Marvier of Santa Clara University, and my current postdoctoral advisor, Erika Zavaleta to work on a project that will explore the effects active restoration can have on ecosystem recovery outcomes and rates. We are evaluating ecosystem restoration with the same integrated approach I took to my dissertation research. We are combining empirical data of ecosystem recovery and restoration projects with ecosystem service valuation modeling to inform restoration prioritization. If you are interested in contributing to this project by helping us gather data, please email me.

Prioritizing climate change adaptaion to maximize human, economic, and biodiversity gains
I am working in collaboration with Conservation International to develop a first cut at global priorities for using ecosystem-based climate change adaptation strategies to protect coastal communities from sea level rise and increasing and more frequent storms. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) expressly recognizes the inherent ability of ecosystems to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. My role is to use my interdisciplinary training to gather global data sets that collate information on exposure to climate change effects, population sensitivity to those effects, and population adaptive capacity that would allow people to adapt to those effects. The ultimate goal is a geospatial map that identifies areas that have the highest priorities for EbA actions.


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