Siobhan Fennessy is an associate professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Kenyon College where she studies freshwater ecosystems, their plant communities and restoration, how ecosystems respond to human impacts, and the role of temperate wetlands in the global carbon cycle. She previously served on the faculty of the Geography Department of University College London and held a joint appointment at the Station Biologique du la Tour du Valat (located in southern France) where she conducted research on human impacts to Mediterranean wetlands. She co-authored book on the ecology of wetland plants. Dr. Fennessy is a 2001 recipient of the Robert J. Tomsich Science Award for excellence in scientific research.

Areas of Expertise

Aquatic ecology, wetland plant community dynamics, landscape ecology

Selected Publications

Cronk, J.K. and M. S. Fennessy. 2001 Wetland Plants: Biology and Ecology. CRC Press/Lewis Publishers. Boca Raton, FL. 440 pages.

Lopez, R. and M. S. Fennessy. 2002. Testing the Floristic Quality Assessment Index as an indicator of wetland condition along gradients of human influence.

Lopez, R., C. Davis and M. S. Fennessy. 2002 Ecological relationships between fragmented landscape attributes and plant guilds in depressional wetlands. Landscape Ecology: 17:43-56.

Agnew, C., and M. S. Fennessy. 2001. Climate change and nature conservation. Pages 273 - 304 In A. Warren and J. French, ed.

Habitat Conservation:Managing the Physical Environment. J. Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Chichester, UK.

*Indicates Kenyon student

*Ward, E. and S. Fennessy. 2003. Wetland ecosystem response to landscape change: functional and structural indicators. Page 20 In Proceedings of the 24nd SWS Conference, 8-13 June, New Orleans, LA.

*Nahlik, A. and S. Fennessy. 2002. Using amphibians as indicators of wetland restoration success. Proceedings of the 23rd SWS Conference, 2-7 June, Lake Placid, NY. ** This poster was the winner of the Best Student Poster Award at the meeting.

Fennessy, M.S and *A. Rokosch. 2001. Linking measures of wetland ecosystem integrity with ecosystem processes. Changing Wetlands Conference, the British Ecological Society. Sheffield UK. September 11-13, 2001.

Courses Taught

BIOL 112 Ecology and Evolution
BIOL 228 Ecology
BIOL 352 Aquatic Systems Biology
BIOL 353 Aquatic Systems Laboratory
ENVS 112 Introduction to Environmental Studies
ENVS 461 Capstone Seminar in Environmental Studies