Characterizing diversity in tropical forest functional traits
Faculty mentor/Supervisor:
Loren Albert
Email Address:
Department Affiliation:
Forest Ecosystems & Society
Project Location:
PFSC 369 and fieldwork
Project Description:
Tropical forests host an astonishing diversity of tree species. How do different tree species vary in leaf morphology and physiology, and how do those differences impact the function of forest ecosystems? Our group is currently measuring diversity in stomatal traits, canopy traits (leaf angle), and
Describe the type of work and tasks you anticipate the student will perform:
To help understand the diversity of tropical tree strategies for photosynthesis and growth, this student will analyze images of microscopic stomatal pores to measure stomata density and stomata aperature. This student may also analyze drone-captured images of tree crowns. Depending upon the student's schedule and interests, the student may contribute to fieldwork at a research site (AmeriFlux site) near Metolius Oregon.
Please list special or preferred skills::
Ability to speak conversational Spanish or Portuguese is preferred.
Hourly rate of pay:
$15.00
What is the expected timeline of this project?:
The timeline and hours per week are somewhat flexible. We expect the mentee to contribute for eight to fourteen weeks.
Are special skills or knowledge required to work on this project?:
Yes
Will training be provided?:
Yes
How many hours per week do you anticipate a student to work?:
This is somewhat flexible, but in the range of 10 to 16 hours per week would work well for us. We could also accomodate a student who wanted to work fewer hours per week for more weeks.
How many hours per week do you anticipate engaging in direct mentorship?:
Most weeks my direct mentorship will be 1 hour, not counting their interactions with my graduate students (who will also be involved in training, sharing knowledge, and answering questions about graduate school).
Detail your mentorship plan:
I would first meet with the student to learn more about their interests and goals. We would write a 1-2 page document detailing their goals about what they want to learn, and expectations. Then I and my lab group would train them in the needed software (e.g. ImageJ, R) to process the raw data for the functional traits of interest. After their training, I would meet with them regularly to learn help answer questions and generally check in. I would also invite them to our weekly group meeting, in which faculty, graduate students, and postdocs present their work (e.g. practice talks for upcoming conferences). This weekly group meeting will be a great way for them to be exposed to more ideas and topics.