Using Ecological Niche Breadth and Phylogeny to Evaluate Functional Trait Variation in Halophytes

This talk draws from Mitchell’s recently completed doctoral research, focusing on how functional traits and photosynthetic pathways shape ecological niche breadth in halophytic (salt-loving) plants. Using local and global trait datasets alongside a detailed analysis of saltbushes (Atriplex sp.), Mitchell's research explores how physiology, environment, and evolutionary history interact to influence halophyte distributions across arid and saline systems, with broader implications for restoration and conservation under global change.

Mitchell Coleman is the Executive Director of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy. Having grown up in Bakersfield, he has been connected to Tejon Ranch since childhood, first visiting through Scouts BSA and developing an early appreciation for the landscapes he now helps steward. In 2015, he received a grant to conduct his master’s thesis research on the Ranch, an experience that also led to an internship with the Conservancy. After joining the organization as a staff biologist in 2017, he served as Conservation Science Director from 2019 to 2025, overseeing science and stewardship programs, coordinating research initiatives, and acting as the Conservancy’s designated conservation easement monitor. He was appointed Executive Director in December 2025.