POSTPONED! WEBINAR – Tree Huggers: Florida’s Exceptional Epiphytes

In subtropical and tropical forests, epiphytes are an important component of plant diversity. Epiphytes are air plants, including many species of orchids, bromeliads, ferns, and other groups that live on the branches of trees without any connection to the ground. They are ecologically important in nutrient cycling, providing habitat for invertebrates, and offering food resources for birds. Florida is one of the only places in the United States with a diversity of epiphytic species. Learn more about these charismatic plants and their unusual way of life, including some that you might be able to spot right in your own backyard.

Dr. Jeannine Richards is an assistant professor of ecology and environmental studies at Florida Gulf Coast University’s The Water School. Her expertise is in understanding how plant communities function and using healthy natural ecosystems as models for restoring degraded ecosystems. She also has a keen interest in how human communities interface with the ecosystems around them and how we can nurture those relationships to sustain both. Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Richards worked for over a decade in the non-profit sector doing land management, ecological restoration, and environmental education. Dr. Richards has collaborated with other faculty across disciplines as diverse as Latin American Studies and Atmospheric Sciences to address complex and multifaceted environmental issues. She also works with collaborators outside the university to identify research questions that have relevance to improving the local environment for people and biodiversity.