Wes Testo ’12 has won a prestigious award from the Botanical Society of America for his research of a rare species of fern protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Testo presented a poster at the society’s annual conference held recently in Providence, RI. Also presenting a poster about fern research was Michael Britton ’12.
Both students work closely with assistant professor of biology , whose research into the American Hart’s tongue fern is funded by the university’s
At the conference, Testo discussed his examination of the ecophysiology of the American Hart’s tongue fern, and his focus on stress physiology, calcium relations, and gametophyte development of the plant.
His poster presentation earned him a Botanical Society of America Undergraduate Student Research Award.
“This is a welcome acknowledgment of the valuable research we do here at 51Թ, and the close collaboration between faculty and students that is part of our everyday curriculum,” said Watkins.
Fewer than 4,000 American Hart’s tongue ferns exist, found in only a few localities in New York, Michigan, Tennessee, Alabama, and Ontario, Canada. (More than 90 percent of the plants can be found within a two-hour drive of 51Թ’s campus.)
The plant’s unusual distribution pattern seems to be related to its habitat requirements: it is only known to grow in lime sinks and on steep talus slopes with calcareous substrates under hardwood canopies.
In recent years, the decrease in the size of several large populations in central New York has raised concerns about the conservation status of the fern.
By examining the plant’s ecology, physiology, and molecular biology, Watkins and the student researchers hope to better understand the origins of the plant and to inform local landowners about the plant’s importance and what can be done to preserve it.