Projects
Current Projects
Melatonin and Serotonin in Plants
Melatonin and serotonin may be best recognized for their roles as neurotransmitters, but they are produced across all forms of life, including plants where we are only beginning to understand their functions and mechanisms; which include roles in reproduction, stress survival, growth and development. While these two compounds have been recognized in recent years as plant hormones, there is still lots to learn and understand about how this pathway functions. We are interested in understanding how melatonin, serotonin and their metabolites function to control plant growth and allow them to survive environment challenges like flood, fire and other climate change associated weather disruptions.
Wildfire Impacts on Endemic Okanagan Plants
Karrikins are a group of plant growth regulators that are produced during wildfires as a result of the burning of pine needles. These chemicals are known to effect seed germination in different ways depending on concentration and plant species. They can also change how already established plants grow and regenerate after exposure to smoke and fire. Our current work with BC Parks aims to better understand how endemic Okanagan plants respond to wildfire and smoke exposure to answer questions like which plants recover first after fire? How long does it take for them to germinate and establish? How does this impact plant community composition? And what role does these plant growth regulators play in controlling this process? This work is being conducted on the traditional and unceded territory of the syilx Okanagan Nation in Sn’pinktn (Penticton), BC.
Understanding Climate Resilience in Wild and Commercial Vaccinium
The genus Vaccinium includes commercially, ecologically and traditionally important berries which grow from Coast to Coast to Coast in Canada. Some examples include commercial cranberry and blueberry as well as huckleberry, lingonberry and bilberry. They are nutritious foods and valuable specialty crops. Understanding how these species as well as commercial varieties are likely to respond to future mixed environmental stresses will be important to develop and maintain sustainable and resilient food systems. The BERRi Lab is employing controlled environment studies, in vitro plant culture, metabolomics, hormonomics, and quantum dot microscopy techniques to understand resilience in these species.
Blueberry Varietal Susceptibility to Blueberry Scorch Virus
Blueberry scorch virus is an ongoing management challenge and research priority for blueberry producers in the Fraser Valley. This collaborative project between UFV, the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food and collaborators at SFU aims to better understand susceptibility and tolerance of new and popular blueberry varietals to blueberry scorch virus. The overall goal is to generate information which can help inform future planting choices for growers in the region.
Stay tuned for project updates
Past Projects
Enhancing Ecosystem Sustainability: A Syilx/Settler Science Collaboration
This project aimed to bring together the best of Western Science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge to support traditional ways of knowing and understanding the ecosystems surrounding black huckleberry and grizzly bears. A primary goal was relationship building between researchers at UBC and Syilx TEK holders. My role focused on understanding impacts of climate change on black huckleberry growth.
ARCTIC Change: Conservation of Canada’s Arctic Flora
Canadian Arctic plant species have evolved to thrive in an extreme environment. These plants represent an incredibly important subset of global biodiversity, but relatively little is known about these important species that complete their lifecycles in a short, cold, dry climate. As our climate changes, these plants are some of the most vulnerable, and may also have mechanisms of resiliency we do not yet understand.
