Mandy Bengtson Email & Phone Number

Reno, Nevada Area

As a Principal Soil Ecologist, Dr. Bengtson provides oversight and statistical support for a variety of restoration and soils applications. She has expertise in planning, implementation, and monitoring of restoration, characterization and mapping of soils and geomorphology, ecology, contaminant assessment, biogeochemistry, GIS, biostatistics, habitat niche modeling, and multivariate statistics. Mandy works closely with land managers and clients to develop practical solutions and plans to… Show more As a Principal Soil Ecologist, Dr. Bengtson provides oversight and statistical support for a variety of restoration and soils applications. She has expertise in planning, implementation, and monitoring of restoration, characterization and mapping of soils and geomorphology, ecology, contaminant assessment, biogeochemistry, GIS, biostatistics, habitat niche modeling, and multivariate statistics. Mandy works closely with land managers and clients to develop practical solutions and plans to address restoration goals, accurately monitor restoration and reclamation success, and ensure tasks are executed on time and within budget. Her background in soil science, applied ecology, and statistics has contributed to the publication of several land management reports and 16 peer-reviewed scientific publications. In addition, she and her colleagues have developed novel conceptual models and interpretations to support conservation of soils and native vegetation, as well as the restoration, reclamation, and management of ecosystems throughout the western United States. Show less

- Led a microbial ecology research lab that supported a team of 18 staff and student researchers.- Executed niche modeling and multivariate analyses to understand the distribution and environmental controls of endemic plants, microorganisms, and biomarkers through machine learning, niche modeling, non-metric multidimensional scaling, cluster analyses, and bivariate/univariate statistics; results support conservation efforts of endemic and sensitive organisms.- Published conceptual… Show more - Led a microbial ecology research lab that supported a team of 18 staff and student researchers.- Executed niche modeling and multivariate analyses to understand the distribution and environmental controls of endemic plants, microorganisms, and biomarkers through machine learning, niche modeling, non-metric multidimensional scaling, cluster analyses, and bivariate/univariate statistics; results support conservation efforts of endemic and sensitive organisms.- Published conceptual models that illustrate the environmental controls of biological soil crust distribution and the biogeomorphic, biogeochemical, and pedogenic feedbacks that support crust propagation.- Served as a consultant and collaborator to other researchers in field and laboratory study design, analytical methodology, data management, statistical analyses, graphics, GIS, and writing publications and reports.- Lobbied Congress on behalf of the National Science Foundation and the Soil Science Society of America. Show less

Las Vegas, Nv

- Advocate for the UNLV Urban Sustainability Initiative; invited speaker at public forums, conferences, and outreach events regarding issues related to environmental research and graduate activities. - Lobbied Congress on behalf of NSF EPSCoR.- Designed and conducted a large, interdisciplinary study to investigate the complex ecology of biological soil crusts in the Mojave Desert, with observations on the micromorphology, soil-geomorphic correlations, landscape distribution, vascular… Show more - Advocate for the UNLV Urban Sustainability Initiative; invited speaker at public forums, conferences, and outreach events regarding issues related to environmental research and graduate activities. - Lobbied Congress on behalf of NSF EPSCoR.- Designed and conducted a large, interdisciplinary study to investigate the complex ecology of biological soil crusts in the Mojave Desert, with observations on the micromorphology, soil-geomorphic correlations, landscape distribution, vascular plant interactions, and biogeochemical dynamics of these crusts. Show less

Las Vegas, Nv

- Published a land management report and 2 resource maps (first author) for the BLM based on mapping and ecological characterization of biological soil crusts, soil-geomorphology, and vascular plant communities.

Las Vegas, Nv

- Developed and executed ecological surveys to quantify and map the distribution of biological soil crusts, soil morphological characteristics (surfaces and profiles), geomorphology, and arid shrubland vegetation.

Las Vegas, Nv

- Volunteered with USDA; learned and executed soil morphological characterization and mapping techniques in the Basin and Range Province using official USDA standard methods.

- Managed a field and laboratory research program in fungal ecology, which included long-term studies of mushroom production in agroforestry systems and forest health studies in mixed hardwood-conifer systems.

Columbia, Mo

- Executed a study to manipulate soil pH and to observe changes in the growth and production of black truffles.

Columbia, Mo

Compiled and analyzed hydrological records from an experimental watershed system; measured and calculated root biomass from soil cores; sampled and prepared soils for physicochemical analyses.

Princeton, Mo

- Sampled and characterized soils; compiled and analyzed a soil database to develop recommendations to increase crop and forage productivity in agricultural fields receiving high nutrient application rates.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Geoscience (Soil Science Emphasis)

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Soil Sciences