Consequences of species-specific seed dispersal in an annual plant community, by Lauren Glevanik

Description: Under the threat of a changing climate, species face few options: migrate, adapt, or risk extinction. For plants rooted in place, seed dispersal is often the only opportunity for movement within a lifetime. Dispersal potential often depends on how well a plant performs in a given patch, as plant traits that impact dispersal (e.g. seed weight, plant height) are directly impacted by both abiotic and biotic stressors. Shifts in these physical traits could offer a plant the chance to escape local conditions where it performs poorly, or to improve seedling establishment through increased provisioning of the seed. Despite its potential to significantly influence diversity, this possibility has yet to be considered at the scale of plant communities. Here, I will present preliminary findings on species-specific seed dispersal differences within an annual grassland system in coastal southern California (Sedgwick Reserve, Santa Barbara County), then explore next steps for examining the feedback between plant performance and seed dispersal. This work can inform seed-based restoration efforts, as well as identify species that can (or can’t!) migrate effectively under stressful conditions as targets for conservation.
Bio: Lauren is a PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. She works with a plant community of annual wildflowers and grasses at Sedgwick Reserve in Santa Barbara County to answer questions about how seed dispersal influences biodiversity both locally and across landscapes. She integrates empirical data with modeling to investigate how variation in seed dispersal patterns among species enhance or diminish coexistence. This research informs broader applications in range shift modeling, seed-based restoration, and conservation of at-risk species unable to migrate with climate change. Lauren is also an avid nature photographer, native plant enthusiast, and a certified California Naturalist through the UC Environmental Stewards program. You can find her on iNaturalist (@lglevanik) and ask her about California native plant identification!