has worked as a freelance science writer and editor for over six years. She focuses on developing high school biology text books but has also worked on university web material and other projects. She has a Ph.D. in plant ecology and has worked as a research in agriculture weed ecology. Dr Stephen Murphy has worked as a consultant and researcher for the past 25 years. As a Professor and now Department Chair at the University of Waterloo, he has mentored and trained over 200 students and taught classes in assessing invasive species, ecological integrity, ecological restoration, wildlife conservation, ecological indicators, experimental design, and analysis and management plans for private and public lands. He has published over 50 peer reviewed journal articles or books/book chapters in his total career as a researcher and academic. Steve is Associate Editor of Restoration Ecology & Weed Science, Director of the University of Waterloo's Centre for Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation and the Summit Centre for the Environment in Huntsville ON, Chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration Ontario, a member of the Restoration Institute, a founder of the Ontario Invasive Plant Council, and Chair of the Centre for Applied Sciences in Ontario Protected Areas Dr. Clarence Swanton obtained his B.Sc.in Botany from the University of Toronto in 1975, his M.Sc in Agrometerology from the University of Guelph in 1977 and a Ph.D in Plant Ecology from the University of Western Ontario in 1986. In 1985 he joined the Department of Crop Science at the University of Guelph as an Assistant Professor of Weed Science. He was promoted to Professor in 1996. From 1998 to 2004, he served as the first Chair of the Department of Plant Agriculture. In 2002, he was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Agronomy. In 2005, he received the Weed Science Society of America Fellow Award. Dr Swanton has contributed internationally as a teacher, and consultant. His research is focussed on plant ecology and the development of integrated weed management systems for field and horticultural crops.