John Poulsen is a forest community ecologist and conservation biologist, with interests in statistics and R programming. His research primarily addresses how human disturbances modify the abundance and composition of vertebrate communities and the knock-on effects on forest composition and structure.  He uses a combination of large-scale field observations, experiments, and modeling to try to answer questions that are relevant to both ecological theory and environmental management. Most of John's work has been conducted in the tropics, particularly Central Africa. 

John joined the Nicholas School of the Environment in Fall 2012. His career in the environment started with fighting forest fires in Montana, but quickly shifted abroad. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali, directed a community reserve in Congo rumored to house the last living dinosaur, managed a brigade of 30 armed ecoguards, and advised the Gabonese government on its low emissions development strategy. John received his PhD from the University of Florida. A more precise description of these experiences and others can be found in his CV.