NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

入侵盐沼的红树林早期繁殖的原因和后果在世界范围内，热带红树林正在将它们的范围扩大到温带盐沼栖息地。在一些地方，红树林幼苗的繁殖比平时早得多，只在建立后一到两年。这种早熟繁殖可能通过缩短入侵植物的世代时间，促进红树林迅速入侵盐沼。更短的世代时间使红树林入侵的前沿以比仅有气候变化更快的速度移动。本研究将探讨入侵红树林早熟繁殖的原因，以及入侵盐沼红树林早熟繁殖的生态后果。研究方法包括野外实验、实验室实验和生态模拟。这项研究将有助于理解成花诱导，这在拟南芥中是众所周知的，但在经历光质和数量、光周期、温度和水分胁迫的复杂交互作用的树木中则更为复杂。这个系统非常适合测试生活史的快速变化如何影响入侵物种的成功。该奖学金将通过培养一名少数族裔研究人员在学术界担任科学领导职位，吸引不同的本科生参与研究，并根据研究结果创建教育展览，扩大对生物学的参与。这位研究员将接受生理方法和生态建模方面的培训，并将指导本科研究人员，为她在生物学领域的研究和教学生涯做好准备。这项研究的结果将被开发成展览，在Ft的史密森海洋生态系统展览上公开展示。佛罗里达州皮尔斯。

Causes and consequences of early reproduction in mangroves invading salt marshesWorldwide, tropical mangroves are expanding their ranges into temperate salt marsh habitat. In some locations, mangrove seedlings reproduce much earlier than usual, only one to two years after establishing. This precocious reproduction may facilitate rapid invasion of mangroves into salt marshes by shortening generation times of the invading plants. Shorter generation time allows the leading edge of the mangrove invasion to move at an even faster pace than with climate change alone. This research will investigate the causes of precocious reproduction in invasive mangroves and the ecological consequences of precocious reproduction on mangroves invading salt marshes. Research methods include field and laboratory experiments and ecological modeling. The study will contribute to understanding of floral induction, which is well understood in Arabidopsis but is more complex in trees experiencing complex interactions of light quality and quantity, photoperiod, temperature and water stress. This system is ideal to test how rapid life history changes affect the success of an invasive species. The fellowship will broaden participation in biology by preparing a minority researcher for a scientific leadership position in academia, attracting diverse undergraduates to participate in research, and creating an educational exhibit from research findings. The fellow will receive training in physiological methods and ecological modeling, and will mentor undergraduate researchers, preparing her for a research and teaching career in biology. Results from this study will be developed into an exhibit for public display at the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit in Ft. Pierce, Florida.