Coastal Wetlands StudiesMatthew Abbott
2015 The Garden Club of America Award in Coastal Wetlands Studies
Matthew Abbott, Ph.D. student in the Biology Department at the University of Mississippi will test his hypothesis why some carnivorous plants also have a symbiotic or mutualistic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. AM fungi are an important component of soil life and confer a variety of benefits to the plant host in exchange for essential carbohydrates and vitamins. But, why these associations exist remains unexplained since it has been assumed that most carnivorous plants get their nutrients from prey. To test his theory he will use the fire-prone coastal pitcher plant bogs at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, in Mississippi, where fire continuously changes and stimulates the nutrients available.
The Garden Club of America Award in Coastal Wetlands Studies
To promote, expand, and enrich the body of research concerning the coast by actively supporting graduate students in the field of coastal wetlands science.
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