Wetland & Riparian Ecology

Dr. Margaret Gale, Professor & Dean
School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Michigan Technological University

Education

B.S., Forestry, Michigan Technological University
M.S., Forest Management, Michigan Technological University
Ph.D., Production Ecology, University of Minnesota

Research and Teaching Interests

Dr. Gale’s research focuses on the ecology of wetlands and riparian areas within the Upper Great Lakes Region. She most recently is working with her graduate students on projects assessing the genetic variability of wetland plants in the Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Ontario and the contribution of vegetation to nitrogen processes within riparian zones. She has served as co-principal investigator or project director for more than $1.1 million in extramural research supported by DOE, USDA-NRI, US Forest Service, and National Council for Air and Stream Improvement. She has authored or co-authored over 30 presentations at scientific and ecology conferences, published over 40 papers in the peer-reviewed literature and advised 21 M.S. and 6 Ph.D. research theses. Dr. Gale has taught courses in wetland ecology, research methods in natural resources, forest management, and senior capstone for forestry and applied ecology majors.

Related Activities

Co-editor 10th North American Forest Soils Conference Proceedings
Water Quality Review Committee – Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Clean Water Act Task Force – Society of American Foresters
Interim Dean, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech

Selected Publications

Gale, M.R., R.F. Powers, and J.B Boyle (eds). 2004. Tenth North American Soils Conference Proceedings. Forest Ecology and Management. (in Review).

Trettin, C.C., McLaughlin, J.W., M.F. Jurgensen, and M.R. Gale. 2004. Soil carbon recovery and site productivity after harvesting a forested wetland Forest Ecology and Management. In Review.

Kudray, G.M. and M.R. Gale. 2000. Evaluation of national inventory maps in a heavily forested region in the Upper Great Lakes. Wetlands 20:581-587.

McLaughlin, J.W., M.F. Jurgensen, M.R. Gale, and C.C. Trettin. 2000. Soil organic matter and nitrogen cycling in response to harvesting, mechanical site preparation, and fertilization in a wetland with a mineral substrate. Forest Ecology and Management 129:7-23.

Gale, M.R., J.W. McLaughlin, M.F. Jurgensen, C.C. Trettin, T. Soilsepp, P.O. Lydon. 1998. Plant community responses to harvesting and post-harvest manipulations on a Picea-Larix-Pinus wetland with a mineral substrate. Wetlands 18:150-159.

Trettin, C.C., M.F. Jurgensen, D.F. Grigal, M.R. Gale, and J.J. Jeglum (eds). 1997. Northern Forested Wetlands: Ecology and Management. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Fl. 486pp.