My experience as a lab research assistant for Dr. Rebecca S. Snell at Ohio University has been extremely helpful in my pursuit of plant biology. I work with Dr. Snell and grad student Sarah Smith, tasked with the processing of acorns collected from 2 nearby parks. While processing the acorns I take measurements of the acorns and record the quality that they are in. I get hands on experience that is valuable to my understanding of the lab environment and the process of science.
There has been some evidence that has shown that seedling recruitment is affected by the mycorrhizal network at the site of germination, altering survival rates and growth rates. Mycorrhizal associations are a symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi, which is critical to a plants growth. In return for carbohydrates from the plant, the fungal hyphae attaches to the plants' roots, extending their reach thus increasing nutrient uptake. We focused on the most common types of myccorhizzal associations, ectomycorrhizae (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM). Variation in nutrient mining of ECM and AM fungi creates variation in soil chemistry and therefore the potential to affect seedling recruitment and survival. We tested this by sampling 22 different plots and we identified more than 20,000 seedlings and nearly 1000 trees. In the summer of 2019, myself, undergraduate Rachel Wichterman and PBIO MSc student Taylor Sparbanie, worked in Waterloo Nature Preserve about 15 minute
Comments
Post a Comment