Oak Diversity in Arkansas and Biogeography with Suresh Subedi

(A recording of this event can be viewed here)

Join Dr. Suresh Subedi, Assistant Professor of Biology at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, as he discusses the diversity of oak species found in Arkansas, and their biogeography.

WEDNESDAY, 4 AUGUST 2021 AT 14:00 EDT

Hosted by the Arkansas Native Plant Society

Program Description: The genus Quercus is one of the most important clades of woody angiosperms in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of species diversity, ecological dominance, and economic value. Arkansas possesses an incredible amount of oak diversity due to our varied physiography and topography, with low lands and swamps in the eastern and southern part of the state, and sizable mountains with steep cliffs and deep, protected valleys in the north and west. Similarly, the climate is also variable, with the northwestern corner of the state usually receiving considerably more snow than the southeast. All of these factors make it possible to find suitable habitats for the many species of oaks in Arkansas. There are more than 25 native species of oak in Arkansas, while many non-native and hybrid species are also present. Based on thousands of herbarium specimens, a database for all of the oak species and their collection locations can be created and mapped using Geographical Information System (GIS). With the knowledge of oak species’ distribution based on thousands of historical collection records throughout the Arkansas, this study may inform conservation and management decisions in response to changes in the future environment for oak forest habitats in the state of Arkansas and for North America as a whole.

Click here to join: https://craftontull.zoom.us/j/99846905570

For more information, contact ANPS.President@gmail.com