I am conducting a large scale, long term common garden experiment to understand plant community and disease ecology dynamics in eastern tallgrass prairie communities. I am using regionally sourced ecotypes of native prairie grasses including big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans).
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I am interested in determining if these native grasses are susceptible to the widespread and economically damaging grain crop pathogen barley yellow dwarf virus. I am also focused on determining how ecological restoration and land management practices like prescribed burns and seed provenance may interact with viral pathogen prevalence and plant community resilience.
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