Pacific Southwest Research Station

Education

B.A. Aquatic Biology, 1987, University of California, Santa Barbara
M.S. Botany, 1996, University of Hawaii, Manoa
Ph.D. Botany, 1999, University of Hawaii, Manoa

Research Interests/Duties

Ecophysiology, restoration wcology, functional ecology, tropical dry ecosystems, grass invasions, Hawaiian ecosystems

Current Emphases, Studies, Projects

Selected Publications

• Inman-Narahari, F., Ostertag, R., Cordell, S., Giardina, C., Kehauwealani-Nelson, K., and Sack, L. In press. Recruitment limitations and habitat associations of native tree seedlings: neutral and niche processes in low-diversity Hawaiian rainforest. Ecosphere
• Kellner, J.R. Asner, G.P., Ambagis, S., Cordell, S., Thaxton, J, Kinney, K.M., Kennedy-Bowdoin, T., Knapp, T., Questad, E. 2012. Historical Land-Cover Classification for Conservation and Management in Hawaiian Subalpine Drylands.  Pacific Science 66: 457-466.
• Questad, E., Thaxton, J.M., Cordell, S. 2012. Patterns and consequences of re-invasion into a Hawaiian dry forest restoration. Biological Invasions 14:2573-2586.
• Thaxton, J.M., S.Cordell, R.J. Cabin and D.R. Sandquist. 2012. Non-native grass removal and shade increase soil moisture and seedling performance during Hawaiian dry forest restoration. Restoration Ecology. 20 (4) 475-482.
• Kellner, J.R., Asner, G.P., Kinney, K.M., Loarie, S.R., Knapp, D.E., Kennedy-Bowdoin, T., Questad, E., Cordell, S., and Thaxton, J.M. 2011. Remote analysis of biological invasion and the impact of enemy release. Ecological Applications. 21(6) 2094-2104.
• Holl, K.D., Zahawi, R.A., Cole, R.J., Ostertag, R., and Cordell, S. 2011. Restoration Ecology. Planting seedlings in tree islands versus plantations as a large-scale tropical forest restoration strategy. Restoration Ecology. 19 (4) 470-479.
• Adkins, E.N., Cordell, S., and Drake, D.R. 2011. The germination ecology of Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass), an invasive African bunchgrass in Hawaii. Pacific Science. 65, 17-25.
• Thaxton, J.M., Cole, T.C., Cordell, S., Cabin, R.J., Sandquist, D.R., and Litton, C.M. 2010. Native species regeneration following ungulate exclusion and non-native grass removal in remnant Hawaiian Dry Forest. Pacific Science. 64, 533-544.
• Inman-Narahari, F., Ostertag, R., Cordell, S., Giardina, C., Sack, L. 2010. A comparison of digital and paper data collection methods for mapping and measuring trees in tropical forest plots. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 1, 274-279.
• Cordell, S, Ostertag, R., Rowe, B., Sweinhart, L., Vasquez-Radonic, L., Michaud, J., Cole, T.C., Schulten, J.R. 2009. Evaluating barriers to native seedling establishment in an invaded Hawaiian lowland wet forest. Biological Conservation. 142, 2997-3004.
• Ostertag, R., Cordell, S., Michaud, J., Cole, T.C., Schulten, J.R., Publico, K.M., and Enoka, J.H. 2009. Ecosystem and restoration consequences of invasive woody species removal in Hawaiian lowland wet forest. Ecosystems. 12: 503-515
• Brooks, S., Cordell, S., Perry, L., 2009. Broadcast Seeding as a Potential Tool to Reestablish Native Species in Degraded Dry Forest Ecosystems in Hawaii. Ecological Restoration. 27, 300-305.
• Cordell, S., McClellan, M., Yarber Carter, Y. Hadway, L.J. 2008. Towards Restoration of Hawaiian Tropical Dry Forests: The Kaupulehu Outplanting Program. Pacific Conservation Biology.14: 279-284
• Cordell, S., and Sandquist, D.R. 2008. The impact of an invasive African bunchgrass (Pennisetum setaceum) on water availability and productivity of canopy trees within a tropical dry forest in Hawaii. Functional Ecology. 22: 1008-1017
• Ostertag, R. Giardina, C.P., and Cordell, S. 2008. Understory invasion of Eucalyptus plantations in relation to light and nutrient levels. Restoration Ecology 16:475-485
• Zimmerman N., Flint Hughes R., Cordell S., Hart P., Chang H.K., Perez D., Like R.K. and Ostertag R. 2008. Patterns of Primary Succession of Native and Introduced Plants in Lowland Wet Forests in Eastern Hawaii. Biotropica 40: 277-284
• Litton C.M., Sandquist D.R. and Cordell S. 2008. A non-native invasive grass increases soil carbon flux in a Hawaiian tropical dry forest. Global Change Biology 14: 726-739
• Sandquist D.R. and Cordell S. 2007. Functional diversity of carbon-gain, water-use, and leaf-allocation traits in trees of a threatened lowland dry forest in Hawaii. Am. J. Bot. 94: 1459-1469
• Giardina, C. P., Litton, C.M., Thaxton, J.M., Cordell, S., and Sandquist, D.R. 2007 Science driven restoration: A candle in a demon haunted world - Response to Cabin (2007). Restoration Ecology. 15: 171-176
• Fisher, J.B., Goldstein, G., Jones, T.J., and Cordell, S. 2007. Wood vessel Diameter is related to elevation and Ecotype in the tree Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae). American Journal of Botany.94: 709-715
• Cornwell, W. K., Bhaskar, R., L. Sack, L., and Cordell, S. 2007. Hydraulic strategies of Hawaiian Metrosideros polymorpha at high and low precipitation. Functional Ecology. 21: 1063-1071
• Wong, C.P. 2006. Hawaiian Lowland Wet Forests: Impacts of Invasive Plants on Light Availability, Advisors: Susan Cordell (1) and Rebecca Ostertag (2) Journal of Young Investigators. 6 (16): http://www.jyi.org/research/re.php?id=1080
• Litton, C.M., Sandquist, D.R., and Cordell, S. 2006. Aboveground live biomass in pristine, invaded and converted tropical dry forests of Hawai‘i. Forest Ecology and Management 231: 105-113
• Baskin, J.M., B. H. Davis, C. C. Baskin, S. M. Gleason, and S. Cordell. 2004. Physical dormancy in seeds of Dodonaea viscosa (Sapindales, Sapindaceae) from Hawaii. Seed Science Research 14: 81-90
• James, S. A., S. Cordell, C.F. Puttock, and R.P. Adams. 2004 Morphological and genetic variation within Metrosideros polymorpha (Myrtaceae) populations from different habitats on Hawai‘i. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 263-270
• Cordell, S.; Sandquist, D.R.; Litton, C.; Cabin, R.J.; Thaxton, J.; Hadway, L.; Castillo, J.M.; Bishaw, D. 2004. An invasive grass has significant impacts on tropical dry forest ecosystems in Hawaii: The role of science in landscape level resource management and native forest restoration in West Hawaii. In: Proceedings of the Society for Ecological Restoration annual meeting, 2004 August 24-27; Victoria, Canada
• Cabin, R.J., Cordell, S., Sandquist, D.R., Thaxton, J., Litton, C., 2004. Restoration of tropical dry forests in Hawaii: Can scientific research, habitat restoration and educational outreach happily co-exist within a small private preserve? In: Proceedings of the Society for Ecological Restoration annual meeting, 2004 August 24-27; Victoria, Canada
• Cordell, S., R.J. Cabin, R.J., and L.J. Hadway. 2002. Physiological ecology of native and alien dry forest shrubs in Hawaii. Biological Invasions 4:387-396
• Cordell, S., R.J. Cabin, S.G. Weller, and D.H Lorence. 2002. Simple and Cost-Effective Methods Control Fountain Grass in Dry Forests (Hawaii). Ecological Restoration 20: 139-140
• Cordell, S. 2002. Outplanting at Ka’upulehu; Restoring Native Hawaiian Dry Forests. Hawaii Landscape 6: 12-13
• Cabin, R.J., S.G. Weller, D.H. Lorence, S. Cordell, and J.J. Hadway. 2002. Effects of microsite, water, weeding and direct seeding on the regeneration of native and alien species within a Hawaiian dry forest preserve. Biological Conservation 104: 181-190
• Cabin, R. J., S. G. Weller, D. H. Lorence, S. Cordell, L. J. Hadway, R. Montgomery, D. Goo, and A. Urakami. 2002. Effects of light availability, alien grass control, and native species additions on the restoration of a degraded tropical dry forest in Hawai‘i. Ecological Applications 12:1595-1610