Ana Flores
Biological Sciences
Florida International University
I am a Biology major at FIU in Miami, Florida, with a focus on Ecology and Evolution. I am generally interested in animal and plant adaptations to rapidly changing ecosystems, particularly due to extreme climate variation. I believe that if we understand how plants and animals adapt, even on a very small evolutionary scale, we can improve conservation, and properly inform restoration efforts. This summer I'll be studying how seeds, sourced from different regions for prairie restoration, compare when exposed to a simulated frost event. Personally, I am an avid reader. Also, I am optimistic about the potential of the internet to serve Science as a vehicle for communicating with the non-scientific public.
Current efforts to restore prairie ecosystems require that ecologists and land managers choose a seed sourcing strategy that minimizes genetic risks and increases adaptive potential in the face of climate change. A common garden study was conducted to compare the phenology and fitness of plants sourced from three potential regions differing by latitude. After observing low seedling establishment of southern-sourced plants in Chamaecrista fasciculata, we compared frost tolerance across sources, generation, and development stage.
Final Presentation/Poster