Dominik Kulakowski
Research Assistant Professor
The George Perkins Marsh Institute
Clark University
Worcester, MA 01610-1477
508.793.7336 phone
email: dkulakowski@clarku.edu
Current Research Interests
Professor Dominik Kulakowski earned a M.S. in Ecology from Pennsylvania State University in 1997, and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado in 2002. Prior to coming to Clark University he was a research associate and lecturer with the University of Colorado, Department of Geography, from 2002-2007, and a research associate with the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos, Switzerland, a division of the Alpine Environment, from 2004-2005.
- Interactions among disturbances in forest ecosystems, especially how previous disturbances affect the spread and severity of subsequent distrubances and how compunding disturbances affect ecosystem dynamics.
- The influence of biophysical variables and infrequent disturbances on the dynamics of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides).
- Historical Range of Variability, particularly of the forests of the Rocky Mountains.
- Effects of distrubances on the relative importance of stress and competition to ecosystem development.
- Applying GIS and dendroecology to study forest dynamics and landscape change.
Selected Publications
Schoennagel, T., T.T. Veblen, D. Kulakowski, A. Holz. In press. Multidecadal climate variability and climate interactions affect subalpine fire occurrence, western Colorado (USA). Ecology.
Rixen, C., S. Haag, D. Kulakowski and P. Bebi. In press. Natural distrubance modulates plant diversity and species composition in subalpine forest. Journal of Vegetation Science.
Kulakowski, D. and T.T. Veblen. In press. Effect of prior distrubances on the extent and severity of a 2002 wildfire in Colorado subalpine forests. Ecology.
Romme, W.H., J. Clement, J. Hicke, D. Kulakowski, L.H. MacDonald, T.L. Schoennagel and T.T. Veblen. 2006. Recent forest insect outbreaks and fire risk in Colorado forests: A brief synthesis of relevant research. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado Forest Restoration Institute.
Kulakowski, D., T.T. Veblen and B.P. Kurzel. 2006. Influences of infrequent fire, elevation and pre-fire vegetation on the persistence of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in the Flat Tops area, Colorado, USA. Journal of Biogeography 33: 1397-1413.
Kulakowski, D., C. Rixen and P. Bebi. 2006. Changes in forest structure and in the relative importance of climatic stress as a result of suppression of avalance disturbances. Forest Ecology and Management 223 nos. 1-3: 66-74.
Bigler, C., D. Kulakowski and T.T. Veblen. 2005. Multiple distrubance interactions and drought influence fire severity in Rocky Mountain subalpine forests. Ecology 86 no. 11: 3018-3029.
