Dr. Scott Zona (Curator of Wertheim Conservatory of Florida International University) Joins Plant Identification Workshop

Starting on Friday February 3rd, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Scott Zona [Curator of Wertheim Conservatory of Florida International University (FIU)] will join our Herbarium Curator (Dr. Brett Jestrow) during our monthly plant identification workshops. As a reminder, the first Friday of the month (between 1:00 and 4:00 PM, see additional news in the June 2011 section below) the doors of the herbarium (located at the CTPC, 11935 Old Cutler Road) open to our school teachers and Fairchild members to help them to identify any particular enigmatic plant. This includes weeds, ornamentals, natives, and crops.

Researcher from Peru Performing Palm Histological Research at Montgomery Botanical Center and Botanic Garden of Geneve (Switzerland)

Carlos Martel from Museo de Historia Natural de Lima will be hosted by the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) between February 1st to March 15th. Carlos will be performing his studies with our colleague Larry Noblick (MBC palm biologist) on flower producing-scent structures. The study is being also conducted in collaboration with Fred Stauffer from the Botanic Garden of Geneve (Switzerland). We are pleased that part of this research Carlos will be undertaken using the facilities of the CTPC plant anatomy laboratory where Carlos will be making histological preparations. Thanks to Ken Feeley for sharing space of his lab for this study and to Brett Jestrow to help Carlos to settle in the lab.

FIU-Fairchild Alumna Performs Field Research in Puerto Rico with the Support of Universidad de Puerto Rico and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

With the support of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation of the Universidad de Puerto Rico (sponsored by the National Science Foundation) , FIU-Fairchild graduate alumna Karen Laubengayer (currently working for Monsanto Company) conducted field work in Puerto Rico between 1/29/2012 and 1/30/2012. The objective of this study was to obtain morphological data for the Caribbean Island endemic Aiphanes minima. This palm species has a disjunct distribution between Puerto Rico and the Windward Islands (Dominique, Martinique, Saint Vincent and the Granadines, Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Granada). For her Master Thesis, Karen sampled throughout the Lesser Antilles. This graduate project was under the research supervision of Dr. Scott Zona (Curator of Wertheim Conservatory of Florida International University). This recent field work at Puerto Rico has allowed Karen to have a complete biometrical data set that covers populations from the whole distribution range of this species. Our gratitude to Dr. Eugenio Santiago (Department of Biology and Botanic Garden, University of Puerto Rico) for his time, help, and support with the logistics of this field trip. Image below: Left (Dr. Eugenio Santiago processing herbarium specimens at the Botanic Garden of the University of Puerto Rico). Right (Karen Laubengayer preparing collecting tools in the field).

FIU-Fairchild Gradute Students Travel to India

In January 2012, Vanessa Sanchez and Klara Scharnagl, FIU-Fairchild students of Dr. Eric von Wettberg and Dr. Krish Jayachandran, visited the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India.  They were joined by three researchers from University of California Davis to assist with a National Science Foundation and Gates Foundation funded project aimed at reducing the need for artificial fertilizer through improving the use of natural nitrogen-fixing bacteria (called rhizobia) on chickpea. ICRISAT is a non-profit agricultural research center working for Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to design crops and farming practices that help to fight hunger and poverty around the world located near Hyderabad, in southern India. While there, Vanessa and Klara helped harvest chickpea, wash the roots, and count root nodules that house rhizobial bacteria for over 280 plant specimens. They learned a good deal about root nodulation and experimental design, but also had the opportunity to explore Hyderabad, to eat traditional Indian food, and to make many friends and connections. It was a thoroughly enriching experience and a fantastic way to begin the new year. Images from the trip: Right top: Vanessa Sanchez preparing samples in the field. Bottom:  Klara Scharnagl (left) and Vanessa Sanchez (right) performing laboratory research.

Workshop on Cycad Biology for High School Teachers

On January 28 a workshop on Cycad Biology was offered to high school teachers from the Miami-metro area. The workshop was funded by the National Science Foundation and jointly organized by the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC), the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Fairchild Tropical Botanic and Florida International University (FIU). Instructors included Dennis Stevenson (NYBG), Patrick Griffith (MBC), Michael Calonje (MBC), and Javier Framcisco-Ortega (FIU-Fairchild). A total of six high school teachers joined us. In addition, Shelley Cant, (Education Officer from the Bahamas National Trust) also participated in this event. The workshop included: (1) field components based on the extraordinary living collections of MBC and (2) classroom lectures and laboratory demonstrations at the Center for Tropical Plant Conservation of Fairchild. Images from the workshop: Bottom left (Dennis Stevenson dissecting cycad seeds), bottom right (course participants).

Dr. Brett Jestrow Visits the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (Eleuthera Island)
As part of the activities to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the publication of the Flora of the Bahama Archipelago (written by Donovan Correll and Helen Correll in 1982 under the sponsorship of Fairchild), Dr. Brett Jestrow and Dr. Ethan Freid (botanist of the Bahamas National Trust) made a joint trip to the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (Eleuthera Island) (January 20 - 23). During this visit arrangements were made for a joint plant hunting expedition that will take place this Spring. This expedition will involve botanists from LLNPP, the Bahamas National Trust, and Fairchild and aim to enrich the living collections of Caribbean/Bahamian endemics of these institutes. Mark Daniels from the LLNPP hosted Brett and Ethan during this visit. Images from the LLNPP: Top right (the Bahamian endemic Eupatorium lucayanum (Asteraceae)), bottom left (Encyclia gracilis (Orchidaceae)), and bottom right (view of the preserve pond).

Dr. Eric Von Wettberg Attends Meeting on Chickpea Genomics at Patancheru (India)

From September 4-7 Dr. Eric von Wettberg was at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Patancheru India to participate in a project meeting on an NSF-Gates Foundation Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD) project on chickpea.  This collaborative research with the groups of Dr. Doug Cook (PI) at University of California Davis and Dr. Rajeev Varshney (Co-PI) of ICRISAT's Center of Excellence in Genomics aims to use an understanding of the consequences of domestication in chickpea to facilitate breeding for low fertility soils.  The trip also allowed for exploration of the cultural sites of the greater Hyderabad area

•  From Aug 2-6 Dr. Eric von Wettberg was at the Marconi Center on Tomales Bay, CA,  attending a meeting to discuss ongoing activities related to the collaborative research project examining salt tolerance in wild alfalfa, Medicago truncatula.  Dr. von Wettberg worked on several of the papers that will come from this project, made plans for the future, and enjoyed the best oysters he has ever had.

Biofuel Conference at Florida International University - Presentations by Fairchild Challenge Alumni 

• Agroecology Program at Florida International University in partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden's Fairchild Challenge Programrecruited seven high school juniors and seniors and conducted a eight week workshop on emerging science in biofuels - renewable resources from non-crop plants and algae (see below June news). Students went through series of lectures on biofuels, visited research laboratories and research fields, and conducted experiments. This is the first time a workshop/short course module has been created and carried out successfully. Students made the final presentation on August 10, Wednesday between 9.30 am and 11.30 am in GC 243 at Florida International University.

This was possible by 2010 USDA NIFA Hispanic Serving Institutions Higher Education grant of the FIU Agroecology Program. The program was conducted by Mr. Andrew Jungman, a graduate rsearch assistant at the FIU Agroecology Program in the Earth and Environment Dept. For more info, they can contact Dr. Krish Jayachandran (jayachan@fiu.edu), Dr. Mahadev Bhat (bhatm@fiu.edu), Dr. Eric vonWettberg (evonwettberg@fairchildgarden.org)

Increasing Conservation Awareness for Zamia lucayana in the Bahamas Archipelago

• With the financial support of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Conservation Funds and the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) we have just completed the last component of our project for a conservation action plan for the Critically Endangered cycad Zamia lucayana, a species restricted to Long Island (The Bahamas Archipelago). During July 26th - 29th, project participants from The Bahamas National Trust, MBC and FIU - Fairchild joined forces to develop several activities to increase conservation awareness for Zamia lucayana in the country. They included delivering three talks at the Headquarters of The Bahamas National Trust (Nassau) and the Community Center of Long Island [by Michael Calonje (from MBC), Tracy Magellan (from MBC), and our Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega].

Our outreach activities including delivering posters and post-cards among relevant agencies involved in nature conservation and the local schools of Long Island. We presented framed copies of the outreach poster to the Long Island Museum and also to The Bahamas National Trust.

 Image on the right: Project participants present a poster on conservation awareness of Z. lucayana to the Director of the Long Island Museum (Patsy Cartwright), from left to right: Michael Calonje, Javier Francisco-Ortega, Patsy Cartwright, and Lindy Knowles (Bahamas National Trust). Image on the bottom left: The President of The Bahamas National Trust (Neil McKinney) (left) and the Minister of Environment of The Bahamas Government (The Honorable Earl Deveaux) (right) attending the seminars delivered at The Bahamas National Trust. Image on the bottom right: Outreach poster that was prepared for this project.

Dr. Joyce Maschinski Joins Board of Directors at The Institute for Regional Conservation

• This September, Fairchild’s Conservation Ecologist Dr. Joyce Maschinski will join the board of directors of Miami’s Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC).  A long-time collaborator with Fairchild, IRC is well known for its cutting edge work on regional conservation issues, especially involving rare plants and ecological restoration.  Joyce will join IRC’s board along with Patty Phares, a founding member and 30-year-volunteer with the Dade Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society.  Bringing both women onto the IRC board represents just the first phase of planned leadership expansion at the well-respected institution. “IRC has accomplished an incredible amount in its first 25 years,” states IRC President and Executive Director George Gann. “But we cannot rest on our laurels. Global change demands ever more action and IRC must evolve to meet this challenge. We need leaders to step forward at this critical juncture and we are both honored and grateful to have Patty and Joyce join us this fall.”

CTPC Members Participate in Botany 2011 Meeting

• At this year's Botanical Society of America - American Society of Plant Taxonomists conference (Botany 2011 at St. Louis Missouri, July 9 - 13), FIU assistant professor and FTBG conservation geneticist Dr. Eric von Wettberg, and FIU-FTBG graduate students Tonya Fotinos, Dr. Nora Oleas (recently graduated), and Emily Warcshefsky presented oral and poster presentations on genetic work to inform conservation on species from South Florida, Equador, and Tunisia. Abstracts of this work are available at: http://www.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=AbstractTitle

Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega Attends Council Meeting of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists - Botany 2011 Meeting

• As one of the six elected members of the Council of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega attended the annual meeting of this Council. The event was part of the Botany 2011 meeting and took place on July 10 at St. Louis, Missouri. Attendance to this meeting was supported by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.  Image on the left show some of the meeting participants: Javier Francisco-Ortega, Dick Olmstead, Warren Wagner, Carolyn Ferguson, Ken Cameron, Linda Watson, Mark Fishbein, Kathleen Pryer, Christiane Anderson, Linda Brown, Tom Ranker, and Patrick Herendeen.

Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega Conducts Research at Missouri Botanical Garden

• Supported by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, on July 11 Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega visited the library and herbarium of the Missouri Botanical Garden to consult pre-Linnean works for the Canary Island flora and to obtain herbarium fragments of Acidoton (Euphorbiaceae) and Pilea (Urticaceae). This herbarium material will be used for anatomical and molecular studies relevant for our research on systematics of Caribbean Island endemics. This research is part of team studies being conducted by Dr. Jorge Gutierrez,  Dr. Brett Jestrow, Mr. Francisco Jimenez, and Dr. James Valdes.

Field Work in the Dominican Republic by FIU/Fairchild Graduate Student in Collaboration with Researchers from Fairchild and the National Botanic Garden of the Dominican Republic

• FIU/Fairchild Graduate Program alumnus Brian Sidoti and Fairchild biologist Jennifer Possley recently made a successful trip to the Dominican Republic (June 24 - July 7) to collect specimens and data for Brian's research.  Brian is a doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and he is examining the Molecular Systematics and Population Genetics of the Tillandsia fasciculata Complex (Bromeliaceae) in and around the Caribbean Basin. Brian and Jennifer traveled around the DR with the assistance of Teodoro Clase and Alberto Veloz from the Jardin Botanico Nacional (http://www.jbn.gob.do/).  Image on the right: Jennifer Possley taking ecological data in the field. Image on the bottom left: Brain Sidoti taking photos of Tillandsia fasciculata. On the bottom right: Individual of Tillandsia compressa.

Fairchild Challenge High School Students Join Summer Research Internship Program at FIU and CTPC

• Starting in June 20 and during eight weeks, five high school students from the Fairchild Challenge will be participating in a USDA-funded internship with FIU's Agroecology Program to study biofuels.  The students will be learning the core techniques with which one can extract fuels from different biological materials, as well as visiting local research and agricultural centers, exploring the environmental costs and consequences of biofuel development and intensification, and thinking about ways to expand the biofuels potential of South Florida. Image on the left: Top row from left to right: Andrew Jungman (FIU Graduate student), *Cathernine Roen (Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart), Prof. Krish Jayachandran, Prof. Mahadev Bhat, Dr. Eric von Wettberg, *Amy Diaz (South Miami Senior High School), Kennan Zolfaghari (Coral Reef High School). Bottom row from left to right *Karli Pulido (American Senior High School), *Hope Wilcox (Miami Lakes Educational Center), *Johamary Pena (Homestead Senior High) *Fairchild Challenge student

Book on Climate Change and Plant Introduction

• The Center for Tropical Plant Conservation has a commitment for research pertinent to the effect of climatic change on plant biodiversity. Indeed, this is one of the main research priorities of our group. As a result of the CTPC research activities in this area our Dr. Joyce Maschinski and Dr. Kristin E. Haskins (Northern Arizona University) have edited a new book entitled "Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate. Promises and Perils". The book presents a comprehensive review of plant reintroduction projects and practices, the circumstances of their successes or failures, lessons learned, and the potential role for reintroductions in preserving species threatened by climate change. Contributors examine current plant reintroduction practices, from selecting appropriate source material and recipient sites to assessing population demography. The book is being published by Island Press and sponsored by the Center for Plant Conservation. The book is due to be out in print in December 2011.

Dr. Hong Liu and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega visit Beijing Forestry University

 • Invited by Prof. Hong-Xia Liu and supported by the Dean's Office of FIU and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, our Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega and Dr. Hong Liu visited the College of Forestry of Beijing Forestry University on June 22. Dr. Francisco Ortega delivered a talk entitled: "The Fairchild Education Project: Training the Next Generation of Tropical Botanists". Dr. Hong Liu's talk was on "Orchid Conservation Research". During this visit we reinforced our current research ties with Prof. Xong-Xia Liu's laboratory  and made plans for future projects mostly on orchid biodiversity. Image on the left: Dr. Francisco-Ortega delivering his seminar. Below left: Dr. Hong Liu delivering her seminar. Below right: Building of the Beijing Forestry University

Visiting Scientist, Dr. James J. Valdés Develops Plant Anatomy
Research at Fairchild

• Plant anatomy is an integral part of the Garden and some of the most
important scientific contributions of Fairchild have been in this
field (see below May News on the publication of the book Palm Anatomy by Tomlinson et al. 2011). Dr. James J. Valdés, a graduate from Florida International University with ample experience in
molecular biology, bioinformatics and histology, is visiting us
between April and August to develop plant histological methods. Prior
to visiting us Dr. Valdés was a postdoctoral fellow at the ICREA Life
Science Department at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (Barcelona, Spain). At the end of August Dr. Valdés will join the Institute of Parasitology in České Budějovice, Czech Republic for a position as a postdoctoral researcher to develop vaccines against tick-borne
diseases. As a Visiting Scientist at Fairchild, Dr. Valdés will be
working with our herbarium curator Dr. Brett Jestrow and FIU-Fairchild
researcher Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega on projects focusing on
Caribbean Island endemics – particularly on identifying patterns of
nickel deposition and calcium crystals (e.g., druses and cystoliths)
in plant tissue. Dr. Valdés is also assisting in mentoring Nicolas
Espinosa, an undergraduate intern from Florida International
University who is being supported by an NSF grant (see below May
News).

 Plant Identification Monthly Workshops to Fairchild Challenge School Teachers and Garden Members

• Led by our Herbarium Curator Dr. Brett Jestrow, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden hosts a monthly workshop where Fairchild Challenge School Teachers and Garden Members can bring their plants to have them identified. This workshop aims to enhance the public appreciation for our unique flora and also to increase awareness for those invasive species that threaten the ecosystems of South Florida. The workshops take place the first Friday of every month at the Center for Tropical Plant Conservation (11935 Old Cutler Road, ca. 1 mile south from the Main Garden) between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. This community and scientific educational activity of our herbarium was featured in the June 6 issue of the Miami Herald. Click here for the full news cover.

Dr. Eric von Wettberg Attends International Meeting in France

• In May Dr Eric von Wettberg visited the Ecole Nacional Superieure de Toulouse as a visiting faculty fellow to continue ongoing research on salt tolerance of wild alfalfa (Medicago truncatula) from the Mediterranean.  In addition to lecturing on his work to colleagues and researchers at ENSAT, he presented new results at the Model Legume Meeting (a scientific conference on Medicago) in Sainte-Maxime, France.

FIU/FTBG Graduate Student Receives Grant from Florida Native Plant Society

A Milestone in the History of Research of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Joint Field Expedition to Dominican Republic between Institute of Jamaica, National Botanic Garden of Dominican Republic and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - Institute of Jamaica Workshop on DNA Methods

Fairchild Challenge Alumnus Joins Research Teams of FIU-Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Montgomery Botanical Center, and USDA

• Our welcome to Nicolas Espinosa, Fairchild Challenge Alumnus and sophomore student of Florida International University who will be working with us as a research intern during this summer. Nicolas is majoring in Environmental Studies and during his High School years at South Plantation High School he was an active participant of the Fairchild Challenge. His internship is being funded by a NSF project on "Caribbean Cycads Biogeography, Conservation, and Systematics". During this internship Nicolas will be hosted by the Montgomery Botanical Center (in May, mentored by Dr. Patrick Griffith and Dr. Chad Husby), the herbarium of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (in June, mentored by Dr. Bret Jestrow and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega), and the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station of USDA (in July, mentored by Dr. Dayana Salas-Leiva and Dr. Alan Meerow). His research at Montgomery Botanical Center will focus on ex situ conservation methods. During his internship at the Fairchild Herbarium, Nicolas will gain experience in herbarium management and the use of optical microscopy techniques for systematics. Finally, his studies at USDA will be based on the use of DNA techniques to address phylogenetic questions. Nicolas joined this research team on May 9th. The image on the right shows Nicolas spraying soapy water on Caribbean Islands taxa of Zamia to control mealy bugs at the Montgomery Botanical Center.

•  FIU/FTBG graduate student Evan Rehm (Feeley lab) will spend May 2011 initiating his dissertation research project in the Andean highlands of southern Peru.  Specifically he will be working with local collaborators to establish longt erm vegetation and seed dispersal monitoring plots at the ecotone between montane cloud forest and puna grasslands.  Evan will leave Peru in June and July in order to attend the Organization for Tropical Studies course in Tropical Ecology at Costa Rica. Evan will return to Peru briefly in August in order to complete the summer field season of work before returning to FIU for the fall semester.

•  FIU/FTBG graduate student Catherine Bravo (Feeley lab) will spend May – August in her home country of Peru in order research patterns of carbon allocation in cloudforest plant species.  This research will help inform our understandings of the impacts of global climate change on carbon sequestration in tropical forests and will form the foundation of Catherine’s thesis project.

•  FIU/FTBG graduate student Brian Machovia (Feeley lab) will remain in Miami over the summer in order to focus on his dissertation research investigating patterns of land conversion for Banana production in Central and South America.  This research will be conducted primarily through the analysis of time series of remotely-sensed data (e.g., satellite and aerial images) combined with environmental data layers (e.g., temperature, precipitation, soil type, and topography), supplemented with field based data to be collected in the future. Bananas are one of the most widespread an important of all tropical crops yet their impact on the environment remains woefully understudied.

•  FIU/FTBG Conservation Biologist Dr. Kenneth Feeley will spend May-July in southern Peru.  In addition to assisting his graduate students, Evan Rehm, Catherine Bravo, and Brian Machovia. Dr. Feeley will be initiating a new series of field projects aimed at experimentally manipulating environmental conditions (temperature, precipitation, radiation) in the high puna grasslands above Cusco and monitoring the consequences for the establishment of cloud forest tree species.  Understanding the role of environmental filters in limiting the distribution of cloud forest species is an important piece of data required to predict how this critical ecosystem will respond to climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances.  Dr. Feeley will also take several exploratory trips throughout southern and central in order to scout new field sites and establish relationships with potential collaborators.

 

•  From April 6 through 8, Dr. Charles Kwit, a research scientist from the University of Tennessee’s Department of Plant Sciences, visited Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden to initiate collaborative research on genetic diversity of West Indian avocado (Persea americana var. americana). He was hosted by Mary Keppler, Fairchild’s Elementary Programs Coordinator and former Master’s student of Dr. Kwit's wife, Dr. Elisabeth Schussler (currently an assistant professor in the University of Tennessee’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology). Dr. Kwit spent part of his time with Dr. Richard Campbell and Noris Ledesma at the Fairchild Farm’s Williams Grove Genetic Facility, where he collected leaf tissue samples from Fairchild’s ex situ living collection of West Indian avocado; with help from Dr. Brett Jestrow and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega, those samples are now in storage at the Center for Tropical Plant Conservation’s FIU/FTBG Molecular Laboratory. Dr. Kwit plans to utilize DNA from those samples to further investigate the genetic diversity of Fairchild’s collection in collaboration with Fairchild scientists and staff.

• Our research with Bahamian cycads and recent field trip to the island of Abaco (Michael Calonje from Montgomery Botanical Center, David Knowles from the Bahamas National Trust, and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega from FIU and Fairchild) have been highlighted in "The Tribune" (March 21, 2011), one of the two newspapers that is circulated nationally throughout the Bahamas. The article is entitled:  "Exploring the Zamia on Tyloo Cay" and was written by Sara Gilmer from Cruise Abaco. Our gratitude to Sarah for writing this article and for providing boat transportation to the Abaco cays. See additional news about our recent field studies in Abaco, Eleuthera, and Grand Bahama below (February News).

• As part of the Caribbean cycad project funded by NSF we have just started our field studies in Florida. During March our team has conducted three field trips to several natural areas, including Pond Hawk Natural Area in Boca Raton (March 5 by Dr. Alan Meerow (USDA) and Tracy Magellan (Montgomery Botanical Center); Everglades National Park (March 14 by Dr. Alan Meerow and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega); and West Florida (March 23 - March 25 to Oscar Scherer State Park; Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park; Koreshan State Historical Site and State Park; and Cayo Costa State Park by Dr. Alan Meerow and Dr. Francisco-Ortega).  We are particularly grateful to Mark Duncan from Cayo Costa State Park to arrange boat transportation to this park. Our collection in these natural areas was performed in coordination with their land managers. During the coming months our team anticipates to continue field work in North Florida and the Cayman Islands. Image on the right: Dr. Alan Meerow collecting DNA samples at Pond Hawk Natural Area

• The National Science Foundation has awarded a $457,530 grant (award # 1050340) to a team of scientists from Florida International University, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the United States Department of Agriculture, Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC) and New York Botanic Garden (Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega, Dr. Alan Meerow, Dr. Patrick Griffith, and Dr. Dennis Stevenson, respectively) to conduct evolutionary and conservation genetics studies of the cycad genus Zamia from the Caribbean Islands. The four Principal Investigators have a solid history of outstanding and productive collaborations, and their institutions have a long tradition of research concerning cycad biology and Caribbean Island plants.

The project will involve: (1) molecular studies coordinated by Dr. Meerow; (2) field work and ex situ conservation, coordinated by Dr. Griffith, in association with MBC cycad biologist Michael Calonje; (3) graduate and undergraduate education coordinated by Dr. Francisco-Ortega; and (4) taxonomy coordinated by Dr. Stevenson. Importantly, the study also has a strong secondary education component that will be carried out in association with the Fairchild Challenge program. The project will be done in close partnership with land managers and scientists from the Greater Antilles and the Bahamas Islands. Image on the right: Dr. Alan Meerow collecting germplasm and DNA samples on the island of North Andros, the Bahamas Archipelago.

• Please join us to congratulate Dr. Brett Jestrow as Curator of our Herbarium. Originally from Northern California, Dr. Brett Jestrow pursued his botanical interests through the dual graduate program at Fairchild and Florida International University.  For his Ph.D. (obtained in December 2010), Brett studied the relationships of the Caribbean genera of the tribe Adelieae (Euphorbiaceae); a significant radiation of over 35 species, all endemic to the islands. Brett's research has required collecting through the Caribbean alongside multiple collaborators, as well as developing phylogenies in the molecular laboratory work here at the Garden.

• Dr. Joyce Maschinski will be speaking to the Jupiter Island Garden Club and Residents Association on January 11 and to the Grass River Garden Club on January 12.  She will be speaking about the history and future of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's tropical plant conservation activities.

• Funded by the Mohamed Bin Zayed Conservation Funds and the Batchelor Foundation a team of botanists from the National Botanic Garden of Dominican Republic, USDA-ARS (Miami), Montgomery Botanical Center, Al Ain Wild Life and Resort (Abu-Dhabi), Florida International University, and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden have just produced the first research paper on conservation genetics for any Caribbean Island palms. This study has been published in the latest issue of Journal of Heredity (Vol. 102, Issue 1, Pages 1-10). This is official journal of the American Genetic Association. The research focused on Pseudophoenix ekmanii, a critically endangered species of Dominican Republic and was based on DNA microsatellites (SSRs). Image on the right: cover page of the journal issue where the paper was published depicting an adult individual of P. ekmanii growing in Jaragua National Park.

• Today we pay respects to a dear friend and champion for natural areas in Miami-Dade County.  EmilieYoung, who was the first director of the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program passed away on December 11, 2010 and was laid to rest at St. Matthew the Apostle Episcopal Church.  Those who knew her professionally remembered her as a strong, compassionate, kind, and gracious lady, who dedicated much of her life to protecting the environment in our beautiful county.  Few individuals have single-handedly done more to protect habitats and rare species.  With Joe Maguire and John Pipoly, Emilie orchestrated the contract for Fairchild’s work with endangered plant species in county natural areas that funds Jennifer Possley’s position.  She always offered us her unequivocal trust and support for the work we have done.  We always could count on her to smile assuredly at any public presentation where she heard about our research and ongoing plant conservation efforts.  We will miss her greatly. Image on the right, A meeting of the "Miami-Dade County Natural Areas Management Working Group" in 2003.  From left to right:  Steve Hofstetter, Cristina Rodriguez, Dallas Hazelton, Jennifer Possley, Sonya Thompson, Emilie Young, Joe Maguire.  Photo by Dr. Joyce Maschinski.

• Invited by our Dr. Hong Liu, a delegation of three senior scientists from the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) visited us between November 29 and December 2.  This party of distinguished colleagues is composed of Prof. Daping Xu, Director, Research Institute of Tropical Forestry; Prof. Yide Li, Chief Scientist, Research Institute of Tropical Forestry; and Dr. Guangsen He, Director, Office of International Cooperation of the CAF.  During their visit they delivered a seminar at our Center for Tropical Plant Conservation. In addition, Memoranda of Understanding were signed with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida International University, and the Montgomery Botanical Center. During their visit, these three researchers stayed at the guest house of the Montgomery Botanical Center. Image on the right, left to right: Ms. Wuying Li (FIU-FTBG graduate student), Prof. Guangsen He, Prof. Daping Xu, Dr. Hong Liu, and Porf. Yide Li.

• Between November 24 and November 26 Dr. Javier Francisco Ortega traveled to the Dominican Republic to enhance our current research and educational ties with the National Botanic Garden Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso (NBG-DR).  During this visit we worked on a schedule for joint projects for 2011.  They include research on conservation biology of endemic species of Pseudophoenix (Arecaceae) and the critically endangered endemic genus Salcedoa (Asteraceae). We also discussed collaborations through our graduate program and the Fairchild Challenge Satellite partners program. Top-left image. From left to right: Rosa Rodriguez (Coordinator of Conservation Biology activities), Francisco Jimenez (Head of the Botany Department), Brigido Peguero (Research Botanist), Javier Francisco-Ortega, Teodoro Clase (Field Botanist), and Natalia Ruiz (Botanist).  Top-right image. From left to right: Alberto Veloz (Research Botanist), Brigido Peguero, Javier Francisco-Ortega, Ricardo Garcia (Director), and Francisco Jimenez.

• Between October 25 and November 17 Dr. Hong Liu and Dr. Carl Lewis traveled to China to enhance our current research and educational ties with botanical gardens and institutions from this country. They visited the Hong Kong Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden; the Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden; the
South China Botanical Garden; and the Botanic Garden of Beijing.   In addition, Dr. Hong Liu was one of the organizers of the 6th Asia Orchid Conservation Symposium and the 2nd Guangxi International Orchid Conservation Symposium. During this visit Dr. Hong Liu will also continue her research activities in conservation ecology of orchids at the the Yachang Orchid Preserve.

• Dr. Eric von Wettberg will be hosting three colleagues who are working with him in projects concerning soil adaptations in legumes. Dr. Maren Friesen (University of South California) and Dr. Ken Moriuchi (University of California at Davis) are visiting on October 8 - 10 to work on data examining salt tolerance in wild alfalfa. Dr. Heidi Huber (Radbound University in
Nijmegan, the Netherlands) will be visiting from Oct 23 until Nov 3, to discuss flooding and salt tolerance in clover.

• Researchers and graduate students from CTPC will participate in three talks that will be delivered at "X Congreso Latinoamericano de Botanica" that will take place at La Serena (Chile) between October 4th and 10th. These presentations will be delivered in symposium on "ADN y la conservación de la diversidad vegetal en América Latina." The talks are presented in collaboration with colleagues from the Caribbean Islands, Galapagos Islands, Mexico, New York Botanical Garden, Montgomery Botanical Center, and USDA (Miami). Our graduate student Nora Oleas will present two of these lectures ["Conservation Genetics of species of Phaedranassa (Amaryllidaceae)" and "Phylogenetic patterns of endangered species from the Caribbean Islands"]. The third lecture will be delivered by Dr. Angelica Cebrian (New York Botanical Garden) and will deal on "DNA tools for ex-situ conservation."

• Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega has been appointed as a member of the "Instituto de Estudios Canarios." Founded in 1932, this institution is the oldest research organization of the Canary Islands and it is supported by the Canary Island Government, the Universidad of La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands), and the "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas" of Spain.  The formal appointment will take place in December 2010 when Dr. Francisco-Ortega will deliver an institutional talk on "David Fairchild and the Canary Islands." 

• The research of Dr. Hong Liu and her colleagues from China is being highlighted in the latest issue of Science (Volume 239, 24 September 2010, by R. Stone). The results of this team have important implications in the field of climatic change and orchid conservation, particularly in implementing  colonization as a management procedure. On the right: the cover photo of this article showing the area near the Yachang Orchid Preserve. Photo credit: R. Stone.

• The September issue of Botanical Review has two review papers on plant endemicity on Hainan Island by Dr. Francisco-Ortega et al. The study is part of a collaboration established in 2008 between FIU-Fairchild (Dr. Francisco-Ortega and Dr. Hong Liu) and colleagues from Ail Ain Wildlife and Resort, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hainan University, Harvard University, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Nanjing University, and South Tropical Botanic Garden. The first paper provides a checklist of the endemic seed-plant species. The second one focus on the biogeography, conservation challenges, and molecular phylogenetic patterns of these species. On the left: the cover of this issue showing the tropical monsoon forest in the protected area of Diaoluoshan. Photo credit: Fu-De Liu. 

• Visiting Dr. Hong Liu this week and next (August 10-18) are two researchers, Drs. Zhenhai Liang and Lei Wang, both from the Jiangsu Academy of Forestry, Nanjing, China. Drs. Liangand Wang are collaborating with Dr. Liu on the GIS habitat analysis of wild orchids at the Yachang Orchid Nature Reserve (China). While in Miami, they are also interested in learning about the Florida coastal ecosystems and the Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program as they are involving in the establishment of a long-term ecological monitoring station in the coastal area of Jingsu Province. In the image from left to right: Lynka Woodbury, Dr. Lei Wang, Dr. Zhenhai Liang, and West Jurgens during a visit to our herbarium.

• Guang Hu received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Zhejiang University, China. He is currently a PhD student in College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University. His primary research interests are
community and landscape ecology in fragmented habitats. He has studied plant communities for severalyears in the Thousand Island Lake (TIL), a natural laboratory for habitat fragmentation and metacommunity dynamics. He led a group to investigate the species composition on more than 150 islands and established several long-term plots on 25 islands in TIL. He hopes to study the mechanisms of species maintenance and community assemblage in the fragmented landscape. Guang Hu is visiting us during Aug 2010-Jan 2011. He will collaborate with Dr. Kenneth Feeley and his colleagues on the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity.

• Dr. Yu Munging is an associate professor of plant ecology in the College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, China. His major research interest is community and ecosystem ecology in subtropical forests. He and his colleagues in CAS established a 24-ha forest dynamics plot since 2005 in Gutianshan National Natural Reserve, China, where his lab researchs species-area relationships, the joint effects of habitat heterogeneity and dispersal limitation on maintenance of species diversity, and the role of gaps in forest dynamics. He and his lab are also involved with several large studies researching the islands in Thousand Island Lake – a man-made reservoir formed by damming a river in 1959 in Zhejiang province. Working with birds and plants on over 150 islands they are investigating the effects of habitat fragmentation on species diversity and community assembly and the mechanisms impacting biodiversity dynamics. Dr. Yu is visiting the Laboratory of Dr. Kenneth Feeley for the fall 2010 semester to build on existing collaborations looking at forest structure and community responses to habitat fragmentation, and other related questions.