The talk will be by Jacob Dixon, a 4th year PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at Tulane University. His research focuses on above- and below-ground fungal communities and how they interact with both biotic and abiotic factors in the genus Ipomoea.

Chapter 1 of his dissertation examines fungal communities in dune ecosystems, with a focus on how they respond to a novel substrate: commercial glass processed into glass sand. This work involves Ipomoea pes-caprae (railroad vine), Ipomoea imperati (beach morning glory), and Uniola paniculata (sea oats). Chapters 2 and 3 shift to a tropical montane forest system, where he studies a tri-trophic interaction between big leaf morning glory (Ipomoea philomega), its fungal host (Periglandula sp.), and the tortoise beetles that feed on them.

With a long-standing interest in entomology, Jacob is especially excited about his work in Chapters 2 and 3. In this presentation, he will share the concepts and progress from all three chapters, reflect on challenges and setbacks along the way, and outline his plans for the next stages of his research.