LTREB, Collaborative Research: The Next Decade in Continuing Long-term Demographic Research on Florida Scrub Plants

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

This project continues a long-term study of the population biology of plants in Florida scrub, an endangered habitat supporting many species found nowhere else in the world. The past research includes 20 years of data on the locations, sizes, growth, and survival of > 47,000 plants, coupled with numerous experiments on plants, seeds, and the scrub habitat. The goals of this research are to expand data collection, including data on many more species collected over larger landscapes, and to answer questions in basic ecology and applied conservation. Specific topics include the effects of various fire management strategies on risks of extinction, how populations respond to variation in the vegetation structure and weather, and how introduced populations in ecological restorations can provide insight into basic biology. Many environmental issues can only be addressed with the perspective of long-term data and with data-sharing, both outcomes of this research. For example, long-term data on plant population responses to the direct and indirect effects of weather can be useful in assessing the effects of climate change on these endangered ecosystems. This research will also provide access to students (including members of under-represented groups) from, high school to graduate school, to diverse scientific methods and studies. Moreover, this research has immediate practical applications that will be encouraged through continuing interactions with a diversity of conservation professionals.