Lee Ridge Early March
George P. Malanson
Coleman-Miller Professor
Ph.D. UCLA - 1983
"My research program has had a continuing focus on biodiversity, and diverse aspects are linked by a focus on the interaction of spatial pattern and process. I address how spatial patterns (e.g., fragmentation) and processes (e.g., dispersal) affect vegetation dynamics and ecological sustainability in response to human-induced changes such as climatic change and altered disturbance regimes."
My research integrates fieldwork, including quantitative vegetation sampling and some tree-ring work, computer simulations, and statistical analyses. I use simulations to investigate dispersal and plant community dynamics in fragmented landscapes. Much of my ongoing fieldwork is based in the northern Rocky Mountains, where I am interested in patterns and processes at alpine treeline. Simulation work has addressed the spatial configuration of nature reserves. I am starting new work on simulations related to climate change and to invasive species in the Galapagos, pending funding.
My teaching philosophy arises from a background in liberal arts. My purpose is to have students learn how to think, how to organize information, how to evaluate ideas, and how to present their own ideas. At a graduate level I stress critical analysis through a wide reading of the literature, through a sharper critique of current theory, and finally through bringing new data to bear on what students have defined as an assailable frontier of knowledge.
Graduate students usually work closely with me as a research assistant at an early stage of their program, where they are introduced to the problems and quickly gain experience. This work often leads to co-authored publications. Students doing field work in the Rockies also learn about larger scale teamwork, joining students and faculty from four other universities on projects that involve remote sensing, GIS, microclimatology, and geomorphology in addition to biogeography.
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Theses and Dissertations Supervised:
MA Theses:
- Rex, K.D. 1990. Fractal Analysis of Woodland Patches Along the Iowa and Cedar Rivers.
- Kupfer, J.A. 1991. Structure, Composition, and Successional Dynamics of a Riparian Edge Community
- Craig, M.R. 1992. Colonization on Point Bars by Woody Riparian Species.
- Finley, S.D. 1993. Investigation of Factors Influencing Species Diversity of Remnant Forest Patches in Northeast Iowa.
- Hougen, D. 1994. Effects of Accessibility and Isolation on the Structure and Composition of Lakeshore Forest Sites in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota.
PhD Dissertations:
- Kupfer, J.A. 1995. The Effects of Edge Vegetation on Interior Gap-Successional Processes.
- Liu, Z.J. 1995. Impact of Climate and Management Practices on Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater: Spatial and Temporal Analyses in the Big Spring Basin, Iowa.
- Cairns, D.M. 1995. Carbon Balance Modeling at the Alpine Treeline Ecotone in Glacier National Park, Montana.
- Chen, G. 2001. Relating Landscape Patterns to Hydrological Processes in a Watershed Hierarchy
- Alftine, K.J. 2002. The Relationship Between Tree Establishment Patterns and Positive Feedback at Alpine Treeline.
- Bekker, M. F. 2002. Effects of Biotic Feedback on the Pattern and Rate of Subalpine Forest Advancement.
- Wang, Q. 2007. Effects of the Represenation of Landscape Pattern on Species Dynamics in Colonization-Competition Models.
- Yadav, V. 2008. Soil Carbon Dynamics in the Big Creek Basin in Southern Illinois, USA
Current Graduate Students:
Sunday Goshit, Yu Zeng, Gang Zhong, Darren Grafius
Undergraduate:
- Biogeography
- Introduction to Earth Systems Science
Upper Division/Graduate:
- Landscape Ecology
- Wetlands: Function, Geography & Management
Graduate:
- Advanced Biogeography
- Advanced Landscape Ecology
- Module in Spatial Modeling & Analysis
- Module in Land Use Land Cover
Research Grants (1997-present):
- 2004-2009 USGS, Response of Western Mountain Ecosystems to Climatic Variability and Change: The Western Mountain Initiative, with D.R. Butler and S.J. Walsh; $345,000.
- 2006-2008 Modeling Dynamism of Human Settlement Frontiers: Synthesizing Discordant Pattern-Process Relations and LCLUC Trajectories in Coupled Natural-Human Systems, NASA, co-I, with S.J. Walsh, $42,000 of $178,756
- 2004-2007 NSF Biocomplexity, Coupled Human and Natural Systems: Feedbacks Among Patterns and Processes of Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon, with S.J. Walsh; $120,000 of $320,000
- 2004-07 NSF Biocomplexity, Coupled Human and Natural Systems: Virtual Watershed: Agricultural Landscape Evolution in an Adaptive Management Framework, subcontract with Jerry Schnoor on grant to Chris Lant; $130,000 of $450,000
- 2002-03 NSF Geography & Regional Science, SGER: Effects of Avalanches on Local Carbon Budgets and Regional Forest Dynamics, with D.R. Butler, D. Fagre, and S.J. Walsh; $29,512
- 2002-03 National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry, Forest Fragmentation, with J.A. Kupfer and S. Franklin; $60,000
- 2002-03 UI Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Factors Affecting the Adoption and Conservation Value of Certified Organic Coffee Production in Oaxaca, Mexico, with T. Mutersbaugh, $19,700
- 2000-03 NSF Geography & Regional Science, Uncovering the Spatial Pattern of Feedback Effects at Alpine Treeline; $99,946
- 1999-03 USGS Biological Resources Division, with D.G. Brown, D.R. Butler, D.M. Cairns, D. Fagre, and S.J. Walsh; Invasibility of Alpine Tundra; $416,730
- 1997-99 NSF, Geography & Regional Science, co-PI with D.G. Brown; Pattern and Process at Alpine Treeline; $194,168
- 1997-98 DOE National Institute for Global Environmental Change; Developing rules for transience in DGVMs based on migration rates; $5000
- 1997-98 NASA, CI with M.P. Armstrong (PI), J.R. Brown and G.R. Carmichael; Project LIVE: Laboratory for the Immersive Visualization of the Environment; $230,000
Awards and honors:
2008 Sagarmatha Career Award, AAG Mountain Geography Specialty Group
2007 Henry C. Cowles Award for outstanding publication, with J.A. Kupfer and S.B. Franklin, AAG Biogeography Specialty Group
2006 Henry C. Cowles Award for outstanding publication, with K.J. Alftine, AAG Biogeography Specialty Group
2004 James J. Parsons Distinguished Career Award, AAG Biogeography Specialty Group
2003-present Coleman - Miller Professor, University of Iowa
2003 elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Offices held, service (1998-):
- NIH Social Sciences and Population Studies, Study Section (proposal panel), 2005, 2006, 2007-present
- National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry, research proposals panel, 2004
- National Science Foundation, Biocomplexity: Coupled Human & Natural Systems panel, 2002
- National Academies/National Research Council Committee on Geography at USGS, 2000-02
- National Science Foundation Geography & Regional Science Program panel, 1998-1999
Editorial Service:
Associate Editor: Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 2005-present
Editor for Biogeography, Physical Geography, 2006-present
Biogeography Editor, Geography Compass, 2008-present
Other Editorial Boards:
Physical Geography, 1994-2006
Geographical & Environmental Modelling, 1996-2002
Landscape Ecology, 1997-2005
Annals, Association of American Geographers, 2000-present
Advances in Water Resources, 2004-presentGeography Compass, 2006-2007
Research Info:
- Mountan GeoDynamics Research Group
- Glacier National Park
- Papal Bull (Bibliography)
- Avalance Paths Bibliography
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Lee Ridge (DOQ draped DEM) |
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 Matt Bekker Webpage |
 Steve Walsh : Webpage |
Dan Fagre(No Picture): Webpage |
Office:
- 309 Jessup Hall
Mailing Address:
Department of Geography
316 Jessup Hall
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: (319) 335-0540
Fax: (319) 335-2725
E-mail: george-malanson@uiowa.edu
Links:
 | Homepage of the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research |
The Biogeographer, newsletter & the AAG Biogeography Specialty Group
Glacier National Park
USGS Glacier Field Station
Recent Publications (2001-):
Bekker M.F., Malanson, G.P., Alftine, K.J. & Cairns, D.M. 2001. Feedback and pattern in computer simulations of the alpine treeline ecotone. In Millington, A.C., Walsh, S.J. & Osborne, P.E., eds. GIS and Remote Sensing Applications in Biogeography and Ecology. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 123-138.
Malanson, G.P., Xiao, N. & Alftine, K.J. 2001. A simulation test of the resource averaging hypothesis of ecotone formation. Journal of Vegetation Science 12: 743-748.
Malanson, G.P. 2001. Complex responses to global change at alpine treeline. Physical Geography 22: 333-342.
Malanson, G.P.& Butler, D.R. 2002. The Western Cordillera. In Physical Geography of North America, A. Orme, ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 363-379.
Malanson, G.P. 2002. Effects of spatial representation of habitat in competition-colonization models. Geographical Analysis 34: 141-154.
Malanson, G.P. 2002. Extinction debt trajectories and spatial pattern of habitat destruction. Annals, Association of American Geographers 92: 177-188.
Malanson, G.P., Butler, D.R., Cairns, D.M., Welsh, T.E., Resler, L.M. 2002. Variability in a soil depth indicator in alpine tundra. Catena. 49: 203-215.
Cairns, D.M., Butler, D.R. & Malanson, G.P. 2002. Geomorphic and biogeographic setting of the Rocky Mountains. In J.S. Baron, ed. Rocky Mountain Futures. Island Press, Washington, DC, 27-39.
Malanson, G.P. 2003. Habitats, hierarchical scales, and nonlinearities: an ecological perspective on linking household and remotely sensed data on land-use/cover change. In Fox, J. Rindfuss, R.R., Walsh, S.J. and Mishra, V., eds. People and the Environment: Approaches for Linking Household and Community Surveys to Remote Sensing and GIS. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 265-283.
Walsh, S.J., Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P., Crews-Meyer, K.A., Messina, J.P. & Xiao, N. 2003. Mapping, modeling, and visualization of the influences of geomorphic processes on the alpine treeline ecotone, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Geomorphology 53: 129-145.
Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P., Bekker, M.F. and Resler, L.M. 2003. Lithologic, structural, and geomorphic controls on ribbon forest patterns. Geomorphology 55: 203-217.
Butler, D.R., Walsh, S.J. & Malanson, G.P. 2003. Introduction to the special issue: mountain geomorphology integrating earth systems, Geomorphology 55: 1-4.
Malanson, G.P. 2003. Dispersal across continuous and binary representations of landscapes. Ecological Modelling 169: 17-24.
Alftine, K.J., Malanson, G.P. & Fagre, D.B. 2003. Feedback-driven response to multi-decadal climatic variability at an alpine forest-tundra ecotone. Physical Geography 24: 520-535.
Kupfer, J.A., Malanson, G.P. & Franklin, S.B. 2004. Identifying the Biodiversity Research Needs Related to Forest Fragmentation. National Commission on Science for Sustainable Forestry (www.ncseonline.org/ewebeditpro/items/O62F3754.pdf)
Alftine, K.J. & Malanson, G.P. 2004. Directional positive feedback and pattern at an alpine tree line. Journal of Vegetation Science 15:3-12.
Malanson, G.P., Butler, D.R. & Walsh, S.J. 2004. Ecological response to global climatic change. In WorldMinds. (D.G. Janelle, B. Warf, & K. Hansen, eds.) Kluwer, Dordrecht, 469-473.
Kupfer, J.A. & Malanson, G.P. 2004. The biodiversity crisis. In WorldMinds. (D.G. Janelle, B. Warf, & K. Hansen, eds.) Kluwer, Dordrecht, 273-277.
Walsh, S.J., Weiss, D.J., Butler, D.R. & Malanson, G.P. 2004. An assessment of snow avalanche paths and forest dynamics using Ikonos satellite data. Geocarto International 19: 85-94.
Marion, D. & Malanson, G.P. 2004. Ordination of woody vegetation in a Ouachita National Forest watershed. US Forest Service General Technical Report SRS-74, pp. 198-204.
Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P. & Resler, L.M. 2004. Turf-banked terrace treads and risers, turf exfoliation, and possible relationships with advancing treeline. Catena 58: 259-274.
Allen, T.R., Walsh, S.J., Cairns, D.M., Messina, J., Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. 2004. Geostatistics and spatial analysis: characterizing form and pattern at the alpine treeline. In M. Bishop and J. Shroder, eds. Geographic Information Science and Mountain Geomorphology. Springer Verlag-Praxis Scientific, London, 189-214.
Malanson, G.P. & Zeng, Y. 2004. Uncovering spatial feedbacks at alpine treeline using spatial metrics in evolutionary simulations. In GeoDynamics, P.M. Atkinson, G. Foody, S. Darby & F. Wu, eds. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 137-150.
Resler, L.M., Butler, D.R. & Malanson, G.P. 2005.Topographic shelter and conifer establishment and mortality in an alpine environment, Glacier National Park, Montana. Physical Geography 26: 112-125.
Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. 2005. The geomorphic influences of beaver dams and failures of beaver dams. Geomorphology 71: 48-60.
Kupfer, JA, Malanson, GP & Franklin, SB. 2006. Not seeing the ocean for the islands: The mediating influence of matrix-based processes on forest fragmentation effects. Global Ecology & Biogeography 15: 8-20.
Malanson, G.P., Zeng, Y. & Walsh, S.J. 2006. Complexity at advancing ecotones and frontiers. Environment & Planning A 38: 619-632.
Malanson, G.P., Scott, K., Fagre, D. & Holzer, K. 2006. Ordination Context of GLORIA Sites in Glacier National Park, USA. In M.F. Price, ed. Global Change in Mountain Regions. Sapiens Publishing, Duncow, UK, pp. 154-155 (extended abstract).
Zeng, Y. & Malanson, G.P. 2006. Endogenous fractal dynamics at alpine treeline ecotones. Geographical Analysis 38: 271-287.
Malanson, GP, Zeng, Y. & Walsh, SJ. 2006. Landscape frontiers, geography frontiers: lessons to be learned. Professional Geographer 58: 383-396.
Malanson, G.P., Wang, Q. & Kupfer, J.A. 2007. Ecological processes and spatial patterns before, during and after simulated deforestation. Ecological Modelling 202: 397-409.
Malanson, G.P., Butler, D.R. and Fagre, D.B. 2007. Alpine ecosystem dynamics and change: a view from the heights. In: Sustaining Rocky Mountain Landscapes: Science, Policy and Management of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (T. Prato and D. Fagre, eds.), RFF Press, Washington D.C., 85-101.
Yadav, V. & Malanson, G.P. 2007. Progress in soil organic matter research: Litter decomposition, modelling, monitoring and sequestration. Progress in Physical Geography 31: 131-154..
Zeng, Y., Malanson, G.P. & Butler, D.R. 2007. Geomorphic limits to self organization in alpine forest-tundra ecotone vegetation. Geomorphology 91: 378-392.
Wang, Q. and Malanson, G.P. 2007. Patterns of correlation among landscape metrics. Physical Geography 28: 170-182.
Yadav, V. and Malanson, G.P. 2008. Spatially explicit land use land cover and soil organic carbon transformations in southern Illinois. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 123: 280-292.
Wang, Q. and Malanson, G.P. 2008. Neutral landscapes: bases for exploration in landscape ecology. Geography Compass 2: 10.111/j.1749-8198.2008.00090.x [online only].
Malanson GP, DR Butler, DB Fagre, SJ Walsh, DF Tomback, LD Daniels, LM Resler, WK Smith, DJ Weiss, DL Peterson, AG Bunn, CA Hiemstra, D Liptzin, PS Bourgeron, Z Shen, and CI Millar. 2007 Alpine treeline of western North America: Linking organism-to-landscape dynamics. Physical Geography 28: 378-396.
Butler DR, Malanson GP, Walsh SJ, Fagre DB. 2007 Influences of Geomorphology and Geology on Alpine Treeline in the American West – More Important Than Climatic Influences? Physical Geography 28: 434-450.
Wang, Q. and Malanson, G.P. 2008. Spatial hyperdynamism in a post-disturbance simulated forest. Ecological Modelling 215: 337-344.
Malanson GP, Extinction debt: origins, developments, and applications of a biogeographic trope. Progress in Physical Geography, in press.
