Véronique Bonnet, PhD			240 West Prospect Ft. Collins, CO 80526 Phone: FAX:
	Postdoctoral Researcher, Contractor with MATCOM
	Conducts research on fire ecology, currently studying the competitive interactions and the spatial distribution of ponderosa pine regeneration in areas burned by the Jasper Fire (Black Hills, South Dakota), with Dr. Anna Schoettle.

Educational Background

1998-2001: Ph-D. “Biologie des populations et des écosystèmes” – University of Aix-Marseille III (France) – Defense October 29th 2001 – distinction: Mention Tres Honorable Title of research subject: “Analyse spatiale et fonctionnelle de la réponse des communautés végétales aux incendies en basse provence calcaire“ - “Spatial and functional analysis of post-fire plants community response in lower calcareous Provence“
1997: Post Graduate Degree (gained after 5 years of French Higher Education) “Ecosystèmes Continentaux Arides Méditerranéens et Montagnards“ - University of Aix-Marseille III – distinction: Mention Bien Title of research subject: “Analyse de la diversité et de l'organisation des communautés végétales de l'archipel du Frioul (Marseille) - Approche multi-échelles et impact des perturbations” - “Analysis of plant diversity and community organization on the Frioul archipelago (Marseille) – multi-scale approach and impact of disturbance”
1996: Master of science’s degree “Biologie des Populations et des Ecosystèmes“ - University of Aix-Marseille III
1995: Bachelor of Science “Biologie des Organismes, option Enseignement“ – University of Aix-Marseille III

Professional Experience

December 2001-December 2003: Postdoctoral Research, MATCOM (Fort Collins, CO), located at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service.

May 2000-April 2001: Researcher contract at the “CNRS Marseille, I.M.E.P.“ – Scientific coordinator: T. Tatoni

July 1999–April 2000: Floristic data capture for “Inflovar“ association – Scientific coordinator: Y. Orsini

February-June 1999: Botanical instructor of the Sainte-Victoire park rangers (Syndicat Intercommunal Ste-Victoire – Henri Marsch): vegetal anatomy, use of determination keys, flora protection status, post-fire recolonisation strategies, post-fire management.

July 1998: Search for rare and/or protected flora for the National Park of Mercantour (Haut Verdon, France) – Scientific coordinator: J.L. Pardi

February 1998-February 1999: Data capture for a Museum’s herbarium (Museum d’Histoire Naturelle d’Aix-en-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, France) – Scientific coordinator: G. Cheylan

Selected Recent Publications

Bonnet V., Dutoit T., Tatoni T. 2002. Spatial gradients of vegetation and soil in the calcareous Provence (France). In: Trabaud, L. and R. Prodon, eds. Fire and Biological Processes. Backhuys publishers : 303-314.

Bonnet V., Vidal E., Medail F., Tatoni T. 1999. Diachronic analysis of floristic changes on a mediterranean periurban archipelago (îles du Frioul, Marseille). Revue d’Ecologie (La Terre et la Vie). 54: 3-18 (in french).

Vela E., Bonnet V. 2000. Après le feu de l’Etoile. Bull. Soc. Linn. Provence.

Vidal E., Bonnet V. 1997. Use of nest materials by Yellow-legged Gull. Consequences on vegetation of their colonies. Alauda, 65: 301-305 [in french]

Vidal E., Medail F., Tatoni T., Bonnet V. 2000. Seabirds drive plant species turnover on small Mediterranean islands at the expense of native taxa. Oecologia. 122: 427-434.

Vidal E., Medail F., Tatoni T., Bonnet V. 1997. Yellow-legged Gull impact on orivencal natural areas. Faune de Provence. 18: 47-53 (in french).

Vidal E., Roche P., Bonnet V., Mante A. 2000. Habitats selection and nest density distribution in a colony of Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans. Proceedings of Medmaravis, Malta: Monitoring and conservation of Birds, Mammals ans Sea Turtles of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, 124-132.

Vidal E., Roche P., Bonnet V., Tatoni T. 2001. Nest-density distribution patterns in a large Yellow-legged gull colony. Acta Oecologica. 22: 245-251.

POST-FIRE ESTABLISHMENT AND REGENERATION OF PINUS PONDEROSA IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND COMPETITIVE INTERACTIONS

Ponderosa pine is known as a fire adapted species because it benefits both from the changes incurred by fire on soil chemical properties and from the openings fire creates on the landscape. In 2000, the Jasper Fire burned 34 000 ha of Ponderosa pine forests in the Black hills of South Dakota. The objective of our studies is to characterize the spatial post-fire establishment of Ponderosa pine seedlings in relation to environmental conditions and influences of competitive interactions. We are examining the spatial distribution of the post-fire Ponderosa pine regeneration characteristics, environmental conditions and floristic patterns. Twenty-two transects each traversing from an unburned to the center of a burned area have been installed. To compliment this field survey, we are testing the effects of competition on Ponderosa pine seedlings with controlled experiments in the greenhouse and manipulative studies in the field. The preliminary results suggest that Ponderosa pine regeneration after fire is not only dependent on dispersal distance and environmental conditions, but is also linked to inter- and intra-competitive pressure.