Fire & Ecosystem Ecology Lab
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Fire   |   Soils   |   Forests  |  Ecosystem Ecology
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The Miesel Fire and Ecosystem Ecology Research Group in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University investigates forest ecosystem response to fire and forest management treatments. Our work uses field and laboratory studies to understand disturbance effects on forest carbon, and the biogeochemical factors that regulate carbon and nitrogen dynamics in forest soil. Characterizing the ecological role of pyrogenic carbon is a major focus of our current work.
 
Ecosystem ecology focuses on the interactions among living and non-living components of an ecosystem. It includes study of the structure and function of an ecosystem, their relationships, and their responses to natural and human-induced change. Ecosystem ecology is inherently an interdisciplinary field of study, and interdisciplinary approaches are essential for accurate understanding of specific ecosystem types, and for designing human land-use strategies that support  ecosystem processes.

We work closely with fire and forest managers and with researchers from diverse disciplines to advance ecological knowledge about fire-prone forest ecosystems. We welcome new collaborations as we seek to understand fire effects and forest recovery across contrasting ecosystem types.

Student Opportunities 
Prospective graduate students can review current openings on the Opportunities page, and the graduate study pages for the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences or the Department of Forestry for more information about how to apply. MSU’s Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program or the Environmental Science and Policy Program may also be of interest. I also welcome contact from individuals interested in pursuing independent funding for graduate or postdoctoral study.

Contact 
​
Jessica Miesel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Michigan State University
1066 Bogue St., Room A286
East Lansing, MI 48824-1222

Office location: PSSB 560
Office phone: 517-353-0485
Lab location: Natural Resources 103
Email: mieselje@msu.edu

Social media:
Facebook: @mieselecologylab
Twitter: @JessicaRMiesel

​Photo credit from top to bottom: Header- Jack pine barrens TNC (Jessica Miesel), Surface fire in red pine (Jack McGowan-Stinski), Plot sample (Jessica Miesel), Team photo (Jessica Miesel), Past research technician Ellie Domer presenting her research project (Kathleen Quigley)


News and Events
  • The final two prescribed burns for our soil heating study in the Moquah Barrens have been completed! A big THANKS to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest fire management program for their excellent work and partnership (May 2018)
  • Read Jessica's guest blog post on Bullying & Harassment in the Workplace, for the ESA Early Career Ecologists Section (April 2018)
  • Nearly every lab member presented research at the 7th International Fire Ecology & Management Congress -- well done! (Dec 2017)
  • Ellie Domer (Forestry) and Becky Wildt (Fisheries & Wildife) present their research at MSU's UURAF (Spring 2017)
  • Shannon Poon joins our group as a new undergraduate research technician (Spring 2017)
  • Jessica, Kathleen and Ellie present preliminary results at the Moquah Barrens collaboration meeting (Feb 2017)
  • Jaron Adkins and Joshua James present their research at the EEBB Graduate Research Symposium (Feb 2017)
  • Dr. Kathleen Quigley joins our research group as a new Postdoctoral Researcher on the Moquah Barrens soil heating study
  • Dr. Bernardo Maestrini completed his postdoctoral research and moves on to a new project at MSU (Dec 2016)
  • Victor Garcia joins our lab as a visiting scholar from the University of Leon, Spain (Fall 2016)
  • Mauro Pinelli joins our lab as a visiting student from the University of Sassari, Italy to conduct undergraduate research (Summer 2016)
  • The first year of experimental burn sampling for the Moquah Barrens project was a success! (May 2016)
  • Han Ren joins our lab as a visiting scholar from China (March 2016)
  • Congrats to Jaron Adkins for receiving an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! (Spring 2015)
Tweets by JessicaRMiesel
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