Dr. Carrie Adams
Professor / Restoration and Plant Ecology
Dr. Adams is the director of the Restoration and Plant Ecology laboratory at the University of Florida. She joined the faculty of the Environmental Horticulture Department in August 2005. Her primary research interests include applied plant ecology, wetland restoration, wetland ecology, restoration horticulture, plant conservation, invasive species control, native species establishment, revegetation of disturbed lands, and effects of disturbance on plant communities and ecosystem function. For more on her published work, see Google Scholar Profile and OrcidID, and for more on her teaching, see Teaching ePortfolio.
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RESEARCH
Our research focuses on plant ecology and restoration of ecosystem structure and function, including the establishment of native plant communities and invasive plant management. Our work takes place in wetlands and aquatic habitats, terrestrial ecosystems and cultural landscapes such as roadsides.
Decision making for revegetation
Decisions about sourcing plant material for conservation and restoration should be based on science and linked to restoration goals, which typically target some ecosystem function. Examples of goals may include rapid plant establishment, long-term persistence, resistance to invasion, or some suite of pre-specified ecosystem functions. Propagule type, species selection, source location and level of genetic diversity all confer population-level traits to the restored population, and need to experimentally tested prior to broad application in restoration practice. We have been exploring these issues across ecosystems, and specifically in invaded wetlands and coastal dunes.
Invasive species management
Research on invasive ornamental management is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Sandy Wilson and Dr. Zhanao Deng. Federally funded projects for invasive plant control and post-control vegetation management projects have focused on Ruellia simplex, a popular ornamental in the southern United States, Phragmites australis, a cosmopolitan invader in salt marshes, Phalaris arundinacea, a northern temperate freshwater marsh invasive grass. and active revegetation with native species.
Restoration of native plant communities in altered environments
Barriers to native plant establishment include invasive species, altered biotic and abiotic site characteristics, and propagule limitation. The goal of this research is to determine efficient and ecologically-sound techniques for revegetation of native plant community diversity and function. Assessments of the composition of the seedbank and the potential for recolonization of the native plant community have been focused in a variety of locations, including the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge marl prairies, Lake Apopka North Shore basin marshes, and semi-urban riparian forests in the City of Gainesville. We have also studied keystone species (Uniola paniculata, Juncus roemerianus, Sabal palmetto) to provide guidance on revegetation efforts based on their natural distributions and plant provenance.
Adaptive Management
Developing effective approaches for managing invasive species can likely be advanced through an adaptive management (AM) framework, i.e., one where management decisions are improved over time because they are based on an enhanced understanding of the system gleaned from periodic monitoring, structured experimentation and modeling. Past projects have focused on the control of reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) the recovery of these impacted ecosystems after its removal.
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TEACHING
My courses focus on restoration ecology, including the science behind restoration actions and the strategy to apply the most effective practices. My teaching supports undergraduates in Plant Science, Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies, and graduate students in multiple programs, including degrees, concentrations and certificates in Ecological Restoration offered by FFGS.
EVR 3223 Introduction to Ecosystem Restoration (4 cr, every Spring):
This undergraduate core course in Plant Science (with a graduate section) serves a wide range of majors and programs across the university. The course integrates lectures, guest speakers, field trips, and community restoration activities to build applied understanding of restoration theory, planning, invasive species management, and native plant selection and establishment.
FOR 5157 Restoration Principles and Practice (3 cr, every Fall):
This graduate-level course is required for the online Master’s Program in Restoration Ecology and is the university’s only graduate course dedicated to restoration ecology. Delivered asynchronously, it combines lectures, site-visit videos, and guest practitioners to examine the scientific foundations of ecological restoration, its socio-political dimensions, and restoration case studies from across the U.S. and globally.
HOS 6070 Plant Materials in Restoration & Conservation (3 cr, Odd Summers):
This graduate-level course provides essential training in plant materials for restoration and conservation and is required for several online degree and certificate programs. Offered asynchronously, the course emphasizes species and genotype selection, native plant propagation, and biological mechanisms underlying successful establishment in restored ecosystems through lectures, site-visit videos, and practitioner perspectives.
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EXTENSION
The emphasis of our program is to provide relevant research-based information that improves the success of ecosystem restoration. Our clientele include university faculty, native plant nurseries, restoration practitioners and natural resource managers. We strive to connect the horticultural industry with those in the restoration field to promote information exchange on plant availability, selection, propagation, and establishment.
Extension Publications
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EDUCATION
- Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Water Resources Science(May 2004) Dissertation: Phalaris arundinacea Control and Implications for Wetland Restoration , Susan M. Galatowitsch, advisor.
- M.S. Pennsylvania State University, Ecology (August 1999)
Thesis: Assessing Wetland Vegetation Response to Disturbance Using Seed Banks and Cs 137 , Charles Andrew Cole and Robert P. Brooks, co-advisors. - B.S. Pennsylvania State University, Environmental Resources Management (January 1997)
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PUBLICATIONS
EXTENSION
- Ecosystem Services Valuation for Estuarine and Coastal Restoration in Florida
- Establishment of Leavenworth's Tickseed (Coreopsis leavenworthii) on Roadside Right-of-Ways
- Establishment of Lanceleaf Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) in Roadside Right-of-Ways
- Methodology for Wetland Seedbank Assays
Research Publications
- AFFILIATIONS