I welcome students with any interest or ideas related to plant biology and ecology (including, but not limited to, plant structure and function, population ecology, plant reproductive biology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and disturbance ecology).
Population dynamics and resprouting ability of Chapmannia floridana in natural and human-modified habitats
Chapmannia floridana is an herbaceous perennial herb that is endemic to Florida. I have established plots in natural (Florida rosemary scrub, scrubby flatwoods) and human-modified (degraded scrub, roadsides, pastures) habitats to monitor C. floridana survival and seedling recruitment. In scrubby flatwoods and pastures, where fire and grazing are the most important disturbances, respectively, I am studying the ability of C. floridana to resprout after repeated loss of aboveground biomass.
Students are welcome to become involved with this research and/or develop their own research in Florida scrub ecosystems at Archbold Biological Station. Applying for and receiving a Winthrop University Research Council Grant is necessary to fund research in Florida.
Students are welcome to become involved with this research and/or develop their own research in Florida scrub ecosystems at Archbold Biological Station. Applying for and receiving a Winthrop University Research Council Grant is necessary to fund research in Florida.
Bark thickness
Thick bark increases tree survival during fire. Relative bark thickness is a measure of allocation to protection versus growth. I am currently investigating intraspecific variation in relative bark thickness of turkey oaks across a latitudinal gradient. I am interested in pursuing research on the relationship between stem survival and bark thickness among species and seasonal variation in bark moisture content.
Fire-related cues and germination
The Winthrop greenhouse is a great resource for research projects. I am looking for an undergraduate students to conduct an experiment on the effects of smoke, ash, and/or heat on seed germination of Chapmannia floridana. Students could also investigate the effects of fire-related cues on germination or other species or the effects of disturbance and land use on soil seed banks.