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Current Research
Understanding abiotic and biotic controls on the vegetation communities of wetland and bottomland forests Testing methods and models for restoring wetland and bottomland forest ecosystems Assessing ecosystem services provided by Farm-Bill wetland-restoration programs (The Conservation Effects Assessment Project)
Education
Ph.D. in Plant Ecology, 1980 University of Michigan M.S. in Animal Ecology, 1977 University of Michigan B.S. in Biology, 1974 Kent State University
Professional Experience
Emeritus Scientist, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
2016—Current
Research Ecologist (wetlands), USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station
2000—2015
Assistant and Associate Professor, Biological Sciences , University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
1985—1999
Professional Organizations
Society of Wetland Scientists, Professional Wetland Scientist (2014—Current)
Society of Wetland Scientists, Associate Editor (2010—2016)
Awards and Recognition
Doug Wilcox Award for Outstanding Associate Editor, 2014
Awarded by the Society of Wetland Scientists for service excellence as Associate Editor of the journal Wetlands
Forest Service Research & Development National Highlight, 2012
Recognition for USDA-NRCS partnership research on the outcomes of wetland restoration projects on working lands in the Southeast
Forest Service Research & Development National Highlight, 2011
Recognition for USDA-NRCS partnership research on wetland conservation practices in the Southeast
Southern Regional Forester’s Award for Natural Resource Stewardship, 2006
Team Award for the Carolina Bay Restoration and Banking Project at the Savannah River Site, SC
Featured Publications and Products De Steven, Diane; Harrison, Charles A. 2022. A hydrogeologic-landscapes framework for depressional-wetland vegetation in the Southeastern Coastal Plain, USA . De Steven, Diane; Faulkner, Stephen P.; Keeland, Bobby D.; Baldwin, Michael J.; McCoy, John W.; Hughes, Steven C. 2015. Understory vegetation as an indicator for floodplain forest restoration in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, U.S.A . De Steven, Diane; Schweitzer, Callie J.; Hughes, Steven C.; Stanturf, John A. 2015. Afforesting agricultural lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (USA): effects of silvicultural methods on understory plant diversity . De Steven, Diane; Gramling, Joel M. 2013. Multiple factors influence the vegetation composition of Southeast U.S. wetlands restored in the Wetlands Reserve Program . De Steven, Diane; Gramling, Joel M. 2012. Diverse characteristics of wetlands restored under the Wetlands Reserve Program in the Southeastern United States . De Steven, Diane ; Mushet, David . 2018. Estimating the effects of wetland conservation practices in croplands: approaches for modeling in the CEAP–Cropland Assessment . De Steven, Diane; Lowrance, Richard. 2011. Agricultural conservation practices and wetland ecosystem services in the wetland-rich Piedmont–Coastal Plain region . De Steven, Diane; Sharitz, Rebecca R.; Barton, Christopher D. 2010. Ecological outcomes and evaluation of success in passively restored Southeastern depressional wetlands . Stroh, Chrissa; De Steven, Diane; Guntenspergen, Glenn. 2008. Effect of climate fluctuation on long-term vegetation dynamics in Carolina bay wetlands . Publications
De Steven, Diane; Baldwin, Andrew; others, ; ., . 2015. Assessing the effects of wetland practices in agricultural landscapes: a conceptual model for wetland plant diversity .
De Steven, Diane. 2015. Metrics for determining hydrophytic vegetation in wetland delineation: a clarification on the prevalence index .
Hamel, Paul B.; De Steven, Diane; Leininger, Ted; Wilson, Randy. 2009. Historical trends in rusty blackbird nonbreeding habitat in forested wetlands .
Mitchell, Robert; Engstrom, Todd; Sharitz, Rebecca; De Steven, Diane; Hiers, Kevin; Cooper, Robert; Kirkman, Katherine. 2009. Old forests and endangered woodpeckers: old-growth in the Southern Coastal Plain .
Rosen, D. J.; De Steven, D.; Lange, M. L. 2008. Conservation strategies and vegetation characterization in the Columbia Bottomlands, an under-recognized southern floodplain forest formation .
De Steven, Diane; Sharitz, Rebecca R. 2007. Transplanting native dominant plants to facilitate community development in restored coastal plain wetlands .
De Steven, Diane; Harrison., Charles A. 2006. Landscape dependence of hydrologic patterns in Lower Coastal Plain depression wetlands .
De Steven, Diane; Sharitz, Rebecca R.; Singer, Julian H.; Barton, Christopher D. 2006. Testing a passive revegetation approach for restoring coastal plain depression wetlands .
Sharitz, Rebecca R.; Barton, Christopher D.; De Steven, Diane. 2006. Tree plantings in depression wetland restorations show mixed success (South Carolina) .
Mulhouse, John M.; De Steven, Diane; Lide, Robert F.; Sharitz, Rebecca R. 2005. Effects of dominant species on vegetation change in Carolina bay wetlands following a multi-year drought .
Barton, Christopher D.; De Steven, Diane; Kilgo, John C. 2004. Mitigation bank promotes research on restoring coastal plain depression wetlands (South Carolina) .
De Steven, Diane; Toner, Maureen M. 2004. Vegetation of Upper Coastal Plain Depression Wetlands: Environmental Templates and Wetland Dynamics Within A Landscape Framework .
De Steven, Diane; Wright, S. Joseph. 2002. Consequences of variable reproduction for seedling recruitment in three neotropical tree species .
Engelbrecht, Bettina M.J.; Wright, S. Joseph; De Steven, Diane. 2002. Survival and ecophysiology of tree seedlings during El Nino drought in a tropical moist forest in Panama .
Kost, Michael A.; De Steven, Diane. 2000. Plant community responses to prescribed burning in Wisconsin sedge meadows .
De Steven, Diane. 2000. Teaching Wetland Ecology: What If You Can't Take Students Into the Field? .
De Steven, Diane; Sharitz, Rebecca R. 1997. Differential recovery of a deepwater swamp forest across a gradient of disturbance intensity .
Research Highlights
Wetlands Assessment Project Documents Outcomes of Conservation on Working Lands (2012)
Assessment offers managers a tool to improve project planning and assessment of wetland practices on working lands in the South and elsewhere
What do we need to know to conserve wetlands on working lands in the South (2011)
The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort to improve effectiveness of Farm Bill conservation programs by quantifying the environmental benefits of conservation practices applied on working lands in the United States, these practices often used specifically to recover valuable wetland ecosystem services. Southern Research Station (SRS) Scientist Diane De Steven led a collaborative research synthesis that identified fundamental information gaps regarding wetland conservation practices in the Southeast.
Assessment offers managers a tool to improve project planning and assessment of wetland practices on working lands in the South and elsewhere 
The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort to improve effectiveness of Farm Bill conservation programs by quantifying the environmental benefits of conservation practices applied on working lands in the United States, these practices often used specifically to recover valuable wetland ecosystem services. Southern Research Station (SRS) Scientist Diane De Steven led a collaborative research synthesis that identified fundamental information gaps regarding wetland conservation practices in the Southeast. 
Natural Inquirer