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Molly Van Appledorn, PhD

My research centers on understanding how river-floodplain ecosystems function by combining tools and approaches from the disciplines of ecology, hydrology, hydraulics, geomorphology, geographic information science, and statistics. By unpacking important ecosystem processes I can contribute to better stewardship of the unique sets of natural resources they support.

A large focus of my work is to describe the relationships between flooding dynamics and ecological patterns and processes. I also regularly collaborate with other scientists to understand climate change impacts on river-floodplain ecosystems; silvicultural best practices in floodplain forests; and how hydrologic, sediment, and wood regimes interact to shape the quality and distribution of aquatic habitats. The research is used to inform management practices by partner agencies and stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of our ecosystems.

Professional Experience

  • 2016 - Present: Ecologist, USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

  • 2019 - Present: Graduate Faculty, Natural Resources Science & Management Graduate Program, University of Minnesota (St. Paul, Minnesota)

  • 2018 - Present: Graduate Faculty, Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

  • 2018 - Present: Adjunct Faculty, Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota (St. Paul, Minnesota)

  • 2013 - 2016: NOAA Maryland Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellow (Baltimore, Maryland)

  • 2012 - 2013: NSF Graduate Fellow in Environmental Education (Baltimore, Maryland)

  • 2006: Teaching Assistant, University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center (Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin)

  • 2004 - 2006: Environmental Science Educator, Deep Portage Learning Center (Hackensack, Minnesota)

  • 2005: Teaching Assistant, University of Michigan Biological Station (Pellston, Michigan)

  • 2004: Field Research Assistant, Syracuse University (Seneca Falls, New York)

  • 2002 - 2004: Outreach Program Instructor and Docent, University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

  • 2001: Field Biologist, Institute for Bird Populations (Winthrop, Washington)

Education and Certifications

  • Geography & Environmental Systems Ph.D., 2016, University of Maryland Baltimore County 

  • Ecology M.S., 2009, Utah State University

  • Environmental Science B.S., 2003, University of Michigan

Science and Products

link
Interactive Elevation and Water Flow Table

Modeling Overview at UMESC

Models seek to describe the natural world around us and how we interact with the world. For example, physical models might help Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) visitors understand landscapes, such as the Mississippi River or topology and water flow.
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Modeling Overview at UMESC

Models seek to describe the natural world around us and how we interact with the world. For example, physical models might help Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) visitors understand landscapes, such as the Mississippi River or topology and water flow.
Learn More
link
Delacroix area Mississippi river delta

Workshop: Natural Solutions to Ecological and Economic Problems Caused by Extreme Precipitation Events in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Future climate conditions in the Upper Mississippi River Basin are projected to include many more extreme precipitation events. These intense periods of rain can lead to flooding of the Mississippi River itself, as well the small streams and rivers that feed it. This flooding presents a challenge for local communities, farmers, small businesses, river users, and the ecosystems and wildlife in the
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Workshop: Natural Solutions to Ecological and Economic Problems Caused by Extreme Precipitation Events in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Future climate conditions in the Upper Mississippi River Basin are projected to include many more extreme precipitation events. These intense periods of rain can lead to flooding of the Mississippi River itself, as well the small streams and rivers that feed it. This flooding presents a challenge for local communities, farmers, small businesses, river users, and the ecosystems and wildlife in the
Learn More
link
Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Backwater Forest

Characterizing Climate-Driven Changes to Flood Events and Floodplain Forests in the Upper Mississippi River to Inform Management

Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are heavily managed but understudied systems that provide critical ecosystem services, including habitat for endangered species. Impacts of a changing climate, such as warmer winters and wetter summers with extreme precipitation events, are already influencing hydrologic patterns in these ecosystems, including altering the duration, frequency, a
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Characterizing Climate-Driven Changes to Flood Events and Floodplain Forests in the Upper Mississippi River to Inform Management

Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are heavily managed but understudied systems that provide critical ecosystem services, including habitat for endangered species. Impacts of a changing climate, such as warmer winters and wetter summers with extreme precipitation events, are already influencing hydrologic patterns in these ecosystems, including altering the duration, frequency, a
Learn More
link
Pool 8/Pettibone Island, Upper Mississippi River, Spring 2019, flooding

Forest Landscape Ecology of the Upper Mississippi River Floodplain

Forests are the dominant land cover along the floodplain of the Upper Mississippi River System. These forests are primarily made up of relatively short-lived and rapidly growing species, such as willow, cottonwood, silver maple, green ash, American elm, but with inclusions of slower growing and longer-lived species, such as oak and hickory species.
By
Land Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Forest Landscape Ecology of the Upper Mississippi River Floodplain

Forests are the dominant land cover along the floodplain of the Upper Mississippi River System. These forests are primarily made up of relatively short-lived and rapidly growing species, such as willow, cottonwood, silver maple, green ash, American elm, but with inclusions of slower growing and longer-lived species, such as oak and hickory species.
Learn More

Upper Mississippi River Floodplain forest floor vegetation and inundation metrics in Pools 4 and 8, 2015-2017

We conducted this study in Upper Mississippi River Pools 4 and 8 to document the occurrence and cover of Phalaris arundinacea and other forest floor plants in UMR floodplain forests and relate measures of abundance of Phalaris, and community composition and diversity to estimates of flood duration which can exhibit high spatial heterogeneity. We used modeled inundation duration which allowed us to
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Floodplain Inundation Model and Inundation Depths: Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers

Floodplain inundation is believed to be the dominant physical driver of an array of ecosystem patterns and processes in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), which comprises the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Here, we present a series of related data products supporting floodplain inundation modeling of the UMRS. First, raster files comprise a unique identifier, river mile positioning
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Functional diversity metrics of floodplain forests from Michigan's Lower Peninsula

Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with the environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in flood-driven abiotic constraints and forest composition. These data describe functional diversity and environmental characteristics for 156 forest assemblages sampled on floodplain landforms within transects from the lower peninsula of Michigan. The functional diversity
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

UMRS Floodplain Inundation Attributes

Floodplain inundation is believed to be the dominant physical driver of an array of ecosystem patterns and processes in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). Here, we present the results of a geospatial surface-water connectivity model in support of ecological investigations fully described in the USGS Open File Report entitled Indicators of Ecosystem Structure and Function for the Upper Miss
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Filter Total Items: 15

The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers

Large wood (LW) plays important geomorphic and ecological roles in rivers and is widely used as a restoration tool. Changes to floodplain land use and historical removal have altered wood dynamics in fluvial systems globally. We know little about the distribution and dynamics of LW in great rivers (approximately >105 km2) like the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers despite its ecosystem importa
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Kaija Gahm, Serenity Budd, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Richard A. Erickson, Roger J. Haro, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Identifying conditions where reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) functions as a driver of forest loss in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain under different hydrological scenarios

Most of the world’s river-floodplain ecosystems are simultaneously undergoing modifications to their hydrological regimes and experiencing species invasions, making it unclear whether invasive species are the main drivers of ecosystem change or simply responding to changes in the hydrological regime.We simulated patterns of forest recruitment and succession in a 2500-ha portion of the Upper Missis
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder, Molly Van Appledorn, Enrika Hlavacek, Andy Meier
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Bridging the gap between mathematical biology and undergraduate education using applicable natural resource modeling

Mathematical biology is a wide field of study with many venues that undergraduate students can access through research. However, the topics of study for these students can be overwhelming, and many topics of study yield either only trivial results or abstract outcomes that are nonintuitive and diffcult to understand. We have used natural resource modeling, and more specifically, a partnership betw
Authors
Richard A. Erickson, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Wako Bungula, Aaron R. Cupp, James E. Diffendorfer, Eric A. Eager, Roger J. Haro, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Danelle M. Larson, Greg J. Sandland, Molly Van Appledorn, James P Peirce
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Low-complexity floodplain inundation model performs well for ecological and management applications in a large river ecosystem

Flooding is a dominant physical process that drives the form and function of river-floodplain ecosystems. Efficiently characterizing flooding dynamics can be challenging, especially over geographically broad areas or at spatial and temporal scales relevant for ecosystem management activities. Here, we empirically evaluated a low-complexity geospatial model of floodplain inundation in six study seg
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

River geomorphology affects biogeochemical responses to hydrologic events in a large river ecosystem

Shifts in the frequency and intensity of high discharge events due to climate change may have important consequences for the hydrology and biogeochemistry of rivers. However, our understanding of event-scale biogeochemical dynamics in large rivers lags that of small streams. To fill this gap, we used high-frequency sensor data collected during four consecutive summers from a main channel and backw
Authors
Taryn Waite, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Denise Bruesewitz, Molly Van Appledorn, Megan Johnston, Jeffrey N. Houser, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Flood regimes alter the role of landform and topographic constraint on functional diversity of floodplain forests

Understanding patterns of species coexistence is a fundamental challenge in ecology. The physical environment is believed to play an important role, influencing patterns of dispersal and biotic interactions across space and time. Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with their environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in forest composition associated with flo
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Matthew E. Baker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Survival and growth of four floodplain forest species in an Upper Mississippi River underplanting

Forest restoration efforts commonly occur in degraded ecosystems. For the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River, the combination of aging canopy trees and expansion of invasive species such as reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) can shift forested ecosystems to open meadows. Before this shift occurs, there may be opportunities to proactively underplant. Our study reports 2-year
Authors
Marcella Windemuller-Campione, Molly Van Appledorn, Andrew R. Meier, Laura F. Reuling
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

What is a stand? Assessing the variability of composition and structure in floodplain forest ecosystems across spatial scales in the Upper Mississippi River

The forest stand typically represents relatively homogenous forest conditions; the forest stand is generally the unit at which forest attributes are assessed, summarized, and subsequently managed. However, some ecosystems, such as the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), can exhibit high variability at fine spatial scales that can confound prescription development, implementati
Authors
Marcella Windmuller-Campione, Laura F. Reuling, Molly Van Appledorn, Daniel M. Nilesen, Andrew R. Meier
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Loss of phylogenetic diversity under landscape change

Habitat alteration and destruction are primary drivers of biodiversity loss. However, the evolutionary dimensions of biodiversity loss remain largely unexplored in many systems. For example, little is known about how habitat alteration/loss can lead to phylogenetic deconstruction of ecological assemblages at the local level. That is, while species loss is evident, are some lineages favored over ot
Authors
Christopher M. Swan, Matthew Baker, Dorothy Borowy, Anna Johnson, Mariya Shcheglovitova, April Sparkman, Francisco V. Neto, Molly Van Appledorn, Nicole Voelker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Using Markov chains to quantitatively assess movement patterns of invasive fishes impacted by a carbon dioxide barrier in outdoor ponds

Natural resource managers use barriers to deter the movement of aquatic invasive species. Research and development of new invasive species barriers is often evaluated in pond and field scales using high‐resolution telemetry data. Telemetry data sets can be a rich source of data about fish movement and behavior but can be difficult to analyze due to the size of these data sets as well as their irre
Authors
Lauren K Borland, Collin J Mulcahy, Barb Bennie, Douglas D Baumann, Roger J. Haro, Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Aaron R. Cupp, Richard A. Erickson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Quantifying and mapping inundation regimes within a large river‐floodplain ecosystem for ecological and management applications

Spatial information on the distribution of ecosystem patterns and processes can be a critical component of designing and implementing effective management programs in river‐floodplain ecosystems. For example, translating how flood pulses detected within a stream gauge record are spatially manifested across a river‐valley bottom can be used to evaluate whether the current distribution of physical c
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Spatially explicit modelling of floodplain forest succession: Interactions among flood inundation, forest successional processes, and other disturbances in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA

Simulation models are often used to identify hydrologic regimes suitable for different riparian or floodplain tree species. However, most existing models pay little attention to forest successional processes or other disturbances that may interact with the hydrologic regime of river systems to alter forest dynamics in space and time. In this study, we introduce a flood disturbance module to the LA
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Molly Van Appledorn, Timothy J. Fox, Jason J. Rohweder, Lyle J. Guyon, Andrew R. Meier, Robert J. Cosgriff, Benjamin J. Vandermyde
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Van Appledorn, M., Lamb, D.A., Albalak, K., Bach, C.E. 2007. Zebra mussels decrease burrowing ability and growth of a native snail, Campeloma decisum. Hydrobiologia 575: 441 - 445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0280-3
Van Appledorn, M., Bach, C.E. 2007. Effects of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on mobility of three native mollusk species. American Midland Naturalist 158(2): 329 - 338. https://doi.org/10.1674/0003-0031(2007)158[329:EOZMDP]2.0.CO;2
Van Appledorn, M., Baker, M.E., and Miller, A.J. 2019. Empirical evaluation of two-dimensional unsteady hydraulic models for applications in floodplain forest ecology. Physical Geography. DOI: 10.1080/02723646.2019.1676186

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Science and Products

link
Interactive Elevation and Water Flow Table

Modeling Overview at UMESC

Models seek to describe the natural world around us and how we interact with the world. For example, physical models might help Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) visitors understand landscapes, such as the Mississippi River or topology and water flow.
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Modeling Overview at UMESC

Models seek to describe the natural world around us and how we interact with the world. For example, physical models might help Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) visitors understand landscapes, such as the Mississippi River or topology and water flow.
Learn More
link
Delacroix area Mississippi river delta

Workshop: Natural Solutions to Ecological and Economic Problems Caused by Extreme Precipitation Events in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Future climate conditions in the Upper Mississippi River Basin are projected to include many more extreme precipitation events. These intense periods of rain can lead to flooding of the Mississippi River itself, as well the small streams and rivers that feed it. This flooding presents a challenge for local communities, farmers, small businesses, river users, and the ecosystems and wildlife in the
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Workshop: Natural Solutions to Ecological and Economic Problems Caused by Extreme Precipitation Events in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

Future climate conditions in the Upper Mississippi River Basin are projected to include many more extreme precipitation events. These intense periods of rain can lead to flooding of the Mississippi River itself, as well the small streams and rivers that feed it. This flooding presents a challenge for local communities, farmers, small businesses, river users, and the ecosystems and wildlife in the
Learn More
link
Upper Mississippi River Floodplain Backwater Forest

Characterizing Climate-Driven Changes to Flood Events and Floodplain Forests in the Upper Mississippi River to Inform Management

Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are heavily managed but understudied systems that provide critical ecosystem services, including habitat for endangered species. Impacts of a changing climate, such as warmer winters and wetter summers with extreme precipitation events, are already influencing hydrologic patterns in these ecosystems, including altering the duration, frequency, a
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Characterizing Climate-Driven Changes to Flood Events and Floodplain Forests in the Upper Mississippi River to Inform Management

Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are heavily managed but understudied systems that provide critical ecosystem services, including habitat for endangered species. Impacts of a changing climate, such as warmer winters and wetter summers with extreme precipitation events, are already influencing hydrologic patterns in these ecosystems, including altering the duration, frequency, a
Learn More
link
Pool 8/Pettibone Island, Upper Mississippi River, Spring 2019, flooding

Forest Landscape Ecology of the Upper Mississippi River Floodplain

Forests are the dominant land cover along the floodplain of the Upper Mississippi River System. These forests are primarily made up of relatively short-lived and rapidly growing species, such as willow, cottonwood, silver maple, green ash, American elm, but with inclusions of slower growing and longer-lived species, such as oak and hickory species.
By
Land Management Research Program, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Forest Landscape Ecology of the Upper Mississippi River Floodplain

Forests are the dominant land cover along the floodplain of the Upper Mississippi River System. These forests are primarily made up of relatively short-lived and rapidly growing species, such as willow, cottonwood, silver maple, green ash, American elm, but with inclusions of slower growing and longer-lived species, such as oak and hickory species.
Learn More

Upper Mississippi River Floodplain forest floor vegetation and inundation metrics in Pools 4 and 8, 2015-2017

We conducted this study in Upper Mississippi River Pools 4 and 8 to document the occurrence and cover of Phalaris arundinacea and other forest floor plants in UMR floodplain forests and relate measures of abundance of Phalaris, and community composition and diversity to estimates of flood duration which can exhibit high spatial heterogeneity. We used modeled inundation duration which allowed us to
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Floodplain Inundation Model and Inundation Depths: Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers

Floodplain inundation is believed to be the dominant physical driver of an array of ecosystem patterns and processes in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), which comprises the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Here, we present a series of related data products supporting floodplain inundation modeling of the UMRS. First, raster files comprise a unique identifier, river mile positioning
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Functional diversity metrics of floodplain forests from Michigan's Lower Peninsula

Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with the environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in flood-driven abiotic constraints and forest composition. These data describe functional diversity and environmental characteristics for 156 forest assemblages sampled on floodplain landforms within transects from the lower peninsula of Michigan. The functional diversity
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

UMRS Floodplain Inundation Attributes

Floodplain inundation is believed to be the dominant physical driver of an array of ecosystem patterns and processes in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). Here, we present the results of a geospatial surface-water connectivity model in support of ecological investigations fully described in the USGS Open File Report entitled Indicators of Ecosystem Structure and Function for the Upper Miss
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Filter Total Items: 15

The where and why of large wood occurrence in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers

Large wood (LW) plays important geomorphic and ecological roles in rivers and is widely used as a restoration tool. Changes to floodplain land use and historical removal have altered wood dynamics in fluvial systems globally. We know little about the distribution and dynamics of LW in great rivers (approximately >105 km2) like the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers despite its ecosystem importa
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Kaija Gahm, Serenity Budd, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Richard A. Erickson, Roger J. Haro, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Identifying conditions where reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) functions as a driver of forest loss in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain under different hydrological scenarios

Most of the world’s river-floodplain ecosystems are simultaneously undergoing modifications to their hydrological regimes and experiencing species invasions, making it unclear whether invasive species are the main drivers of ecosystem change or simply responding to changes in the hydrological regime.We simulated patterns of forest recruitment and succession in a 2500-ha portion of the Upper Missis
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder, Molly Van Appledorn, Enrika Hlavacek, Andy Meier
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Bridging the gap between mathematical biology and undergraduate education using applicable natural resource modeling

Mathematical biology is a wide field of study with many venues that undergraduate students can access through research. However, the topics of study for these students can be overwhelming, and many topics of study yield either only trivial results or abstract outcomes that are nonintuitive and diffcult to understand. We have used natural resource modeling, and more specifically, a partnership betw
Authors
Richard A. Erickson, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie, Wako Bungula, Aaron R. Cupp, James E. Diffendorfer, Eric A. Eager, Roger J. Haro, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Danelle M. Larson, Greg J. Sandland, Molly Van Appledorn, James P Peirce
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Low-complexity floodplain inundation model performs well for ecological and management applications in a large river ecosystem

Flooding is a dominant physical process that drives the form and function of river-floodplain ecosystems. Efficiently characterizing flooding dynamics can be challenging, especially over geographically broad areas or at spatial and temporal scales relevant for ecosystem management activities. Here, we empirically evaluated a low-complexity geospatial model of floodplain inundation in six study seg
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

River geomorphology affects biogeochemical responses to hydrologic events in a large river ecosystem

Shifts in the frequency and intensity of high discharge events due to climate change may have important consequences for the hydrology and biogeochemistry of rivers. However, our understanding of event-scale biogeochemical dynamics in large rivers lags that of small streams. To fill this gap, we used high-frequency sensor data collected during four consecutive summers from a main channel and backw
Authors
Taryn Waite, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Denise Bruesewitz, Molly Van Appledorn, Megan Johnston, Jeffrey N. Houser, Douglas Baumann, Barbara Bennie
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Flood regimes alter the role of landform and topographic constraint on functional diversity of floodplain forests

Understanding patterns of species coexistence is a fundamental challenge in ecology. The physical environment is believed to play an important role, influencing patterns of dispersal and biotic interactions across space and time. Floodplain forest species are presumed to interact strongly with their environment, as evidenced by pronounced spatial variation in forest composition associated with flo
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Matthew E. Baker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Survival and growth of four floodplain forest species in an Upper Mississippi River underplanting

Forest restoration efforts commonly occur in degraded ecosystems. For the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River, the combination of aging canopy trees and expansion of invasive species such as reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) can shift forested ecosystems to open meadows. Before this shift occurs, there may be opportunities to proactively underplant. Our study reports 2-year
Authors
Marcella Windemuller-Campione, Molly Van Appledorn, Andrew R. Meier, Laura F. Reuling
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

What is a stand? Assessing the variability of composition and structure in floodplain forest ecosystems across spatial scales in the Upper Mississippi River

The forest stand typically represents relatively homogenous forest conditions; the forest stand is generally the unit at which forest attributes are assessed, summarized, and subsequently managed. However, some ecosystems, such as the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), can exhibit high variability at fine spatial scales that can confound prescription development, implementati
Authors
Marcella Windmuller-Campione, Laura F. Reuling, Molly Van Appledorn, Daniel M. Nilesen, Andrew R. Meier
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Loss of phylogenetic diversity under landscape change

Habitat alteration and destruction are primary drivers of biodiversity loss. However, the evolutionary dimensions of biodiversity loss remain largely unexplored in many systems. For example, little is known about how habitat alteration/loss can lead to phylogenetic deconstruction of ecological assemblages at the local level. That is, while species loss is evident, are some lineages favored over ot
Authors
Christopher M. Swan, Matthew Baker, Dorothy Borowy, Anna Johnson, Mariya Shcheglovitova, April Sparkman, Francisco V. Neto, Molly Van Appledorn, Nicole Voelker
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Using Markov chains to quantitatively assess movement patterns of invasive fishes impacted by a carbon dioxide barrier in outdoor ponds

Natural resource managers use barriers to deter the movement of aquatic invasive species. Research and development of new invasive species barriers is often evaluated in pond and field scales using high‐resolution telemetry data. Telemetry data sets can be a rich source of data about fish movement and behavior but can be difficult to analyze due to the size of these data sets as well as their irre
Authors
Lauren K Borland, Collin J Mulcahy, Barb Bennie, Douglas D Baumann, Roger J. Haro, Molly Van Appledorn, Kathi Jo Jankowski, Aaron R. Cupp, Richard A. Erickson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Quantifying and mapping inundation regimes within a large river‐floodplain ecosystem for ecological and management applications

Spatial information on the distribution of ecosystem patterns and processes can be a critical component of designing and implementing effective management programs in river‐floodplain ecosystems. For example, translating how flood pulses detected within a stream gauge record are spatially manifested across a river‐valley bottom can be used to evaluate whether the current distribution of physical c
Authors
Molly Van Appledorn, Nathan R. De Jager, Jason J. Rohweder
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Spatially explicit modelling of floodplain forest succession: Interactions among flood inundation, forest successional processes, and other disturbances in the Upper Mississippi River floodplain, USA

Simulation models are often used to identify hydrologic regimes suitable for different riparian or floodplain tree species. However, most existing models pay little attention to forest successional processes or other disturbances that may interact with the hydrologic regime of river systems to alter forest dynamics in space and time. In this study, we introduce a flood disturbance module to the LA
Authors
Nathan R. De Jager, Molly Van Appledorn, Timothy J. Fox, Jason J. Rohweder, Lyle J. Guyon, Andrew R. Meier, Robert J. Cosgriff, Benjamin J. Vandermyde
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Van Appledorn, M., Lamb, D.A., Albalak, K., Bach, C.E. 2007. Zebra mussels decrease burrowing ability and growth of a native snail, Campeloma decisum. Hydrobiologia 575: 441 - 445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0280-3
Van Appledorn, M., Bach, C.E. 2007. Effects of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on mobility of three native mollusk species. American Midland Naturalist 158(2): 329 - 338. https://doi.org/10.1674/0003-0031(2007)158[329:EOZMDP]2.0.CO;2
Van Appledorn, M., Baker, M.E., and Miller, A.J. 2019. Empirical evaluation of two-dimensional unsteady hydraulic models for applications in floodplain forest ecology. Physical Geography. DOI: 10.1080/02723646.2019.1676186

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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