How does buckthorn invasion and litter affect decomposition of native wildrye (Elymus spp.) grasses used in understory restoration? It’s one of the questions ϾƷ alumna Kara Lamoreux ’24 explored in her senior capstone project. Her research article, “” was published in the Restoration Ecology Journal on Oct. 5.
“I tend to move through life thinking about the connections between everything,” Lamoreux said.
Lamoreux’s research unexpectedly took shape during a 2023 summer internship with Mike Schuster, an assistant professor of biology at ϾƷ. She gained experience in ecological field work and invasion ecology and learned about buckthorn plant traits. When it came time to choose a capstone topic, she said buckthorn was the species she felt most comfortable researching.
Lamoreux worked with Schuster to identify research needs and gaps in knowledge about buckthorn ecology.
“Right now, management efforts include revegetation with native species after buckthorn removal. It was unknown how those species' litter interacted with buckthorn litter, which can have major implications for soil quality, plant communities and more,” Lamoreux said.
Her study examined decomposition using buckthorn and wildrye litter in three settings: buckthorn- invaded areas, areas where buckthorn had been removed, and areas where it had been removed and native species were reseeded. Her findings showed that actively restoring plant communities can slow nitrogen cycling, even as buckthorn litter increased wildrye decomposition.
“This project adds to the growing line of evidence showing how incorporating native seeding into buckthorn management leads to healthier ecosystems,” Schuster said. “We can simultaneously suppress invasion of buckthorn and other non-native species while reversing some of the severe impacts that species has on our forest soils.”
Schuster supported Lamoreux throughout her research journey, first as her professor in several ecology courses, and later as her senior capstone advisor. He helped her method design, data collection, statistical analysis, and writing. Her project also received funding through the Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests Center (MITPPC) as part of a larger grant Schuster secured.
“Kara's research experience illustrates ϾƷ's commitment to building impactful, real world experiences with our students. Ultimately, this experience was a key step in Kara unlocking a path to graduate school, and it wouldn't have been possible without ϾƷ's strong commitment to collaborative student research,” Schuster said.
Lamoreux also credited her ecology and inclusivity in STEM coursework with helping her develop collaboration and science communication skills.
“Something I valued was how most of the coursework was team-based, which gave me opportunities to collaborate and compromise on complex tasks,” she said.
Lamoreux is now pursuing a master’s degree in natural resource science and management at the University of Minnesota, where she is studying remote detection of invasive round leaf bittersweet. She said her undergraduate research experience helped prepare her for graduate school by teaching her how to conduct literature reviews, identify gaps in knowledge, and design experiments.
For students interested in research, Lamoreux recommends starting with a conversation.
“Talk to your professors. They want to help you develop these skills,” she said. “Even if a professor might not have direct research overlap with your interests, they will likely know someone who does.”
She added Summer Collaborative Undergraduate Research (SCUR) as an opportunity for students to develop and create a research project over the summer.
Schuster said ϾƷ's summer collaborative research program is one of the most influential experiences a student can carry with them after graduation.
“When a student expresses an interest in doing research in our area of study, we are more than happy to embark on that journey of discovery together," Schuster said. "Pipers really have unrivaled access to their professors and to summer research opportunities, and as many of our alumni can attest, it is a massive asset in pursuing the next steps in their careers. So much of today's job market relies on experiences."