Books & Book Chapters

SGI’s Research team frequently contribute to scholarly books by authoring chapters, and many of our researchers are co-authors of scholarly books on the flora and fauna of the Southeastern United States.

Selected books and book chapters

• Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Arkansas. Gentry, J.L., G.P. Johnson, B.T. Baker, C.T. Witsell & J.D. Ogle, eds. 2013. University of Arkansas Herbarium, Fayetteville, Arkansas. 709 pp.

• Fire Ecology of Florida and the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Noss, R. F. (2018). University Press of Florida.

• Flora of the Southeastern United States. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium, North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, U.S.A.

• Flora of Virginia. Weakley, A.S., J.C. Ludwig, and J. F. Townsend. 2012. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth,TX.

• Forgotten Grasslands of the South: Natural History and Conservation. Noss, R. F. (2012). Island Press.

• Guide to the Vascular Flora of Tennessee. Chester, E. W., Wofford, B. E., Shaw, J., Estes, L. D., & Webb, D. H. (Eds.). (2015). University of Tennessee Press.

• Southeastern Grasslands: Biodiversity, Ecology, & Management. Witsell, C.T., T.L. Foti, & B.T. Baker. 2018. The Native Flora of Grasslands and Associated Woodlands in the Grand Prairie Ecoregion of Eastern Arkansas (Book Chapter). University of Mississippi Press.

• Tennessee-Kentucky Plant Atlas. Shaw, J., D. Estes, B. Ruhfel, A.B. Morris, and T.R. Littlefield. 2023. [S.M. Landry and K.N. Campbell (original application development), USF Water Institute. University of South Florida]. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Austin Peay State University, University of Michigan, Furman University, and Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission.

• Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Arkansas. J.D. Ogle, T. Witsell, & J.L. Gentry. 2021. Ozark Society Foundation Press. 520 pp.

• Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast. Cotterman, L., Waitt, D., & Weakley, A. (2019). Timber Press.

Peer reviewed publications

A significant part of SGI’s mission is to further the science behind understanding the biodiversity of the grasslands of the Southeastern U.S. Research staff work closely with other SGI staff to complement our restoration, native seed, tribal, and community engagement programs. Below is a base list of scientific publications that have undergone the rigorous peer-review process by other experts in relevant fields and published in scientific journals. Check back for updates and new publications on this page.

Selected scientific journal articles

• 2025. G. LeFevre, D. Estes, E. Rehm. Better reproductive success of an invasive thistle than its native relative under pollinator exclusion. Plant Biology.

• 2024. Witsell, T. and R. Lance. Clarification of the status of Crataegus ouachitensis (Rosaceae) and a reevaluation of its var. minor. Phytoneuron 2024-55: 1–14.

• 2024. Witsell, T., V.L. McDaniel, B.T. Baker, D.M. Zollner, G.L. De Jong, S.L. Hooks. Coefficients of conservatism for the vascular flora of Arkansas. Phytoneuron 2024-46: 1–99.

• 2023. Estes, D., Tracey, C., Zimmerman, E., Knapp, W., Vanderhorst, J., Singhurst, J., & Witsell, T. Riverscour ecosystems of eastern unglaciated North America: A review. Natural Areas Journal, 43(3), 148-168.

• 2022. Ciafre, C. M., Gienger, C. M., Rehm, E. M., & Estes, L. D. Deterministic and stochastic factors jointly drive plant community composition and diversity in isolated wetlands. Wetlands, 42(7), 1–11.

• 2022. Ciafre, C. M., & Estes, L. D. Two Coastal Plain Dichanthelium (Poaceae: Paniceae) Disjunct in Tennessee Grasslands and Their Conservation. Castanea, 87(1), 121–128.

• 2022. McDaniel, V.L., B. Baker, T. Witsell, & S.L. Hooks. 2022. Significant range extension of Streptanthus squamiformis (Brassicaceae), a Ouachita Mountain endemic. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 16(2): 559–563.

• 2022. Murphy, T. H., Harris, J., & Estes, L. D. Morphometric and Molecular Evidence Delimit Six Species in Clematis reticulata s.l. (Ranunculaceae: Clematis subg. Viorna). Systematic Botany, 47(3), 667–690.

• 2021. Noss, R. F., Cartwright, J. M., Estes, D., Witsell, T., Elliott, G., Adams, D., ... & Weakley, A. Improving species status assessments under the US Endangered Species Act and implications for multispecies conservation challenges worldwide. Conservation Biology, 35(6), 1715-1724.

• 2021. Soteropoulos, D.L., C.R. De Bellis, T. Witsell. Citizen science contributions to address biodiversity loss and conservation planning in a rapidly developing region. Diversity 13 (6):255.

• 2019. Lynch, D.T., T. Witsell, B.A. Rupar, W.C. Holimon, D.W. Bowman. The devil and the deep blue lake: How natural area acquisition and stewardship helps protect the major drinking reservoir in northwestern Arkansas. Natural Areas Journal 39(1): 78-89.

• 2011. Weakley, A. S., LeBlond, R. J., Sorrie, B. A., Witsell, C. T., Estes, L. D., Gandhi, K., ... & Ebihara, A. New combinations, rank changes, and nomenclatural and taxonomic comments in the vascular flora of the southeastern United States. Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 437-455.

• 2008. Estes, D., & Small, R. L. Phylogenetic relationships of the monotypic genus Amphianthus (Plantaginaceae tribe Gratioleae) inferred from chloroplast DNA sequences. Systematic Botany, 33(1), 176-182.

Technical Reports & Ecosystem Guides

Research experts at SGI are frequently asked to contribute working groups to further nation and region-scaled efforts to make recommendations for land management based on key species and proven management practices.

Selected Ecosystem Guides

Selected Technical Reports

• The Vascular Flora of Camp Nelson National Monument: Final Report. Krakowaiak, A. 2025. Published by the National Park Service.

• The Vascular Flora of Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument: Final Report. Krakowaiak, A. 2025. Published by the National Park Service.

• USFS Rare Plant Partnerships Final Report. [Seedbanking Globally Rare Grassland Plants of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest]. Krakowiak, A. 20225.

State wildlife action plans

Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan. 2025. Ceska, Jennifer. Live June 10, 2025. https://georgiawildlife.com/WildGeorgiaSWAP.

SGI staff are actively involved in State Wildlife Action Plans in Tennessee and Arkansas. These reports are still under review and public comment.

Graduate Researchers

SGI’s research staff serve on many student graduate research committees. Below is a list of our current and past graduate students whose scholarly work was supervised in part or whole by SGI researchers and contributed to SGI’s research work.

Current Graduate Students

• Josué Chevez-Sahona (Auburn University) - request poster

• Caroline Crews (Auburn University) - request poster

• Maya Lapp (University of Tennessee)

• Jack Looney (University of Arkansas)

• Gabby LeFevre (Austin Peay State University)

• Jared Gorrell (Austin Peay State University) - request poster

  • Project: “Flora and ecology of Shortleaf Pine-Oak Savannas of the Black Belt Ecoregion of Alabama."

Past Graduate Students

• Claire Ciafre (Austin Peay State University)

  • Thesis: “Deterministic and stochastic factors jointly drive plant community composition and diversity in isolated wetlands."

• Zach Irick (Austin Peay State University)

  • Thesis: "Taxonomy of the Clematis viorna complex (Clematis subgenus viorna) of the southeastern United States."

• Thomas Murphy (Austin Peay State University)

  • Thesis: “Taxonomic Study of the Clematis reticulata Species Complex (Ranunculaceae: Subgenus Viorna)."

• Mason Brock

  • Thesis: “Flora of riverscour communities of Tennessee's Caney Fork River."

• additional students from Dwayne

poster Presentations

Visual science communication

The Southeastern Grasslands Institute and our affiliates frequently present posters at scientific conferences, workshops, and meetings. Click each photo in the gallery to see posters related to our programs.

Thomas poster - requested 10/9

Corlee & Katie - ask for poster .PDF - requested 10/9

Collaborative research

Collaborative research is key to SGI’s success. Please click on our research partners at APSU and other institutions to learn more:

University of Tennessee, Chattanooga

• Dr. Joey Shaw - logo requested

U.S. Forest Service

Dr. Evan Rehm - request logo

Dr. Julian Campbell

Publications in popular media

SGI staff frequently publish research-related articles in popular media such as magazines, newsletters, periodicals, and blogs. Please contact SGI Communications Specialist Eleanor Lopez if you are interested in SGI contributing to your news outlet.

Selected publications in popular media by SGI Staff

• 30 Years of Conservation Networking for Georgia: Observations by an Older Threaded Spider by Jennifer Ceska for Georgia Garden, Summer 2025, pp. 4-7.

• Saving the Southern Sarangeti by Jeremy French for Backcountry Journal’s Spring Magazine 2025, pp. 7-11.

• Conserving The Globally Rare Porter's Goldenrod by Cooper Breeden for Center for Plant Conservation's Feb 2023 Newsletter. Article.

• Get the Picture by Theo Witsell for Arkansas Out of Doors Magazine. Article Column.

  • Deserts in the Forest (p. 33)

  • Grasslands by the River (p.25)

  • Remnants, Refugees, & Restorations (p. 36)