Dr. LaRue’s areas of interests focus on uncovering mechanisms underlying spatial patterns in plant species distributions and the structural diversity and function of ecosystems. She is also interested in improving the monitoring and management of nuisance species and those of conservation concern across dryland and forest ecosystems.

• Ph D in Biological Sciences, Purdue University (2017)
• MS in Biology, Grand Valley State University (2012)
• BS in Biology, Grand Valley State University (2010)
• AAS in Transfer, Muskegon Community College (2008)

• Positive association between emerald ash borer residence time and accumulation of invasive plants Ecosphere 14 12 (2023), A Gougherty, J M. Elliott, Elizabeth LaRue, J Gallion, S Fei.
• Forest structural diversity is linked to soil microbial diversity Ecosphere 14 11 (2023), A Lang, Elizabeth LaRue, S Kivlin, R Phillips, J Gallion, N Kong, J D. Parker, M McCormick, G Domke, S Fei.
• Structural Diversity from the NEON Discrete-Return LiDAR Point Cloud in 2013-2022 Environmental Data Initiative TBD TBD (2023), J Wang, D Choi, Elizabeth LaRue, J Atkins, J Foster, J Matthes Hatala, R Fahey, S Fei, B Hardiman.
• Diversity - volume relationships: Adding structural arrangement and volume to species - area relationships across forest macrosystems Ecography 2023 10 (2023), Elizabeth LaRue, Anna G. Downing, Sheila Saucedo, Arturo Rocha, Sergio M. Vargas, Vicente Mata-Silva, Michael G. Harvey.
• Diversity - volume relationships: Adding structural arrangement and volume to species - area relationships across forest macrosystems Ecography 2023 10 (2023), Elizabeth LaRue, Anna G. Downing, Sheila Saucedo, Arturo Rocha, Sergio M. Vargas, Vicente Mata-Silva, Michael G. Harvey.

• Biocrusts: Linking Physical Structure to Function​ (2023), Volume Las Cruces, Suellen Resendez, Anthony Schaefer, Brenda Almanza, Marguerite Mauritz-Tozer, Nicole Pietrasiak, Elizabeth LaRue, Samy Belteton.
• Remote sensing and the role of vegetation structural diversity in rangelands and forests (2023), Volume Las Cruces, NM, Elizabeth LaRue.
• A remote sensing approach for quantifying belowground structural diversity in dryland landscapes (2023), Volume Riverside, CA, Elizabeth LaRue, S Bracamontes, D Morales, J Butnor.

• Employing a Structural Diversity Framework to Integrate Biocrusts as a Dynamic Soil Property into Desert Southwest Ecological Sites and State-and- Transition Models
• RaMP: Research opportunities and access for diverse scientists (ROADs) in extreme dryland environments
• MSA: RESOLVING STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY CONTROLS ON ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION ALONG A VOLUME GRADIENT ACROSS NEON DOMAINS
• EXPLORING NEW DIMENSIONS OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS WITH STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY
• REMOTE SENSING OF STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY AS AN OPEN-SOURCE TOOL FOR MONITORING FOREST ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION
• Structural diversity: An unexplored dimension of biodiversity in Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems
• Collaborative Research: MRA: Elucidating Plant and Mycorrhizal Fungal Relationships and Consequences across Space and Time (Based at Purdue University)
• Workshop: Exploring New Dimensions of Forest Ecosystems with Structural Diversity (Based at Purdue University)