Haley Wagner Receives Arnold Grant for Student-Faculty Research

2016 Jan 7

Haley Wagner of Mechanicsburg, Pa., received an Arnold Grant for a student-faculty research project during Summer 2015. Wagner, a graduate of Cumberland Valley High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science in biology.

This Arnold Grant funded research conducted by Wagner under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Urban, associate professor of biology. The pair established a set of long-term monitoring sites in Raquette Lake in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The sites addressed three initial questions: (1) How does depth influence distribution of predominate growth forms within plant communities? (2) Are plant communities dominated by particular growth forms more stable than others? (3) How do site characteristics influence rate of community change?

Dr. Urban and Wagner conducted fieldwork, created herbarium samples, and began a greenhouse experiment at LVC. At Raquette Lake, Dr. Urban trained Wagner in vegetation sampling methodology, plant and sediment collection, and measuring light availability using quantum sensors. She taught her student how to press plant specimens on herbarium paper, and to identify, label, and mount the specimens when they return to Lebanon Valley College from the lake.

After returning, Dr. Urban showed Wagner how to establish an independent research experiment on submersed aquatic plants. Wagner will be presenting the results of her independent research project at a regional conference.