Jon Bakker is an ecologist who asks both basic and applied questions about the restoration and management of terrestrial ecosystems. His work touches on a variety of biomes—prairies, savannahs, forests—and starts with the premise that humans have the opportunity play an integral, positive role in these ecosystems. To that end, he looks at the ways that different factors, such as climate change or disturbance, influence how plant species coexist with each other in different communities. He also works to develop quantitative tools that can be adapted to the specific needs of particular projects on a case-by-case basis.