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，热带红树林正在将其范围扩展到温带盐沼栖息地。在一些地方，红树林幼苗的繁殖比通常早得多，在建立后仅一到两年。这种早熟的繁殖可能会缩短入侵植物的世代时间，从而促进红树林迅速入侵盐沼。更短的世代时间使得红树林入侵的前沿以比气候变化更快的速度移动。本研究将探讨入侵红树林提早繁殖的原因，以及提早繁殖对入侵盐沼红树林的生态影响。研究方法包括野外和实验室实验以及生态模拟。这项研究将有助于理解成花诱导，这是很好地理解拟南芥，但更复杂的树木经历复杂的相互作用的光质量和数量，光周期，温度和水分胁迫。该系统非常适合测试快速的生活史变化如何影响入侵物种的成功。该奖学金将通过为学术界的科学领导地位准备少数民族研究人员，吸引不同的本科生参与研究，并从研究成果中创建教育展览，从而扩大生物学的参与。该研究员将接受生理学方法和生态建模方面的培训，并将指导本科研究人员，为她在生物学方面的研究和教学生涯做好准备。这项研究的结果将被开发成一个展览，在史密森尼海洋生态系统展览在英尺公开展示。皮尔斯，佛罗里达。

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.