Yuris Martinez ’13
Arlington, Virginia
Biology

My research at the Ordway field station taught me that nothing happens in isolation and while it may be tempting to classify a non-native species as “invasive,” there is much more to the story. Natural resources organizations everywhere are grappling with this issue.

“It was exciting to check our motion-sensing cameras—we even caught a few mammals red-handed. The research questions became our own.”
—Yuris Martinez ’13

With three other students, I participated in a long-term study on the spread of garlic mustard throughout the oak forest at Ordway. Garlic mustard, a non-native plant, has been successful at establishing itself in forested habitats. In some locations researchers have found that the increase in garlic mustard coincides with a decrease in native plant species. Yet it’s still unclear whether it’s driving a decrease in native plant species or simply taking advantage of changing ecological conditions.

There are many possibilities for ecological research at the Ordway. I also participated in a new study investigating predators and bird eggs. We created artificial nests that held both a quail egg and a handmade clay egg to test for predation levels and to identify predators. It was exciting to check our motion-sensing cameras—we even caught a few mammals red-handed.

The research questions became our own and we were proud to have designed and conducted our own research studies.

October 5 2012

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