Husky Highlights is a seminar series meeting several times a quarter to feature UW Bothell faculty and staff who are making advances in research, scholarship and creative practice. These events are open to the public and students are encourage to come. 

Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 5-6:30pm

New insights on the spatial dynamics of plant invasions in urban parks in the Pacific Northwest
by Dr. Santiago Lopez The ecological and societal impacts caused by biotic invasions have been identified as a growing threat to global to regional sustainability. Invasive alien plant species can outcompete native species, leading to a loss of biodiversity. They can also disrupt ecosystem services such as pollination, soil stabilization, water purification, etc. affecting the overall health and functioning of ecosystems and the human and non-human populations that depend on them. Understanding which species are invasive, how they spread, and the impacts they cause helps conservation researchers and managers develop control, eradication, and restoration strategies to protect native ecosystems. In this talk, I will present some preliminary results of a research project carried out at Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore, WA, that investigates the factors that contribute to the successful dispersion of English holly (Ilex aquifolium), cherry (English) laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), and Portuguese laurel (P. lusitanica). These species have been identified as recent invaders of natural and semi-natural environments that are causing concern among natural resource managers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) region of the US. Our research framework relies on a synergic use of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) that combines: 1) high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone imagery, 2) cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) methods, and 3) spatially-explicit modeling using logistic regression of the dispersion of the species of concern. This study was possible through the support of a Scholarship, Research and Creative Practice (SCRP) grant from the University of Washington Bothell.

Scheduled for 5-6:30pm at the UW Bothell at the Environmental Education & Research Center. Directions and parking information will be provided after registration.

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