Adam Smith, Ph.D.
Ecologist
Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development
office phone: + 1 (314) 577-9473 x76314
email:
adam.smith@mobot.org
Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110
USA
Education
Ph.D., Energy and Resources, University of California, Berkeley, 2009
M.A., Ecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006
B.A., Biology, McPherson College, 1994
I am concerned about the rapidity with which humans are removing biological diversity from the Earth and the consequences of a depauperate biosphere for human wellbeing. My current research involves estimating the climate change vulnerability of threatened plant species of the North American Central Highlands (the Ozarks, Ouachitas, and Tennessee’s Central Basin). In previous work I have addressed the transferability of species distribution models across timespans relevant to conservation; community assembly; applications of the species-area relationship in conservation; and marine conservation policy. Much of my research involves modeling and field work.
Web Pages
Personal web pageAvailable upon request
Smith, A.B. In press. On evaluating species distribution models with random background sites in place of absences when test presences disproportionately sample suitable habitat. Diversity and Distributions. Smith, A.B. In press. The relative influence of temperature, moisture, and their interaction on range limits of mammals over the past century. Global Ecology and Biogeography Morelli, T.L., A.B. Smith, C. Kastely, I. Mastroserio, C. Moritz, and S. Beissinger. 2012. Anthropogenic refugia ameliorate the severe climate-related decline of a montane mammal along its trailing edge. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 279: 4279-4286. Barnosky, A.D, E.A. Hadly, J. Bascompte, E.L. Berlow, J.H. Brown, M. Fortelius, W.M. Getz, J. Harte, A. Hastings, P.A. Marquet, N.D. Martinez, A. Mooers, P. Roopnarine, G. Vermeij, J.W. Williams, R. Gillespie, J. Kitzes, C. Marshall, N. Matzke, D.P. Mindell, E. Revilla, A.B. Smith. 2012. Approaching a state-shift in Earth’s biosphere. Nature 486: 52-58. Smith, A.B. 2011. "Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals," "International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling," and "Sea Shepherd Conservation Society" in Encyclopedia of Environmental Issues, Salem Press, Pasadena. Smith, A.B. 2010. Caution with curves: Caveats for using the species-area relationship in conservation. Biological Conservation 143: 555-564. Harte, J., A.B. Smith, and D. Storch. 2009. Biodiversity scales from plots to biomes with a universal species-area curve. Ecology Letters 12: 798-797. Sandel, B. and A.B. Smith. 2009. Scale as a lurking factor: Incorporating scale-dependence in experimental ecology. Oikos 118: 1284-1291. Smith, A.B. 2009. "World Conservation Union" and "Dolphins and Porpoises" in Ducth, S.I (ed.) Encyclopedia of Global Warming, Salem Press, Pasadena. Harte, J., Z.T. Zillo, E. Conlisk, and A.B. Smith. 2008. Maximum entropy and the state variable approach to macroecology. Ecology 89: 2700-2711. Srinivasan, U.T., S.P. Carey, E. Hallstein, P.A.T. Higgins, A.C. Kerr, L.E. Koteen, A.B. Smith, R. Watson, J. Harte, and R.B. Norgaard. 2008. The debt of nations and the distribution of ecological impacts from human activities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 105: 1768-1773. Harte, J., E. Conlisk, A. Ostling, J.L. Green, A.B. Smith. 2005. A theory of spatial structure in ecological communities at multiple spatial scales. Ecological Monographs 75: 179-197. Lloyd-Smith, J.O., P.C. Cross, C.J. Briggs, M. Daugherty, W.M. Getz, J. Latto, M.S. Sanchez, A.B. Smith, and A. Swei. 2005. Should we expect population thresholds for wildlife disease? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20: 511-519.