Beth Leger headshot outdoors.

Elizabeth Leger

Director of the Museum of Natural History | Foundation Professor

Summary

I am interested in the population biology of plants. I work on local adaptation and rapid evolution of native and invasive species, and am interested in how genetic variation (below the species level) affects the distribution and abundance of species. I also work with plant-animal interactions, and am currently interested in how nutrients and herbivory interact to affect competitive relationships between plants.

In addition to my work on plant population biology, I do projects that gather basic ecological data about rare species, natural communities, and invasive species control, providing information that is necessary to make appropriate management and restoration decisions.

Education

  • B.A., Lewis and Clark College, 1996
  • Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 2004; Graduate Group in Ecology