From Species to Systems: The Relationships of Desert Organisms (In Person AND Virtual Lecture)

Date: Friday, March 15, 2024

Time:  7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 

Location:  Two options: In Person at UC Irvine Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center 401 Tilting T Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004 

Or, Virtual webinar. After registering, the confirmation email will provide you instructions to register your email address with Zoom, where a link to access the webinar will be emailed to you. Don’t forget this additional step if choosing the webinar option! 

Cost:  Non-members: $15, Members: $10, Students: $5 

Description: Come spend your Friday night nerding out with Anza-Borrego Foundation! Join us for an evening lecture part of our iconic lecture series, Anza-Borrego: In Focus. Dr. Marie Simovich, professor, naturalist, and co-author of the iconic A Natural History of the Anza-Borrego Region. Marie (“Ree”) will reveal the secrets of how organisms interact with and are affected by one another – AKA the study of Community Ecology.  

Living communities are made up of species with a multitude of roles (e.g. predators, prey, and pollinators), much like communities of people (e.g. teachers, plumbers, and farmers). Over time, the organisms in a community have evolved intricate relationships that allow them to live and thrive together. Ree will share delightful stories of how desert organisms interact with one another, including plant/pollinator interactions, predator/prey interactions, and adaptations such as mimicry and parasitism.  

We know you’ve always wondered how some plants evolved to be pollinated by hummingbirds and others by bees. Or how prey have evolved to avoid predators and predators have evolved to find prey. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain precious insight into the inner and outer workings of our delicate desert ecosystem and mingle with like-minded science types at the beautiful Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center. There will be refreshments and plenty of time for Q&A.   

Please register in advance.  Register Here 

IMPORTANT: If registering for the virtual Webinar option, the confirmation email will provide you instructions to register your email address with Zoom, where a link to access the webinar will be emailed to you. Don’t forget this additional step! 

You can also register to attend the accompanying field trip attend on Saturday, March 16. Click here to view details about the field trip. 

About The Presenter: Marie Simovich received her BS and MS from Cal Poly Pomona. She received her PhD from UC Riverside studying a spadefoot toad hybrid zone in the Sonoran Desert and did postdoctoral research at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County on the genetics of whiptail lizards of the Sonoran Desert. She then taught Population Biology, Conservation Biology and Desert Biology at the University of San Diego for 31 years. During that time, she also did research on the population biology of the crustaceans found in ephemeral wetlands including desert playas. 

Cancellation Policy:  Notification must be received at least 7 days before the first day of the event if you need to cancel and wish to receive a refund. For cancellations made after the 7-day deadline, we cannot issue refunds for any reason. We understand that unforeseen or emergency circumstances may arise, but our nonprofit organization operates on a limited budget and, while inconvenient, this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last-minute cancellations. If ABF cancels a program, we will issue a full refund or credit. Thank you for understanding!