Science Pub: Uncommon Flora

About this event

Nov 17, 7-9 pm | Doors at 6

Exploring Evolution through Rare Plants

with Ash Gill, Taxonomist at the Oregon Flora Project and Botanist/Wetland Scientist at SWCA Environmental Consultants

About the Lecture

Why are some plant species rare, and what can we learn from them? These are two of the fundamental questions at the core of conservation biology. In an era of accelerated anthropogenic change, understanding how the past has shaped our biota and the distribution of species across our region is more important than ever before.

In this talk, evolutionary biologist Ash Gill will introduce some rare flowering plants of our region and the ways their habitats have been impacted following European colonization. She will go on to describe how data collected from rare species can be used to understand the evolutionary process. Lastly, she will share how citizen scientists can contribute to conservation by using tools at the Oregon Flora Project to learn about their local flora and document their observations.

Science Pubs are a casual lecture series located in fun venues across the region, recommended for ages 10 and over.

Tickets

$8 suggested donation | Advance tickets recommended

Zoom Option

If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on Zoom. You must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

About the Speaker

Ash Gill got her beginnings as a botanist in the northern Appalachian Mountains while working in the backcountry. She later completed her BS in Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University, followed by an MS in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University. She is currently the taxonomist at the Oregon Flora Project and a botanist/wetland scientist at SWCA Environmental Consultants. She takes particular interest in liverworts and mosses and enjoys documenting bryophyte biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest.