Erica Smithwick

Professor of Geography

Erica Smithwick

Research Summary

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

Huck Affiliations

Publication Tags

Nitrogen Climate Change Carbon Climate Planning Sulfur Ecosystem Water Ecosystems Turnover Phenology Deer Biofuels Grazing Quercus Basalt Greenhouse Gases Oak Forests Prescribed Burning Forage Herbivores Effect Rate Biodiversity

Most Recent Publications

Quantifying spatial patterns of grass response to nutrient additions using empirical and neutral semivariogram models

Erica Smithwick, Douglas Baldwin, K Naithani,

Estimating Root Zone Soil Moisture Across the Eastern United States with Passive Microwave Satellite Data and a Simple Hydrologic Model

Douglas Baldwin, Salvatore Manfreda, Henry Lin, Erica Smithwick, Remote Sensing on p. 2013

Public and manager perceptions about prescribed fire in the Mid-Atlantic, United States

Hong Wu, Zachary D. Miller, Rui Wang, Katherine Y. Zipp, Peter Newman, Yau Huo Shr, Cody L. Dems, Alan Taylor, Margot W. Kaye, Erica A.H. Smithwick, 2022, Journal of Environmental Management

Interactions between landscape and local factors inform spatial action planning in post-fire forest environments

Jamie L. Peeler, Erica A.H. Smithwick, 2021, Landscape Ecology on p. 3523-3537

Landscape-Scale Forest Reorganization Following Insect Invasion and Harvest Under Future Climate Change Scenarios

Stacey K. Olson, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Melissa S. Lucash, Robert M. Scheller, Robert E. Nicholas, Kelsey L. Ruckert, Christopher M. Caldwell, 2021, Ecosystems on p. 1756-1774

Simulated fire regimes favor oak and pine but affect carbon stocks in mixed oak forests in Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Anthony Zhao, Alan H. Taylor, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Margot Kaye, Lucas B. Harris, 2021, Forest Ecology and Management

Prescribed fire alters structure and composition of a mid-Atlantic oak forest up to eight years after burning

Cody L. Dems, Alan H. Taylor, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Jesse K. Kreye, Margot W. Kaye, 2021, Fire Ecology on p. 1-13

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, 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. 21968-21977

Seed source pattern and terrain have scale-dependent effects on post-fire tree recovery

Jamie L. Peeler, Erica A.H. Smithwick, 2020, Landscape Ecology on p. 1945-1959

Patch-scale selection patterns of grazing herbivores in the central basalt plains of Kruger National Park

Cyanne Young, Hervé Fritz, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Jan A. Venter, 2020, African Journal of Range and Forage Science on p. 199-213

Most-Cited Papers

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, 2014, Ecology on p. 2224-2235

Improving the representation of roots in terrestrial models

Erica A.H. Smithwick, Melissa S. Lucash, M. Luke McCormack, Gajan Sivandran, 2014, Ecological Modelling on p. 193-204

Representing climate, disturbance, and vegetation interactions in landscape models

Robert E. Keane, Donald McKenzie, Donald A. Falk, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Carol Miller, Lara Karena B. Kellogg, 2015, Ecological Modelling on p. 33-47

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, 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. 21968-21977

Root stress and nitrogen deposition: Consequences and research priorities

Erica A.H. Smithwick, David M. Eissenstat, Gary M. Lovett, Richard D. Bowden, Lindsey E. Rustad, Charles T. Driscoll, 2013, New Phytologist on p. 712-719

Regional scale patterns of fine root lifespan and turnover under current and future climate

M. Luke McCormack, David M. Eissenstat, Anantha M. Prasad, Erica A.H. Smithwick, 2013, Global Change Biology on p. 1697-1708

Reconstructing disturbances and their biogeochemical consequences over multiple timescales

Kendra K. McLauchlan, Philip E. Higuera, Daniel G. Gavin, Steven S. Perakis, Michelle C. Mack, Heather Alexander, John Battles, Franco Biondi, Brian Buma, Daniele Colombaroli, Sara K. Enders, Daniel R. Engstrom, Feng Sheng Hu, Jennifer R. Marlon, John Marshall, Matt McGlone, Jesse L. Morris, Lucas E. Nave, Bryan Shuman, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Dunia H. Urrego, David A. Wardle, Christopher J. Williams, Joseph J. Williams, 2014, BioScience on p. 105-116

Predicting root zone soil moisture with soil properties and satellite near-surface moisture data across the conterminous United States

D. Baldwin, S. Manfreda, K. Keller, E. A.H. Smithwick, 2017, Journal of Hydrology on p. 393-404

Deer feeding selectivity for invasive plants

Kristine M. Averill, David A. Mortensen, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Eric Post, 2016, Biological Invasions on p. 1247-1263

Growth and survival relationships of 71 tree species with nitrogen and sulfur deposition across the conterminous U.S.

Kevin J. Horn, R. Quinn Thomas, Christopher M. Clark, Linda H. Pardo, Mark E. Fenn, Gregory B. Lawrence, Steven S. Perakis, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Douglas Baldwin, Sabine Braun, Annika Nordin, Charles H. Perry, Jennifer N. Phelan, Paul G. Schaberg, Samuel B.St Clair, Richard Warby, Shaun Watmough, 2018, PLoS One

News Articles Featuring Erica Smithwick

Jan 26, 2023

Smithwick appointed new director of Earth and Environmental Systems Institute

Erica Smithwick, distinguished professor of geography, has been named director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute at Penn State, effective Jan. 1.

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Dec 30, 2022

This group of ‘science moms’ is working to make a cleaner, better future for their children: ‘Moms have superpowers’

As everyone is aware, moms always know best. And now, one group of climate scientist moms is sharing their expert knowledge to help parents and kids understand our planet’s warming temperatures.

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Nov 01, 2022

Fighting fire with fire: Study gauges public perception of prescribed burns

Setting planned, controlled fires — or prescribed burns — on landscapes can reduce wildfire risks and support habitat restoration, but to be successful these policies also require public support.

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Jul 13, 2021

Macalady named Ecology Institute director

Microbe expert Jennifer Macalady replaces outgoing director Erica Smithwick, who oversaw the research unit for the past five years.

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Aug 25, 2020

Advanced biofuels show promise for replacing some fossil fuels

Plant-based biofuels can play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and growing these crops in certain landscapes offers net climate benefits compared to other land use options, according to a team of international scientists.

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Jul 15, 2020

Ecology Institute announces grant recipients

The Ecology Institute has awarded 11 proposals from across the University as part of its Flower Grant program, including five projects submitted by faculty at Commonwealth Campuses.

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Jun 05, 2020

The Penn State Ecology Community is Committed to Combatting Racism and Injustice

The leadership of the Penn State Ecology community wishes to express solidarity with marginalized members of our society, and has prepared the following statement of support to all those who struggle against systemic injustices. We can and must do better.

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Apr 01, 2020

Proposals being accepted for ecology research funding

The Ecology Institute announced a call for proposals for its Flower Grant program. The funds aim to support ecology research focused across the institute’s five core themes: resilience and adaptation; provision of ecosystem goods and services; ecology at the interface; rapid evolutionary change; and ecological foundations.

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Jun 19, 2019

South African forests show pathways to a sustainable future

Native forests make up one percent of the landscape in South Africa but could play a key role in reducing atmospheric carbon and identifying sustainable development practices that can be used globally to counter climate change, according to a Penn State researcher.

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