Bradley Cardinale

Bradley Cardinale serves as Professor and Department Head of Ecosystem Science and Management at Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences. His research focuses on the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in natural systems, as well as the ecological design of human-engineered systems that benefit from native species and biodiversity. With over 130 peer-reviewed publications and more than $38 million in grant funding, Cardinale ranks among the world's most highly cited researchers in Environment/Ecology since 2014.

Cardinale's research interests span biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships, species interactions in freshwater ecosystems, and applications to biofuel production and ecosystem restoration. His work examines how biodiversity loss affects ecosystem services across multiple spatial scales and trophic levels, with particular attention to stream and river ecosystems. Recent projects investigate the impacts of human pressures on biodiversity-multifunctionality relationships in Neotropical wetlands and the role of biodiversity in algal biofuel systems.

His publication record shows a consistent focus on biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships across various ecosystems, with increasing attention to applied conservation contexts. Recent work demonstrates sophisticated multi-trophic approaches and global comparative studies examining latitudinal patterns in biodiversity effects. Cardinale frequently publishes in high-impact journals including Nature, Nature Ecology and Evolution, and Science Advances.

Cardinale has received significant recognition for his contributions to ecological science:

• Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Fellow of the Ecological Society of America (ESA)
• Highly Cited Researcher in Environment/Ecology (2014-present)

With over $38 million in research funding, Cardinale leads major collaborative projects including work on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and international research on stream ecosystem functioning across latitudinal gradients. His research program bridges fundamental ecological theory with practical applications for conservation and restoration.