pollen on the roof

It actually clogged the rain gauges.  Only on the black roof, though. No, that is not dust; this is also after a 0.5 inch rain- before this there was a yellow film coating the roof.
?Greenroofs as allergy mitigators???? Hah!

proposal seminar!

Here's a link to the proposal seminar I gave as part of the University of MD (College Park)'s Plant Sciences department

spring break in georgia!

Through an amazing collaboration with the vanIersel lab, we have been measuring plant physiological responses to dought specifically changes in CO2 exchange. Graphs will follow soon, but in the meantime check out these super fantastic plant chambers full of Sedum album and kamtschaticum. Of course they are being monitored continuously for water content and weight change as well, and the data can be accessed remotely. Many many thanks to the vanIersel lab for their interest in this work and for being great hosts!!!

greenroof in illinois collapses (click link)

phipps botany in action program

I am incredibly happy to post that I have been deemed a "botanist in action" by the Phipps Conservatory (link provided) in Pittsburgh. I am looking forward to heading up there this fall to meet other cool researchers and learn how to be better at outreach and education. I am also very happy about the extra funding they will provide for my upcoming trip to Georgia to conduct some plant photosynthesis/ water use studies.  More on all this soon.

schmutz from our black roof

This amount of deposition clogged our rain gauge on our control black roof in less than 3 months. Without testing I can only imagine that it is a combination of deposition and roof decomposition.

If we got this much accumulation from our 16 square foot experiment, imagine how much would be expelled from a roof that was to scale. In all fairness, some media and organic matter was also observed in gauges on our greened platforms, but not to this extent.

snow is melted!

and sedum sexangulare is already getting warmed up.
I really like the orange coloring. This species should be the first to flower in the spring. I am looking forward to both the flowering and the warmer weather!