Background, Research Interests, and Current Projects:
Dr. Weisberg obtained his B.S. degree in Forest Biology from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in 1992. Then he followed a long and meandering academic training involving graduate school and postdoctoral studies at Laramie, Corvallis, Ft. Collins, and Zürich. Research encompassed a range of topics including treeline change, fire history and forest dynamics, and ecological modeling of ungulate competition and herbivory effects, all within a landscape ecological framework. Somehow a marriage and two children happened along the way. Finally Dr. Weisberg arrived at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2003, where he has since been employed as Assistant and now Associate Professor of Landscape Ecology and mentors the Great Basin Landscape Ecology Lab.
Current research focuses on (1) elucidation of historical and contemporary landscape changes in the Great Basin, eastern Sierras and Mojave Desert, including woodland expansion, invasive species, and effects of altered fire regimes; (2) ecological dynamics of riparian systems and desert springs, emphasizing plant invasions and plant community response to managed flows; and (3) development of models and ecological understanding to assist management of forest, rangeland and riparian systems and forecast future change. Dr. Weisberg's research projects generally integrate field observational studies with statistical, spatial, or dynamic simulation modeling. Thus most projects involve some measure of GIS, remote sensing, or application and development of landscape simulation models. Many projects also involve tree-ring research to reconstruct historical fire regimes or tree population dynamics. The intention is to conduct applied research that is firmly predicated on a solid understanding of the dynamics of landscapes, ecosystems, and ecological communities. Funding for research comes from a variety of sources including USDA National Research Initiative, Joint Fire Sciences Program, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, National Park Service, Great Basin Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. Undergraduate and graduate courses taught by Dr. Weisberg include: Landscape Ecology; Conservation, Biodiversity and Humans; Remote Sensing; and Advanced Data Analysis.
Dr. Weisberg's idea of fun involves spending a lot of time in the landscapes that he studies, including hiking in the mountains of the Sierras or Great Basin, and rafting through the Grand Canyon. However, he is most often to be found hunched over a computer in his office. When not engaged in any of these activities he is probably enjoying the company of his wife and two growing boys.
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