Matthew Aiello-Lammens

Faculty Bio

I am a ecologist with interests in conservation biology, plant ecology, demography, community dynamics, and quantitative methods. I am also dedicated to protecting natural places and biodiversity.

PhD, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 2014
Ecology and Evolution

BA, Columbia University, New York, New York, 2003
Physics

Research Interest

Ecology, plant ecology, invasion biology, global change biology, quantitative ecology

Grants, Sponsored Research and Contracts

Do forest pests and pathogens facilitate invasions of Tier 2 species?
Aiello-Lammens, M. E. & Rubbo, M. June 2026 - May 2029. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, State. Funded. This project will focus on determining if invasions by Tier 2 invasive species are facilitated by the presence of forests pests and pathogens.  Our hypothesis is that openings in the forest canopy created by pathogens/pests will provide a means for newly introduced invasive species to become established. We will identify forested locations in the Lower Hudson Valley with active infestations of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) and Beech Lead Disease (BLD).  These areas will represent a mix of infection status and/or duration.   At each location we will measure a suite of environmental variables including canopy cover, soil moisture, and leaf-litter depth.  We will also quantify the composition of understory and groundlayer vegetation.  These data will allow us to determine if Tier 2 invasive species are establishing in these areas.  These data will then be used to parameterize a model that can be used to identify potential locations of Tier 2 invasive species based on the presence of HWA and BLD and direct management efforts to prevent their expansion.

Past Courses

ENS 511: Plant Ecology and Conservation
ENS 610: Environmental Science I
ENS 623: Research & Statistical Methods
ENS 772: Thesis Preparation
ENS 792: Rsrch in Envrnmntl Sci I
ENS 793: Rsrch in Envrnmntl Sci II
ENS 798: Tpc: Environmental Science
ENV 100: Water, Wildlife and Windmills
ENV 110: Nature & Culture: Connections
ENV 221: Envrmntl Sci: Web of Life
ENV 498: Mentoring Seminar
ENV 499: Senior Year Exp/Environmental
EP 603: Envrnmntl Sci for Policymakers
EP 610: Cntmpry Issues in EP: Capstone
ESP 610: Prncples of Envrnmntl Sci
ESP 772: Thesis Preparation
ESP 792: Research 1
ESP 793: Research II
ESP 794: Cntmprry Envrnmntl Issues: Cps
LAW 802: Science for Env. Lawyers
MAT 141: Intro Stats for the Life Sci

Publications

A Brief Introduction to Species Distribution Modeling for Conservation Educators and Practitioners
Aiello-Lammens, M. E., Paz, A., Johnson, B. A., Blair, M. E. & Pearson, R. G. (2023). Lessons in Conservation. Vol 13 , pages 61-75. https://doi.org/10.5531/cbc.linc.13.1.5

Species Distribution Modeling for Conservation Educators and Practitioners
Aiello-Lammens, M. E., Anderson, R., Blair, M. E., Johnson, B. A., Kass, J., Meenan, S. I., Paz, A., Pearson, R. & Pinilla-Buitrago, G. E. (2023). https://doi.org/10.5531/cbc.ncep.0184

Data Science in Undergraduate Life Science Education: A Need for Instructor Skills Training
Emery, N. C., Crispo, E., Supp, S. R., Farrell, K. J., Kerkhoff, A. J., Bledsoe, E. K., O'Donnell, K. L., McCall, A. C. & Aiello-Lammens, M. E. (2021). BioScience. Vol 71 (Issue 12) , pages 1274-1287. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab107

Using global sensitivity analysis of demographic models for ecological impact assessment
Aiello-Lammens, M. E. & Akçakaya, H. R. (2017). Conservation biology. Vol 31 (Issue 1) , pages 116-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12726

The impact of sea‐level rise onSnowyPlovers inFlorida: integrating geomorphological, habitat, and metapopulation models
Aiello-Lammens, M. E., Chu‐Agor, M. L., Convertino, M., Fischer, R. A., Linkov, I. & Resit Akçakaya, H. (2011). Global Change Biology. Vol 17 (Issue 12) , pages 3644-3654. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02497.x

Professional Memberships

• New York Flora Association
• Torrey Botanical Society
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Ecological Society of America [Chair of Early Career Ecologists Section]
• Society for Conservation Biology