Jacob Levine

I am a plant community ecologist interested in two key themes: (1) What are the mechanisms that maintain plant biodiversity in nature, and how will rapid climate change disrupt them? and (2) What are the primary drivers of wildfire severity, and how can we mitigate these risks through management? I approach these questions through a combination of mathematical theory development, field experiments, and large-scale observational analyses. By elucidating the fundamental forces that structure plant communities, my goal is to advance both our basic understanding of ecology and our ability to predict the fate of the biosphere in a warmer world.

I will be joining Duke Biology as an assistant professor in July 2026, and am actively recruiting postdocs and students to join my lab as early as August 2026. If you are interested in working with me, please get in touch via email.