Richard A. Voldseth

Title: Research Ecologist*
Unit: Center for Research on Ecosystem Change
Previous Unit: Ecology & Silviculture of the Lake States Forests
Address: Northern Research Station
1831 Hwy 169 East
Grand Rapids, MN 06514

*Please note that this person is no longer an employee of the Northern Research Station.

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Education

• PhD Biological Sciences (Ecology), South Dakota University, 2004
• M.S. Range and Wildlife Management (Range Ecology and Soils), Sul Russ State University, 2001
• B.S. Forest Resources (Forest Ecology and Silviculture), University of Minnesota. 1991

Civic & Professional Affiliations

Society of American Foresters, Society of Wetland Scientists, International Association for Landscape Ecology, U.S., The International Association for Ecology, American Geophysical Union

Current Research

Long term soil productivity (LTSP) in aspen ecosystems of the northern Great Lakes Region. Development of an understanding of how organic matter removal and changes in soil porosity affect a site's productive carrying capacity and sustainability of biomass production.

Characterization and hydrologic modeling of seasonally flooded wetlands in northern mixed-hardwood ecosystems and wetlands of the Prairie Pothole Region. Development of single basin and landscape scale mathematical models of wetland hydrology, incorporating land use and climate change as model variables.

Why is This Important

Management activities and / or disturbances such as climate change, can impact existing natural systems in complex ways. How the landscape is managed and interactions with natural and anthropogenic disturbance have important implications for the quality and quantity of ecosystem goods and services, we as a society benefit from. Such impacts can have far reaching effects on water yield and quality, erosion, pest outbreaks, quality and quantity of wood production, and habitat quality for wildlife. The overall questions: How do forest systems change and what are the effects on productivity, given disturbance or management activities? How can we tailor land use or management activities in the face of disturbance, to achieve healthy, functioning ecosystems while maintaining desired ecosystem benefits?