DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Integrating STEM approaches to understand the dispersal of grassland plants

虽然大多数植物在其生命周期的大部分时间里基本上都停留在一个地方，但它们能够作为种子移动到新的，有时甚至是遥远的地方。 了解种子如何移动或“分散”，对于确定植物物种穿越更长距离以寻找合适栖息地的能力非常重要，因为这些栖息地自然变化或通过人类的行动。 营养物质的可用性可能会强烈影响植物可以产生的种子数量，这些种子的质量以及它们可以传播多远。 为了了解营养物质的变化如何影响种子传播，将沿着从德克萨斯州到明尼苏达州的南北梯度从添加了氮、磷和钾的地块收集高草草原种子。 传播模式很难理解，因为大多数草原种子太小，传统的跟踪设备。 为了克服这一困难，将采用另一种方法：在风洞中研究种子的“飞行”，利用空气动力学工程技术来确定种子可以飞行的距离。 这些距离将被用于预测不同植物物种在不同栖息地之间移动的能力。这个项目将使爱荷华州州立大学（ISU）工程和生物系的本科生沉浸在融合生物学、数学、工程和技术的研究中。 这种独特的方法将使年轻科学家有更广泛的思考。 此外，该项目的跨部门性质将使学生和教师有机会从多个角度扩大他们目前研究种子传播的范围。 这项研究的结果将通过研究生开发的本科研讨会纳入国际空间大学的课程。 将工程、数学和技术融入生物科学的重要性也将通过各种互动活动向中小学生展示，这些活动将通过鼓励年轻人探索科学的地方项目进行。

Although most plants are essentially stuck in one place for most of their life cycle, they are able to move to new and sometimes distant locations as seeds. Understanding how seeds move or "disperse", is important for determining a plant species' ability to traverse increased distances to find suitable habitats as those habitats change naturally or through the actions of humans. The availability of nutrients might strongly affect the number of seeds a plant can produce, the quality of those seeds, and how far they can disperse. To understand how changes in nutrients might influence seed dispersal, tallgrass prairie seeds will be collected along a north-south gradient from Texas to Minnesota from plots to which nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium have been added. Dispersal patterns are difficult to understand because most prairie seeds are too small for traditional tracking devices. To combat this difficulty an alternative approach will be used: the "flight" of seeds will be studied in wind tunnels, using aerodynamic engineering technology to determine the distances seeds can travel. These distances will be used to make predictions about the ability of different plant species to move between disparate habitats.This project will immerse undergraduate students in both the Engineering and the Biology Departments at Iowa State University (ISU) in research that integrates biology, mathematics, engineering and technology. This unique approach will allow for broader thinking of young scientists. In addition, the cross-departmental nature of this project will give students and faculty the chance to expand the current scope of their research studying seed dispersal from many angles. Results from this research will be incorporated into ISU curriculum through undergraduate seminars developed by graduate students. The importance of integrating engineering, math and technology into the biological sciences will also be presented through various interactive activities to elementary and middle school students through local programs that encourage exploration of science at a young age.