From Species to Systems: The Relationships of Desert Organisms
From Species to Systems: The Relationships of Desert Organisms
(In-Person Talk)
Date: Friday, November 22, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Location:
Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center (In-person with the option to view as a webinar)
401 Tilting T Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Cost:
Non-members: $15
Members: $10
Students: $5
*Please note that as the Anza-Borrego Foundation is a non-profit organization, all program costs are used to support current and future education programs, including subsidized programs that seek to increase access to the outdoors.
Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships are available for those with financial hardship. If you’d like to request a scholarship, please reach out to [email protected] with a two–three paragraph description about why you’d like to attend this program and your need for a scholarship.
Description
Join us for an evening lecture and Q&A with 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 Community Ecology in the desert – the study of how communities of organisms interact with and are affected by one another.
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 highlight 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.
Registration:
Please register in advance!
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:
Cancellation requests must be received at least seven days before the event if you wish to receive a refund. Please note that ABF may cancel a program due to inclement weather or low attendance, with 24-hour notice, if possible. If ABF cancels a program, we will issue a full refund or credit.
