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Research Team

PI
Dr. Brad Christoffersen
CV
Associate Professor, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences
bradley.christoffersen@utrgv.edu
Phone: 956-665-2468
Office: ESCNE 1.340
Lab: 1.412

MS Student
Fabrizio Pilco
Research: Soil moisture dynamics in cover cropping systems

MS Student
Catarina Miranda
Research: Mechanisms of seedling recruitment and survival in primary and secondary forests

Undergraduate Student
Haley Olvera
field seedling surveys
Former Lab Members
Graduate Students

MS in Biology - 2024
Lance Santos
Thesis: A nursery study of the interplay between soil texture, rooting space, and nurse plants on seedling growth and root development in woody species of Tamaulipan thornscrub
current: Lecturer, UTRGV

MS in Biology - 2023
Manish Gautam
Thesis: Soil moisture dynamics in cover cropping systems: From local to global scales
current: PhD student in Entomology, University of Arkansas

MS in Biology - 2022
co-advised by Alejandro Fierro
Douglas Mainhart
Thesis: Influence of pretreatments on physiological status and post-planting survival of thornforest seedlings in a restoration context
current: Ecological Restoration Specialist at Archewild

MS in AESS - 2022
Zarek Contreras
Thesis: Quantifying and predicting drought performance in woody semi-arid seedlings in south Texas: implications for enhancing drought resilience in restoration
current: Vegetation Specialist, Welby Solutions LLC

MS in Biology - 2021
Clif Albrecht
Thesis: Winners and losers in reforestation efforts in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and the predictive power of xylem anatomy on long-term growth and survival
current: PhD student Stephen F. Austin

MS in Biology - 2020
Mylen Arias
Thesis: Discerning competitive vs. facilitative relationships of weeds on forest restoration efforts at La Sal del Rey, TX
current: Senior Manager, American Forests
Former Lab Members
Undergraduates & High School Students

Undergraduate Student - 2022-2024
Selma Mendez
native plant care & outreach

Undergraduate student - 2021
Samantha Martin
seedling phenological responses to drought
UTRGV MS AESS graduate - 2024

High School student - 2020
UTRGV High Scholars Program
Maryam Khalil
Quantitative xylem anatomy of native woody plants

High School student - 2020
UTRGV High Scholars Program
Daniela Garcia
Quantitative xylem anatomy of native woody plants

Undergraduate student - 2019
Stephany Mendez
weeds and community diversity in reforestation settings

Undergraduate student - 2018-2019
Kayla de Leon
xylem hydraulic conductivity of native seedlings

Undergraduate student - 2018-2019
Krys Salazar
nurse plants and seedling germination in reforestation settings

Undergraduate student - 2018-2019
John Cortinas
native plant care
Current: Research Assistant, Boston Children's Hospital
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