Issuu

Vol. 1

LIFE ON LAND A Publication of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education

2 RIVER OF GRASS REBORN

FIU scientists fight to save Everglades

4 RENEWED EVERGLADES SUPPORT NSF renews $6.375M for FIU; Miccosukee and FIU team up for Big Cypress

6 WETLAND ENGINEERS? How alligators shape and sustain their ecosystem

8 SPECIAL DELIVERY

Critically endangered antelopes catch flight to ancestral home

10 GIANT LEAPS FOR FROGKIND New frog species, new protected areas offer hope

12 TRAFFICKED PARROTS GET FIGHTING CHANCE

FIU scientists rescue endangered parrots from illegal trade

14 SAVING THE MULE EAR ORCHID

Finding the fix in the face of tiny threat

16 HOPE BLOOMS FOR FLORIDA’S CIGAR ORCHID

Imperiled flower found in Big Cypress National Preserve

18 VANISHING BLOOMS Scientist on quest to give orchids an identity

20 NATURE’S ANSWER TO CITRUS GREENING

Uncovering a potential cure for crop-killing disease

22 GROWING SOLUTIONS FOR POLLUTED WATERWAYS

Harnessing plants to clean up nutrient pollution in waterways

24 AN END TO MOSQUITOBORNE DISEASES

Scientist leads research into world’s deadliest insect

26 FINDING ALL THE WORLD’S ANTS Global study exposes blind spots in conservation

28 LONG-TERM ARCTIC MONITORING Ongoing study uncovers gradual, significant shifts in Arctic ecosystems

30 DR. BEACH: A NAME THAT STUCK LIKE SAND

From student nickname to beach-ranking legend

32 TAKING ROOT

Faculty and students earn recognition around the world

FROM THE TROPICS TO THE TUNDRA: FIU IS PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR LIFE ON LAND Life on Land — our forests, beaches, wetlands, rivers and more — sustains us. It provides clean air, fresh water, food, medicines, recreation and inspiration. It drives our climate, inspires our cultures and offers resources that shape global economies. From the tropics to the tundra, it is where our human story has unfolded. Yet, these ecosystems — and the species they harbor — are facing unprecedented threats. At Florida International University, we are committed to creating solutions. Our faculty, students, and staff work across continents to conserve biodiversity, combat illegal wildlife trafficking, develop sustainable land and water management practices and reduce risks from natural hazards. We work to restore degraded habitats and build resilient communities that can thrive alongside nature. In recognition of these efforts, FIU has consistently ranked among the world’s best institutions for its overall positive impact, as measured by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes our significant contributions to SDG 15: Life on Land, recognizing our work to protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. This top-tier standing is a powerful affirmation of the tireless dedication of our entire FIU community. This issue of Life on Land at FIU showcases these inspiring stories and highlights how our discoveries are translating into real-world impact. As we share this work, know that sustainability and resilience is a core principles guiding everything we do, including the production of this publication, which is printed with sustainably sourced materials. You can also explore — and share — our digital issue using the QR code on this page. FIU LIFE ON LAND MAGAZINE

Looking ahead, we are energized to deepen our impact. Our researchers are focused on expanding conservation efforts for threatened plants, animals and entire ecosystems, developing innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture, finding ways to remove toxic chemicals, advancing new methods to stave off potentially catastrophic

natural hazards, and strengthening our international partnerships to protect globally significant biodiversity hotspots. We are building a brighter, more sustainable future for the planet, and we are grateful for your continued support in this vital mission. Sincerely, Mike Heithaus FIU Vice Provost of Environmental Resilience and Biscayne Bay Campus Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education Professor of Biological Sciences

11200 SW 8th Street, CASE 450 | Miami, FL 33199 | 305-348-2864

River Reborn:

FIU SCIENTISTS FIGHT TO SAVE THE EVERGLADES By Karen Cochrane, Angela Nicoletti and Adrienne Sylver

Todd Crowl thinks about the Everglades

Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). For more

south, marked by seasonal ebbs and flows, and

everyday. The director of FIU’s Institute

than two decades, FIU has led the National

fed the Everglades. Then, Florida’s population

of Environment knows Florida’s future is

Science Foundation-supported Florida

grew. Development and agricultural lands

intricately connected to the fate of vitally

Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological

encroached on the River of Grass. Half was

important freshwater ecosystems. This is

Research (FCE LTER) program, collecting

dredged and drained. Water was rerouted; the

especially true for Florida’s largest and most

comprehensive, long-term data instrumental to

flow, disrupted.

important wetland — the Everglades. What

understanding how the Everglades is changing

happens to it, happens to us.

over time, as well as providing a baseline for

Unraveling the complexity of how it all works is an enormous challenge. Almost as enormous as the Everglades. FIU researchers have always

gauging effectiveness of current and future management strategies. Restoration and protection depend on this type of data.

Changes followed, including for the Biscayne Aquifer, a shallow layer of porous limestone sitting underneath a portion of South Florida that provides one of the most densely populated areas of the U.S. with fresh water.

faced it head on. More than 20 years ago, their

With a piece of paper in front of him, Crowl can

Rain falling over the Everglades recharges

findings set water quality standards by advising

sketch out the story of how the Everglades

and refills the aquifer. Rainfall over urban areas

the restriction of phosphorus to 10 parts per

is connected to the underground world of

doesn’t have the same fate. Roads, sidewalks

billion for Everglades National Park, a standard

water that South Floridians rely on. More than

and other infrastructure act as impediments,

incorporated into the federal Comprehensive

a century ago, water flowed naturally north to

so most of it enters canals or the ocean. With

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LIFE ON LAND | 3

READ THE FULL STORY.

scientist for the nonprofit Everglades Foundation and FIU alumnus. “Our job is to advance Everglades restoration,” Davis said. “We can only do this with the science behind us. FIU has been instrumental in helping us understand the vulnerabilities of the Everglades and in moving forward with restoration and preservation.” There’s still work to do but restoration has resulted in a few glimmers of hope: Water flows in some areas it has not flowed in years. Tristan Tigertail, a member of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, grew up along the Everglades. He piloted his first airboat at the age of 7. Four years later, he got his own. Today, Tigertail works for his uncle as a professional Everglades airboat operator, sharing the beauty of the land he loves. Tigertail has seen the loss of white-tailed deer, birds and cypress domes. He says with efforts now being made to return the flow of water to its original state, the cypress domes are coming back. So are the birds. “Sometimes when the tribe elders gather, they reminisce about how the sky used to blacken overhead when a flock of birds took off. There were so many of them, they would block out the sun,” he says. “I’ve never seen that. But I’ve seen positive changes in the past couple of years, and it gives me hope.” Crowl also retains a sense of optimism, saying, “I assure you, our last chapter has not been written.” n

Todd Crowl, director of FIU’s Institute of Environment

the Everglades less than half its original

of Florida would be protected. Threatened

size, there’s less available space to refill the

and endangered animals and plants

aquifer from which 300 million gallons of

found nowhere else on Earth, and wholly

water are pumped daily.

dependent on the Everglades, would still

Everglades restoration also helps the aquifer

have a place to live.

fight off rising seas that make it vulnerable to

FIU’s locations — one less than 10 miles

saltwater intrusion and run-off pollution.

from the Everglades, the other along

If it all flows as it should, water for Floridians and tourists would be safe, keeping the state’s $1 trillion economy humming. The home of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians

Biscayne Bay — position university scientists literally and figuratively to lead solutions in environmental resilience. Nowhere is that more evident than FIU’s role in Everglades restoration, according to Steve Davis, chief

“IF WE WANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF BEING ABLE TO LIVE HERE FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS WITHOUT RUNNING OUT OF FRESH WATER, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS WHOLE WATERSHED AND THAT IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER. WITHOUT THE EVERGLADES BEING RESTORED, WE’RE NOT RECHARGING OUR FRESHWATER RESOURCES FAST ENOUGH.” — TODD CROWL

FIU GETS $6.375 MILLION RENEWAL FROM NSF FOR EVERGLADES RESEARCH

By JoAnn C. Adkins

FIU has secured a $6.375 million renewal from the National Science Foundation for the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program. The six-year renewal is the fifth in the program’s history, which has been conducted in lock-step with the congressionally authorized Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The program will expand its focus to integrate more community voices into the research, including the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, farmers, economists, business leaders and policymakers, according to John Kominoski, principal investigator of the program and

the long-term ecological research including

recognized, iconic coastal wetland,” said

researcher in the FIU Institute of Environment.

147 researchers and staff from FIU.

Todd Crowl, director of FIU’s Institute of

The goal is to better understand how Everglades restoration impacts the livelihoods of local communities and to use long-term data to help people and nature adapt and thrive together. As part of the renewal, the scientists will also conduct research on legacy impacts from

The Everglades is a unique, interconnected

Environment.

ecosystem vital for biodiversity, a habitat for

Everglades restoration – the world’s

rare species and offers important functions

largest such effort – focuses on improving

including water filtration and flood control. It’s

the quality, quantity, timing and distribution

also a popular destination, supporting Florida’s tourism industry. However, the Everglades

of water from Kissimmee River and Lake Okeechobee flowing south to Florida Bay. For decades, FIU scientists in

disturbances that remain in the environment

has been heavily impacted by human

for long periods of time.

development and water management.

collaboration with others have provided

Housed at FIU, more than 245 scientists from

“This science is necessary to fully recover

and support the long-term health of this

78 different institutions have contributed to

and ultimately conserve this globally

iconic yet imperiled ecosystem. n

much-needed data to inform restoration

MICCOSUKEE, FIU TEAM UP TO EXAMINE PHOSPHORUS IN BIG CYPRESS FIU and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida are launching an

George M. Barley Jr. Endowed Scholars Chair, and researcher Kelsey

initiative to examine phosphorus in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Solomon will conduct controlled experiments to evaluate how different

Encompassing 729,000 acres northwest of Everglades National Park, Big Cypress is a central piece of the Everglades ecosystem. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but excess phosphorus, mostly from agricultural and urban sources, can lead to ecosystem changes that negatively impact species and ecosystem functions.

levels of phosphorus impact the local ecosystem. Other partners include Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades Foundation and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Researchers in FIU’s Institute of Environment have been leading the science behind Everglades research and restoration for decades. Gaiser

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida will contribute $600,000

was part of the FIU team and helped lead the research that led to the

over the next three years to help fund FIU water quality research in

establishment of a water-quality standard to protect Everglades National

the western Everglades region. Evelyn Gaiser, aquatic ecologist and

Park from excess phosphorus sources. n

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LIFE ON LAND | 5

NOT IN THE MOOD: MERCURY MESSES WITH SONGBIRDS’ MATING GAME By Christine Fernandez Before they can fight to survive, some endangered songbirds are losing their groove and being robbed of their chance at love – all because of what’s in their food. Residing exclusively in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, the Cape Sable seaside sparrow has been endangered for nearly 60 years. Today, less than 2,500 remain. FIU doctoral candidate Alan Mock and a team of researchers now have growing concerns about a hidden threat lurking in the bird’s food supply – mercury. Their latest research, published in Ecotoxicology, suggests male sparrows that have higher rates of mercury have significantly lower chances of scoring a mate – a major problem for a bird already struggling to survive amid habitat loss and degradation. This is the first research published on mercury concentrations in the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, Mock said. To measure mercury levels, the researchers collected feathers from adult and young sparrows during three breeding seasons between 2016 and 2018. They found local water conditions directly influenced mercury exposure in the secretive birds which measure no more than 5 inches when fully grown. The faster drying of marshes led to higher mercury levels which led to early breeding failure. Mock said fewer love connections could mean a devastating 60 percent drop in the population productivity. Mercury is a chemical element that moves through ecosystems from air pollution and land runoff into water bodies. Once in the water, tiny microbes turn the substance into a more poisonous form called methylmercury. From there, it makes its way up the food chain into aquatic insects – a favorite meal for the sparrows. “We can manage recession rate and water levels to try to reduce exposure, but that’s kind of putting Band-Aids on the overall mercury pollution problem,” Mock said. “Global efforts to reduce mercury emissions are the long-term solution.” Within the Everglades, continued restoration aimed at improving water quality must be supported, as water management could be key to reducing mercury exposure and helping native species survive. The study is a collaboration between FIU’s Institute of Environment, Conservation InSight, Florida State University, the University of Florida and Oregon State University. n Photo by Virzi

ALLIGATORS:

engineers of the wetlands By Christine Fernandez

Alligators radically change the ecosystem

Researchers sampled 10 active American

around them to make the best of seasonal

Alligator ponds, five in each of the

changes in water levels — and that’s a good

Everglades National Park’s Shark River

thing for wetlands.

Slough and Taylor Slough — the two major

A study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology shows alligators do more than just care for themselves when they create alligator ponds. The research, led by FIU alumnus Bradley Strickland, now a data

drainage basins of freshwater through the Everglades to the Gulf of Mexico. They collected water, particulate organic matter, plants and animals across different habitats at each site, including the ponds themselves.

scientist for the National Park Service, is the

Alligators have only recovered from near

first to show alligators act as “engineers” in

extinction in the past 50 years, but their

their ecosystem by altering nutrient cycling

ecosystems remain under threat from human

and keeping the ecosystem healthy.

disturbances. This latest research adds to

When the alligators dig holes to fill with water, they give fish and wildlife refuge from falling water levels in the dry season. These ponds, in turn, provide the alligator with a steady supply of food and a place to mate. To maintain their ponds and keep them from filling in with vegetation, alligators use their snouts, claws and tails to move sediment and nutrients around. This disturbance enriches

the growing evidence of the many ways predators preserve the health and stability of entire ecosystems. Nearly 10 years ago, FIU researchers, led by Heithaus, were the first to identify the roles sharks serve in maintaining the health and biodiversity of coral reef and seagrass ecosystems. Though their roles are different, alligators have proven equally important as ecosystem engineers.

the soil, with alligator ponds showing higher

“Often predators are some of the first species

nutrient levels compared to what was found in

to be hurt by human activities, so it is essential

surrounding marshes.

that we find ways to protect and even restore

Strickland, along with FIU Institute of Environment researchers Mike Heithaus and Peter Flood and others, found the alligators’ extricating movements also prevent communities of organisms made up of bacteria and fungi from forming in large mats over the area.

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their populations,” Heithaus said. n

“UNDERSTANDING THE DIVERSE ECOLOGICAL ROLES OF PREDATORS WILL ENSURE WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE TO PROTECT OUR ECOSYSTEMS IN THE FUTURE.” — BRADLEY STRICKLAND

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OPERATION PANGOLIN aims to save world’s most trafficked wild mammal By JoAnn C. Adkins

Researchers and conservationists are on an

their efforts into Asia, the only other continent

for food and medicine, but overexploitation

initiative to save the world’s most trafficked

with native pangolin populations.

has resulted in threatened status for all eight

wild mammal — the pangolin. With funding from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Operation Pangolin launched in Cameroon and Gabon with plans to expand into Nigeria. Among the least studied animals in the world, little is known about their history or ecology. Even less is known of their role in a criminal economy where trafficked pangolins and the illegal sale of their scales and meat often go undetected. Operation Pangolin will help inform conservation strategies in Central Africa, with global implications for the illicit wildlife trade. The project is supported by the IUCN Pangolin

“All eight species of pangolins face extinction,” said project lead Matthew H. Shirley, a conservation ecologist at Florida International University’s Global Forensic and Justice Center and co-chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Pangolin Specialist Group. “Operation Pangolin is a chance to alter the conservation landscape for pangolins and other wildlife threatened by

species. The main threat, both in Asia and Africa, is poaching for international wildlife trafficking. Enough pangolin scales have been seized in the past decade to account for at least 1 million pangolins, yet little is known of the trafficking supply chains. This number doesn’t account for the pangolins that are removed undetected from the wild. At least 250,000 are estimated to be taken from

illicit human behavior.”

African and Asian forests yearly for consumers

Both IUCN and the Parties to the Convention

United States.

on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) agree that the

in China, Vietnam, western Europe and the

The $4 million grant from the Paul G. Allen

development of pangolin-specific monitoring

Family Foundation supports the launch of the

Specialist Group, a global network of 189

methods linked to anti-trafficking efforts is

project in Central Africa. The research team

pangolin specialists. The team will help

the highest conservation priority. Throughout

is concurrently raising funds to expand the

implement strategies with a plan to expand

history, pangolins have been sustainably used

project to Asia. n

SPECIAL DELIVERY 17 critically endangered antelopes catch flight to ancestral home

By JoAnn C. Adkins

Seventeen critically endangered mountain

Rare Species Conservatory Foundation

moment happen. For this species’ last chance

bongo antelopes boarded a DHL Express

(RSCF) where the 17 bongos were raised.

at survival, he worked.

plane at Palm Beach International Airport

For years, he worked toward this moment

in February 2025. Bound for Kenya, they included five males and 12 females, some that were pregnant. More than cargo,

— breeding bongo in semi-wild conditions, tending to their health and wellness alongside his RSCF team. This includes FIU

“There is simply no higher calling for humanity than to protect what remains of nature,” Reillo said. “The mountain bongo’s

alumnus Matt Morris, RSCF’s operations

story of decline and recovery has been

their species.

director and team lead for the mountain

entirely on our watch, and the species’ future

bongo. Together, they prepared the bongos

rests with all of us.”

They know nothing of the statistics — that

for the long journey as best they could,

fewer than 100 of their kind remain in the

building custom crates to keep them safe

wild — or the years of planning that led to this

and calm during the 36-hour journey to their

moment. To them, it was just a strange, noisy

ancestral home on Mount Kenya. Reillo found

these bongos are the last, best hope for

trip. But FIU’s Paul Reillo knows these bongos

time to do the paperwork. A lot of paperwork.

The mountain bongo, the largest forest antelope native only to Kenya, has experienced a devastating population decline in the past 80 years due to poaching, forest degradation and habitat fragmentation. The

are the very definition of a second chance.

He worked closely with the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust to find the bongos

species is listed by the International Union

Reillo is a research professor and director of

a safe place to call home. He worked closely

for Conservation of Nature as a critically

FIU’s Tropical Conservation Institute. He is

with DHL to secure them safe transport.

endangered sub-species. The conservation

also the founding director of the non-profit

He worked to raise the funds to make this

effort aims to help them breed so that their

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LIFE ON LAND | 9

offspring can be sustainably reintroduced into Mount Kenya’s forests. The 17 bongos successfully made their journey from Loxahatchee, Florida, to a 30-acre sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Kenya. They are thriving. The plan is to move into an adjacent, expansive reserve that will include critically endangered black rhinos. The work is all being done in collaboration with the Meru County Government, Ntimaka and Kamulu Community Forest Associations, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. RSCF is an organizational trustee of the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust, overseeing the bongo and rhino sanctuary. This is the second time Reillo has sent bongos to Kenya, the first being in 2004. He is currently raising funds with the hope to repatriate more in the very near future. For him, this is just another step in the species’ fight for survival. For him, the work continues. n

RESEARCHER HELPS COLLECT KEY DATA TO ESTABLISH 9 NEW PROTECTED AREAS IN PERU By Angela Nicoletti

FIU researcher Alessandro Catenazzi

Although it covers less than 5 percent of the

field. They also recorded many new, previously

helped gather critical information needed

Amazon basin, Loreto is one of the most diverse

undescribed species, including nine plants,

to expedite the establishment of nine

areas in the entire Amazon — home to species

20 fish, 33 amphibians, three reptiles, two

that are not found anywhere else on Earth. It’s also

mammals and one bird.

new protected areas in one of the most biologically diverse regions of Peru.

home to more than 170,000 indigenous people.

The Institute of Environment biologist was

Catenazzi — an expert in frog ecology and

closely with the local communities. They ensured

conservation who has helped identify and

residents were involved throughout the process,

describe 45 new species — was on the

taking into account the perspectives of those

biological rapid inventory team that documented

most familiar with the proposed protected areas,

amphibians and reptiles.

and who often had experience managing land but

part of a large conservation effort led by the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The team’s extensive rapid biological and social inventory work helped quadruple the

There was also a team dedicated to working

limited opportunities to share their knowledge.

previous number of protected areas in Loreto,

They set up camp in remote Loreto areas and

an expanse of Amazonian lowlands and

spent the next few weeks documenting. The

This social team also helped record something

Andean foothills bordering Brazil, Colombia

team made more than 17,000 sightings and

else very important — what the local people call

and Ecuador.

over 10,000 photographs of species in the

the different animals and plants.

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Scientists have uncovered two new frog species in Peru — one living high in remote grasslands and the other found in a lower mountain valley. The discoveries highlight the challenges of exploring rugged terrain and combating a fungal disease that has devastated amphibian populations worldwide. FIU Institute of Environment researcher Alessandro Catenazzi and his team are responsible for both discoveries. The higher Phrynopus remotum. Photo courtesy of Germán Chávez

elevation frog is Phrynopus remotum, found beneath stones in grasslands on the eastern slopes of the central Andes at about 12,000 feet. These stout-bodied frogs have short limbs and hatch directly from eggs as tiny froglets. The second discovery — a brightly decorated little frog — offers hope amid a grim crisis. Amphibians globally have suffered massive population declines from a fungal disease called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd, especially harlequin frogs. Many have gone extinct or have not been seen for decades. Despite this threat, Catenazzi and his team described a new harlequin frog species, Atelopus moropukaqumir. These frogs are distinguished by their olive-green bodies decorated with bright red spots — a striking appearance that inspired their Quechua name. While Bd is present in their habitat, only about 15 percent of observed individuals were infected, suggesting the population is not yet in severe decline. Both frogs’ habitats face threats from agriculture, deforestation and Bd. Discovering

Once the rapid biological inventories were complete and field guides created, the team shared them with the local residents. Documenting this cultural heritage is as important as documenting the abundance of life in Loreto, since some communities are down to a few hundred people and the native languages are disappearing. Today, the field guides include the scientific names of animals and plants along with their names in the local languages Wampis and Awajún. The hope is this project’s rapid inventory

“WE’RE PUTTING ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON THIS PLANET, WITHOUT PROTECTED AREAS, THERE IS NO CHANCE MOST BIODIVERSITY WILL SURVIVE.”

these new species gives conservationists a chance to advocate for habitat protection, disease monitoring and species survival. n

— ALESSANDRO CATENAZZI

process can serve as a guide for future conservation campaigns for other locations around the world. n

Atelopus moropukaqumir Photo courtesy of Vladimir Díaz (Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional San Cristóbal de Huamanga)

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A GIANT LEAP FOR FROGKIND

FIU CONSERVATION SCIENTISTS GIVE TRAFFICKED, ENDANGERED PARROTS

red-lored Amazons and the other 21 were endangered yellow-naped Amazons. Yellow-naped Amazons are threatened with extinction in the wild and prohibited from international trade. Their beauty, temperament and mimicking ability make them among the most trafficked Central American parrot species,

By JoAnn Adkins

with more than 90 percent of wild nests poached for the Two dozen rare Amazon parrot chicks left orphaned and homeless by a wildlife smuggling operation were given a second chance thanks to FIU conservation zoologists.

illegal pet trade. “This batch of intercepted eggs likely represents a significant fraction of offspring from a swath of forest, seriously impacting species already in trouble,” Reillo

The birds were poached from their nests and smuggled

said. “In high demand as pets with high price tags on their

while still eggs, though some had hatched by the time they

heads, parrots have become innocent victims of human

were discovered in a Chinese national’s carry-on bag (a

greed. Aside from the sheer number of eggs, what makes

cleverly disguised incubator) by U.S. Customs and Border

this case unusual is that most of the intercepted eggs were

Protection and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents in

viable, and the chicks survived. Smuggled animals often

2023 at Miami International Airport. The federal officers

experience very high mortality.”

lacked the equipment and means to hatch and care for so many tiny hatchlings at the airport’s USDA quarantine facility, so they contacted Paul Reillo, FIU research professor and director of FIU’s Tropical Conservation Institute. The eggs and hatchlings were transported to the institute’s program partner, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), where Reillo hand-reared the chicks.

Due to political issues and because the smuggled birds were hand-reared, they were poor candidates for repatriation or release. Reillo found them a permanent home at a wildlife sanctuary in California where they can serve as conservation ambassadors, educating the public about the consequences of wildlife trafficking. For more than 30 years, Reillo and his team have successfully bred

“It’s clear this was part of a very sophisticated trafficking

and managed endangered parrot species to support their

operation,” said Reillo, who is also the founding director

recovery in the wild.

of RSCF. “It’s not easy to assemble a group of this many eggs synchronized to all hatch around the same time.”

“The reality for many threatened and endangered species is they are being illegally trafficked for the pet trade,

The smuggler, who was traveling from Nicaragua to Asia

for animal products and for food,” said Mike Heithaus,

with 29 eggs, pled guilty to wildlife trafficking charges,

executive dean of FIU’s College of Arts, Sciences &

resulting in one of the largest parrot-smuggling busts in

Education. “FIU has built robust anti-trafficking programs

recent years.

to combat this issue and these parrots were very lucky to

In total, 24 parrot chicks survived. FIU researchers provided USFWS law enforcement with DNA species identification, revealing three of the parrots were FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 12

have Dr. Reillo and his team step up to help give them a fighting chance at survival. Now, what we really need is to stop trafficking before animals are removed from the wild so we don’t lose these species forever.” n

Amazon research reveals unique insight into forests’ trees

in the overstory and the understory of the Amazon. Christopher Baraloto, director of the International Center for Tropical Botany in the FIU Institute of Environment, post-doctoral research fellow Freddie Draper, and a team of more than 150 collaborators assembled a new dataset on what species of trees are growing in the Amazon. They found that size matters in determining what trees become dominant. Those species dominating the canopy are different from the ones growing below the canopy in the understory. Understanding what trees make up the Amazon and where they grow has important implications for understanding how carbon is stored and moved. It can also help scientists better understand how changing conditions could impact the Amazon’s biodiversity. Researchers discovered the high forest-canopy is dominated by just a few key plant families — like the legume or bean family — that can grow to heights of 150 feet and thrive in the exposed and hot environment above the canopy. Understanding these canopy trees is important because these massive species are those that can be seen in satellite data and also store the most carbon. The research team knew even less about what was happening beneath the canopy in the forest understory. These small trees, narrower than wine bottles, are invisible to most satellite sensors, and have often been overlooked by other researchers. It turns out, this understory layer is dominated by a range of species from many different families or lineages, including small palm trees and those from the pepper family. The authors suggest that these different lineages

MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF ALL TREE SPECIES ON EARTH HAVE YET TO BE DISCOVERED AND AT LEAST 40 PERCENT OF THOSE ARE BELIEVED TO BE IN THE AMAZON — THE NUMBER OF SPECIES ON EARTH, PNAS

have evolved to dominate different aspects of understory environment, with some species dominating hot and sunny treefall gaps, and others dominating the damp deep shade found under tall forests. Understanding the understory was a daunting undertaking. Assembling this dataset required Draper, Baraloto and their many collaborators to travel to the remote corners of the Amazon, measuring trees and collecting fruit, flowers and leaves to identify the species. Many of the species they came across, Draper believes, are likely unidentified species and unknown to science. To piece together a more complete story of what trees are growing in the Amazon, the network of scientists has been collecting this data for more than four decades. They surveyed 1,240 sites and documented more than 4,600 species. Identifying where species occur across the region and within the vertical layer of each forest helps scientists understand how the species dominating the Amazon are changing because of forest fires, deforestation and other impacts. “The first time most people experience an Amazonian forest, they are awestruck by the many layers of vegetation stretching from their fingertips up ten stories above to the canopy,” Baraloto said. “This study shows how the patterns of this incredible diversity — both within these vertical layers and across thousands of kilometers of the region — can be simplified so that we can better monitor and predict the responses to change of this region’s

READ MORE IN THE CONVERSATION.

Scientist on Lifelong Quest to Give Identity to Nameless Orchids By Michelle Marie Arean

NEARLY 30,000 SPECIES OF ORCHIDS ARE KNOWN TO SCIENCE BUT SCIENTISTS BELIEVE MANY MORE REMAIN TO BE FOUND.

Deep in the forests of Asia, Pankaj Kumar kept careful watch. Twenty-three plants. He waited patiently for a bloom. He would return time and again. They were orchids, he was certain — but without blooms, they remained a mystery. Days stretched into weeks, then months. Ten months passed before a white petal — smaller than a fingernail — appeared in August 2013. Kumar, an expert on Asian orchids, was almost certain it was an unidentified species. At the faintest touch, the fragile bloom slipped from its stem. And with it came a heartbreaking realization: to give this orchid a name, he would have to dissect it. Though the government gave him permission to collect a sample, he worried the plant would shrivel before reaching the bottom of the mountain. With a rainstorm moving in, and the water level rising from a nearby stream, he got to work on the forest floor. He documented as much as he could. He selected a single specimen to take with him, watching over it for three years before handing it over to a garden for safekeeping. Despite Kumar’s warnings, the handler cut it into three parts. It died. When Kumar found out, it brought him to tears. Kumar spent 25 years trekking through Asia’s forests looking for rare orchids. He has battled illegal collectors and mourned species lost to habitat destruction. In total, he has discovered 38 species and has more he’s writing up. His discoveries have spanned Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, among other countries. Today, as a researcher with FIU’s Institute of Environment, he continues his work with Hong Liu, professor in the Department of Earth and Environment and FIU alumnus Jason Downing, an orchid biologist at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Kumar credits his success to a mix of fieldwork in taxonomy and his passion for photography and hiking. He’s even a bit of an artist, having drawn the illustrations for almost all his orchid discoveries. The work is a mix of heartbreak and joy. In Laos, he identified a new species in 2013, just before lime mining destroyed its habitat. The plant

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LIFE ON LAND | 19

has not been reported anywhere else in the world. It was declared extinct in 2015. “You need to conserve the habitat if you want to conserve the plant,” Kumar said. “But it’s not so easy in some countries, because they don’t have other options to bring economy to the country.” One small orchid he identified was thought to be extinct after years of illegal collection — locals repeatedly harvest these orchids from the wild, depleting populations. In one case, Kumar recognized a new species after his friend showed him an orchid purchased in Laos from a local nursery. Eventually, the orchid disappeared from the wild there but was later discovered in Vietnam. The threat persists, and the plant is still being trafficked illegally, selling in the United States for at least $200 per plant. A special discovery for Kumar was one in India he named after his father — Peristylus sahanii (sahani being his father’s surname). Nearly two decades after discovering it, a friend sent him a photo, which he immediately recognized as the flower he

Pankaj Kumar, top, examines a newly discovered orchid. Below, is a close-up of the orchid.

dedicated to his father.

“If someone is trying to conserve a plant, I’m going

“Each new species is unique, and it gives me

going extinct before they’re identified. We need

happiness that I contributed to science in some

these people.”

way,” he said.

to help them,” Kumar said. “Many species are

His passion for botany bloomed early. In college,

His plant names don’t always have personal

his rooftop garden in India held around 500 plants.

touches, sometimes he goes by plant

Though his father, a retired mechanical engineer,

characteristics. Kumar believes naming new

wanted him to study medicine, Kumar was set on a

orchid species is important for conservation. His

career in botany. He now mentors students through

efforts have not gone unnoticed. An orchid native

his work with the Botanical Society of America,

to Vietnam was named after him as an honorary

which promotes plant learning for students.

nod from Russian and Vietnamese scientists who discovered the flower.

“I want to leave some good taxonomists,” he

Kumar, who struggled to find mentorship for his

endangered, but they are an essential part of

studies, is committed to guiding the next generation.

conservation.” n

said. “Taxonomists themselves are becoming

Field drawings by Pankaj Kumar

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE WEAPON AGAINST CITRUS GREENING ALREADY EXISTS IN NATURE By JoAnn C. Adkins Researchers are turning to a plant’s own microbiome to fight the destruction of citrus greening on Florida’s citrus trees. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded FIU scientists $500,000 to investigate natural compounds that could suppress or even eliminate the deadly bacteria that causes citrus greening. Currently, no cure exists for this disease that has left its mark on Florida’s citrus production, causing more than a 70% reduction in orange crops since first appearing in the state in 2005. FIU Institute of Environment researcher Kateel Shetty is leading this search for an antimicrobial compound that could help citrus growers gain control over this bacterial scourge. Also known as huanglongbing, citrus greening is spread by a tiny invasive insect from Asia. Infected trees produce fruits that are green, misshapen, bitter and unsuitable for sale as fresh fruit or for juice. Most infected trees die within a few years. It can destroy entire citrus orchards. If they can identify a compound that combats the bacteria in an infected tree, the team’s theory is the tree will thrive and be a productive fruit producer. It could slow or even stop the spread of the disease. Shetty believes they may be able to identify a natural compound because of preliminary findings from one of his current Ph.D. students while she was working on her master’s degree at FIU in 2019. Jessica Dominguez provided early evidence that microorganisms called endophytes could be used for disease management in citrus greening. Essentially, they hope to fight bad bacteria with good bacteria. Shetty is working with fellow agroecology researcher Krishnaswamy Jayachandran and biologist Diego Salazar Amoretti as well as researchers from Texas A&M University and University of Florida to advance this work. The two-year USDA grant is funded as part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension program, which brings top scientists together with citrus industry representatives to find scientifically sound solutions to combat and prevent citrus greening at the farm-level. Citrus greening is found in all of Florida’s citrus-producing counties and has spread throughout the U.S. The FIU research is being fasttracked with the hopes of arming citrus growers with a new tool in the battle against this devastating disease. n FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 20

LIFE ON LAND | 21

THE WORLD’S MOST UNWANTED PLANTS HELP TREES MAKE MORE FRUIT Keeping the spark alive is hard in any

Bees and other insects have been

Under the guidance of FIU professors Suzanne

relationship – especially for fruit trees

shown to increase the size and quality

Koptur and Krishnaswamy Jayachandran,

trying to attract pollinators.

of yields from 70 percent of the leading

Kleiman compared mango trees at a farm in

economically important crops in the world,

Homestead, Florida. One plot of trees had

including mango.

weeds growing around them. The other was

Blaire Kleiman, an FIU Institute of Environment graduate teaching assistant and alumna, found an unexpected source that keeps this relationship fruitful. Weeds. These often unwanted plants might not be attractive to humans, but they do put a spell on pollinators like bees and butterflies. The presence of weeds benefits trees and pollinators. “Weeds actually do a lot of good,” Kleiman said. “It might be helpful to think of them as wildflowers instead of these horrible, ugly things that need to be removed.” Fruit trees can’t live without pollinators.

But it’s getting harder to bring the bees to the

maintained and weed-free.

trees. Over the past three decades, pollinator

The pollinators preferred the trees with weeds.

numbers have drastically declined.

In turn, the trees produced more mangos.

When fruit trees and pollinators do come together, the game of attraction only just begins. Trees must keep the pollinators

There were between 100 to 236 mangos on the trees with weeds, compared to between 38 to 48 on the trees without weeds.

interested, so they don’t fly away to find

Kleiman points out findings apply to mango

another tree somewhere else.

trees, but also to all of the roughly 80 percent

Farmers sometimes rely on insectary plants. These specific plants attract pollinators and encourage them to stick around on the farm. Kleiman wanted to see if weeds could play a similar role since there are hundreds of flowering weed varieties.

of flowering plants of Earth, including fruit trees and all flowering vegetable plants. She hopes this information helps farmers save time and money and reduce the use of chemical pesticides. The research was published in Insects. n

GROWING OUR WAY OUT OF NUTRIENT PROBLEMS ON OUR WATERWAYS By Chrystian Tejedor

An FIU Institute of Environment Ph.D.

canals could help send cleaner water to the

stretch out over a wider area sucking up as

student is investigating whether growing

bay. To find out, Locke-Rodriguez is working

much nitrogen and phosphorous from the water

plants on floating mats in canals can

with Professor Krishnaswamy Jayachandran,

as they can consume. Their flowers grow large

reduce pollutants entering Biscayne Bay.

co-director of the FIU Agroecology Program

and pop with a brilliant yellow-orange color that

Previous studies by Institute of Environment ecologist John Kominoski found that rivers worldwide carry more nitrogen and

and an Institute of Environment researcher. Her work is just getting started.

phosphorous than is recommended.

Right next to FIU’s Wertheim Conservatory,

In August 2020, polluted water flowing into

and loading them with enough nitrogen and

Biscayne Bay triggered an explosive growth of

phosphorous to mimic the conditions found in

algae, depleting oxygen and causing a massive

canals throughout South Florida.

fish kill.

Locke-Rodriguez is filling freshwater tanks

Water from Lake Okeechobee — already

While all these nutrients might be bad for

nutrient rich — flows into the canals and keeps

the environment, they’re fuel for plants. And

collecting more nutrients as it winds its way

if plants can be grown on floating treatment

east to Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

wetlands on our waterways, they’ll beautify

These nutrients come from farms in the fertile

normally trash-strewn canals and eat up

Everglades Agricultural Area, fertilizer, storm

nutrients and pollution before they get a

runoff and yard waste.

chance to foul the bay.

gives the flowers their name. Control water samples looked sickeningly yellow. In the tank where marigolds had their fill, the water was almost crystalline. She hopes this effort can become selfsustaining by using commercially viable plants like marigolds or crops grown and sold in South Florida. Any money earned from the sale of the flowers or crops could be pumped back into efforts to plant more flowers in canals. Locke-Rodriguez is mapping the places in South Florida where it makes sense to place these mats. She and Jayachandran are also looking to find a balance between how many

On early tests, Locke-Rodriguez has seen

plants should occupy a mat and how many

Now FIU’s Jazmin Locke-Rodriguez wants to

marigolds thrive in this new medium. Because

mats should be placed into a system. Too many

know whether growing flowers or crops that

their roots are not having to dig through soil in

can lead to a situation where oxygen in the

thrive in South Florida right on our nutrient-rich

search of nutrients, they can grow longer and

canals and later the bay is depleted. n

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LIFE ON LAND | 23

FIU’S AGROECOLOGY PROGRAM SUPPORTS SOIL HEALTH IN SOUTH AFRICA By Daniela Ghelman

WATER POLLUTANT COULD BE SOIL SAVIOR By Christine Fernandez One ecosystem’s trash could be another ecosystem’s treasure, according to scientists studying cyanobacteria, also known as bluegreen algae. Cyanobacteria are commonly found in South Florida freshwaters and can produce toxins and harmful algal blooms. It also has a high iron content, unlike local crop soils. In a new study published in Environments, researchers found they can use cyanobacteria as a biofertilizer in iron deficient soils, turning this economic and environmental threat into a cost-effective solution for local farmers. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to collect naturally growing cyanobacteria for producing

South Africa is on a mission to improve its

productivity due to natural or human activities —

national soil health, and FIU is helping lead

is worsening, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

the charge.

To address these challenges, the workshops

The university’s Agroecology Program recently hosted a series of soil health workshops at leading South African universities, including the University of Venda, the University of Limpopo, the University of Johannesburg and the University of Pretoria. Led by FIU’s Maruthi Sridhar Balaji Bhaskar and Krishnaswamy Jayachandran, the workshops brought together about 100 students and faculty to explore soil degradation, its consequences and best practices for sustainable management. The initiative was made possible through a USDA Scientific Cooperation Research Program grant titled Training and Education for Agricultural Management (TEAM) to Promote Soil Health and Crop Productivity in South Africa. The grant was conceived in summer 2023, when Jude Odhiambo, professor of soil science at the University of Venda, visited FIU as a Fulbright Scholar in Jayachandran’s lab.

promoted nutrient cycling, improved water

a biofertilizer and demonstrating ecological, environmental, economic and agriculture resilience,” Agroecology Professor Krishnaswamy Jayachandran said.

retention and reduced reliance on synthetic

Jayachandran, earth and environment

fertilizers. Students and faculty also received

Professors Leonard Scinto and Mahadev Bhat,

hands-on training with more than $10,000

and Postdoctoral Associate Saoli Chanda and

worth of soil health instrumentation provided

others used cyanobacteria for a two-year

to the South African universities to measure

experiment at FIU’s Organic Garden Shade

chlorophyll levels in plants, soil moisture,

House and Greenhouse. They found it could

electrical conductivity and pH.

improve water quality by reducing nutrient

Aligned with South Africa’s national goal of achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030, the workshops combined fieldwork, lab exercises and interactive discussions with experts from FIU, the University of Venda and the University of Limpopo. Participants gained practical skills in assessing, monitoring and improving soil health through adaptive, datadriven strategies. The program is expected to have a lasting global impact by strengthening agricultural resilience, enhancing soil health and

Jayachandran, distinguished university

equipping the next generation of scientists

professor and co-founding director of

and farmers with the tools for sustainable land

FIU’s Agroecology Program, said the grant

management. It also contributes to global

supports sustainable agriculture, food security

food security by helping communities boost

and climate resilience at a time when soil

productivity, build resilience and manage

degradation — the decline in soil quality and

agricultural resources more effectively. n

runoff into surface water systems while boosting organic matter levels in porous calcareous for better soil aggregation and stability. n

MOSQUITOES TURN EGG-LAYING INTO EXCLUSIVE POOL PARTY

By JoAnn C. Adkins

Female mosquitoes want every night to be girls night, but not everyone is invited. When female mosquitoes feed, they don’t seem to mind a crowd because lots of carbon dioxide usually means there’s food. They were thought to be more solitary, however, when laying eggs. New research has revealed quite the opposite for the deadly Aedes aegypti.

tests, DeGennaro and his team observed female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes avoiding areas with high amounts of carbon dioxide, likely because lots of CO2 means a crowd. When the egg-laying females detected smaller clusters of females with eggs or young mosquitoes, again relying on their sense of smell, they moved in.

While they do avoid large crowds, the female

“It’s like female mosquitoes are going to

mosquitoes appear to follow other females

an exclusive pool party,” said FIU biologist

and congregate in smaller groups when

Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva, lead author of

laying eggs. This new finding, published

the study. “They don’t want too many or

recently in Communications Biology, has

too few guests.”

scientists rethinking the possibilities for mosquito control.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes love urban

“What we’ve found is mosquitoes are

that litter neighborhoods. This makes

working together to control their density,”

finding breeding sites difficult. This new

said FIU biologist Matthew DeGennaro, co-

understanding of how mosquitoes decide

author of the study and director of the FIU

where to lay eggs could also lead to

Biomolecular Sciences Institute. “If there’s

entirely new ways of controlling mosquito

too many, there could be a resource issue.

populations to reduce the spread of

But having some clustering likely provides

diseases they carry.

benefits for the survival of their young.”

habitats and can lay eggs in tiny containers

“We’ve discovered a new behavior.

The researchers say female mosquitoes

Now we are exploring how we can use

use a balance of smells to decide where

this to control the choices mosquitoes’

to lay eggs. Some smells attract them to

make,” DeGennaro said. “We don’t want

lay eggs, while others make them want to

mosquitoes throwing their baby showers

avoid laying eggs. Through a series of lab

just anywhere.” n

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MATTHEW DEGENNARO IS A NEUROGENETICIST WHO CREATED THE WORLD’S FIRST MUTANT MOSQUITO TO ADVANCE RESEARCH IN MOSQUITOBORNE DISEASES.

LIFE ON LAND | 25

AN END TO MOSQUITOBORNE DISEASES? Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on the planet, killing hundreds of thousands of people every year through the spread of disease. Neurogeneticist Matthew DeGennaro is on the hunt for a lifesaving perfume. He’s the first scientist to make a mutant mosquito — a game-changing tool in researching mosquito behavior. Secured in his Tropical Genetics Lab, DeGennaro relies on his mutants to help answer globally critical questions like how mosquitoes find people. Because he can’t ask a mosquito, he removes a single gene to create a mutant and then observes its behavior. In 2019, DeGennaro unleashed a new era in mosquito prevention research when he, with the help of his students, identified the olfactory receptor mosquitoes rely on to detect people. His focus has now shifted to finding a scent to disrupt that receptor. DeGennaro’s research has provided other key insights including what goes into a mosquito’s decision of where to lay eggs and natural odors that could keep mosquitoes at bay. The research has been supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Defense. DeGennaro has been an investigator of the CDC-sponsored Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-borne Disease since its inception. His growing understanding of mosquito behavior could someday help end the global scourge of mosquito-borne diseases. n

MOSQUITOES ARE GOOD AT SUCKING BLOOD AND HAVING BABIES By Angela Nicoletti The secret of the world’s deadliest animal’s reproductive success could lead to fewer baby mosquitoes. That could mean improved pest control. FIU Biomolecular Sciences Institute researchers collaborated with an international team to study juvenile hormone, a molecule that regulates development, reproduction and behavior in insects. They produced genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes —

The team of researchers — including FIU’s Fernando Noriega, Marcela Nouzova, Francisco Fernandez Lima and Matthew DeGennaro — worked to take the mosquitoes back in time, where it was as if they never evolved to produce juvenile hormone at all. Nouzova designed the experiments and led the genome editing process, creating the mutant mosquitoes.

carriers of deadly diseases including yellow

While the mutants that only had MF

fever, dengue and zika — that cannot make

successfully reached adulthood, they were

juvenile hormone. The mutants could still mate

lacking in reproductive competence. They

and have babies. Just not as many as their

couldn’t keep up with the stronger, non-

juvenile hormone-producing counterparts. The

mutant males. The mutant females also were

researchers say greater understanding

affected. Normally, a female can lay up to

of hormone action could unleash a new generation of mosquito control tools. All insects produce the hormone in question. It plays a critical role in their development, controls different functions and dictates certain behaviors. It helps mosquito larvae to complete metamorphosis. It functions similar to the hormones people rely on for puberty and to reach sexual maturity. Mosquitoes and their distant relatives — crabs and lobsters — both have methyl farnesoate (MF). In crustaceans, MF regulates reproduction. Insects have the ability to

100 eggs after mating. In their short lifespan, they can lay three different sets, amounting to hundreds of eggs. The mutants laid 50 percent fewer eggs. The other mutants lost the ability to make MF completely. They died as a larva. This means juvenile hormone is a master regulator of mosquito reproduction, DeGennaro said. This information can help control populations of insects we want less of. It can also help improve reproduction success and boost the populations of insects we need more of.

turn MF into juvenile hormone, giving them

The findings were published in Proceedings

an evolutionary reproductive advantage in

of the National Academy of Sciences of the

producing more offspring.

United States of America. n

EVER WONDERED WHERE ALL THE ANTS ARE? These researchers did, and now they know A team of international researchers is shining

“Much of our knowledge of biodiversity, and

other species could disappear. Yes, ants might

a light on the often-understudied little things

our planning of conservation, has been based

be small, but they have a huge impact.”

that run the world — ants.

on other animals, like mammals, reptiles and

The researchers, including Earth and Environment professor Clinton Jenkins, have

birds,” Jenkins said. “This is a major leap forward in our understanding of life on the

Jenkins — who has studied the biodiversity of other species — joined a team from the

planet and its conservation status.”

Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit at the

map to begin answering a long unanswered

Ants — thought to be nature’s most industrious

(OIST) and other universities to embark on this

question — where are all the ants? Lurking in

insects — often toil away, carrying out many

ambitious project of pinpointing where in the

this map is another one, a so-called treasure

jobs and juggling important responsibilities.

world ants are.

map, to guide future research and exploration

They are hunters, farmers, harvesters, gliders,

into unexplored regions where undiscovered

herders, weavers and carpenters. They carry

species may be found. These data are the

and disperse seeds. They dig holes in the

first step in protecting and conserving ant

ground to aerate and turn over the soil, helping

biodiversity. The findings were published

plants grow. They keep pests in check. They

in Science Advances.

are one of nature’s smallest creatures with the

created the first-of-its-kind global biodiversity

Museum records, field observations and data extracted from academic research papers told part of the story. Because some species are found in more than one location, the researchers turned to computers to build better

biggest impact on entire ecosystems.

predictive models of the distribution of each

While there’s still much to learn about them,

protected areas of high ant diversity are. They

it’s clear that the world wouldn’t be the world

found only 15 percent of the top 10 percent

without ants.

of ant rarity centers had some sort of legal

“When I started looking into this more than a

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 26

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology

species. The team also looked at how well-

protection, such as a national park or reserve.

decade ago, it was so fascinating to realize the

The team hopes this study will encourage

number of effects ants have on an ecosystem,”

more research and the discovery of unknown

Jenkins said. “There are tens of thousands of

species, in the hopes of beginning to assess

types of ants, and in some places, they are key

and determine whether some species are of

for the ecosystem to function. If you lose ants,

conservation concern. n

LIFE ON LAND | 27

FIU STUDENT DEVELOPS PORTABLE SENSOR-PACKED TOOL FOR INSECT TRACKING By Angela Nicoletti With some home security software and

“You might think a moth is nocturnal because

a little ingenuity, FIU biology Ph.D.

it’s only been seen at night, but that doesn’t

student Yash Sondhi has developed a new tracking tool for hard-to-track insects to help understand the effects of increased light pollution. Moths, mosquitoes and fruit flies usually fly under our radar, and not much is known about when they are actually flying around. So Sondhi, in collaboration with researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History and

mean it’s not out during the day. It just might not have been seen,” Sondhi, who works in FIU associate professor of biology Jamie Theobald’s lab, said. Sondhi needed a tool he could take to the field because the existing, bulky tools can only be used in a lab where it’s impossible to study natural insect behaviors.

the Imperial College of London, developed a

But the tinier the animal, the harder it is

portable and affordable tool that accurately

to track. Plus, insects fly. Sondhi gathered

tracks insect movements in the field by

a microcomputer, open-source motion

pinpointing what times of day or night small

tracking software, sensors, a camera and

insects are awake and active.

all-important infrared lights that don’t disturb

This information is the foundation for understanding insect behaviors and circadian rhythms — patterns that determine when they look for food, pollinate flowers and more. Without this basic information, it’s harder to predict or determine how changes in the environment might impact the insects.

or confuse insects. He housed all of this in a mesh cage that looks like a laundry hamper and the portable locomotion activity monitor was born. It can be built for under $100, a tiny fraction of the lab-based technology that costs more than $4,000. After some testing in the lab, Sondhi took the tool on a research trip to Costa Rica with Akito Kawahara from the Florida Museum of Natural History. They collected 15 species, placing between four and eight moths from each species into the activity monitors. One of the most interesting examples was a species of tiger moth. It’s assumed these brightly colored, toxic moths are exclusively out during the day, because predators steer clear of them and they can move about without fear of

“The goal is to quantify when they are active and then associate that with their traits,” Sondhi said. Sondhi tested the tool and found that it is applicable for all small insects. He collaborated with FIU biologist Matthew DeGennaro’s lab and found the tool accurately tracked the movement of mosquitos. Sondhi will be using this new tool to continue his National Geographic-funded research on how moths respond to light pollution. He’s collected the data on the differing light levels at several field sites in India. Now, he can examine how light pollution could be confusing moths, interfering with their natural circadian patterns, and impacting when they are active.

being eaten. However, data from the activity

The research was published in Methods in

monitors revealed they’re also active at dusk.

Ecology and Evolution. n

3 DECADES IN THE ARCTIC AFFIRM NEED FOR LONG-TERM MONITORING FIU BIOLOGIST HAS SERVED AS NORTH AMERICAN LEAD SINCE THE EARLY YEARS By JoAnn C. Adkins Temperatures are increasing in the

Yet, scientists found ways to keep the data

Arctic at more than double the global

collection going. Part of ITEX’s success may

average. Shrubs are getting bigger. Plant

be attributed to the number of participants

populations are changing. Animals are

— usually no more than 100 researchers. It’s

changing their diets.

a tight-knit community that has spent three

Scientists from every Arctic country in Europe, Asia and North America have been working together for 30 years to examine vegetation change across the tundra biome as part of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX), which formed in 1992. Alexandra Fiord in the Canadian High

decades working across three continents. What began as studies of individual plant species has grown to entire ecosystems.

SCIENTISTS FIRST SOUNDED THE ALARM FOR A RAPIDLY WARMING ARCTIC IN THE MID-1980S. SOME MET AND AGREED TO WORK TOGETHER, FORMING ITEX.

“There are shrubs that are almost tree-size,” said Oberbauer. “It’s not supposed to be that

providing an understanding of the impacts of

way. At least, that’s not how it used to be.”

these changes.

Traditionally, plants in the Arctic’s tundra region

Scientists first noted a changing Arctic in the

Oberbauer, FIU biologist and North American

are low-lying and grow slowly because of their

mid-1980s. After 30 years, they can answer

lead for ITEX, attended his first ITEX meeting

short growing season. But as temperatures

questions about what is happening and

in 1994. He says maintaining a long-term, multi-

have gotten warmer, the season is beginning

what the world should expect for the Arctic’s

site, multi-institution collaboration like ITEX is

earlier. Some plants are moving into areas they

hard to do. There were times when the grants

didn’t occupy before, and species composition

ran out. Personnel changed. And during the

is changing. Changes haven’t been swift and

global pandemic, travel was all but blocked.

could have gone unrecognized. But ITEX is

Arctic became the first official site. Steven

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 28

future. For the questions they don’t have answers to, their 30 years of research has laid the groundwork for investigations that will continue to search for answers. n

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GEOPHYSICIST ZEROES IN ON HAZARD SPOTS TO INFORM MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES By JoAnn C. Adkins

HURRICANES ARE PRODUCING MORE RAIN, FIU STUDY FINDS Hurricanes have become prolific at producing damaging winds and storm surge. FIU research shows they have also grown to become prolific at making more rain. Because of uncertainties with numerical models, precipitation forecasts are a challenge for National Hurricane Center forecasters. FIU meteorologist Haiyan Jiang and Movements in the Earth can

per year. These are changes that can’t

make land and infrastructure

be observed with the human eye, which

vulnerable, yet knowing when

makes the specialized radar technology

and where vulnerabilities exist

invaluable to long-term planning strategies

has long been a challenge. FIU

for coastal communities. In Cartagena, the

geophysicist Shimon Wdowinski

subsidence could lead to significantly worse

is using unique radar technology to detect ground movements with millimeter-level accuracy. Their research is revealing hidden dangers including sinkholes and land subsidence. In Central Florida’s densely-populated “Sinkhole Alley,” Wdowinski found areas subsiding by a quarter-inch per year, a potential warning sign of a sinkhole. Working with researchers from the University of South Florida, the team then used ground-penetrating radar to look for signs of any sand or soil movement in ground cavities to help pinpoint areas that should be monitored by local officials. “Our research shows that with special radar satellite technology, we can monitor large areas for localized subsidence and provide highly valuable warning information that could protect people and their property,” Wdowinski said. The same satellite technology is also being used to study the effects of subsidence in

coastal flooding and erosion than what would occur with just rising sea levels. Wdowinski says these changes in the land should be consistently monitored and factored into urban planning. This is true not just in Cartagena but in any coastal city facing rising sea levels including Miami, he said. The research extends beyond natural land movement to human-made infrastructure. In Mexico City, which is subsiding at an extreme rate of up to 20 inches annually due

researcher Oscar Guzman are working to change that, analyzing NASA satellite data from more than 2,000 storms across six oceans. Their research shows hurricanes have steadily been producing more rain in the past 20 years — a sign that storms will generate more severe and damaging impacts, especially in hurricane-prone areas. They found the total precipitation rate had increased by one percent per year. This trend was more pronounced in the northern hemisphere. As Guzman says, while most people might assume hurricanes are deadly because of high winds, the majority of hurricane-related deaths are

to groundwater extraction, Wdowinski used

associated with water. Their latest

satellite data to identify vulnerable areas within

insights are helping to improve

the city’s metro system. That study, prompted by

prediction models that can help

a deadly overpass collapse in 2021, pinpointed

communities better prepare for the

areas of structural damage along street-level

changing trends in storm activity. n

and elevated segments of the railway. This critical information can help prevent future accidents and guide similar geohazard evaluations for other vital infrastructure in highly subsiding regions worldwide.

coastal cities that are also grappling with

Wdowinksi’s approach to detecting land

rising sea levels like Cartagena, Colombia.

subsidence is giving people critical knowledge

Wdowinski’s research has revealed parts of the

to better prepare for potential hazards and build

city are sinking at a rate of almost a half-inch

more resilient communities. n

FIU LAUNCHES GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEGREE

STUDENTS CALLED HIM DR. BEACH AND LIKE SAND, THE NAME STUCK

FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality &

For two years, Leatherman consulted his

Tourism Management and the College

thousands of photographs and maps — and

of Arts, Sciences & Education have

developed 50 criteria scored on a five-point

launched an online bachelor’s degree

scale. Everything from clean water and sand to

focused on the global tourism industry

beach safety.

and its relationship to the environment.

A “perfect” beach would earn a 250.

Global tourism’s impact on the health

Leatherman’s never given a perfect score. But

of the planet and the environment’s

he does give extra credit — only to beaches

effects on the prosperity of the

that have banned smoking. The scorecard, has

tourism industry – the world’s second

prompted different cities and communities to get

largest industry – have propelled the

serious about taking good care of their beaches

creation of a fully online Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Sustainable Tourism. Faculty in the Chaplin School and the Department of Earth and Environment have designed the program to give students the knowledge to lead the hospitality and tourism business sectors on sustainable practices, resiliency and advocacy in this emerging field.

in the hopes of making the list. Each spring, Stephen Leatherman produces

The lineup always changes as national winners are

his much-anticipated America’s Top 10 Best

retired once they land the top spot.

Beaches list.

America’s Best Beach are New York’s Coopers

tourism or become a hit with the media or even

Beach in 2025 and Hawaii’s Duke Kahanamoku

land himself on the Oprah Winfrey Show. His only

Beach in 2024.

goal was to promote and protect healthy, safe, good quality, family-friendly beaches. The FIU

A blend of new and existing courses

coastal scientist and professor in the Department

offer students an educational

of Earth and Environment and the Institute of

pathway toward rewarding careers

Environment actually became Dr. Beach long before

in sustainability and job positions

his annual rankings of beaches.

that did not exist just a decade ago. According to Visit Florida, visitors spend over $100 billion a year in Florida, supporting more than a million jobs. About 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product comes from tourism. The program focuses on protecting natural resources, which in turn would protect tourism dollars. n

His most recent beaches to claim the moniker of

Stephen Leatherman didn’t set out to refashion

In 1989, Leatherman was a professor at the University of Maryland, teaching a popular course on waves and beaches. His students, who tended to come from non-scientific disciplines, called him “Dr.

Some beaches have been dropped from the list due to environmental concerns. California’s Coronado Beach suffered elevated bacteria levels due to Mexico’s deteriorating wastewater treatment infrastructure, causing it to be left off the 2025 list. Florida’s Caladesi Island State Park missed out because of damages from 2024’s Hurricane Helene. And North Carolina’s Lighthouse Beach in Cape Hatteras National Seashore has been left out of the top 10 for

Beach.” Like sand, the name stuck to him.

multiple years after severe erosion from coastal

When one of Leatherman’s students started working

Navy submarine spy station that has been

at a national travel magazine, he told the editor Leatherman was the beach guru and could identify

storms revealed the remains of an old U.S. leaking oily substances.

the nation’s top beaches for an upcoming story.

Leatherman has given guidance on how to make

Having served on a special team commissioned

including Mission Beach in San Diego, California,

by President Jimmy Carter to study the nation’s beaches, Leatherman knew America’s beaches better than anyone. Later a magazine appeared in his office mailbox. He found the list — and his name

beaches better and even helped transform a few, and Florida’s Miami Beach. He never expected the list would become the “biggest thing” he’d end up doing. He’s written 20

with the beaches he’d mentioned.

books and more than 200 articles for top journals

Calls started pouring in. Counties with beaches on

expert testimony for the U.S. Senate and House of

the list wanted to understand how to move up the

Representatives on 11 separate occasions.

list next year.

including Science and Nature. He’s also provided

“I feel like with this list I can make a difference to

“I thought, ‘Well, gosh, everyone is so interested

help push important issues especially improving

in this,’” Leatherman said. “People love lists and

beach safety and health,” Leatherman said. “I’m not

beaches, and I had all of these notes about

ready to stop. I’m enjoying what I’m doing, so why

beaches, so I knew I could continue to do this.”

not keep doing it?” n

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 30

LIFE ON LAND | 31

PLANTS THAT EVOLVED IN FLORIDA OVER MILLENNIA NOW FACE EXTINCTION AND LACK PROTECTION By Andre A. Naranjo

Modern scrub mints, delicate flowering

years ago. The Pleistocene was characterized

plants that grow mostly in Florida,

by dramatic changes in climate, including a

likely result from ancient hybridization,

series of ice ages.

according to a recent study I published with colleagues.

One significant finding from our work is

Scrub mints are a clade – a group of organisms

that taxonomists classified as part of the

that share a common ancestor. They grow

genus Clinopodium as early as 1899 are

exclusively on the North American coastal plain.

actually genetically distinct from other plants

Many species in this clade are endangered and

in this genus.

confined to unique habitats, such as sandhills

that a group of scrub mints called calamints

and scrub.

These types of misclassifications create

Other well-known examples of clades include

conservation actions and leaving many rare

primates, orchids, daisies and insects.

plants without legal protections.

Hybridization occurs when two species

Our work suggests that calamints may consist

interbreed and produce new offspring with

of several separate species that need new

genes and traits from both species. Our study

scientific names. This includes plants known

suggests that scrub mints hybridized during

commonly as the scarlet calamint, Georgia

a geological period known as the Pleistocene,

calamint and Ashe’s calamint. All of these

which lasted from about 11,700 to 2.58 million

currently lack endangered status. n

confusion around species’ identities, delaying

READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE CONVERSATION.

TAKING ROOT JAYACHANDRAN RECOGNIZED FOR TWO DECADES OF AGRICULTURE RESEARCH Krishnaswamy Jayachandran — professor in the Department of Earth and Environment, a soil scientist in the Institute of Environment and co-founder and director of the FIU Agroecology Program— has been awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Professor Award from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (India), where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Jayachandran has conducted groundbreaking research over the years on how fungi benefit sustainable agriculture and crop production, the biodegradation of pesticides in soil and water, as well as soil-plant-microbial interactions to sustain soil health and environmental quality. His commitment to advancing the field of agriculture also inspired him to plant and cultivate the seeds for an agriculture program that’s made FIU one of the top universities providing agroecological education and innovative research solutions to some of the 21st century’s most urgent problems.

DONNELLY RECEIVES HIGHEST HONOR Maureen Donnelly has been honored by the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists with the Henry S. Fitch Award for Excellence in Herpetology. The award recognizes long-term excellence in the study of amphibian and reptile biology, based principally on the quality of research as well as educational and service impacts of the awardee’s career. Donnelly was nominated by her students for her contributions in research, teaching, mentoring and service that span more than five decades. Donnelly’s research focuses on the ecology, behavior and conservation of tropical amphibians and reptiles, among them frogs, salamanders, lizards and snakes. Her early research was on the use of space in the early development of tadpoles. She has examined the loss of amphibians and reptiles, and her work has identified widespread declines in species and habitats.

KOMINOSKI AWARDED FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP John Kominoski has been named the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Environmental Studies for the 2025–2026 academic year. His project, based at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, focuses on enhancing environmental conditions for salmon in coastal watersheds. Kominoski will collaborate with researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Nanwakolas Council to conduct joint conservation studies. The project includes monitoring water flow and salmon movement, delivering seminars and mentoring students. Kominoski aims to apply lessons from this initiative to FIU’s Everglades restoration efforts, fostering community engagement in conservation.

MELESSE NAMED JEFFERSON SCIENCE FELLOW Global problems have become local, meaning greater coordination is needed at city, county and state levels for national and international policies to be effective. FIU Professor Assefa Melesse spent a year engaging with mayors, governors and other officials to advance national policy on climate security. Melesse was one of nine Jefferson Science Fellows for 2023-2024, a select group of scientists helping to build capacity for science, technology and engineering expertise within the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development. He and his family called the nation’s capital home as he worked with the Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and other agencies working on climate security and climate diplomacy.

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCES & EDUCATION | 32

2024

FROM DISCOVERING FROGS TO EARNING DISTINCTION He’s usually the one doing the naming, having identified 65 previously unknown species. Now Alessandro Catenazzi has been named the Half-Earth Chair. The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s Half-Earth Project promotes global biodiversity research and scholarship with the idea that if at least half of the world’s land and water is managed to safeguard biodiversity, the planet can survive. Catenazzi was nominated and selected by the Half-Earth Chair & Scholars Advisory Board members

Gina Badlowski Exploring pink shrimp contributions to trophic networks Jessika Reyes Spatial structure of plant communities James Sturges Framework for quantifying Everglades stability and resilience

for his research leadership and role in protecting biodiversity. Catenazzi has worked in the cloud forests of southern Peru for nearly three decades, searching for solutions to a deadly fungal disease that has wiped out entire species. He helped gather critical information needed to expedite the establishment of nine new protected areas in one of the most biologically diverse regions of Peru. Along the way, he has also identified new species of frogs and other animals in his quest to save the world’s amphibians from extinction. The foundation granted Catenazzi $120,000 over four years for his research in the Amazonian Andes and $60,000 more to support young scientists he chooses to mentor. He plans to select those already working on projects in the “Neotropical” region of Central America, South America and the Caribbean, which has a variety of climates, from tropical to temperate, and habitats such as lakes, wetlands, rivers and floodplains.

KHODDAMZADEH NAMED USDA FELLOW Amir A. Khoddamzadeh was selected as one of nine science fellows for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program. The FIU horticulturalist received the opportunity to

2023 Carlos Pulido Plant functional diversity and productivity Shanna Stingu Wetland adaptive capacity William Sample Restoration impacts on the ecological role of juvenile bull sharks Sophia Costa Habitat sustainability and resilience of juvenile goliath grouper Paige Kleindl Phosphorous-induced periphyton mat collapse Marcel Bozas Mammal dependency on Everglades tree islands

work collaboratively with USDA to gain insight into the federal government and to build a more diverse pipeline into public service and the agriculture sector. As part of the program, Khoddamzadeh spent a week working with the USDA Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit. For Khoddamzadeh, this fellowship is another way to give his students opportunities for success.

2022 Kevin Montenegro Measuring effects of marine wrack deposits Mackenzie White Movements of fish and their role in Everglades nutrients Kenneth Anderson Sources and fate of carbon

LIFE ON LAND | 33

In the past three years, 12 FIU students have been recognized by the Everglades Foundation as part of the non-profit’s ForEverglades Scholarships and Fellowships program. Their research is as diverse as the biodiversity of the Everglades, with projects designed to improve water management practices, track non-native species, manage species distribution, explore restoration solutions and dive into the environmental economics of Everglades National Park. The foundation launched the scholars program in 2008, with many FIU students receiving support since the program’s inception.

in the United States

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