Faculty

Erica Smithwick

Professor of Geography

323 Walker
University Park, PA

Email eus17@psu.edu
Phone 814-865-6693
Pronouns She/Her

Overview

Understanding how a wide range of disturbances, especially fire, affect ecosystem function at landscape scales.

Areas of Expertise

Climate Change Keyphrases
Pinus Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Climate Change Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Prescribed Fire Keyphrases
Lodgepole Pine Keyphrases
Pennsylvania Keyphrases
Net N Mineralization Keyphrases
National Parks Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Modeling multifunctional landscape change in southern Kenya
Susan M. Kotikot, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Sarah E. Gergel, Jedidah Nankaya, Romulus Abila, Sep 2026, In: Ecological Informatics
Date: Sep 2026

AI-powered measurement verification and reporting system for agroforestry trees to estimate carbon sequestration potential
Edward Idun Amoah, Peter McCloskey, Rimnoma Serge Ouedraogo, John Chelal, Chelsea Akuleut, Binti Ibrahim Mwambumba, Brian Kipchirchir Meli, Christabel Akinyi Oyugi, Edna Santa Kibwanga, Eunice Kwamboka Cleophas, Fredrick Odhiambo Ochola, Catherine Njeri Wanjiru, Kelvin Morang’a, Lyon Wilson Mushir..., 2026, In: Sustainable Environment
Date: 2026

Historical land policies influence contemporary landscape patterns in agropastoral landscapes
Susan M. Kotikot, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Sarah Gergel, Jedidah Nankaya, Romulus Abila, Samson Mabwoga, Aug 2025, In: Landscape Ecology
Date: Aug 2025

Scaling Nature-Based Solutions for Fluvial Floods
Marina Howarth, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Lauren McPhillips, Alfonso Mejia, Mar 1 2025, In: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water
Date: Mar 1 2025

Heterogeneous Perceptions of Rainfall Patterns Among Agropastoral Land Users in Sub-Saharan Africa
Susan M. Kotikot, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Jedidah Nankaya, Sarah Gergel, Karl S. Zimmerer, Romulus Abila, 2025, In: Annals of the American Association of Geographers
Date: 2025

Mindfulness, gratitude and sharing are central to berry harvesting practice, sustainability and adaptation in rural Alaska
Megan Mucioki, Bronwen Powell, Helen Aderman, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Davin Holen, Casey Hamilton, Guangqing Chi, 2025, In: Ecosystems and People
Date: 2025

Observations of enhanced rainfall variability in Kenya, East Africa
Susan M. Kotikot, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Helen Greatrex, Dec 2024, In: Scientific reports
Date: Dec 2024

Barriers and opportunities for implementing prescribed fire
Erica A.H. Smithwick, Hong Wu, Kaitlyn Spangler, Mahsa Adib, Rui Wang, Cody Dems, Alan Taylor, Margot Kaye, Katherine Zipp, Peter Newman, Zachary D. Miller, Anthony Zhao, Dec 2024, In: Fire Ecology
Date: Dec 2024

Integrating Values to Improve the Relevance of Climate-Risk Research
Casey Helgeson, Klaus Keller, Robert E. Nicholas, Vivek Srikrishnan, Courtney Cooper, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Nancy Tuana, Oct 2024, In: Earth's Future
Date: Oct 2024

Building a mangrove ecosystem monitoring tool for managers using Sentinel-2 imagery in Google Earth Engine
Susan M. Kotikot, Olivia Spencer, Jordan R. Cissell, Grant Connette, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Allie Durdall, Kristin W. Grimes, Heather A. Stewart, Orian Tzadik, Steven W.J. Canty, Oct 1 2024, In: Ocean and Coastal Management
Date: Oct 1 2024

View All Publications →

Continued warming could transform greater yellowstone fire regimes by mid-21st century
Anthony L. Westerling, Monica G. Turner, Erica A.H. Smithwick, William H. Romme, Michael G. Ryan, Aug 9 2011, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Citations: 518

Predicting fine root lifespan from plant functional traits in temperate trees
M. Luke Mccormack, Thomas S. Adams, Erica A.H. Smithwick, David M. Eissenstat, Sep 2012, In: New Phytologist
Citations: 450

Potential upper bounds of carbon stores in forests of the Pacific Northwest
Erica A.H. Smithwick, Mark E. Harmon, Suzanne M. Remillard, Steven A. Acker, Jerry F. Franklin, Oct 2002, In: Ecological Applications
Citations: 229

Postfire soil N cycling in northern conifer forests affected by severe, stand-replacing wildfires
Erica A.H. Smithwick, Monica G. Turner, Michelle C. Mack, F. Stuart Chapin, Mar 2005, In: Ecosystems
Citations: 190

Spatial extrapolation
James R. Miller, Monica G. Turner, Erica A.H. Smithwick, C. Lisa Dent, Emily H. Stanley, Apr 2004, In: BioScience
Citations: 188

Variability in root production, phenology, and turnover rate among 12 temperate tree species
M. Luke McCormack, Thomas S. Adams, Erica A.H. Smithwick, David M. Eissenstat, Aug 2014, In: Ecology
Citations: 184

Robust paths to net greenhouse gas mitigation and negative emissions via advanced biofuels
John L. Field, Tom L. Richard, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Hao Cai, Mark S. Laser, David S. LeBauer, Stephen P. Long, Keith Paustian, Zhangcai Qin, John J. Sheehan, Pete Smith, Michael Q. Wang, Lee R. Lynd, Sep 8 2020, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Citations: 160

Inorganic nitrogen availability after severe stand-replacing fire in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem
Monica G. Turner, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Kristine L. Metzger, Daniel B. Tinker, William H. Romme, Mar 20 2007, In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Citations: 158

Improving the representation of roots in terrestrial models
Erica A.H. Smithwick, Melissa S. Lucash, M. Luke McCormack, Gajan Sivandran, Nov 10 2014, In: Ecological Modelling
Citations: 116

Seasonality of carbon emissions from biomass burning in a Zambian savanna
E. A. Hoffa, D. E. Ward, W. M. Hao, R. A. Susott, R. H. Wakimoto, Jun 20 1999, In: Journal of Geophysical Research
Citations: 110

View All Publications →