Seed and seedling ecology
During the time period immediately following germination, young seedlings must draw on stored resources within their seeds for growth, before producing photosynthetic leaves. Leaf production is not the only concern, however, as environmental fluctuations make rapid root growth a vital necessity. Imbued with high uncertainty of survival, the seed-to-seedling transition is considered a major bottleneck for adult plant abundance and distribution. This need to balance early establishment traits related to germination with traits related to seedling growth and survival is expected to generate life-history tradeoffs between the major plant functions.
See our recent review on: Facilitating comparable research in seedling functional ecology
Current efforts in the lab include a focus on improving our basic understanding of native plant seedling biology and ecology. Much of this work is being done in collaboration with Akasha Faist (University of Montana) and Chuck Casper (MPG Ranch). Results from this work will guide efforts to select species for restoration in a way that intentionally aligns with restoration goals.
Working with Carrie Havrilla (Colorado State University), we are also interested in developing new climate-smart strategies for screening potential seed populations based on seedling functional traits. We are exploring how transgenerational impacts like parental effects and plasticity influence these decisions and can potentially be used to generate more resilient seed sources.
We are always interested in talking more about seedlings so if any of this sounds interesting, please do reach out!