You are here
Roger Ruess

Credit:
Roger Ruess
Research Interests:
My research focuses broadly on controls over carbon and nitrogen cycling in boreal forests. This has included studies on organic N cycling in soils, successional patterns of fine root production and decomposition dynamics, and the role of vertebrate herbivores in ecosystem function and landscape evolution. I am also involved with groups exploring genomic approaches to bacterial and fungal community structure and function in boreal soils. A current interest is the physiological ecology of alder-Frankia-mycorrhizal interactions, and the associated role of alder in boreal forest nutrient cycling dynamics.

Credit:
Roger Ruess
Roger
W.
Ruess
Professor of Biology
Associate Director of IAB - Ecology and Wildlife
Office:
414 Irving I Bldg.
907-474-7153
Lab:
407 Irving I Bldg.
Postal Address:
Institute of Arctic BiologyPO Box 757000University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000
- B.S. 1974 University of California Irvine, Biological Sciences
- Ph.D. 1980 University of North Dakota, Biology
- Professor of Biology, University of Alaska, 6/2001-present
- Associate Professor of Plant Ecology, University of Alaska, 6/1994-present
- Assistant Professor of Plant Ecology, University of Alaska, 9/1989-6/1994
- Lecturer, Syracuse University, 1988
- Research Assistant Professor, Syracuse University, 1/1987-8/1989
- National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, 1/1985-1/1987
- Post-doctoral Research Assistant, Syracuse University, 8/1980-12/1984
- Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant, University of North Dakota, 1974-1980
1994
Ruess, R.W. & Seagle, S.W., 1994. Landscape patterns in soil microbial processes in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Ecology, 75, pp.892–904.
1992
Seagle, S.W., McNaughton, S.J. & Ruess, R.W., 1992. Simulated effects of grazing on soil nitrogen and mineralization in contrasting Serengeti grasslands. Ecology, 73, pp.1105–1123.
1990
Ruess, R.W. & Halter, F.L., 1990. The impact of large herbivores on the Seronera woodlands, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. African Journal of Ecology, 28, pp.259–275.
Pages
2014 Emil Usibelli Distinguished Research Award
- Cross-scale controls over responses of the Alaskan boreal forest to changing disturbance regimes. National Science Foundation; Responsibilities: PI; 2017-2023 (Bonanza Creek LTER webpage).
- Collaborative Research: Shrub impacts on N inputs and turnover in the Arctic, and their potential to feedback to vegetation and climate change. Responsibilities: Co-PI; 2016-2019.
- Comparison of putative Carex subspathacea between Arctic Coastal Plain and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta and interpretations of climate effects on grazing systems. USGS; Responsibilities: PI; 2015-2018.
- Utilizing forest inventory permanent plots for boreal forest disease detection and quantification of trembling aspen canker and Siberian alder canker. USFS-State and Private Forestry; Responsibilities: PI; 2016-2019.
- Ecosystem-level consequences of mutualist partner choice in alder across a forest successional sequence in interior Alaska. National Science Foundation; Responsibilities: PI; 2007-2010.
- Ecosystem Processes (BIOL 672, graduate).
- Plant Physiological Ecology (BIOL 675, graduate).
- Structure and Function of Vascular Plants (BIOL 334, undergraduate).
- Grazing Ecology (BIOL 614, graduate).
Current Graduate Students (More info)
- Robin Andrews
- Iris Cato
- Elizabeth Nicklen
Past Graduate Students
- Mike Anderson. Ph.D. 2011. Sources of variation in the symbiotic association between Alnus and Frankia in interior Alaska.
- Kendra Calhoun. M.S. 2010. Ectomycorrhizal diversity of white spruce (Picea glauca) at treeline along a latitudinal gradient in Alaska
- Katie Christie. Ph.D. 2014. Trophic dynamics in a changing arctic: Interactions between ptarmigan and willows in northern Alaska
- Kate Doran. Ph.D. 2000. Photosynthetic acclimation of white spruce (Picea glauca) to canopy microhabitats.
- Claudia Ihl. Ph.D. 2007. (co-chair). Foraging ecology and sociality of muskoxen in northwestern Alaska.
- Beth Lenart. M.S. 1996. (co-chair). Climate and caribou: effects of summer weather on the Chisana caribou herd.
- Patricia Loomis. M.S. 2005. Nitrogen cycling at treeline: latitudinal and elevational patterns across the boreal landscape.
- Sarah Ludwig. M.S. 2016. Fire severity effects on nutrient dynamics and microbial activities in a Siberian larch forest.
- Jack McFarland. Ph.D. 2008. Latitudinal patterns of amino acid cycling and plant N uptake among North American ecosystems.
- Jennifer Mitchell. M.S. 2006. Patterns of and controls over nitrogen inputs by green alder (Alnus viridis ssp fruticosa) to a successional chronosequence in interior Alaska.
- Christa Mulder. Ph.D. 1996. Plant-herbivore dynamics on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: The effect of goose herbivory on arrowgrass.
- Dana Nossov. M.S. 2008. Community, population, and growth dynamics of Alnus tenuifolia: implications for nutrient cycling on an interior Alaskan floodplain
- Brian Person. Ph.D. 2001. Herbivore-mediated effects on ecosystem processes in a near-arctic salt marsh.
- Michaela Swanson. M.S. 2016. Relationships between succession and community structure and function of Alnus-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi in Alaskan boreal forests.
- Ken Tape. Ph.D. 2011. Arctic Alaskan shrub growth, distribution, and relationships to landscape processes and climate during the 20th century.
- Daniel Uliassi. M.S. 1998. The regulation of symbiotic nitrogen fixation by thinleaf alder in primary successional forests of the Tanana River floodplain.
- Amy Zacheis. Ph.D. 2000. Effects of migratory geese on plant communities and nitrogen dynamics in an Alaskan salt marsh.
In the News
- Long-term ecological reflections: art + science at Bonanza Creek, Alaska
(pdf)
(27 May 2020) Terrain.org - Alaskan Wildfires Influence Permafrost Recovery
(pdf)
(1 December 2015) EOS.org - Alders go their own way in autumn
(pdf)
(11 September 2015) JuneauEmpire - Movers and Shakers
(pdf)
(15 May 2014) Alaska Journal of Commerce - Thompson, Ruess, Sparrow honored with Usibelli Awards
(pdf)
(9 May 2014) Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Diversity Down Below
(pdf)
(28 February 2014) Science (AAAS) - Fifty years of far-north biology
(pdf)
(4 September 2013) Sit News - Fifty years of far-north biology
(pdf)
(31 August 2013) Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Ned Rozell: 50 years of covering science issues in Alaska
(pdf)
(30 August 2013) Anchorage Daily News - Alaska Science Forum: Fifty years of far-north biology
(pdf)
(30 August 2013) Juneau Empire - Forest fire inspires quirky marriage of science, art
(pdf)
(21 March 2008) Fairbanks Daily News-Miner