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Denise Knapp, Ph.D.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
— Marcel Proust

As director of conservation and research at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Denise Knapp, Ph.D., oversees the Conservation Program and conducts ecological research focusing on plant-insect interactions, invasive species impacts/control, rare plant recovery, and habitat restoration. Denise earned a master’s degree in geography from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a doctorate in ecology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has worked as a plant ecologist in California (particularly the Channel Islands) for over two decades, including the consulting, university, and nonprofit worlds. Her past work has included a myriad of vegetation ecology, fire ecology, invasive species, habitat restoration, and rare plant conservation projects.  

Research interests: ecosystem restoration, invasive species impacts, plant-insect interactions, Diptera, conservation ecology 

Publications

2023

Journal Articles (peer reviewed)

Knapp, D.A., S.M. Calloway, and S. Cusser. 2023. Using historic data to understand the shrinking pollinators of the endangered salt marsh bird’s beak (Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum). Western North American Naturalist 83(4):498-507.

Hazlehurst, J.A., S. Calloway, and D. Knapp. 2023.Important pollinator species for conserving rare plant species endemic to San Clemente Island, California. Journal of Pollination Ecology 35:207-227.

2022

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Knapp, D.A., K. Etter, & S. Cusser. 2022. Floral visitors of Deinandra increscens ssp. villosa: 2021 findings report. Unpublished report prepared for Dudek by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA. 20 pages.

2021

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Collins, P.W., D.A. Knapp, & K. Etter. 2021. Channel Islands birds: A gap analysis of specimen and observation data. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 36 pages.

Guilliams, C.M., K.E. Hasenstab-Lehman, J. Lesage, K. Etter, & D. Knapp. 2021. Gap analysis of the California Channel Islands: Vascular plants. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 56 pages.

Knapp, D. 2021. 2021 annual report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Diplacus vandenbergensis. Cooperative Agreement Award F19AC00721 (“Recovery actions for two endangered plant species”). Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 10 pages.

Knapp, D. & M. Ball. 2021. Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve invasive plant management project. Unpublished final report prepared for Santa Barbara County Planning and Development Department. 19 pages.

Knapp, D., B.V. Brown, K. Etter, and C. Richart. 2021. Channel Islands invertebrates: A gap analysis of specimen and observation data. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 128 pages.

Knapp, D. & S. Calloway. 2021. Conservation of Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum, salt marsh bird’s beak. Unpublished final report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: Annual report for 2020. Santa Barbara, California. 16 pages.

Knapp, D., P.W. Collins, and K. Etter. 2021. Channel Islands mammals: A gap analysis of specimen and observation data. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 28 pages.

Knapp, D.A., K. Etter, C. Richart, & J. Lesage. 2021.Flower visitors of Deinandra increscens ssp. villosa: 2020 findings report. Unpublished report prepared for Dudek by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA. 35 pages.

Pauly, G.B., D. Knapp, and K. Etter. 2021. Assessing the history of reptile and amphibian specimen collecting on California’s Channel Islands. Unpublished report prepared for The Nature Conservancy by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 33 pages.

2020

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Knapp, D.A. 2020. Naval Base Ventura County, San Nicolas Island Terrestrial Flora Program Draft Final Report: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum experiment 2019 field monitoring. Cooperative Agreement N62473-17-2-0005. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 17 pages.

Knapp, D.A. 2020. Naval Base Ventura County, San Nicolas Island Terrestrial Flora Program Draft Final Report: Grey literature databasing. Cooperative Agreement N62473-17-2-0005. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 15 pages.

Knapp, D.A. 2020.2020Annual Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Diplacus vandenbergensis. Cooperative Agreement Award F19AC00721 (“Recovery actions for two endangered plant species”). Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California. 12 pages.

2019

Symposium Proceedings (peer reviewed)

Knapp, D.A., J.J. Knapp, K.A. Stahlheber, & T. Dudley. 2019. A little goes a long way when controlling invasive plants for biodiversity conservation. Pp. 643-650 In: C.R. Veitch, M.N. Clout, A.R. Martin, J.C. Russell, and C.J. West (eds.). Island invasives: Scaling up to meet the challenge. Occasional Paper SSC no. 62, Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Knapp, D. & S. Calloway. 2019. Illuminating botanical blackholes to inform habitat restoration in the Zaca and Jesusita fire scars. Unpublished final report prepared for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Santa Barbara, California.

Knapp, D. & S. Calloway. 2019. Conservation of Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum, salt marsh bird’s beak. Unpublished final report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Santa Barbara, California. 11 pages.

2018

Journal Articles (peer reviewed)

Hoyer, W.III, J. Knapp, D. Knapp, D. Mazurkiewicz, K. Owen, L. Luna-Mendoza, & K. McEachern. 2018. Islands of the Californias Botanical Collaborative. Western North American Naturalist 78(4): 902-909.

Randall, J.R., K.McEachern, J. Knapp, P. Power, S. Junak, K. Gill, D. Knapp, & M. Guilliams. 2018. Informing our successors: What botanical information for Santa Cruz Island will researchers and conservation managers in the century ahead need the most? Western North American Naturalist 78(4): 888-901.

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Knapp, D.A., F. Light, & C. Garoutte. 2018. Naval Base Ventura County, San Nicolas Island erosion control program final report: Mesembryanthemum crystallinum impacts and habitat restoration. Cooperative Agreement N62473-14-2-0005. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, California.

2017

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Guilliams, C.M., B.E. Carter, M.L. Ceceña Sánchez, J. Delgadillo, B. Holzman, S. Junak, D. Knapp, L.L. Mendoza, & S. Vanderplank. 2017. The remarkable flora of California Islands. Fremontia 45(3): 5-11. https://grownatives.cnps.org/2017/12/07/islands-of-the-californias/.

Knapp, D.A., D.Borjes-Flores, P. Dixon, W. Hoyer, J. Knapp, L. Luna, K. McEachern, J. Montoya, B. Munson, P. Power, & J. Randall. 2017. The future of California Islands conservation in a changing world. Fremontia 45(3).

Knapp, D. & H. Schneider. 2017. Conservation of salt marsh bird’s beak (Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum). Unpublished final report prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Santa Barbara, California.

McEachern, K., P. Dixon, E. Havstad, W. Hoyer, D. Knapp, J. Knapp, L. Luna-Mendoza, B. Munson, & H. Schneider. 2017. The struggle for recovery. Fremontia 45 (3): 32-36.

2015

Journal Articles

Knapp, D.A. 2015. Ecosystem restoration on Santa Catalina Island: A review of potential approaches and the promise of bottom-up invader management. Western North American Naturalist 7: 421-434.

Technical Reports & Non-peer Reviewed Articles

Knapp, D.A. 2015. Rare plant-pollinator network restoration (Diplacus vandenbergensis, Eriodictyon capitatum, and Malacothamnus fasciculatus nesioticus). Unpublished reportrepared for the Orange County Community Foundation by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara, CA.

Knapp, D.A. 2015. How do plant invasions and habitat restoration affect invertebrate diversity and function? A meta-analysis and review. Ecesis 2(4):8-9.

2014

Journal Articles

Knapp, D.A. 2014. Ecosystem restoration on Santa Catalina Island: A review of potential approaches and the promise of bottom-up invader management. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist 7: 421-434.

2011

Symposium Proceedings (peer reviewed)

Knapp, D.A. 2011. Contrasting effects of Carpobrotus edulis on arthropods in a coastal dune ecosystem. Proceedings of the California Invasive Plant Council Symposium, October 14-15, 2010, Ventura, CA.

2010

Books & Book Chapters

Knapp, D.A. (editor). 2010. Oak ecosystem restoration on Catalina Island, California. Catalina Island Conservancy, Avalon, CA. (10 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 215 pp.)

Knapp, D.A. 2010. Oak ecosystem restoration on Santa Catalina Island, California: A synthesis of resources and threats. Pp. 135-215 in: D. Knapp (ed.). Oak ecosystem restoration on Catalina Island, California. Catalina Island Conservancy, Avalon, CA.

Ashley, M.S., S. Abraham, L.C. Kindsvater, D.A. Knapp, & K. Craft. 2010. Population structure and genetic variation of Island Oak, Quercus tomentella Engelmann on Santa Catalina Island. Pp. 125-134 in: D. Knapp, ed. Oak ecosystem restoration on Catalina Island, California. Catalina Island Conservancy, Avalon, CA.

Franklin, J. & D. Knapp. 2010. Habitat relationships and potential restoration sites for Quercus pacifica and Q. tomentella on Catalina Island. Pp. 69-94 in: D. Knapp (ed.). Oak ecosystem restoration on Catalina Island, CA. Catalina Island Conservancy, Avalon, CA.

2008

Journal Articles

McCune, J.L. & D.A. Knapp. 2008. The rediscovery and status of Dissanthelium californicum (Poaceae) on Santa Catalina Island, California. Madrono 55:60-68.

2007

Books & Book Chapters

Junak, S., D.A. Knapp, J.R. Haller, R. Philbrick, A. Schoenherr, & T. Keeler-Wolf. 2007. The California Channel Islands. Pp. 229-252 in: Barbour, M.G. and J. Major (editors). Terrestrial vegetation of California (revised edition). California Native Plant Society Special Publication Number 9, Sacramento, CA.

Knapp, D.A. (Editor). 2007. Flora and ecology of the Santa Monica Mountains. Southern California Botanists Special Publication, Fullerton, CA.

2005

Journal Articles

Constible, J.M., R.A. Sweitzer, D.H. Van Vuren, P.T. Schuyler, & D.A. Knapp. 2005. Dispersal of non-native plants by introduced bison in an island ecosystem. Biological Invasions 7: 699-709.

Symposium Proceedings (peer reviewed)

Knapp, D.A. 2005. Vegetation mapping on Santa Catalina Island using orthorectification and GIS. Pp. 193-203 in: Garcelon, D.K. and C.A. Schwemm (editors). Proceedings of the sixth California islands symposium. National Park Service Technical Publication CHIS-0501, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Arcata, CA.

Knapp, D.A. 2005. Rare plants in the Goat Harbor burn area, Santa Catalina Island, California. Pp. 205-212 in: Garcelon, D.K. and C.A. Schwemm (editors). Proceedings of the sixth California islands symposium. National Park Service Technical Publication CHIS-0501, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Arcata, CA.

Knapp, D.A. and J.J. Knapp. 2005. Ecosystem protection through watershed-level prioritization on Catalina Island. Pp. 39-46 in: G. Skurka (editor). Proceedings of the California Invasive Plant Council Symposium.  Volume 9: 2005.

Insights

Director of Conservation and Research
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