I was a research coordinator at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
(SREL) working with Dr. Beverly Collins. When I joined Dr. Collins'
laboratory, I acquired several ongoing research projects.
I took
over a 
research
project serving several purposes: 1) determine the importance of seed
survival versus abiotic conditions on tree seedling recruitment across
communities here at the Savannah River Site; and 2) serve as an undisturbed
control for Dr. Collins' sites at Fort Benning. I measured seed fall
at each of my ten sites (2 in frequently burned longleaf pine forests,
2 in intermediately burned pine forests, 2 in unburned pine forests,
2 in sloped deciduous forests, and 2 in sandhill sites) as well as natural
recruitment of seedlings, survival of tree seeds, and activity of small
mammals as potential seed predators. Also, I am measured soil moisture,
soil temperature and decomposition rates similar to methods employed
at Ft. Benning.
I
also assisted Dr. Collins with sampling of endangered coneflower (Echinacea
laevigata) populations found at the SRS, as well as working on a
small project investigating the role of ants as seed dispersers of Trillium
maculatum.