First class

Hello!

Next Wednesday, September 5^th, Chris’s students will have their first science class with me. I have two primary goals for the first day:

(1) Review a few concepts, including the scientific method and differences between native, alien, and invasive species.

-->  These concepts will be discussed during a power point presentation summarizing my research. I am currently studying divergent evolution in early traits of development in 3 California native grass species. My research was designed to help an ongoing restoration effort in one of UC Davis’s natural reserves (http://nrs.ucdavis.edu/McL/index.html).

              

                When choosing seeds for a restoration project, scientists and land managers need to ensure that the biological material being used presents: a) local adaptation to the restoration site (for successful establishment of populations), and b) genetic diversity within populations to increase the likelihood that populations will survive under various environmental conditions.

My hope is that by the end of the presentation students will know, and have a clear example of, how scientists (ecologists in particular) approach questions/problems. 

(2) Plant seeds that will be used in the restoration project mentioned above.

        -->   Students will spend the rest of our time together planting seeds of 5 CA native grasses: Festuca idahoensis, Bromus carinatus, Hordeum brachyantherum, Nasella pulchra, and Elymus glaucus. We will plant approximately 300 seeds but only a fraction of those will germinate and survive until November 2^nd, the day in which we will plant the grasses at the McLaughlin reserve. I will post more information about this project before the field trip to the reserve.