DYLAN G. FISCHER, PH.D. │Forest Ecosystem Ecologist
The Evergreen State College │ Olympia, WA │ 98505 │360-867-6509 │ fischerd@evergreen.edu │http://sites.evergreen.edu/fischer/
Google Scholar Profile Link/ Research Gate Link / YouTube Channel
EDUCATION
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.
PhD in Forest Science, 2005
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.
MS in Forestry, 2001
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
BS in Environmental Science and Botany, 1998
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
Sept. 2005 – present Faculty, Converted, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
PROFESSIONAL APOINTMENTS AND SERVICE
Jan. 2016 – Dec. 2020 Editor in Chief, Northwest Science (Journal), Northwest Scientific Association.
Sept. 2016 – June 2021 Affiliate Associate Professor, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington.
Sept. 2015 – June 2016 Planning Unit Coordinator (Dept. Chair), Environmental Studies, The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA 98505.
May 2005 – Sept. 2005 Post-Doctoral Assistant: School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
June 1999 – May 2005 Research Assistant: School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
Jan. 2002 – May 2002 Course Developer: Sustainable Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
TEACHING HISTORY
I have designed, taught, and led more than 20 distinct interdisciplinary programs in the fields of ecology, statistics, biogeochemistry, scientific writing, and field ecology over the past 20 years. Full descriptions of all programs can be found at this link:
http://sites.evergreen.edu/fischer/
PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS (*denotes undergraduate author or graduate mentee)
Full list available at: http://sites.evergreen.edu/fischer/ ; google scholar page link
DG Fischer, ZR Chamberlain, CE Cook, RA Martin, LO Mueller. 2024. Long-Term Patterns in Forest Soil CO2 Flux in a Pacific Northwest Temperate Rainforest. Forests 15: 161
Rex, I, DG Fischer, R Bartlett. 2023. A Decade of Understory Community Dynamics and Stability in a Mature Second-Growth Forest in Western Washington. Northwest Science 96:164-183.
Zobel, D.B., Antos, J.A. and Fischer, D.G., 2022. Community development by forest understory plants after prolonged burial by tephra. Plant Ecology, 222: 915-931
Zobel, D.B., Antos, J.A. and Fischer, D.G., 2021. Secondary disturbance following a deposit of volcanic tephra: A 30 year record from old-growth forest understory. Canadian Journal of Forest Research Just-IN https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2020-0473.
Antos, J.A., Zobel, D.B. and Fischer, D., 2021. Belowground morphology and population dynamics of two forest understory herbs of contrasting growth form. Botany 99: 569-580.
Hintz, L., Fischer, D., Ferrari, N. and Crisafulli, C.M., 2021. Vegetation dynamics under residual large trees following a volcanic eruption in a Valdivian temperate rainforest. Plant Ecology 222:915–931
*Waxwing, S.R., Fischer, D.G., Antos, J.A., Biswas, A. and Zobel, D.B., 2021. Long-term responses of forest-floor bryophytes buried by tephra in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Botany, 99:151-165.
LeRoy, C.J., Fischer, D., Schweitzer, J.A. and Bailey, J.K., 2020. Aphid Gall Interactions with Forest Tree Genotypes Influence Leaf Litter Decomposition in Streams. Forests, 11:182.
LeRoy, CJ and Fischer, DG 2019. Do genetically-specific tree canopy environments feed back to affect genetically specific leaf decomposition rates? Plant and Soil (DOI:10.1007/s11104-019-03952-y)
Fischer, D.G., Dickson, B.G., Whitham, T.G. and Hart, S.C., 2019. Self-similarity, leaf litter traits, and neighborhood predicting fine root dynamics in a common-garden forest. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 7, p.142.
Fischer, DG, Antos, JA, Biswas, A and Zobel, DB, 2019. Understorey succession after burial by tephra from Mount St. Helens. Journal of Ecology. 107:531–544. (DOI:10.1111/1365-2745.13052)
Chang, CC, CB Halpern, JA Antos, ML Avolio, A Biswas, JE Cook, R del Moral, DG Fischer, A Holz, RJ Pabst, ME Swanson, and DB Zobel. 2019. Testing conceptual models of early plant succession across a disturbance gradient. Journal of Ecology. 107:517–530 (DOI:10.1111/1365-2745.13120)
*Watt, AJ, DG Fischer, JA Antos, DB Zobel. 2018. Leaf-level physiology in four subalpine plants in tephra-impacted forests during drought. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 48: 431-441. (DOI:10.1139/cjfr-2017-0361)
Fischer, DG, CJ LeRoy, E Hersch-Green, C Dirks, RK Bangert, GM Wimp, JK Bailey, JA Schweitzer, SC Hart, G Allan, and TG Whitham. 2017. Tree genetics strongly affect forest productivity, but intraspecific diversity-productivity relationships do not. Functional Ecology. 31:520-529 (DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12733).
Fischer, DG, JA Antos, WG *Grandy, DB Zobel. 2016. A little disturbance goes a long way: 33-year understory successional responses to a thin tephra deposit. Forest Ecology and Management 382: 236-243
LeRoy, CJ, DG Fischer , WM *Andrews, L *Belleveau, CH Barlow, JA. Schweitzer, JK. Bailey, JC Marks, and JC Kallestad. 2015. Salmon carcasses influence genetic linkages between forests and streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. (DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-2015-0439).
*Brousil, M, C *Humann, DG Fischer. 2015. Plant-pollinator interactions in a northwest arum related to plant traits but not riparian forest management. Northwest Science. 89:297-307.
Fischer DG, Chapman SK, Classen AT, Gehring CA, Grady KC, Schweitzer JA, Whitham TG. 2014. Marschner Review: Plant genetic effects on soils under climate change. Plant and Soil. 379: 1-19
*Hill, KC, DG Fischer. 2014. Native-exotic species richness relationships across spatial scales in a prairie restoration matrix. Restoration Ecology. 22: 204–213
Kominoski, JS, JJ Follstad Shah, C Canhoto, DG Fischer, D Giling, E González, NA Griffiths, A Larrañaga, CJ LeRoy, MM Mineau, YR McElarney, SM Shirley, CM Swan, SD Tiegs. 2013. Forecasting functional implications of global changes in riparian plant communities. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 11: 423–432
*Lojewski NR, DG Fischer, JK Bailey, JA Schweitzer, TG Whitham, SC Hart. 2012. Genetic components to belowground carbon fluxes in a riparian forest ecosystem: a common garden approach. New Phytologist. 195:631-639.
*Kirsch, JL, DG Fischer, AN *Kazakova, A Biswas, RE *Kelm, DW *Carlson, CJ LeRoy. 2012. Diversity-Carbon Flux Relationships in a Northwest Forest. Diversity. 4:33-58.
*Bretherton, WD, JS Kominoski CJ LeRoy DG Fischer. 2011. Salmon carcasses alter leaf litter species diversity effects on in-stream decomposition. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 68:1495-1506.
*Elliott, CW, DG Fischer, CJ LeRoy. 2011. Germination of Three Native Lupinus Species in Response to Temperature. Northwest Science. 85:403-410
*Rook, EJ, DG Fischer, RD *Seyferth, JL *Kirsch, CJ LeRoy, S Hamman. 2011. Responses of Prairie Vegetation to Fire, Herbicide, and Invasive Species Legacy. Northwest Science. 85:288-302
LeRoy, CJ, DG Fischer, K *Halstead, M *Pryor, JK Bailey, JA Schweitzer. 2011. Fungal endophyte decelerates in-stream litter decomposition. Freshwater Biology. 56:1426-1433
Schweitzer, JA, DG Fischer, BJ Rehill, SC Wooley, SA Woolbright, RL Lindroth, TG Whitham, DR Zak, SC Hart. 2011. Forest gene diversity is correlated with the composition and function of soil microbial communities. Population Ecology. 53:35-46
Fischer, DG, SC Hart, JA Schweitzer, P Selmants, TG Whitham. 2010. Soil nitrogen availability varies with plant genetics across diverse river drainages. Plant and Soil. 331: 391-400.
*Lojewski, NR, DG Fischer, JK Bailey, JA Schweitzer, TG Whitham and SC Hart. 2009. Genetic basis of aboveground productivity in two native Populus species and their hybrids. Tree Physiology. 29: 1133–1142
Bailey, JK, JA Schweitzer, J Koricheva, MD Madritch, CJ LeRoy, BJ Rehill, RK Bangert, DG Fischer, G Allen, Thomas G Whitham. 2009. From Genes to Ecosystems: Synthesizing the Effects of Plant Genetic Factors Across Systems. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 364: 1607-1616
Schweitzer, JA, M D Madritch, JK Bailey, CJ LeRoy, DG Fischer, BJ Rehill, RL Lindroth, TG Whitham. 2008. Ecological impacts of foliar condensed tannins: a genes-to-ecosystem approach. Ecosystems. 11:1005-1020
Schweitzer, JA, JK Bailey, DG Fischer, CJ LeRoy, EV Lonsdorf, TG Whitham, SC Hart. 2008. Soil Microorganism-Plant Interactions; Heritable relationship between plant genotype and associated microorgansims.. Ecology. 89: 773–781
Bangert, RK, EV Lonsdorf, GM Wimp, S M Shuster, DG Fischer, JA Schweitzer, GJ Allan, JK Bailey, TG Whitham. 2008. Genetic structure of a foundation species: scaling community phenotypes from the individual to the region. Heredity. 100:121–131
Fischer, DG, SC Hart, CJ LeRoy, TG Whitham. 2007 Variation in belowground carbon fluxes along a Populus hybridization gradient. New Phytologist. 176: 415–425
Kovacs, ZI, CJ LeRoy, DG Fischer, S Lubarsky, W Burke. 2007 How do aesthetics affect our ecology? Journal of Ecological Anthropology. 10:61-65
Fischer, DG, SC Hart, BJ Rehill, RL Lindroth, P Keim, TG Whitham. 2006. Do high-tannin leaves require more roots? Oecologia 149:668–675
Whitham TG, Bailey JK, Schweitzer JA, LeRoy CJ, Fischer, DG, Lonsdorf E, Shuster SM, Lindroth RL, Hart SC, Allan GJ, Gehring CA, Keim P, Potts BM, Woolbright S. 2006. From Genes to Ecosystems: How Genes Structure Communities and Affect Ecosystem Processes. Nature: Genetics. 7:510-523
*Cox, G, DG Fischer, SC Hart, TG Whitham. 2005. Non-response of native cottonwood trees to water additions during summer drought. Western North American Naturalist. 65: 175-185
Whitham, TG, Lonsdorf E, Schweitzer JA, Bailey JK, Fischer, DG, Shuster SM, Lindroth RL, Hart SC, Allan GJ, Gehring CA, Keim P, Potts BM, Marks, J, Rehill BJ, DiFazio SP, LeRoy CJ, Wimp GM, and S. Woolbright 2005. “All effects of a gene on the world”: Extended phenotypes, feedbacks, and multi-level selection. Écoscience 12: 5-7.
Fischer, DG, SC Hart, TG Whitham, GD Martinsen, P Keim. 2004. Ecosystem implications of genetic variation in water-use of a dominant riparian tree. Oecologia 139:188-197.
Whitham, TG, WP Young, GD Martinsen, CA Gehring, JA Schweitzer, SM Shuster, GM Wimp, DG Fischer, JK Bailey, RL Lindroth, S Woolbright, CR Kuske. 2003. Community and ecosystem genetics: a consequence of the extended phenotype. Ecology 84: 559-573
Fischer, DG, TE Kolb, and LE Dewald. 2002. Changes in whole-tree water relations during ontogeny of Pinus flexilis and Pinus ponderosa in a high-elevation meadow. Tree Physiology. 22:675-685.
BOOK CHAPTERS AND BOOK REVIEWS
Fischer, DG 2014. The Outsiders; undergraduate research in a liberal arts institution. In: Roads Taken: The Professorial Life, Scholarship in Place, and the Public Good (R. Epp and W. Spellman, eds). Truman State University Press. Kirksville, Mo. USA.
Bailey, JK, JA Schweitzer, F Úbeda, M Zinkgraf, BM Fitzpatrick, J O’Reilly-Wapstra, BJ Rehill, CJ LeRoy, BM Potts, TG Whitham, MA Genung, DG Fischer, CC Pregitzer, A Keith. 2012. From Genes to Ecosystems: Emerging Concepts Bridging Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics. In Ecological Reviews: The ecology of plant secondary metabolites: from genes to landscapes. (eds Iason GR, Dicke M, Hartley SE.) Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Schweitzer, JA, JK Bailey, DG Fischer, CJ LeRoy, TG Whitham, SC Hart. 2012. Functional and heritable consequences of plant genotype on community composition and ecosystem processes. In Ecology and Evolution of Trait-mediated Indirect Interactions: Linking Evolution, Community, and Ecosystem. (eds Ohgushi T, Schmitz O, Holt RD). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
Whitham, TG, CA Gehring, LM Evans, CJ LeRoy, RK Bangert, JA Schweitzer, GJ Allan, RC Barbour, DG Fischer, BM Potts, JK Bailey. 2010. A Community and Ecosystem Genetics Approach to Conservation Biology and Management. In Molecular Approaches in Natural Resource Conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Fischer, DG, A *Kazakova. 2008. Book Review: Measuring Carbon Uptake in Forests and Farms. Environmental Practice.
IN PREP/REVISION
*RA *Martin, DG Fischer, Killingsworth, SZ, J *Mann, CJ LeRoy, W Kronland, A Biswas, J Lynch, and K *Hill. 2025. Temporal and scale-dependent prescribed fire effects on prairie plant communities. In Prep
Fischer, DG, and CM Crisafulli. 2021 Rapid recovery of ecosystems following a volcanic eruption in Patagonia. In Prep
Fischer, DG, CJ LeRoy, JK Bailey, JA Schweitzer, and A *Weber. 2021.Testing the genetic attenuation hypothesis; Populus genotypic effects decline from phenotype to ecosystem scales. In Prep
Fischer, DG, A Biswas, D Zobel, and J Antos. Old-growth forest floor carbon accumulation in the wake of the 1980 Mount St Helens eruption. In Prep
FUNDING AWARDS (SINCE 2004)
2022 The Effectiveness of trees in mitigating stormwater runoff in Western Washington Phase II (PI). ($213,120)
2018 The Effectiveness of trees in mitigating stormwater runoff in Western Washington (Co-PI). ($367,615)
2017 Ecological Forestry and Climate Viability Conference, USDA NIFA Award ($49,260)
2015 Continuing the Legacy of Mount St. Helens Research ($14,000)
2012 Instrumentation for an Environmental Analysis Laboratory; Murdock Charitable Trust; ($211,510.00)
2010 Merging Forest Ecological Data with Ground-Based LiDAR; Plato Trust: ($7,137)
2009 Merging TESC Ecological Data into Computer Visualizations; Plato Trust: ($8,824)
2008 Carbon Budget for a Diverse Lowland Puget Sound Forest. TESC Fund For Inovation. ($28, 121)
2006 Evergreen Ecological Observation Network (EEON). TESC Sponsored Faculty Research Grant. ($17,000)
2004 Community Genetics, Heritability & Evolution: Consequences of Extended Phenotypes (Major Contributor). Frontiers in Integrated Biological Research. NSF. ($5, 000, 000)
2004 Heritability of belowground communities: tree genetics and soil microbes (Major Contributor). Northern Arizona University Mission Research. ($35,000)
2004 ARCS Foundation Academic Achievement Award ($6000).
REVIEWER FOR
GRANTS: National Science Foundation (Ecosystems Panel), USDA (Energy Panel)
JOURNALS: Nature; Ecology Letters, Global Change Biology, Ecology, Ecosystems, Biology Letters, Plants, Tree Physiology, New Phytologist, Plant and Soil, Forests, Plants, Forest Ecology and Management, Oecologia, Photosynthesis Research, Annals of Forest Science, Soil Science Society of America Journal, Environmental Management, Plant and Soil, Annals of Botany, Forests, Frontiers in Environmental Science, Northwest Science.
SELECTED RECENT PRESENTATIONS
2022 How is carbon affected by active forest management for old-growth forest conditions? Steven Quick, Dylan Fischer, Michael Case. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC, Canada.
2021 Rapid recovery of ecosystems following a volcanic eruption in Patagonia, Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Salt Lake, UT/ Online. 2021
2017 Surviving and thriving: A global perspective on forest plant responses to volcanic tephra fall. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR
2016 Ecosystem genetics and riparian forest carbon flux: From common garden experiments to the field. School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington invited Seminar. Seattle, WA
2015 Do clear-cuts delay vegetation recovery following volcanic disturbance in comparison to old-growth forests?
2012 Riparian restoration and genetic diversity of a foundation tree along the principal river of the Southwest. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR
2010 Neighbor effects on fine root production in trenched trees, Fifth International Symposium on Physiological Processes in Roots of Woody Plants, August 8th to 12th 2010, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
2009 Pacific Northwest second-growth forest carbon dynamics in relation to plant community drivers. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Albuquerque, NM
2009 Relationships between ponderosa pine above-ground structure and below-ground fine root mass at three spatial scales. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Albuquerque, NM
2007 Fine root diversity, density, and phenology among native hybridizing riparian trees at multiple elevations. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. San Jose, CA.
2006 Genes to Ecosystems. Invited talk to the Washington Native Plant Society – South Sound Chapter, Olympia, WA.
2005 Decoupling of fine root production and total belowground carbon allocation. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Montreal, QB.
2004 The Hidden Belowground Response to Defence: Does High Defence Require More Roots? Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Portland, OR.
(REFERENECES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST)