Susan Kalisz

Susan Kalisz is a Research Professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research focuses on plant ecology, invasion biology, and evolutionary dynamics, with particular emphasis on mutualism disruption by invasive species, plant mating systems, and the impacts of herbivores such as white-tailed deer. She leads the Kalisz Lab (http://kaliszlab.weebly.com/) and has conducted long-term experimental studies on forest understory dynamics.

Her work integrates field experiments, genomic analyses, and demographic modeling to explore how invasive species alter native plant communities and mutualistic relationships. Key themes include allelopathy in invasive plants, deer-induced ecological cascades, and the evolutionary consequences of selfing vs. outcrossing reproductive strategies.

Publications highlight her contributions to understanding phenological shifts under climate change, the role of pollinator predators in plant reproduction, and the genomic basis of floral trait variation. Her research has been supported by collaborative grants from NSF and other agencies, addressing topics like mutualism reorganization in the Anthropocene and the physiological mechanisms of invasion success.