MNPS Program: A tale of two vines (Tuesday)

Human impacts on the non-native Kudzu and the native thicket bean (Fabaceae)

Homo sapiens has had greater impact on the distribution and diversity of plant life on earth than any other species, particularly through processes of domestication, dispersal, and habitat remodeling. In particular, the translocation of native species to non-native habitats around the globe has remodeled the biotic composition of regional flora and fauna structures. Humans are also changing the environmental balances of nature, impacting the natural integrity of ecosystems on both the global and regional level. Here, I will discuss the environmental consequences of human actions through the lens of two plants: Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata), an invasive vine introduced to the United States from Asia, and the native thicket bean (Phaseolus polystachios), a species in decline.

Speaker: Ashley N. Egan, Ph.D., Research Botanist & Assistant Curator, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

Location: Kensington Park Library.

Directions: From the Washington Beltway (I-495)

Take Exit 33, Connecticut Avenue, north to the third signal after the Beltway. Turn left onto Knowles Avenue and go 2 1/2 blocks to the library on the right. 4201 Knowles Ave.

The meeting is open to non-members.

Registration is not required.