Rebecca Drenovsky

Background

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Office of Academic Affairs, John Carroll University, 2024-present.

Dean of Graduate Studies, The Graduate School, John Carroll University, 2020-2025.

Program Director, National Science Foundation IRES program, John Carroll University, 2022-2025.

Catalyst, National Science Foundation Advance Ascend Program, Midwest Region, 2020-2024.

Associate Dean, Graduate and Professional Programs, College of Arts and Sciences, John Carroll University, 2019-2020.

Program Director, National Science Foundation S-STEM Program, John Carroll University, 2018-2025.

Program Director, Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program, John Carroll University. 2017-2024.

Chair, Biology Department, John Carroll University. 2016-2019.

Chair, Living Earth Committee, National Research Agency of France. 2016-2018.

Professor, Biology Department, John Carroll University. 2016-present.

Associate Professor, Biology Department, John Carroll University. 2010-2016.

Chair, Ecological Section of the Botanical Society of America. 2010-2013.

Assistant Professor, Biology Department, John Carroll University. 2005-2010.

Post-doctoral Researcher, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, Advisor: Dr. Kate M. Scow. 2002-2005.

Areas of Expertise

• Plant ecology and physiology
• stress physiology
• drylands biology

Research Interests

My research program focuses on plant-soil interactions, specifically how differences in soil resource availability influences ecological processes. My approach is highly collaborative and involves mentoring of undergraduate and graduate researchers and maintaining active connections with colleagues at John Carroll University and other institutions. There are five main areas addressed by my research program:

Plant adaptation to unique soil types. Unique soils, such as serpentine or gypsum, are hotspots of biological diversity. As such, they are excellent locations for asking questions related to adaptation and acclimation, as well as being areas of conservation concern. My research interests in this area are broad, and seeks to understand the physiological mechanisms promoting adaptation to these unique soils and how they relate to species evolution in these habitats.

Ecology of aridland communities. A common theme among my research program is studying aridland communities. Some of this work has focused on targeting species for restoration following invasive species management, particularly perennial bunchgrass systems. Other foci include the ecology of soil microbial crust communities and ecophysiological comparisons of common shrub and forb species.

Morphological and physiological traits associated with plant invasiveness. Exotic plant invasions pose a serious global ecological and conservation threat to native plant communities and can induce serious economic costs. Determining which traits contribute most strongly to non-native organisms’ competitive ability is an essential first step in improving prediction and management of invasive species spread. Our research focuses on key morphological and physiological functional traits involved in resource acquisition and use, particularly in resource poor environments.

Environmental and evolutionary constraints on plant nutrient resorption. I seek to understand the physiological, environmental, and evolutionary controls on internal plant nutrient recycling. Despite the major role that nutrient resorption and storage may play in population, community, and ecosystem processes, there are significant gaps in our knowledge. Using multi-year field sampling, manipulative experiments, and meta-analysis of published works, my ultimate goal is to gain a better understanding of how environmental variation, storage, and recycling drives community and ecosystem processes.

Factors promoting student success in STEM. Despite efforts to increase retention of students in STEM disciplines, we still observe significant headwinds, particularly for students from marginalized identities. I am interested in how scaffolded supports can improve retention and persistence of STEM students and how this can positively impact the STEM workforce.

Education

Ph.D. (2002) Plant Biology, University of California, Davis. Dissertation title: Effects of mineral nutrient deficiencies on plant performance in the desert shrubs Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. consimilis and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Advisor: Dr. James H. Richards.

B.Sc. (1997) Biology major, Chemistry minor, Summa Cum Laude, Insignis Honors Designation, Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI.

Courses Taught

Most recently taught courses outside of the sciences:

• AR 1045 Cohort Advising supporting scholarship students during their entire academic journey at John Carroll University
• HP3010 Directed Readings

Most recently taught courses within the sciences:

• BL 4200/5200 Plant Physiology
• BL 4540/5540 Desert Biology
• BL 5600 Experimental Design and Analysis

Publications

†graduate student author/co-author

‡undergraduate student co-author

R.E. Drenovsky, R. Reicholf‡, C.J. Futrell, B. Tevár, B.J. Grewell. 2025. Functional trait responses of invasive Ludwigia species to contrasting hydrological conditions. American Journal of Botany 112:e70038.

Gobbie, K.G. †, N. Pietrasiak, B.M. Jusko†, R.E. Drenovsky. 2025. Climate and gypsum parent material shape biocrust communities and moss ecology in the Chihuahuan and Mojave Deserts. Geoderma 453:117131.

Muller, C.T. †, A. Cera†, S. Palacio, M.J. Moore, P. Tejero, J.F. Mota, R.E. Drenovsky. 2024. Nutritional convergence in plants growing on gypsum soils in two distinct climatic regions. Annals of Botany 134:1003-1012.

Cera, A.†, G. Montserrat-Marti, R.E. Drenovsky, A. Ourry, S. Brunel-Muguet, S. Palacio. 2022. Gypsum endemics accumulate excess nutrients in leaves as a potential constitutive strategy to grow in grazed extreme soils. Physiologia Plantarum, 174(4): e13738..

R.E. Drenovsky, N. Pietrasiak, T.H. Short. 2019. Global temporal patterns in nutrient resorption plasticity. Global Ecology and Biogeography 28:728-743.

R.L. Nielsen†, J.J. James, R.E. Drenovsky. 2019. Functional traits explain variation in chaparral shrub sensitivity to altered water and nutrient availability. Frontiers in Plant Science-Plant Nutrition. 10:505 (online only)

C.T. Muller†‡, M.J. Moore, Z. Feder‡, H. Tiley‡, R.E. Drenovsky. 2017. Phylogenetic patterns of foliar mineral nutrition accumulation among gypsophiles and their relatives in the Chihuahuan Desert. American Journal of Botany 104:1442-1450. Highlighted article.

J.E. Murphy†, J.H. Burns, M. Fougère-Danezan, R.E. Drenovsky. 2016. Functional traits values, not trait plasticity, drive the invasiveness of Rosa sp. in response to light availability. American Journal of Botany 103: 2058-2069. Highlighted article

D.M. Dlugos†, H. Collins†, E.M. Bartelme‡, R.E. Drenovsky. 2015. The non-native plant Rosa multiflora expresses shade tolerance traits under low light availability. American Journal of Botany 102:1323-1331.