Saara J. DeWalt

Assistant Professor



Contact Information

338 Long Hall
Phone: 864-656-1429
FAX: 864-656-0435
Email: saarad@clemson.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Minor in  Experimental Statistics, Louisiana State University, 2003     
  • A.B. Biology, Brown University, 1994

Research Interests

  • My research uses ecological and molecular genetic techniques to address a number of questions in population, evolutionary, and community ecology: How is genetic variation distributed within and among plant populations? What are the ecological and evolutionary processes that affect and maintain genetic variation and structure in plant populations? Which current and historical factors determine the structure and composition of plant communities? What are the roles of herbivores and pathogens in shaping patterns of plant abundance and distribution on local and broad geographic scales? Primarily, I address these questions by studying lianas (woody vines) and non-native, invasive plants in temperate and tropical forests. These study systems offer ideal conditions for testing hypotheses concerning the determinants of genetic variation, genetic differentiation, species abundance, community composition, and diversity. My work on invasive species also provides opportunities for applied research on effective control methods.

Selected Publications

  • Zou, J., E. Siemann, W. E. Rogers, and S. J. DeWalt. In press. Decreased resistance and increased tolerance to native herbivores of the invasive plant Sapium sebiferum. Ecography.
  • Denslow, J. S. and S. J. DeWalt. 2008. Exotic plant invasions in tropical forests: patterns and hypotheses. Pages 409-426 in W. P. Carson and S. A. Schnitzer, editors. Tropical forest community ecology. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford, UK.
  • Siemann, E., W. E. Rogers, and S. J. DeWalt. 2006. Rapid adaptation of insect herbivores to an invasive plant. Proceedings of the Royal Society (B) 273:2763-2769.
  • Zou, J., W. E. Rogers, S. J. DeWalt, and E. Siemann. 2006. The effect of Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum) ecotype on soil-plant system carbon and nitrogen processes. Oecologia 150:272-281.
  • DeWalt, S. J. 2006. Population dynamics and potential for biological control of an exotic invasive shrub in Hawaiian rainforests. Biological Invasions 8: 1145-1158.
  • DeWalt, S. J., K. Ickes, R. Nilus, K. E. Harms, and D. F. R. P. Burslem. 2006. Liana habitat associations and community structure in a Bornean lowland tropical forest. Plant Ecology 136: 203-216.
  • DeWalt, S. J., E. Siemann, and W. E. Rogers. 2006. Microsatellite markers for an invasive tetraploid tree, Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera). Molecular Ecology Notes 6: 505-507.
  • DeWalt, S. J. 2005. Effects of natural enemies on tropical plant invasions. In D. F. R. P. Burslem, M. Pinard, and S. E. Hartley, editors. Biotic Interactions in the Tropics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. In press.
  • DeWalt, S. J., and J. Chave. 2004. Structure and biomass of four lowland Neotropical forests. Biotropica 36: 7-19.
  • DeWalt, S. J., J. S. Denslow, and J. L. Hamrick. 2004. Biomass allocation, growth, and photosynthesis of genotypes from the native and introduced ranges of the tropical shrub Clidemia hirta. Oecologia 138: 521-531.
  • DeWalt, S. J., J. S. Denslow, and K. Ickes. 2004. Natural-enemy release facilitates habitat expansion of the invasive tropical shrub Clidemia hirta. Ecology 85: 471-483.
  • DeWalt, S. J., and J. L. Hamrick. 2004. Genetic variation of introduced Hawaiian and native Costa Rican populations of an invasive tropical shrub, Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae). American Journal of Botany 91: 1155-1162.

Recent Courses

  • BIOSCI 304 - Biology of Plants
  • BIOSC 308 - Biology of Plants Practicum
  • BIOSC 820 - Community Ecology

Graduate Students

  • Isaac Park, M.S.
  • Benton Taylor, M.S.
  • Carrie Woods, Ph.D.
  • Danielle Zoellner, Ph.D.