Fieldwork

 

Observing patterns of variation in the field provides us with much enjoyment and sparks many of our research questions. Field-based  

collections provide a snapshot of biological diversity at a particular point in time and space. As physical records, vouchered specimens are critical to our understanding of ecological and evolutionary patterns – for example, how populations have changed over time and species’ range expansion and contraction – and provide a resource for ongoing phylogenetic and taxonomic research.

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Recent interests include documenting biodiversity in the Prairie Coteau and Black Hills, and documenting the invasion of Salsola species. 

 

Most of Maribeth's previous collecting trips have involved hunting for Castilleja throughout the Great Basin, Intermountain West, Canadian Rockies, and Alaska. Research on Agalinis was focused on understanding the poorly-understood South American species, with collecting trips throughout the mountains of southeastern Brazil, the Andes, and the Caribbean. She is particularly interested in the historical assembly of the campos rupestres vegetation type.

 

In 2012, an award from the NSF UF I-Cubed program facilitated a collaboration with anthropologist Dr. Andrew Tarter to conduct an ethnobotanical collection in the rural southern peninsula of Haiti. 

 

 

Expeditions

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2018-2021:

USA (SD, MN). Floristic collecting, Prairie Coteau

USA (CA). Salsola project

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2015:

USA (UT, NV, OR). Castilleja, Cordylanthus, and Orthocarpus

USA (ID). Floristic collecting 

 

2014:

Canada (BC, AL, YK). Castilleja

USA (ID, UT, NV, CA, MT, AK). Castilleja

 

2012

Haiti (Fond-des-Blancs). Floristic collecting

 

2011

Panama (Coclé). Anisantherina   

Grand Cayman Island. Agalinis 

Peru (Cusco, Apurimac). Agalinis 

 

2010

Brazil (Espirito Santo, Minas Gerais, and Paraná). Agalinis 

 

2006

USA (CA). Viscum album