Profile

• Time Zone

  Eastern

  
  
• Organization

  Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  Plant physiology and ecology.
  Schoolyard and urban ecosystems.
  Agro-ecology and garden ecology.
  Long term ecological research.
  Ecology teaching and learning.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  When and why did you decide to go into a science career?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):

  I fell in love with trees on hikes with my family in the wood along the Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia, and then discovered that you could actually study trees in a woodlot near my high school with a wonderful biology teacher. My curiosity seems insatiable, enjoying from this early age the combination of measuring things and understanding how they work. My interest in plants was solidified as an undergraduate student, splitting my time between the lab studying plant pigments and the field studying ecological interactions between trees. After getting my doctorate in plant ecology, I found my true love as a scientist - sharing it with students and teachers!

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is the coolest thing you have discovered or learned about plants?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 2 here (300 words):

  In studying corn and sunflower plants for my doctorate, I discovered that the amount that each plant grows is directly and linearly related to the amount of water it loses through transpiration. There are very few straight line relationships in nature, but this is one of them. The main difference between species is the slope of the line, relating to the efficiency with which each uses water. Corn, as a C4 plant, was much more efficient than sunflowers. This meant that it could grow more with a given amount of water, and in most situations could shade out sunflowers interplanted with it.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  Can you share a funny/interesting lab or field story?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):

  I was co-leading a research project studying how different kinds of low-growing vegetation under powerlines might be able to suppress the establishment and growth of tree seedlings. If we could find an effective natural cover, it could reduce the need for herbicides or manual cutting to keep trees out of the powerlines. We established plots in many different locations, and in each plot planted seedlings of different tree species in a numbered grid. By mistake, in the one plot that I planted I started from the wrong corner so the numbering was all wrong. Fortunately, since we had good notes, we still could find all the seedlings for the 2+ years we studied the plot. However, this plot was called the "Berkowitz Plot" from then on, with everybody chuckling.

  
  
• Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?

  1

  
  

Recent Posts

The Biological Scientists Alan R Berkowitz Nov 21, 2017

Another thought. At some point I hope you'll think about the limitations of the submerged leaf disc method for looking at photosynthesis. For instance, in terrestrial plants (like spinach), photosynthesis can be limited by water deficits in the…

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Another thought. At some point I hope you'll think about the limitations of the submerged leaf disc method for looking at photosynthesis. For instance, in terrestrial plants (like spinach), photosynthesis can be limited by water deficits in the leaves that can cause stomata to close, thereby cutting off the supply of CO2. High temperatures can contribute to such water deficits, and therefor reduce photosynthesis. In the leaf disc system, this scenario doesn't apply. What other differences do you think there are between your study system and plant growth in real conditions? 

The Biological Scientists Alan R Berkowitz Nov 21, 2017

Fascinating. How do you think temperature might affect photosynthesis? Try to think about the actual mechanisms that might be involved. For instance, could temperature affect the solubility and therefor amount of CO2 in the water and if so, in what…

more

Fascinating. How do you think temperature might affect photosynthesis? Try to think about the actual mechanisms that might be involved. For instance, could temperature affect the solubility and therefor amount of CO2 in the water and if so, in what ways? Could temperature affect the photosynthetic machinery of the leave cells and if so, in what ways? Keep in mind that many physiological processes show a curvilinear increase with temperature but then sometime level off if other factors become limiting, or even drop off if damage occurs. Some careful research into these and other aspects of your study should help you both design a good study and be prepared to make sense of your results. Good luck!

The Biological Scientists Alan R Berkowitz Nov 15, 2017

Sorry ... I am a neophyte at this and thought "said" was a name ... so, consider this to Connor and team.

Also, it seems I hit share twice.

Maybe I'll figure this out one of these days!