Donald Drake

Donald Drake is a Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, School of Life Sciences, and currently serves as Interim Director of Lyon Arboretum. His research focuses on plant ecology, particularly reproductive ecology and its implications for conservation. Key interests include seed dispersal dynamics, impacts of invasive species on plant populations, and restoration ecology. Recent work examines how changing animal communities affect plant recruitment in Hawaiian ecosystems.

Dr. Drake’s research spans decades, with studies on seed predation by invasive rodents, pollination biology of native Hawaiian plants, and the effects of climate change on alpine plant communities. His interdisciplinary approach integrates field observations, experimental studies, and conservation applications. The Lyon Arboretum serves as a key field site for his work on Hawaiian flora and ecosystem dynamics.

Notable themes in his publications include invasive species impacts, seed dispersal networks, and climate change implications for conservation strategies. He emphasizes the role of ecological interactions in shaping community resilience and restoration potential. While his research is highly collaborative, no specific grants or funding sources are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts.

Dr. Drake currently cannot accept new graduate students but has advised many researchers in the past, contributing to conservation and ecological understanding in island ecosystems.