The
Community ecology & restoration lab
Nick barber, san diego state university
About us
Welcome to the research lab of Nick Barber, Associate Professor of Biology at San Diego State University. We study how environmental and anthropogenic factors influence community assembly, trophic interactions, and ecosystem functioning.
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We work in restored, managed, and unmanaged ecosystems, and a major goal of our research is to generate basic ecological knowledge while contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity. Most of our work focuses on plants, insects, and soil microorganisms.
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Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive lab environment in which people at all career stages are welcomed and feel free to learn and contribute to science regardless of their background or identity.
news
February 2025:
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Some reasons to celebrate:
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Liz's first paper was accepted at Restoration Ecology, a long-term overseeding experiment she carried out with Bill Kleiman and Elizabeth Bach at Nachusa. (March update: the paper is up! If you don't have access, email us and we'll send you a copy)
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Lydia won a photography award at SDSU's Darwin Day celebration.
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Alec and Rory are getting ready to present posters at S3.
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Nick had a great visit to the Morton Arboretum (despite cold & snow).
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January 2025:
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Liz passed her qualifying exams in the fall, and she was recently awarded a research grant from the California Native Grasslands Association!
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Nick is on a much-welcomed sabbatical this spring.
August 2024:
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ESA in Long Beach was a great success for everyone. Liz gave her first conference talk, and Lydia and Alec both presented posters. Esmeralda presented a poster of her master's work, and honorary lab member Yuri presented her undergraduate research. Our Nachusa session was well attended too, and we were able to catch up with friends.
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July 2024:
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Liz has been named an ARCS Scholar for 2024-2025!
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Maricela and Sam P.'s paper on invertebrate communities at Nachusa under bison and fire disturbances was accepted for publication at Journal of Insect Conservation! Read it here.
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We're looking forward to ESA in Long Beach. Liz, Alec, Lydia, and Nick will all be presenting. Hope to see lots of friends and colleagues there!
June 2024:
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Camille gave her PhD exit seminar!
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Mareike and Travis both were accepted to MS programs at the University of Kiel!
May 2024:
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Big achievements all around:
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Congratulations to Sam, Connor, and Travis who all graduated!
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Camille was hooded at SDSU's Graduate School Commencement and at the Black Baccalaureate Commencement hosted by SDSU's Department of Africana Studies (where she received a standing ovation!)
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Lydia was accepted into Dr. Lluvia Flores-Rentería's ethnobotany internship program!
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Liz, Alec, and Lydia all had abstracts accepted to ESA's annual meeting in Long Beach. We'll see you there!
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We celebrated the end of the year with a day of tidepooling and found the biggest sea hare ever.
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