Karl Fetter | USDA Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut; Biodiversity & Conservation Genomics Center, Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut | Thursday, March 21, 6 p.m. | Location: Zoom meeting (registration required) | Building conservation genomic programs to protect imperiled tree species of eastern forests
Speaker Bio: Dr. Fetter is a USDA postdoctoral research fellow focused on conservation genomics of the eastern hemlock and other tree species of eastern forests. He is a mentor in the Biodiversity and Conservation Genomics Center at the University of Connecticut in the undergraduate research and teaching program. Dr. Fetter received a PhD from the University of Vermont and an MS and BA from UNC Chapel Hill.
Description of Presentation: Conservation genomics is a mutlifaceted approach to species recovery that relies heavily on relationships among people with different backgrounds, interests, and goals. Due to the highly technical skill sets involved in genomics, breeding, and deploying conservation solutions, practitioners must increasingly rely on each other to create novel solutions that will move the needle on species conservation. Here, I describe the development and deployment of conservation genomics programs in two imperiled tree species of eastern forests: the butternut (Juglans cinerea) and the eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Relying on international partners, conservation professionals, students, and a cast of supporting partners, conservation programs in both species are positioned to discover a genetic basis of resistance to their pests/pathogens using both genomic and quantitative genetic approaches. Future avenues will utilize the genomic information created for these species to identify beneficial genetic variation for seed banking and restoration initiatives. Additionally, results from genomic studies in the Florida nutmeg tree (Torreya taxifolia) and the small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) will be discussed.
Additional Outreach (Twitter, Website, Instagram, etc.):
Twitter: @evobotanist
Website: https://karlfetter.github.io