BotanySophia Richter
2026 The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Tropical Botany
Effects of large herbivore extinction on Euphorbia in African savannas
Global declines in large mammalian herbivores (LMH) are reshaping African savanna plant communities, yet their effects on alternative growth forms remain poorly understood. Here, I investigate how LMH influence two succulent species in the genus Euphorbia, a diverse and culturally important genus whose biotic drivers are largely unknown. Specifically, I will utilize wildlife exclosures in central Kenya that simulate stepwise LMH extinction to measure how LMH affect the abundance, growth, and reproduction of E. bussei and E. heterospina.
School: University of Notre Dame
The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Tropical Botany
To promote the preservation of tropical forests by enlarging the body of botanists with field experience.
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