G. David Tilman
Regents Professor; McKnight Presidential Chair
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
Research statement
I am intrigued by the causes of broad, general patterns in the biological diversity, structure and dynamics of ecosystems, in the benefits that society receives from natural and managed ecosystems, and in ways to assure environmental and social sustainability in the face of global increases in human consumption and population. I recently have focused on a related issue - the effects of biodiversity on the stability and functioning of ecosystems, which is scientifically intriguing and of great importance to society. Finally, I am interested in the impacts of human domination of global ecosystems, especially in the impacts of nitrogen deposition, habitat destruction/fragmentation, and invasive exotic species. I study mechanisms of resource competition among terrestrial plants, especially in the grasslands of Minnesota's Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. This work has focused on causes of succession and controls of both diversity and species composition. My approach has been to combine well-replicated field experiments with mathematical theory. Some of the questions we are currently exploring in field experiments are (1) the effects of plant diversity on ecosystem productivity, nutrient retention, and stability; (2) the effects of community diversity on invasibility; (3) effects of diversity on disease dynamics and herbivory, and the feedback effects of these on stability and productivity; (4) effects of nitrogen deposition on diversity, stability and composition of grassland ecosystems; (5) the interactive effects of carbon dioxide, nitrogen deposition and plant diversity on primary productivity and its stability; (6) effects of climate change on ecosystem composition, diversity and functioning; and (7) the role of recruitment limitation in structuring plant communities. These collaborative projects take place at Cedar Creek and are supported by the NSF Long-Term Ecological Research Program or the Bush Foundation.
Education and background
Education
Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1976
Books
Kinzig, A. P., S. W. Pacala and D. Tilman. 2002. Functional Consequences of Biodiversity: Empirical Progress and Theoretical Extensions. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.
Tilman, D. and P. Karieva, Eds. 1997. Spatial Ecology: The Role of Space in Population Dynamics and Interspecific Interactions. Monographs in Population Biology, Princeton University Press. 368 pp
Grace, J. and D. Tilman, Editors. 1990. Perspectives in Plant Competition. Academic Press, New York.
Tilman, D. 1988. Plant Strategies and the Dynamics and Structure of Plant Communities. Monographs in Population Biology, Princeton University Press. 360 pp.
Tilman, D. 1982. Resource Competition and Community Structure. Monographs in Population Biology, Princeton University Press. 296 pp.
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