NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Feb. 7.
FORKS — How plants can survive in the dim light of dark forests will be the topic of a talk hosted by the Olympic Natural Resources Center at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
“Living in Twilight: How Plants Survive in the Darkest Forest” will be presented by Shawn Behling at the center at 1455 S. Forks Ave.
The talk will follow an open meeting and potluck of the Friends of ONRC at the center from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. tonight.
Behling is a doctoral student in the Canopy Dynamics Lab at the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
She will describe her research into the role of light and plant development.
Response to light
Behling is investigating community dynamics and physiological responses to light in two conifer species and arabidopsis, a small-model plant.
The data will be used to improve crop yields and forest product quality in state forests.
Behling has conducted research in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Shenandoahs, Cascades and Olympics mountain ranges, in association with the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service and the Smithsonian Institution.
Her work with peanut farmers in Mozambique through the U.S. Agency for International Development allowed her to use her ecophysiology background to investigate how both crops and forests can be improved through light dynamic research, regardless of their location.
Evening Talks at ONRC is supported by the Rosmond Forestry Education Fund, an endowment that honors the contributions of Fred Rosmond and his family to forestry and the Forks community.
For more information on the ONRC, contact Ellen Matheny at 206-919-5632 or ematheny@uw.edu.
