Jonathan Horton, Ph.D.
Professor, Department Chair, and Interim DirectorContact Information
- jhorton@unca.edu
- 232-5152
- 303 Zeis Hall
Dr. Horton's research focuses on plant physiological ecology, especially the response of plants to abiotic and biotic stressors. His research has taken him from the southern Appalachian Mountains to the Sonoran Desert and back again. Most recently, Dr. Horton has been collaborating with scientists from Appalachian State University, Warren Wilson College, and Western Carolina University investigating the effects of climate change, disturbance, and fire on forest ecosystems in the Southern Appalachians. He has collaborated with colleagues in the Biology Department on the conservation biology or rare and threatened plants. He is also collaborating with colleagues at the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Park Service to investigate the health of forest trees in response to non-native insect invasions and novel silvicultural practices. Additionally, his research investigates the characteristics that make invasive species successful and the interplay between mycorrhizae and their plant symbionts. His interest in desert plant adaptations leads him to teach a field-based Desert Ecology class in alternating summers.
Education
- Ph.D. in Forestry from Northern Arizona University
- M.S. in Biology from Appalachian State University
- B.S. in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill
Courses Taught
- BIOL 125 Principles of Biology
- BIOL 126 Principles of Biology Lab
- BIOL 134 Experimental Design, Analysis, and Presentation
- BIOL 136L Principles of Cellular and Molecular Biology Lab
- BIOL 211 Principles of Botany
- BIOL 211L Principles of Botany Lab
- BIOL 298 Introduction to Research Methods
- BIOL 345 Plant Physiology
- BIOL 345L Plant Physiology Lab
- BIOL 356 Desert Ecology
- BIOL 357 Mycology
- BIOL 357L Mycology Lab
- BIOL 398 Research Methods in Biology
- BIOL 442 Forest Ecology
- BIOL 442L Forest Ecology Lab
- BIOL 480 Senior Seminar
- BIOL 498 Undergraduate Research in Biology