Overachieving Trees with forest ecologist Dr. Kaushik Narasimhan.

Ahh, springtime in the suburbs. Through a swirling fog of pollen, I’m watching my neighbor transform her lawn into a flowering spectacle, ascending rapidly from emptiness to opulence before crossing into obscenity. You’re probably familiar with such a neighbor – their property tracks the seasons like a department store display, armed with a seemingly limitless stockpile of inflatable yard art dedicated to Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and all dates in between. Other lawns try their best to compete but they are no match (seriously, who thought one strand of blinking lights could be enough?).

For the plant kingdom, forests are similarly hotbeds of competition. Don’t be fooled by their sylvan serenity – these beautiful bastions of biodiversity host brutal contests among the grasses, bushes, and trees that rival the most ferocious of gladiator games (admittedly, at a much slower pace and with less hollering).

But how is it, exactly, that some tree species end up dominating a forest while others struggle simply to stay in the mix?

At the June salon, grab a ringside seat for a bare-branches, rumble in the jungle^* with forest ecologist Dr. Kaushik Narasimhan. Though he maintains that his first love is bats, Kaushik’s research has focused on understanding ecosystem dynamics in the cloud forests of the Ecuadorian Andes. A recent transplant to Asheville (having moved here after completing graduate work at Tulane University), Kaushik now has set his sights on the forest dynamics right here at home.

* Note: this talk is very unlikely to include any actual violence, focusing instead on ecological mechanisms such as plant-fungi symbiosis, genetics, and seed dispersal. There will, of course, be plenty of opportunities to holler.

Doors: 5:00 PM. Explore interactive science models, have a drink with old friends, meet new ones, and get ready for some serious science in a seriously un-serious setting.
Presentation: 6:45. Then, stick around for Q&A, discussion, and general mingling.