September 11th, Rossana Maguiña-Conde
The Life of A Flower
Flowers are more than just beautiful structures—they are essential organs for plant reproduction. Nearly 90% of flowering plant species rely on animal pollinators to transfer pollen and ensure successful reproduction. In this talk, we’ll delve into the fascinating world of floral biology, exploring the diverse traits flowers have evolved to attract their pollinators. From color and scent to shape and timing, each characteristic tells a story of coevolution and ecological partnership. Join Rossana Maguiña-Conde on September 11th to learn about the life of a flower!
Rossana Maguiña-Conde is an evolutionary ecologist studying plant-pollinator interactions and plant reproductive systems. She is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station surveying insects, plants, and soil after a wildfire. Dr. Maguiña-Conde received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz, where she studied studied plant evolution and the role of pollinators on this process, focusing on how flowers evolved from a bee syndrome to a bird syndrome in the Neotropical spiral gingers in Costa Rica and Peru. She received her MS in Biology from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, where she studied the feeding ecology of nectar bats and their associated plants in cloud forests of Ecuador.
Lecture Schedule
- 7:00 pm: Kid’s activities and natural history displays
- 7:15 pm – 7:45 pm: Guided tour of the Brackenridge Field Laboratory (sturdy shoes and water recommended!)
- 8:00 pm: The talk begins!
- 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker
📍 Location: Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703
💡 No RSVP is required – just show up and enjoy!
🅿️ Free parking is available at BFL for all lecture events!
🌦️ While we aim to host all events outdoors, sometimes weather conditions or volunteer capacity may require that we move the event inside the laboratory building.
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Larry Gilbert
Organisms across a dynamic landscape: Reflections on the natural and unnatural history of Central and Southern Texas
This lecture is focused on the southern Texas ecosystem where the speaker Larry Gilbert grew up. Much of the region lacks permanent streams and has a highly unpredictable climate. These factors shaped the ecology and natural history of organisms (including people) in the area known as the brush country. Explorer’s accounts from the early 16th century to the early 19th century allow interpretation of certain myths about the vegetation that have shaped management tactics from the 1950s. Conservation of diversity in this region will rely on a certain amount of myth busting along with private initiatives to recognize and retain remaining tracts of native landscape matching earliest accounts. Economic incentives to conserve natural landscapes in the region include hunting and holistic range management for cattle production. Fragmentation of large private ranches is encouraged by inheritance taxes. Tax “write-offs” for “range improvement” encourage removal of natural vegetation. Legal mechanisms to reverse such trends would indirectly promote conservation of remaining tracts of quality habitat.
Science Under The Stars 