manager of conservation programs

Rebecca Hufft Kao, Ph.D.
Manager of Conservation Programs
PhD, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 2006
BA, Biology, University of Chicago, 2000
Research Interest: 
Conservation and restoration of native plants
Plant reproductive biology
Invasive species monitoring and management
Plant Phenology
Statement: 

I manage the research component of the Gardens responsible for conservation efforts. The main focus of this work is the ecology and demography of rare plant species, including collection and preservation of seeds from rare Colorado species. I am also interested in integrating studies of biodiversity, invasive species and phenology into the conservation program.

I have a broad background in plant ecology, evolution, and conservation. My research has focused on exploring the link between plant morphological and genetic variation, focusing on evolution in novel environments and the evolution of species interactions. My work has included polyploidy, reproductive systems, phenology, grassland restoration, invasive species, biodiversity, and plant-animal interactions. I am committed to linking basic evolutionary and ecological research to important issues of concern for species management and conservation.

Curriculum Vitae: 
Kao_CV_2011b.pdf
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publication: 

Kanarek, AR and RH Kao . 2011. The relationship among plant cover, density, seed rain and dispersal of Bromus tectorum in high elevation populations. Western North American Naturalist. 71(1): 131-136.

Kao, RH and IM Parker. 2010. Coexisting Cytotypes of Arnica cordifolia: Morphological differentiation and local scale distribution. International Journal of Plant Sciences. 171(1): 81-89.

Kao, RH, C Brown, RA Hufbauer. 2008. High Phenotypic and Molecular Variation in Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum). Invasive Plant Science and Management. 1: 216-225.

Kao, RH. 2008. Implications of polyploidy in the host plant of a Dipteran seed parasite. Western North American Naturalist. 68(2): 225-230.

Kao, RH. 2008. Origins and widespread distribution of coexisting polyploids in Arnica cordifolia. Annals of Botany. 101:145-152. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcm271

Kao, RH. 2007. Asexuality and the coexistence of cytotypes. New Phytologist. 175(4): 764-772. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02145.x..

Hufft, R. and J. Richardson. 2006. The evolution of pink: Morphological and genetic variation among three Lithophragma (Saxifragaceae) species. Madroño 53(1): 25-35.

CenTREAD Working Group. 2005. Making Parks Work: A thought provoking argument, but not a guide. Conservation Biology 19(1): 279-281.

Selected Technical Report: 

Kao, RH and V. McKenzie. 2009. NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit Science Requirements. NEON Configured Document NEON.DSDV.FSU.014002.REQ 29 pp.

Kao, RH and V. McKenzie. 2009. NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit Technical and Operating Requirements. NEON Configured Document NEON.DSDV.FSU.014001.PLA 35 pp.

Kao, RH and V. McKenzie. 2009. NEON FSU Site Characterization Design. NEON Configured Document NEON.DSDV.FSU.014003.DSN 14 pp.

Kao, RH and V. McKenzie. 2009. NEON FSU Field Operations Plan. NEON Configured Document NEON.DSDV.FSU.014025.DSN 31 pp.

Kao, RH and V. McKenzie. 2009. NEON FSU Bioarchive Facility Design. NEON Configured Document NEON.DSDV.FSU.014015.DSN 12 pp.

Orre, KJ, RA Hufft and IM Parker. 2005. The effects of grazing on native and exotic seed banks at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. Elkhorn Slough Technical Report Series 2005:2.

Selected Poster & Presentation: 

Kao, RH and B Johnson. 2011. Neon Ordway-Swisher Pathfinder Mission: Developing scaling strategies to link ecosystem structure and function across space using ground and airborne remote sensing data. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Seminar Series. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Kao RH, C Gibson, R Gallery, CL Meier, DT Barnett, K Docherty, Y Springer, E Azuaje, K Blevins and P Travers. 2011. NEON Terrestrial Field Sampling: Designing Large-Scale, Standardized Sampling. Ecological Society of America. Austin, TX.

Blevins K, R Gallery, K Docherty, G King, P Travers and RH Kao. 2011. NEON: Directions and resources for long-term monitoring in soil microbial ecology. Ecological Society of America. Austin, TX.

Docherty K, R Gallery, K Blevins, P Travers and RH Kao. 2011. Continental Scaling of Bacterial, Archaeal and Fungal Communities: Preliminary Results from the NEON Soil Microbe Prototype. Ecological Society of America. Austin, TX.

Gibson CM, KK Blevins, PT Travers, and RH Kao. 2011. Integrative Taxonomy for NEON's Continental-Scale Terrestrial Insect Observations. Ecological Society of America. Austin, TX..

Ayres E, RE Gallery, KM Docherty, C Meier, HW Loescher, RH Kao, H Luo. 2011. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) strategy for soil measurements. Soil Ecology Society. Kelowna, B.C., Canada.

Kao, RH. 2010. An Introduction to The National Ecological Observatory Network and Its Continental Scale Measurement Suites. Center for Disease Control, Fort Collins, CO.

Kao, RH. 2010. NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit Prototype Activities. NSF Biological Sciences Advisory Committee meeting. Boulder, CO.

Gibson C, Blevins K, Travers P, Gallery R, Kao RH. 2010. NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit's insect DNA barcode prototype for a national network. Ecological Society of America, Pittsburgh, PA.

Gallery R, King G, Gibson C, Blevins K, Travers P, Kao RH. 2010. The NEON soil microbe prototype: Preliminary results from four domains. Ecological Society of America, Pittsburgh, PA.

Gibson, CM, KK Blevins, RE Gallery, RH Kao and PH Martin. 2009. The NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit: Organismal measurements and DNA barcoding in a national network. Mexico City, DF. Mexico

Stohlgren, TJ; Kao, RH; Barnett, DT; Evangelista, P. Scaling. 2009.  NEON Biological Data from Points to the Continent. Ecological Society of America, Albuquerque, NM.

Kao, RH, V. McKenzie, H. Powell. 2009. The NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit: Organismal Measurements in a National Network. Ecological Society of America, Albuquerque, NM.

Kao, RH. 2009. NEON: A continental scale ecological observation platform. Departmental seminar, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY.

Kao, RH. 2009. NEON: A continental scale ecological observation platform. Departmental seminar, Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.