Jeffrey Wayne Matthews

Jeffrey Wayne Matthews is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on wetland ecology, plant community dynamics, and ecological restoration. He has contributed to studies on invasive species management, biodiversity conservation, and the ecological impacts of human activities. His work integrates field observations with genomic analyses to address challenges in ecosystem restoration and species preservation.

Key research areas include wetland mitigation effectiveness, phylogenetic influences on plant species availability, and the ecological interactions between invasive plants like Phalaris arundinacea and native vegetation. Recent studies highlight the phenological mismatches in pollinator seed mixes compared to natural prairie remnants and compliance with regulatory standards in wetland mitigation projects.

• Recipient of the NACTA Educator Award (2018)
• Collaborated on datasets including 'RELIX' for Midwestern prairie remnants and 'Wetland compensation and β-diversity impacts'
• Active in interdisciplinary research with 67+ publications and 12 datasets archived

Led projects evaluating genetic diversity in narrow endemic species like Phlox pilosa, demonstrating expertise in both applied and theoretical aspects of conservation biology.