John E. Carlson

John E. Carlson serves as a Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Pennsylvania State University. His research bridges genomic science with forest conservation efforts, focusing on hardwood tree species critical to ecological and economic systems.

His work centers on genomics, conservation genetics, and biotechnology applications for forest management. Key investigations include identifying genes controlling growth traits, drought tolerance, and pest resistance in oaks, chestnut, ash, and willow species. Current projects examine genotype-phenotype-environment interactions to develop climate adaptation strategies, notably featured in a March 2025 NSF report on white oak conservation for timber and distilling industries.

Analysis of his 2019-2021 publications reveals a concentrated effort on genomic resource development for threatened tree species. His team produces reference genomes for restoration breeding (chestnut, ash), analyzes adaptive divergence in oaks, and investigates transcriptomic responses to environmental stressors. This work integrates evolutionary biology, stress physiology, and conservation genomics to address forest ecosystem resilience against invasive pests and climate change.