| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Miranda Peterson mrp126@tamu.edu Geography |
| Faculty Mentor: | Hsiao-Hsuan Rose Wang, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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TBD |
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Team Size:
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6 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Participants will have the opportunity to learn quantitative and computational skills through hands-on experience collecting, organizing, analyzing and interpreting ecological data. Significant scientific contribution to a successful project will result in conference presentations and/or co-authorship of peer-reviewed scientific papers. |
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Team Needs:
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All undergraduates will be required to enroll in at least one credit hour of WFSC 291 or 491. We are particularly interested in undergraduates who are interested in quantitative ecology and biogeography.
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Description:
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Invasions by non-natives contribute to the loss of ecosystem biodiversity and productivity, modification of biogeochemical cycles, and inhibit natural regeneration of native species. Chinese tallow, Triadica sebifera (L.) Small, is one of the most prevalent invasive species in southeast United States. Hence, we aim to understand the historical trend in range expansion of Chinese tallow which could provide valuable information upon which to base effective control strategies and mitigation plans. We will documented the recent range expansion of Chinese Tallow in southeast U.S. based on analyses of an extensive set of field data collected by the US Forest Service on fixed plots during the period from 2001 to 2015. We then will compare the empirical results with predictions of existing models, which were based on less-recent data.
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