September 14th, Callen Inman
The natural history of central Texas: Past, present, and future of a unique biodiversity hotspot
Join us for our first talk of Fall 2023 featuring Callen Inman, a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology at UT Austin. He’ll delve into the captivating natural history of central Texas and unveil why it’s an exceptional hotspot for biodiversity. As usual, kid’s activities and the natural history table will start at 7pm, and the BFL tour will start promptly at 7:15pm. The talk will officially begin at 8pm, followed by a Q&A session.
————————————————
Central Texas lacks the dense rainforest, verdant mountains, and reef-lined coasts we typically associate with biodiversity. Yet this region teems with life, supporting a unique mix of organisms associated with eastern forests, western desert, and central grassland. Habitats mere miles apart look like they could be in different countries. In central Texas, organisms survive and even thrive in the face of variable rainfall, persistent summer heat, and volatile winter weather. This talk discusses central Texas biodiversity: how it came to be, why it is important, and what challenges it faces. Beyond the highway overpasses, manicured lawns, and glass skyscrapers of this fast-developing region is a surprisingly intact, but rapidly shrinking, ecosystem found nowhere else on the continent.
————————————————
Science Under The Stars 
Trackbacks / Pingbacks