Nathan Moore

Biography

I am a Ph.D. student in the Forest and Fire Ecology Lab at Auburn University and the Landscape Ecology Lab at the Jones Center at Ichauway, co-advised by Drs. Heather Alexander and Jeffery Cannon. My research examines understory vegetation and fuel dynamics, with broader interests in how disturbances shape ecosystem services. Previously, some of my work has included soil carbon storage, woody plant encroachment, and pyric herbivory. Outside of research, I enjoy aquaponics and maintaining aquariums. I am also a part owner of the Utah Jazz.

Favorite field site

My favorite field site is Fawn Lake Ranch, in the Nebraska Sandhills. This ranch is a vast 25,800-hectare Turner Institute property of grass-stabilized dunes and sub-irrigated wet meadows. Managed with adaptive bison grazing, it hosts diverse native plants and rich wildlife. The ranch’s contrasting sandy uplands and clay-rich wet meadows create a unique living laboratory for studying natural resource. Its sweeping prairie vistas, dynamic hydrology, and ecological importance make Fawn Lake a standout field site for exploring grassland ecology and climate-mitigation potential.

Map of field site

library(leaflet) leaflet() %>% addTiles() %>%
addMarkers(lng = -101.905742, lat = 42.498799, popup = “Turner Ranches: Fawn Lake Ranch”)

Resources

[Author’s photos and personal observations]