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Fields of study
Ecology, theoretical ecology, tropical ecology, agroecology
Academic background
Ph.D., University of Michigan: Post Doc, University of Chicago, Faculty member at U-M since 1971.
Graduate students
David Allen, Doug Jackson, Aley Joseph, Heidi Liere, David Marvin, Emily Sluzas, Aaron Iverson, Leslie McGinnis
Vandermeer Lab home page
News
New faculty book: Nature’s Matrix
Professors John Vandermeer and Ivette Perfecto have published a groundbreaking book, “Natures Matrix: Linking Agriculture, Conservation and Food Sovereignty.” They propose a radically new approach to the conservation of biodiversity based on recent advances in the science of ecology as well as political realities, particularly in the world’s tropical regions.
According to the book’s preface, their analysis stems from the current (and probably future) nature of tropical landscapes as being mainly fragments of natural habitat surrounded by a ‘sea’ of agriculture. Recent ecological theory shows that the nature of those fragments is not nearly as important for conservation as the nature of the matrix of agriculture and other management systems that surround them.
"We wrote this book partly to inform the conservation community that recent advances in basic ecological theory force their activities into a more expansive framework, especially with regard to the structure of tropical agriculture. Especially in a world where a billion people go hungry every night despite overproduction of almost all agricultural commodities, we want people to realize that the conservation of biodiversity and the struggle for food sovereignty are two sides of the same coin."
Vandermeer is the Asa Gray University Professor in EEB, Perfecto is the Charles Willis Pack Professor in the School of Natural Resources and Environment, and their co-author Angus Wright is emeritus professor of environmental studies at California State University Sacramento. For further information and to order the book, visit Earthscan, publishing for a sustainable future.
Vandermeer appointed University Professor
John H. Vandermeer has been appointed as the Asa Gray Distinguished University Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology by the U-M Board of Regents effective September 1, 2009. Appointment to a Distinguished University Professorship is one of the most coveted honors conferred by the university upon a member of its faculty.
Asa Gray (1810-1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. He was instrumental in unifying the taxonomic knowledge of the plants of the North American continent. He was appointed a professor at the University of Michigan in 1838, but resigned before visiting Ann Arbor and served at Harvard from 1842 to 1873. Gray knew and corresponded with Charles Darwin and was one of Darwin's supporters, not only in support of the theory of evolution in the U.S., but also in solidarity with Darwin's extensive connections with and support for the abolitionist movement.
Professor Vandermeer received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1969. After a postdoctoral position at the University of Chicago he was professor of biology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook before returning to U-M. He has made significant contributions in his three major areas of research: theoretical ecology, tropical rain forest ecology, and agricultural ecology. He is unique in his ability to integrate between them, particularly in his central role in the development of the rigorous ecological theory that now underpins the understanding of complex agroecosystems and the inevitability of surprise in complex ecosystems more generally. His most recent work has shed light on the role of complex systems and spatial dynamics in ecosystem function, emphasizing the coffee agroecosystem as a model system.
The appointment recognizes Vandermeer’s extensive and outstanding scholarly achievements, his commitment to excellence in education for his students, and his extensive contributions to the University of Michigan and far beyond.
Vandermeer wins Imes and Moore Faculty Award
Professor John Vandermeer will receive the 2009 Imes and Moore Faculty Award for exceptional contributions toward recruiting and mentoring graduate students in the natural sciences who come from disadvantaged and non-traditional backgrounds. His service record in this area is longstanding and outstanding, according to Professor Terrence J. McDonald, Dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
A certificate of recognition and $3,000 will be presented at the fall meeting of the LSA faculty on October 5, 2009. “It gives me great pleasure to see you selected for this well-deserved honor for which you were nominated by your Chair,” the award letter from McDonald states.
“It is great that the University of Michigan recognizes the value of this sort of activity,” said Vandermeer. “If universities are to act as agents of social change, which I believe they should, non-traditional recruiting and mentoring should be promoted as an important part of that agency.”
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