Botany & Conservation A newsletter for alumni of Botany and Biological Aspects of Conservation • Fall/Winter 2014 Christa Seidel Daniel Hein The group at Waikamoi Preserve on Maui Kalalau Lookout, overlooking the Na Pali Coast on Kaua`i Fieldwork in Paradise by Tom Givnish he Hawaiian Islands form the native insects, 780 land snails, and Fund. After two days of lectures and greatest natural laboratory for the 80 land birds. Eighty percent of the orientation in Madison, we flew to Tstudy of ecology and evolution on flowering plants are found nowhere the Big Island (Hawai`i) for a week of Earth. Eight major islands – ranging else on Earth, 94% of the insects, field instruction and research, rang- from Hawai`i, the largest and young- and 97% of the land snails – all on ing from cloud forests to lava tubes est, to Kaua`i, the oldest – formed a land mass less than one-fifth that and kipukas, mesic forest, alpine volcanically over the past five million of Wisconsin. Evolution thus made scrub, black sand beaches, and color- years as the Pacific Plate moved Hawaii a lush, biologically rich set of ful coral reefs. We made our head- past the Hawaiian hot spot. Earlier tropical islands, far richer in species quarters in Volcano, a small village at islands have since worn down to and specialized adaptations than the 4000’, just outside Hawaii Volcanoes pinnacles, atolls, and a long line of Galápagos that so inspired Darwin. National Park. We spent most of seamounts that ultimately plunge But its small area and isolation has our days in cool, misty cloud forests into the Aleutian Trench. Today, the also left Hawaii exquisitely sensitive dominated by Metrosideros trees (re- major islands offer an extraordinary to extinction due to habitat destruc- lated to Eucalyptus) and massive tree range of habitats, soaring up to tion and the introduction of exotic ferns, observing several plant species 13,000’ in elevation and including the species. Hawaii thus holds many found nowhere else on Earth, and na- rainiest and some of the driest spots lessons for those interested in specia- tive birds that hover near extinction on Earth. They are also extremely tion, adaptive radiation, extinction, as a result of introduced diseases. isolated, so few plant and animal and restoration. While on the Big Island, we began species ever reached the Hawaiian In May and early June this year, studying genetic variation and gene chain. But the successful colonists my post-doc Becky Kartzinel and I flow in an understory treelet, Cyanea speciated and diverged from each led an avid group of 13 UW-Madison pilosa, a member of the Hawaiian in the most spectacular fashion, students to Hawaii for a two-week lobeliads, the largest Hawaiian lin- generating more than 1100 species field course exploring the rich field eage to have descended from a single of native flowering plants, 5800 of Hawaiian ecology and evolution- colonist. Students precisely mapped ary biology, supported in part by a (continued on p.6) generous gift from the Theophrastus Botany: botany.wisc.edu BAC: bacmajor.ls.wisc.edu NEWS & NOTES Chair’s Letter: Learning in the Field Farewell from On a grey and cold January day in my first value, particularly for students who find Cheryl Rezabek winter in graduate school, I boarded a plane lectures or textbooks difficult or dull. After 30 years in state government, to fly to a remote and mountainous island in No course provides more active including the 3+ years here in the Botany the Caribbean. After hours over the ocean, we learning, more vivid memories, or Department, I have decided to retire. landed and taxied up to the small building in more student contact hours than a field These last few years have been some of the early evening. Passing through the hatch, course. So much is new and unexpected. the best of my career. What made it so I was immediately enveloped by a blanket of “Teachable moments” come in quick special is the people warm air full of damp scents. I’d never been succession, often in a compelling cultural – staff, faculty, stu- to the tropics before, yet I instantly relaxed, context. This is why those of us who have dents, and friends. feeling oddly at home. Upon reflection, I real- taken field courses are so committed to I was lucky that ized that I was, like all great apes, a creature teaching them – despite the time, trouble, you took a chance of the tropics, even if some recent ancestors and risks involved. and hired someone temporarily adjusted to northern climes. What will become of field courses, from outside the Our trip included tedious delays, sting- field trips, and lab courses in coming University. It took ing insects, threats from a machete wield- years as administrators seek metrics like a while to come ing farmer, wounds, mechanical problems, student credit hours per instructor to up to speed but a deluge-driven stream through one of our judge and compare departments? Field the positive and tents, and times when food was short. I also courses appear inefficient, yet they reli- helpful atmosphere got to hold birds with iridescent feathers in ably yield the richest and most meaning- in the department my hand, see my first palms and epiphytic ful experiences of college careers if we provided a network orchids, and taste local rum poured in a believe our students and our own memo- of support. My last cane field from a jerrycan. The smells, im- ries. I predict our field courses will con- day will be January ages, and memories jump immediately to tinue for these reasons: We have students 2, 2015 and my mind even after 36 years. I was hooked on who treasure these courses, faculty will- hope is to have a field biology. ing to teach them, and generous friends new Administrator Cheryl c.1982 with a wood duck box We all learn in different ways. But who recognize the special roles they play. in place and research and our own experience teach May we continue to have the chance to oriented as I leave. us that certain forms of learning really travel, suffer and enjoy journeys together, Thank you for allowing me to come full work. Involving students directly as we and learn the lessons of a lifetime. circle in my career – starting as a student do every day in labs and discussions has in Biological Aspects of Conservation and ending as the Administrator in the Jim Bennet named department. preservation Chair This newsletter is published by Dr. Jim Bennett, Honorary Fellow of the Department of Botany at the the Dept. of Botany, has devoted most of University of Wisconsin-Madison his career to the study of lichens, but also Suzy Will-Wolf retires for alumni, colleagues and friends. to the conservation of their rapidly disap- Editorial team: Anna Berberet, Ken pearing habitats. Jim retired from the US Ater 35(!) years in the Botany Cameron, Carmela Diosana, Sarah Geological Survey in 2011, but remains Department coordinating General Friedrich, Cheryl Rezabek, and Kirsten an active researcher in the UW-Madison Ecology and conducting lichen research, Schultz. Submissions are welcome. Please Herbarium. This year Dr. Bennett was Suzy Will-Wolf retired this summer. As send comments, ideas and photos to: appointed Chair of the WI Natural Areas with many Botany retirees, however, “re- Alumni News Editor Preservation Council, which advises the tirement” does not mean slowing down. UW Department of Botany Department of Natural Resources on No sooner did she leave than she took 430 Lincoln Drive issues relating to the establishment, pro- on another responsibility — Secretary Madison, WI 53706 tection and management of State Natural for the American Bryological and Phone: 608-262-0476 Areas throughout Wisconsin. Jim is also Lichenological Society. Suzy also plans Fax: 608-262-7509 a member of the Board for the Natural to continue her lichenology research as email: [email protected] Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, an emerita, so she will happily remain a www.botany.wisc.edu where he helped to establish that organi- presence in the Botany Department. zation’s Rare Plant Preservation Fund. Congratulations, Suzy! 2 Botany and Biological Aspects of Conservation NEWS & NOTES Botany welcomes Tricia Fry and Carmela Diosana Join the Society for Tricia Fry Carmela Conservation Biology! joined the Botany Diosana joined The Wisconsin Chapter of the Society Department in the Botany for Conservation Biology (WSCB) had January of 2014 as Department it’s kick-off meeting in early October. the Ecology Course in September The WSCB mission is to foster collabora- Coordinator. She 2014 as the tive relationships among conservation completed her MS Student Services professionals, NGO and agency leaders, in Wildlife Ecology Coordinator. She higher education faculty and students at UW Madison has been at UW- throughout the state of Wisconsin - all in 2004 and returned to Madison after Madison for fourteen years, between are welcome! Participation in WSCB is working as a wildlife biologist at the the Nelson Institute and the Wisconsin a great way to help promote an integra- USDA National Wildlife Research Center Center for Educational Research. Her tive approach to conservation biology, in Fort Collins, CO, where her research experience includes being a depart- advance conservation positions in public focused on diseases of wildlife. She’s ment administrator, managing an NSF policy, develop professional and leader- eager to broaden her teaching experience IGERT, co-developing the Community ship skills, and network with community and looks forward to introducing stu- Environmental Scholars Program, ca- members all over the state. dents to ecology. Tricia is happy to have reer advising and conference planning.