Daniel J. McGlinn

Daniel J. McGlinn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the College of Charleston, where he conducts research on ecological community assembly and biodiversity. He is affiliated with the Rita Hollings Science Center and leads the McGlinn Lab, which focuses on addressing questions about the spatial and temporal structure of biodiversity using macroecological analyses, field studies, and mathematical models. His work bridges theoretical ecology with practical conservation applications.

McGlinn earned his Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University and his B.S. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. His research focuses on the assembly of ecological communities in space and time, with particular interest in how fire and other disturbances shape community structure and diversity. He works primarily on plants and birds but applies cross-taxon perspectives to identify general community patterns. His lab develops and applies ecological theory to improve biodiversity conservation, with a strong emphasis on quantitative methods and open science practices.

McGlinn's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on biodiversity measurement across spatial scales, with particular emphasis on disentangling the effects of species abundance distribution, density, and aggregation on diversity patterns. His work increasingly integrates quantitative methods with field studies to address conservation challenges, as evidenced by his development of the 'Measurement of Biodiversity' (mobr) framework and R package.

• Changing Face of Coastal South Carolina: Building a Resilient Future - South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium $110,800. 2022
• Sabbatical Scholar Fellowship, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, $100,000. 2020-2021
• Below Ground Processes Proposal, DOE proposal, $150,000; PI: A. Strand, Co-PI: S. Pritchard. 2015-2018
• Greater Research Opportunities Fellowship, Environmental Protection Agency, $100,000, 2005-2008

McGlinn actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students, with several current and former advisees pursuing careers in ecology and conservation. He has successfully secured funding from multiple sources including federal agencies, state organizations, and internal university grants. His lab maintains strong collaborative ties with researchers worldwide, particularly through the development of the mobr R package and participation in large-scale biodiversity synthesis projects.

The McGlinn Lab is an ecological research group that addresses biodiversity questions using macroecological analyses, field studies, and mathematical models. The lab is particularly known for developing the 'Measurement of Biodiversity' (mobr) R package and its related theoretical framework, which has become influential in the field of biodiversity science. McGlinn and his team are advocates for more open, diverse, and inclusive scientific community practices.