GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP
Ecophysiology
M.S. or PH.D.
Faculty Advisor: Richard Jagels
The study will focus on photosynthesis and growth physiology of
Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Preliminary experiments suggest that this
species possesses a unique set of attributes that are adaptive to
growing under a continuous light regime, and these traits appear to be
highly conserved, making M. glyptostroboides a useful surrogate for the
fossil Metasequoia which dominated wet lowland forests in the high
arctic during the Eocene (45 million years ago). This study will help to
identify physiological characteristics which would be of adaptive value
to plants poised to occupy higher latitude sites as global climate
changes.
Using a field experiment, already established, trees under low-level
continuous light (CL) will be compared to trees growing under natural
light (NL) conditions, and photosynthetic attributes, carbon balance
strategies, non-photosynthetic pathways and photorespiration, and
water-use-efficiency will be monitored and compared.
For further information contact:
Dr. Richard Jagels
Department of Forest Ecosystem Science
5755 Nutting Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469-5755
Phone: 207/581-2884
Fax: 207/581-4257
email: richard_jagels [at] umenfa.maine.edu