<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Gathany_1.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 234px; float: right;" />Dr. Mark Gathany brings a rare combination of expertise to the Au Sable Institute, as well as to his students at Cedarville University, as a scientist with a Ph.D. in ecology, formal training and certification in conservation biology, and a specialist in ecosystem science and biogeochemistry. &nbsp;Remarking on his own work, Mark says, &ldquo;The overall objective of my research is to develop our understanding of nutrient cycling and energy flow within ecosystems. &nbsp;Within this framework I study carbon and nitrogen dynamics in response to disturbances (such as fire) and changing land use (urbanization, agriculture, forestry).&nbsp;&rdquo; Mark&rsquo;s studies of the effects of wildfire on carbon storage in western forests has received support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and he has participated in studies that are part of the National Science Foundation&rsquo;s (NSF) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. His publications have appeared in scientific journals like <em>Forests</em>, <em>Global Change Biology</em>, and the <em>International Journal of Wildland Fire</em>, and his current research is examining the effects of forest fragmentation on wildlife disease transmission.&nbsp;</p>
