Coastal Wetlands StudiesMolly Albecker
2016 The Garden Club of America Award in Coastal Wetlands Studies
Molly Albecker is a PhD candidate at East Carolina University. She studies mechanisms of adaptation to elevated salinity levels in coastal amphibians. It is widely believed that saltwater intrusion into coastal freshwater wetlands will reduce coastal biodiversity, yet she has found thriving populations of green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) in wetlands with salinity levels typically lethal to amphibians. This finding suggests that some species may be able to adapt to the new environmental conditions. She will characterize physiological endpoints in adult tree frogs across coastal and inland populations following exposure to saltwater. Her study will reveal the physiological mechanisms of saltwater tolerance in frogs and describe how responses differ among populations.
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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