Climate Change may Increase Outcrossing in Viola sororia
My recent article in the American Journal of Botany was selected as a “highlighted article” for their July 2022 issue! This article was also featured as a front-page story by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and as a blog via the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Discover + Share.
Highlighted article in the July 2022 issue of the American Journal of Botany:
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16031
My recent article in the American Journal of Botany was selected as a “highlighted article” for their July 2022 issue! This article was also featured as a front-page story by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and as a blog via the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Discover + Share.
Highlighted article in the July 2022 issue of the American Journal of Botany:
doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16031
Front-page coverage in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/study-climate-change-improves-violet-blooms-but-there-s-a-hitch/article_a1e836f5-376a-5fb9-859a-7de13d26309f.html
https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/study-climate-change-improves-violet-blooms-but-there-s-a-hitch/article_a1e836f5-376a-5fb9-859a-7de13d26309f.html
Feature by the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Discover + Share blog:
https://discoverandshare.org/2022/06/16/climate-change-and-common-violets
https://discoverandshare.org/2022/06/16/climate-change-and-common-violets
Paid Undergraduate Internship through the Missouri Botanical Garden - Summer 2022
I'm pleased to announce a paid summer internship to work with me on investigating the effects of climate change on species with mixed mating systems. This is an 8-week internship offered through the Missouri Botanical Garden's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Please see the project description below for details and learn more about the REU program here. Applications due February 28th, 2022.
Project: Investigating the effects of climate change on mixed mating systems: Do changes to water availability affect outcrossing rates? Species with dimorphic cleistogamy produce two types of morphologically distinct flowers: cleistogamous (CL) flowers that obligately self-fertilize and chasmogamous (CH) flowers that facultatively outcross. CL flowers are produced as a bet-hedging strategy in stressful environments, while CH flowers are produced under good growing conditions. Our prior research has found that the common blue violet (Viola sororia), a dimorphic cleistogamic perennial native across eastern North America, has responded to climate change in Missouri by increasing investment in CH flower production. As climate change in Missouri has been characterized by increased precipitation, the increased investment in CH flower production by V. sororia is likely a response to greater water availability. Here, the student will expand this work to other species and locations across North America to test whether the positive relationship between water availability and CH flower production is generalizable across species with dimorphic cleistogamy. To accomplish this, the student will quantify CH and CL flowers on herbarium sheets, pair these flowering data with historic climate data, and test for associations between water availability and CH flower production. As outcrossing can facilitate future adaptation, while selfing can lead to inbreeding depression, understanding the effects of climate change on reproductive strategy investment is crucial for a comprehensive assessment of the biological impacts of global change. It is possible for the student participating in this project to receive co-authorship on a publication resulting from this work.
Media Coverage of Postdoctoral Research
My postdoctoral research with the Living Earth Collaborative was featured by various media outlets. Peruse the links below to find out more!
Scientific American Podcast
In Missouri, a Human 'Bee' Works to Better Understand Climate Change's Effects
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/in-missouri-a-human-bee-works-to-better-understand-climate-changes-effects
HEC Media Video
Flowers Bloom Early Confusing Bees – Effects of Climate Change on Flowers, Bees & Possibly You
https://hecmedia.org/posts/flowers-bloom-early-confusing-bees-effects-of-climate-change-on-flowers-bees-possibly-you
St. Louis Public Radio Story
Climate Change Is Resetting The Clock For Missouri Wildflowers. Will It Affect Their Survival?
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2021-05-07/climate-change-is-resetting-the-clock-for-missouri-wildflowers-will-it-affect-their-survival
Washington University's the Source Article
Yes, spring flowers are blooming earlier. It might confuse bees.
https://source.wustl.edu/2021/03/yes-spring-flowers-are-blooming-earlier-it-might-confuse-bees
I'm pleased to announce a paid summer internship to work with me on investigating the effects of climate change on species with mixed mating systems. This is an 8-week internship offered through the Missouri Botanical Garden's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Please see the project description below for details and learn more about the REU program here. Applications due February 28th, 2022.
Project: Investigating the effects of climate change on mixed mating systems: Do changes to water availability affect outcrossing rates? Species with dimorphic cleistogamy produce two types of morphologically distinct flowers: cleistogamous (CL) flowers that obligately self-fertilize and chasmogamous (CH) flowers that facultatively outcross. CL flowers are produced as a bet-hedging strategy in stressful environments, while CH flowers are produced under good growing conditions. Our prior research has found that the common blue violet (Viola sororia), a dimorphic cleistogamic perennial native across eastern North America, has responded to climate change in Missouri by increasing investment in CH flower production. As climate change in Missouri has been characterized by increased precipitation, the increased investment in CH flower production by V. sororia is likely a response to greater water availability. Here, the student will expand this work to other species and locations across North America to test whether the positive relationship between water availability and CH flower production is generalizable across species with dimorphic cleistogamy. To accomplish this, the student will quantify CH and CL flowers on herbarium sheets, pair these flowering data with historic climate data, and test for associations between water availability and CH flower production. As outcrossing can facilitate future adaptation, while selfing can lead to inbreeding depression, understanding the effects of climate change on reproductive strategy investment is crucial for a comprehensive assessment of the biological impacts of global change. It is possible for the student participating in this project to receive co-authorship on a publication resulting from this work.
Media Coverage of Postdoctoral Research
My postdoctoral research with the Living Earth Collaborative was featured by various media outlets. Peruse the links below to find out more!
Scientific American Podcast
In Missouri, a Human 'Bee' Works to Better Understand Climate Change's Effects
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/in-missouri-a-human-bee-works-to-better-understand-climate-changes-effects
HEC Media Video
Flowers Bloom Early Confusing Bees – Effects of Climate Change on Flowers, Bees & Possibly You
https://hecmedia.org/posts/flowers-bloom-early-confusing-bees-effects-of-climate-change-on-flowers-bees-possibly-you
St. Louis Public Radio Story
Climate Change Is Resetting The Clock For Missouri Wildflowers. Will It Affect Their Survival?
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2021-05-07/climate-change-is-resetting-the-clock-for-missouri-wildflowers-will-it-affect-their-survival
Washington University's the Source Article
Yes, spring flowers are blooming earlier. It might confuse bees.
https://source.wustl.edu/2021/03/yes-spring-flowers-are-blooming-earlier-it-might-confuse-bees