Tala Awada

---

Additional Information: Contact | Academic | Other

Hi, I’m Tala Awada, associate professor of plant ecophysiology in the School of Natural Resources.

I teach in the areas of forest and grassland ecology and plant ecophysiology. I am particularly interested in studying the responses of plants and ecosystems to environmental stresses and climate change. Such studies are necessary to better understand and manage our ecosystems.

The main focus of my research has been on determining the ecological impacts of woody species expansion into semi-arid grasslands and riparian areas in Nebraska. I I have been conducting several studies on the functional characteristics of dominant grasses, trees and shrubs in Nebraska and the Great Plains. A number of my graduate students have also been focusing on the development of broad-spectrum stress-tolerant plants. In addition to my work in Nebraska, I have been collaborating with several researchers in Greece to determine the impacts of climate change on Mediterranean pine forests.

 

 

Photo by Tala Awada

Treking along the Nea kameni volcano in Santorini-Greece

 

Key Research Publications

• Bihmidine, S., Bryan, N.M., Payne, K.R., Parde, M.R., Okalebo, J.A., Cooperstein, S.E., and Awada, T. (2009) Photosynthetic performance of invasive Pinus ponderosa and Juniperus virginiana seedlings under gradual soil water depletion. Plant Biology. Online early access.
• Eggemeyer, K.D., Awada, T., Harvey, F.E., Wedin, D., Zanner, R. and Zhou, X. (2009). Seasonal Changes in depth of water uptake for encroaching trees Juniperus virginiana and Pinus ponderosa and two dominant C4 grasses in a semi-arid grassland. Tree Physiology. 29:157-169.
• Rupe, A.D. and Awada, T. (2008). Results of a twenty-two year old progeny test of a Pinus sylvestris plantation in eastern Nebraska. RURALS 3(1): art 3. 1- 17.
• Zhou, X.H., Brandle, J.R., Schoeneberger, M.M. and Awada, T. (2007) Developing above-ground biomass equations for open-grown multiple-stemmed tree species: Shelterbelt grown Russian-olive. Ecological Modelling 202: 311-323.
• Awada, T. and Josiah, S. (2007). Physiological responses of four hazelnut hybrids to water availability in Nebraska. Great Plains Research 14:193-202.
• Eggemeyer, K.D., Awada, T., Wedin, D., Harvey, F.E. and Zhou, X. 2006. Physiology of two native invasive woody species and two dominant warm-season grasses in the semiarid grasslands of the Nebraska Sandhills. International Journal of Plant Sciences 167: 991-999.
• Kochsiek, A., Ciganda, V., Bryan, N., Hite, L. and Awada, T. (2006). Ecophysiological responses of Schizachyrium scoparium to water and nitrogen manipulations. Great Plains Research 16: 29-36.
• Samartzidis, C., Awada, T., Maloupa, E., Radouglou, K. and Constantinidou, H. (2005). Rose productivity and physiological responses to different substrates for soil-less culture. Scienta Horticulturae 106: 203-212.
• Awada, T., Henebry, G.M., Redmann, R.E. and Sulistiyowati, H. (2004). Picea glauca dynamics and spatial pattern of seedlings regeneration along a chronosequence in the mixedwood section of the boreal forest. Annals of Forest Science 61:789-794.
• Awada, T., Dunigan, D.D. and Dickman, M.B. (2004). Animal anti-apoptotic genes enhance recovery from drought stress in tobacco. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 6: 943-949.
• Awada, T., Radoglou, K., Fotelli, M. and Constantinidou, H. (2003). Ecophysiology of seedlings of three Mediterranean pine species in contrasting light regimes. Tree Physiology 23: 33-42.
• Awada, T., Perry, M.E.L. and Schacht, W.H. (2003). Photosynthetic and growth responses of the C3 Bromus inermis and the C4 Andropogon gerardii to tree canopy cover. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 83: 533-540.
• Awada, T., Dunigan, D.D. and Dickman, M.B. (2003). Animal anti-apoptotic genes ameliorate the loss of turgor in water-stressed transgenic tobacco. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 83:499-506.
• Awada, T., Moser, L.E., Schacht, W.H. and Reece, P.E. (2002). Stomatal variability of native warm-season grasses from the Nebraska Sandhills. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 82: 349-355.
• Awada, T. and Redmann, R.E. (2000). Acclimation to light in planted and naturally-regenerated populations of white spruce seedlings. Canadian Journal of Botany 78: 1495-1504.

See More Publications

---

Contact Information Title Associate Professor Physiological Plant Ecologist   SNR Position Graduate Committee Chair  Address 406 Hardin Hall Lincoln NE 68583-0974  Phone 402-472-8483  Fax 402-472-2946  Email tawada2@unl.edu

Educational Background BS Lebanese University in Beirut, Lebanon, 1992 - Agricultural Engineering MS Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece, 1995 - Environmental and Renewable Resources PhD University of Saskatchewan, Canada, 2000 - Physiological Plant Ecology

Academic Information
Potential Advising for Undergraduate Majors	Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Wildlife Grassland Ecology & Management
Potential Advising for Graduate Program	Master of Science with a Specialization in Agricultural Meteorology Bio-Atmospheric Interactions Great Plains Studies Doctor of Philosophy with a Specialization in Agricultural Meteorology Applied Ecology Bio-Atmospheric Interactions

Courses Taught in the Current Semester
Course Number	Course Title	Day	Time	Cross Listings
NRES 310	Introduction to Forest Management	TR	1230-0145 P	None
NRES 896	Ind. Study - Forest Management	ARR	ARR	None
NRES 996	Research Other Than Thesis	ARR	ARR	None
NRES 999	Doctoral Dissertation	ARR	ARR	None
NRES 999	Doctoral Dissertation	ARR	ARR	None
NRES 999	Doctoral Dissertation	ARR	ARR	None

Additional Information
SNR Faculties	Applied Ecology, Water, Applied Climate Science
Areas of Interest	Grassland and forest ecology, Plant ecophysiology, Leaf gas exchange, Water relations in plants

 

Update your profile information --> Click Here