Jennifer Breen
Email: jbreen2@wisc.edu

I am from Theresa, NY, a small town near the Thousand Islands of Northern New York. In December 2013, I graduated from Paul Smith’s College (Paul Smiths, NY, near Saranac Lake) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry. My research interests include the plant physiology and ecological interactions of invasive plants, both aquatic and terrestrial. The restoration process of turning brown fields, old agricultural fields, and other barren or degraded areas back into a viable ecological community is of great interest to me. Many of my work experiences include treating invasive species, and I hope to continue with this work after finishing school. Currently, I am in my second year as M.S.L.A student.
My thesis involves a comparison of fen characteristics on fens with shrub cover and fens without shrub cover, specifically Red-Osier Dogwood and Glossy Buckthorn to see if there are differences in the fen characteristics. I am working closely with David Bart on his project with fens. I will focus on depth to water table levels, volumetric water content, soil temperature, extractable nitrogen and phosphorus content of the soil, hydraulic conductivity, and plant diversity to determine if there is a correlation of fen quality with shrub cover.