Jessica R. Miesel
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Michigan State University
1066 Bogue St., Room A286
East Lansing, MI
Office location: PSSB 560
Office phone: 517-353-0485
Lab location: Natural Resources 103
Email: mieselje@msu.edu
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences
Michigan State University
1066 Bogue St., Room A286
East Lansing, MI
Office location: PSSB 560
Office phone: 517-353-0485
Lab location: Natural Resources 103
Email: mieselje@msu.edu
Curriculum vitae
Research Gate
I am an ecosystem ecologist broadly interested in fire ecology and management in temperate forests and grasslands. My research focuses on fire and management effects on nutrient pools and fluxes in coniferous forest soils, comparative effects among fire and fire surrogate ecosystem management strategies, and the biogeochemical role of natural and anthropogenic black carbon in soil ecosystem processes. I have experience in wildland fire suppression, fuels reduction and prescribed fire operations, and fire effects monitoring and research. Although my current research focuses on forested ecosystems, I am intrigued by the ecology of many types of fire-adapted ecosystems. My previous work in reconstructed grasslands addressed alternative weed management treatments for best establishment of native grasses and forbs, including effects on plant species composition, biomass, and carbon and nitrogen cycling. I believe that understanding ecological processes is essential for appropriately designing sustainable human communities and land-use practices. My work as an ecologist contributes to these goals. I am also interested in the role of ecology in society, and in identifying ways that ecologists can contribute to social and environmental justice.
Research Gate
I am an ecosystem ecologist broadly interested in fire ecology and management in temperate forests and grasslands. My research focuses on fire and management effects on nutrient pools and fluxes in coniferous forest soils, comparative effects among fire and fire surrogate ecosystem management strategies, and the biogeochemical role of natural and anthropogenic black carbon in soil ecosystem processes. I have experience in wildland fire suppression, fuels reduction and prescribed fire operations, and fire effects monitoring and research. Although my current research focuses on forested ecosystems, I am intrigued by the ecology of many types of fire-adapted ecosystems. My previous work in reconstructed grasslands addressed alternative weed management treatments for best establishment of native grasses and forbs, including effects on plant species composition, biomass, and carbon and nitrogen cycling. I believe that understanding ecological processes is essential for appropriately designing sustainable human communities and land-use practices. My work as an ecologist contributes to these goals. I am also interested in the role of ecology in society, and in identifying ways that ecologists can contribute to social and environmental justice.
Lab Members
Postdoctoral researchers
Kathleen Quigley, PhD
Post-Doctoral Researcher
As an ecologist, I am interested in how various components of our environment interact, and interactions at the soil-plant interface fascinate me most. I completed my dissertation on the abiotic and biotic drivers of silicon accumulation by grasses and the potential role of grass leaf silicification in plant-herbivore coevolution. This work was conducted in Serengeti National Park, under the supervision of Michael Anderson (Wake Forest University). As a postdoc in the Miesel lab, I am focusing on how prescribed fire affects soils in the Moquah Barrens of northern Wisconsin. I am specifically interested in how prescribed fire influences 1) carbon flux, 2) soil properties, and 3) soil microbial communities, each along gradients of past and current land use. This research has important implications not only for restoration of a critically endangered habitat, but also for improving prescribed fire management practices. Finally, I am interested in STEM education and opportunities for outreach within my local community – please contact me if you’re interested in organizing a talk or activity with your group. To read more about my past and present projects, check out my personal website.
Post-Doctoral Researcher
As an ecologist, I am interested in how various components of our environment interact, and interactions at the soil-plant interface fascinate me most. I completed my dissertation on the abiotic and biotic drivers of silicon accumulation by grasses and the potential role of grass leaf silicification in plant-herbivore coevolution. This work was conducted in Serengeti National Park, under the supervision of Michael Anderson (Wake Forest University). As a postdoc in the Miesel lab, I am focusing on how prescribed fire affects soils in the Moquah Barrens of northern Wisconsin. I am specifically interested in how prescribed fire influences 1) carbon flux, 2) soil properties, and 3) soil microbial communities, each along gradients of past and current land use. This research has important implications not only for restoration of a critically endangered habitat, but also for improving prescribed fire management practices. Finally, I am interested in STEM education and opportunities for outreach within my local community – please contact me if you’re interested in organizing a talk or activity with your group. To read more about my past and present projects, check out my personal website.
Graduate Students
Jaron Adkins
PhD Student
E-mail: adkinsj5[at]msu.edu
Jaron is pursuing a PhD in Forestry and in the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior program at MSU. He completed a BSc degree in Biology from Boise State University in 2014 and joined the Miesel research group in 2015. His research interests focus on investigating mechanisms that control carbon stabilization in soils. Jaron received an MSU University Enrichment Fellowship in 2015 and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in Spring 2016.
PhD Student
E-mail: adkinsj5[at]msu.edu
Jaron is pursuing a PhD in Forestry and in the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior program at MSU. He completed a BSc degree in Biology from Boise State University in 2014 and joined the Miesel research group in 2015. His research interests focus on investigating mechanisms that control carbon stabilization in soils. Jaron received an MSU University Enrichment Fellowship in 2015 and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in Spring 2016.
Joshua A. James
MSc Student
Department of Forestry
Email: jamesjo6[at]msu.edu
Joshua James is a graduate student pursuing an MSc in Forestry and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior. His research focuses on the long-lasting effects of prescribed fire on soil and ecosystem dynamics. He completed his BSc in Natural Resources from the University of Minnesota and has been employed with the National Park Service as a fire effects monitor and wildland firefighter in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. He was awarded an academic achievement graduate assistantship and Department of Forestry graduate office fellowship from MSU to assist with his graduate research. Joshua has a strong interest in applying fire ecology knowledge to promote public understanding and to assist in managing fire-dependent ecosystems.
MSc Student
Department of Forestry
Email: jamesjo6[at]msu.edu
Joshua James is a graduate student pursuing an MSc in Forestry and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior. His research focuses on the long-lasting effects of prescribed fire on soil and ecosystem dynamics. He completed his BSc in Natural Resources from the University of Minnesota and has been employed with the National Park Service as a fire effects monitor and wildland firefighter in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. He was awarded an academic achievement graduate assistantship and Department of Forestry graduate office fellowship from MSU to assist with his graduate research. Joshua has a strong interest in applying fire ecology knowledge to promote public understanding and to assist in managing fire-dependent ecosystems.
Research Assistants
Becky Wildt
Independent Undergraduate Researcher
I am pursuing a BSc degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with a minor in Environmental Sciences and Sustainability. I began my undergraduate research project for the Miesel lab in 2017 to analyze ash samples collected from the Moquah Pine Barrens in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The purpose of my project is to quantify the chemical composition of ash and the relationship between soil and ash hydrology to better understand plant-soil relationships in a fire-dependent system.
Independent Undergraduate Researcher
I am pursuing a BSc degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with a minor in Environmental Sciences and Sustainability. I began my undergraduate research project for the Miesel lab in 2017 to analyze ash samples collected from the Moquah Pine Barrens in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The purpose of my project is to quantify the chemical composition of ash and the relationship between soil and ash hydrology to better understand plant-soil relationships in a fire-dependent system.
Kristin Peters
Research Technician
I am pursuing a BS degree in Forestry and a double minor in Environmental and Sustainable Studies, and Sustainable Natural Resource Management. I am hoping to pursue a higher education in a topic related to forest ecology, and/or fire ecology. I am hoping that gaining experience as a research assistant will help to narrow my research interests within this field. I began working in the Miesel lab in Fall 2017 and I’ll be working on processing and analyzing soil and plant samples from the assigned projects.
Research Technician
I am pursuing a BS degree in Forestry and a double minor in Environmental and Sustainable Studies, and Sustainable Natural Resource Management. I am hoping to pursue a higher education in a topic related to forest ecology, and/or fire ecology. I am hoping that gaining experience as a research assistant will help to narrow my research interests within this field. I began working in the Miesel lab in Fall 2017 and I’ll be working on processing and analyzing soil and plant samples from the assigned projects.
Alumni and past participants
Fernanda Santos, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate (2014-2015) Currently: Post-doctoral scholar at UC-Merced |
Bernardo Maestrini, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2014-2016) Currently: Advanced Postdoctoral Fellow (Swiss National Science Foundation, MSU) |
Lucas Michelotti, MSc
MSc Plan B Student (2013-2016) Currently: Technician, University of Michigan |
Merissa Strawsine
Research Technician (2015) Currently: Graduate Student (Horticulture) |
Jonathan Huck
Research Technician (2013-2014) Currently: Graduate Student (Psychology) |
Karli Miller
Research Technician (2013) |
Brian Smith, BSc
Research Technician (2016) |
Mauro Pinelli
Visiting undergraduate researcher, University of Sassari, Italy (2016) |
Victor Fernandez Garcia
Visiting PhD student, University of Leon, Spain (2016) |
Ellie Domer
Research Technician (2014-2017) |
Dominic Uhelski
Independent Study researcher and Research Technician (2015-2017) Currently: graduate student, Michigan Tech |
Han Ren
Visiting PhD Student, Guangxi University, China (2016) |