PLACA Brown Bag Series presents: Juan C. Alvarez-Yepiz

 Juan C. Alvarez-Yepiz PhD Student and Fulbright Fellw, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY-ESF Plants helping plants:The story of survival of a rare cycad in northwestern Mexico Plant species interact and compete for space, light and soil nutrients. However, recent studies have known that plants also help each other through a process known as facilitation. This type of positive plant-plant interaction occurs when one species facilitates the establishment and survival of another species under its canopy by ameliorating extreme microclimatic conditions or increasing nutrient availability. Alvarez-Yepiz is investigating facilitation of a rare cycad by more modern plants in northwestern Mexico. The results of this study will highlight the potential of facilitation for the conservation of ancient plant species of high evolutionary, ecological and ornamental value.