Welcome to the Matthews Lab
Ecological restoration is increasingly recognized as a vital strategy for reversing biodiversity loss and enhancing human well-being through improved ecosystem services. Nevertheless, predicting restoration outcomes remains challenging, with many initiatives failing to achieve their intended objectives. Our research aims to leverage ecological knowledge to address the complexities of restoration, conservation, and invasive plant management, primarily within freshwater wetlands. Key themes of our current research include examining the impacts of hydrology on wetland plant communities and ecosystem services, assessing the distribution and control of invasive plant species, developing seed-based restoration techniques for wetlands and prairies, and evaluating the effectiveness of compensatory wetland mitigation policies.