Faculty/Staff Directory

Todd

Aschenbach

aschenbt@gvsu.edu

Professor

2200N Kindschi Hall of Science

616-331-3097

Ecological Restoration, Wildland Fire Management, Soils

Society for Ecological Restoration
Association for Fire Ecology
Soil and Water Conservation Society

ENS 311: To Bee or Not to Bee: Honey Bees and Social Impact
NRM/BIO 230 Introduction to Wildland Fire Management
NRM 281 Principles of Soil Science
NRM/BIO 386 Ecological Restoration and Management
NRM 407 and BIO 417 Natural Resources and Society/International Field Biology (South Africa Study Abroad)
NRM/BIO 430 Advanced Wildland Fire Management
NRM/BIO 486 Restoration Ecology
NRM 495 Trends in Natural Resources Management (Capstone)

My research interests focus on ecological restoration - the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. Specifically, I evaluate the role of wildland fire in the restoration and maintenance of plant communities (e.g., reducing non-native species, increasing native species).  I have conducted restoration research in a variety of plant communities including wetlands, prairies, longleaf pine savanna, and western forests. My current research investigates how changes in prescribed fire season and order of application modify plant and soil dynamics in the prairies and savannas of West Michigan and Wisconsin.

Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 2005 
M.A. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 2000
B.S. Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 1994

Nyamai, P.A., T.A. Aschenbach, and J. Heslinga. 2020. Restoration on Private Lands: A Case Study Examining Responses to Restoration Treatments in an Oak-pine Barrens Ecosystem in Western Michigan, USA. American Midland Naturalist 184:149-162.

Pitman, Z.T.* and T.A. Aschenbach. 2019. Simulated fire season and temperature affect spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) dominance, native species establishment, and soil (±)-catechin levels in a Michigan tallgrass prairie. Ecological Restoration 37:246-255. *GVSU Biology Graduate Student

Roos, R.C.* and T.A. Aschenbach. 2016. The initial effects of community variables on sand prairie restoration: Species establishment and community responses. The Michigan Botanist 54:92-123. *GVSU Biology Graduate Student

Aschenbach, T.A. and P. R. McGhan. 2015. The application of prescribed fire and herbicide to reduce Carex pensylvanica cover at the Newaygo Prairies Research Natural Area, Manistee National Forest, Michigan. Ecological Restoration 33:352-355.

Aschenbach, T.A. and M. Poling*. 2015. Initial plant growth in sand mine spoil amended with organic materials. Ecological Restoration 33:197-206. *GVSU Biology Undergraduate

Aschenbach, T.A., E. Brandt*, M. Buzzard*, R. Hargreaves*, T. Schmidt*, and A. Zwagerman*. 2012. Initial plant growth in sand mine spoil amended with peat moss and fertilizer under greenhouse conditions: Potential species for use in reclamation. Ecological Restoration 30:5058. *GVSU Biology Undergraduate.

Aschenbach, T.A., B.L. Foster, and D.W. Imm. 2010. The initial phase of a longleaf pine-wiregrass savanna restoration: Species establishment and community responses. Restoration Ecology 18:762-771.

Foster, B.L., C. Murphy, K. Keller, T. Aschenbach, E. Questad and K. Kindscher. 2007. Restoration of prairie community structure and ecosystem function in an abandoned hayfield: A sowing experiment. Restoration Ecology 15:652-661.

Aschenbach, T.A. and K. Kindscher. 2006. Plant species on salt-affected soil at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 3/4:207-213.

Aschenbach, T. 2006. Variation in growth rates under saline conditions between Pascopyrum smithii (western wheatgrass) and Distichlis spicata (inland saltgrass) from Kansas and Nebraska for use in the restoration of salt-affected plant communities. Restoration Ecology 14:21-27.

Aschenbach, T.A. 2006. The economics of restoration: Calculating a price-to-establishment ratio for prairie species (Kansas). Ecological Restoration 24:109-110.

Kindscher, K., T. Aschenbach, and S.M. Ashworth. 2004. Wetland vegetation response to the restoration of sheet flow at Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas. Restoration Ecology 12:368-375.

Aschenbach, T.A. and K. Kindscher. 2003. Comparison of planting treatments in a tallgrass prairie restoration. Pages 44-48 in S. Foré, editor. Proceedings of the 18th North American Prairie Conference: Promoting Prairie, 23-27 June 2002. Truman State University, Kirksville, MO.

Taylor, O.R., T.A. Aschenbach, S.M. Ashworth, O. Komar, W.W. Spotts, and S. Williamson. 2000. Magnetic compass orientation of Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus L.): Did observer effects  lead to false positive results? Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 73:71-76.

Aschenbach, T. November 2020. Ecological Restoration Research in West Michigan. Kalamazoo Nature Center Annual Meeting, Kalamazoo, MI (virtual presentation).

Aschenbach, T. February 2020. Building a University Wildland Fire Program. The 6th Annual Burning Issues Workshop, Lake States Fire Science Consortium, Fort Custer Training Center, Augusta, MI.

Aschenbach, T. October 2019. Prescribed Fire and Ecological Restoration in West Michigan. Michigan Consortium of Botanists Annual Meeting, Muskegon, MI.

Aschenbach, T. April 2019. Restoration in Michigan: Integrating Teaching, Research, and Management. The 11th Annual Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Pella, IA.

Aschenbach, T. and P. McGhan. April 2018. Sand prairie restoration at the Newaygo Prairies Research Natural Area, Manistee National Forest, Michigan. The 10th Annual Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Stevens Point, WI.

Aschenbach, T. February 2018. Grassland Restoration in Michigan. Purdue University Northwest, Hammond, IN.

Aschenbach, T. March 2017. Assembling the Community Assemblers: Restoration Education at GVSU. The 9th Annual Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Grand Rapids, MI.

Aschenbach, T. March 2017. The “Perfect” Burn: Defining What Success Means To You or Your Organization. The 3rd Annual Burning Issues Workshop, Lake States Fire Science Consortium, Fort Custer Training Center, Augusta, MI.

Aschenbach, T.A. and R. Roos. August 2015. Mediation of Plant Community Dynamics using Variable Grass Seeding Densities in a Sand Prairie Restoration in Michigan, USA. The 6th World Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Manchester, UK.

Aschenbach, T. and P. Ruta McGhan. March 2015. Site Preparation for Sand Prairie Restoration at the Newaygo Prairies Research Natural Area, Manistee National Forest, Michigan. The 7th Annual Meeting of the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, Chicago, IL.

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