From left to right: Ellen Duffy (KU undergraduate), Courtney Bone (KU undergraduate), Charley Lewis (Haskell Indian Nations University graduate and KU graduate student), Cole Aldrich (KU undergraduate), Laci Gerhart (KU graduate student), Kate Colvin (KU undergraduate), Dr. Joy Ward (associate professor) and Kistie Patch Brunsell (research technician).

 

 

Other Research in the Ward Lab

My research in the Ward Lab is highlighted on the research page, but other projects in the Ward Lab are discussed in minimal detail here. Check the official Ward Lab Page for more details!

 

Ecological Genomics of CO₂-induced changes in flowering time

In this project, Arabidopsis thaliana is grown in growth chambers under varying CO₂ concentrations and time to germination and flowering are documented. This project compares parent genotypes to a genotype selected for high production under CO₂ to determine how continued selection under high CO₂ conditions will affect life cycle traits. This project also incorporates ecological genomics, attempting to pinpoint the genes responsible for the changes observed in developmental timing between control and selected genotypes.

 

 

Population-level variation of white ash in response to climate change

This is an on-going project incorporating data from a white ash tree plantation located at the Nelson Environmental Studies Area and planted by the U.S. Forest Service nearly 30 years ago. The plantation incorporates genotypes of trees originating from populations throughout the entire range of the white ash tree. By following the isotopic signatures of each genotype through time, we can ascertain the susceptibility of this species to rapid changes in climate, which relies upon genetic variation within the entire population. Species with large ranges often exhibit high levels of intraspecific variation in physiology, morphology and growth rate. Unfortunately, models that predict species redistribution with climate change often ignore population-level genetic variation, which may extend the predicted range of a species over a broader climate zone than previously assumed.

 

 

Water use and physiology of Tamarix

This project is a collaboration with Jim Butler of the Kansas Geological Survey and the Phreatophye Research Project and was established in 2004. Tamarix is an invasive species in Kansas, and is currently the subject of several control projects. The goal of this project is to determine how much groundwater could be saved in Kansas with successful implementation of control measures. Previous work at this site has shown diurnal fluctuations in the water table likely corresponding to the daily period of Tamarix photosynthetic activity, so eradication of the plant could prove to drastically alter the water regimes in this region of Kansas.