Elizabeth Leger

Photo of Elizabeth Leger

Assistant Professor
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science
University of Nevada/Mail Stop 370
1664 N. Virginia Street
Reno,  Nevada   89557

 

Office: (775) 784-7582
Email: eleger@cabnr.unr.edu
Building: Max Fleischmann Agriculture,  Office 130
Personal Web: http://www.ag.unr.edu/leger/

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EDUCATION

BA, 1996, Lewis and Clark College
PhD, 2004, University of California, Davis; Graduate Group in Ecology

 

ACADEMIC & RESEARCH INTEREST

I am interested in the population biology of plants. I work on local adaptation and rapid evolution of native and invasive species, and am interested in how genetic variation (below the species level) affects the distribution and abundance of species. I also work with plant-animal interactions, and am currently interested in how nutrients and herbivory interact to affect competitive relationships between plants.

In addition to my work on plant population biology, I do projects that gather basic ecological data about rare species, natural communities, and invasive species control, providing information that is necessary to make appropriate management and restoration decisions.

 
REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

 

Journals
Chambers, J.C., Leger, E.A., Goergen, E 2009, "Cold desert fire and invasive species management: resources, strategies, tactics, and responses" Rangelands 31: 14-20  
Leger, E. A., Forister, M. L. 2009, "Colonization, abundance and geographic range size of gravestone lichens" Basic and Applied Ecology  
Leger, E.A., Espeland, E.K., Merrill, K.R., Meyer, S.E. 2009, "Genetic variation and local adaptation at a cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) invasion edge in western Nevada" Molecular Ecology online early  
Leger, E.A. 2009, "Sowing (and mapping) the wild oats" Molecular Ecology 18: 3759-3760  
Gurevitch, J., Howard, T.J., Ashton, I.W., Leger, E.A., Howe, K., Woo, E., and Lerdau, M. 2008, "Effects of experimental manipulation of light and nutrients on establishment of seedlings of native and invasive woody species in Long Island, NY forests" Biological Invasions  
Leger, E. A. 2008, "The adaptive value of remnant native plants in invaded communities: an example from the Great Basin." Ecological Applications, 18, 1226-1235.  
Leger, E.A. and K.J. Rice. 2007, "Assessing the speed and predictability of evolution in an invasive species: a comparison of traits between native and invasive California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) across similar geographic gradients." Journal of Evolutionary Biology 20: 1090-1103  
Leger, E.A., Howe, K.M., Gurevitch, J., Woo, E., Hickman, J., Ashton, I. and M. Lerdau 2007, "Nitrogen additions and natural enemies in eastern forests: native and exotic species responses to resource manipulation in two community types" Forest Science 53:701-709  
Leger, E.A. and M.L. Forister 2005, "Increased herbivore resistance in invasive populations of the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)." Diversity and Distributions 11: 311-317  
Leger, E.A. and K.J. Rice. 2003, "Invasive California poppies (Eschscholzia californica Cham.) grow larger than native individuals under reduced competition." Ecology Letters 6: 257-264.