Sara Webb, Ph.D.
Hall of Sciences 104; phone x3550
email: swebb at drew.edu

Professional Biography

Dr. Sara Webb is a forest ecologist who teaches ecology, botany, and environmental science courses at Drew University. She received her Ph.D. in Ecology 1986, her M.S. in Ecology and Forest Resources in 1983 from the University of Minnesota, and her B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from Macalester College in 1976.

Many of her scientific articles were coauthored by undergraduate students who are active and valued collaborators in her research program. Students and former students have also joined Dr. Webb in presenting research at scientific conferences.

Sara's major research interests include forest disturbance by windstorm and fire; biological invasions by Norway maple and other introduced plants; and the preservation of old growth forests. At present she has research projects underway in New Jersey and in northern Minnesota. She has also published research findings about lichen ecology; forest responses to acid rain; seed dispersal by animals; paleoecology; and female-friendly pedagogy. Dr. Webb makes presentations about environmental research and problems to both scientific and citizen groups.

At Drew University she directs the Environmental Studies Program and the Zuck Arboretum and Drew Forest Preserve, and she has helped to lead the development of the campus’ ecologically sensitive landscaping policies. Dr. Webb has served on grant-reviewing panels for the National Science Foundations’ Ecology Program and for the USDA, and she regularly provides scientific reviews for several scholarly journals. She lives with her husband and daughter near the university campus.

Selected Recent Publications ( * = student coauthor)

Hunter, M.L. Jr., and S.L. Webb. 2002. Enlisting taxonomists to survey poorly-known taxa for biodiversity conservation: a lichen case study. Conservation Biology 16:660-665.

Webb, S.L., T.H Pendergast IV*, and M.E. Dwyer*. 2001. Response of native and exotic maple seedling banks to removal of the exotic, invasive Norway maple (Acer platanoides). Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 128:141-149.

Webb, S.L., and S.E. Scanga*. 2001. Windstorm disturbance without patch dynamics: twelve years of change in a Minnesota forest. Ecology 82:893-897. With data supplements published in Ecological Archives E082-011.

Webb, S.L., M.E. Dwyer*, C.K. Kaunzinger*, and P.H. Wyckoff*. 2000. The myth of the resilient forest: case study of the invasive Norway maple. Rhodora 102:332-354.

Webb, S.L. 1999. Disturbance by wind in temperate-zone forests. Chapter 7, pp.187-222 in: L. Walker, editor: Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground. Elsevier Science Press.

Glenn, M.G., Webb, S.L., and Cole, M.S. 1998. Forest integrity at anthropogenic edges: air pollution disrupts bioindicators. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51:163-169.

Glenn, M.G., M.S. Cole, S.L. Webb, and C.M Hale. 1998. Corticolous lichens and bryophytes: preliminary surveys of old growth and managed northern hardwoods stands in Minnesota. Lichenographia Thomsoniana: North American Lichenology. (Glenn, Harris, Dirig, and Cole, editors). Mycotaxon Ltd., Ithaca NY.

Glenn, M.G. and S.L. Webb. 1997. Lichens as indicators of forest integrity. Bibliotecha lichenologia 68:155-164.

Wyckoff, P.H.*, and S.L. Webb. 1996. Understory influence of the invasive Norway maple. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 123:197-205.

Recent Conference Presentations ( * = student presenter or coauthor)

Hazuri, Rema, & Sara Webb. 2006. Comparative demography of Acer saccharum and its invasive congener Acer platanoides " in the Drew University Forest Preseve:" presented at the Ecological Society of America's Midatlantic Conference, April 8, 2006, New Jersey School for Conservation.

Tartaglia, .Elena S*., Tiffany R. Mauro*, Lucy M. Rubino*, and Sara L. Webb. 2004. Growth, recruitment, and mortality in Norway and sugar maple seedling banks: synchrony and divergence over a six year period. Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, March 2004, University of Connecticut.

Rubino. Lucy* (presenter), Sara Webb, and Steve Passafaro*. 2003. Comparison of sympatric native and invasive maples: five years of seedling bank dynamics. Ecological Society of America, Meeting, August 2003, Savannah GA.

Rubino. Lucy*, Sara Webb, and Steve Passafaro.* 2003. Comparative seedling demography of invasive Norway maple and native sugar maple. Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, April 2003, Rutgers University.

Marty, Becky (presenter), Sara Webb, and Paul Conklin. 2003. Conservation of old growth pine forests: effects of prescribed fire and windstorms. Society for Conservation Biology, Annual Meeting, June 2003, Duluth, Minnesota.

Webb, S.L. 2002. Weeds in the woods: impact of invasive plants on natural ecosystems. Keynote address, Symposium on Invasive Species Management, co-sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council and the Northeastern Weed Science Society. Jan. 8, 2002, Philadelphia.

Webb, S.L. 2000. The invasive Norway maple: effects on forest structure and diversity. Symposium on Creating Sustainable Landscapes: Plants to Plant, Plants to Avoid. Bar Harbor, Maine, October 2000.

Pendergast, T.H. IV* (presenter), M.E. Dwyer*, S.R. Passafaro*, and S.L. Webb. 2000. Experimental removal of invasive Acer platanoides seedlings and canopy trees: responses of native Acer saccharum and invasive Acer platanoides seedling banks. Ecological Society of America, Annual Meeting in Snowbird, Utah, August 2000. ESA Abstracts p.322-323.

Webb, S.L. 1999. The myth of the resilient forest: case study of the invasive Norway maple. Symposium on the New England Flora for 100th Anniversary of Rhodora (journal), Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Webb, S.L. 1999. Windstorms and the dynamics of old-growth forests of Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Fifth Eastern Old Growth Forest Conference, Duluth, Minnesota.

Webb, S.L. 1998. Disturbance, diversity, and old growth forests. Old Growth Forest Definitions Symposium, Harvard Forest, Petersham, Massachusetts.