Central Colorado Humanists Sunday Science for May 4
Central Colorado Humanists Press Release Sunday Science for May 4:
“Insect diversity on Native Thistles in the Upper Arkansas Valley” is the title of the Central Colorado Humanists Sunday Science program for May 4. Dr. Svata Louda will present a progress report on her Citizen Science project addressing Insect-Thistle interactions.
Dr. Louda will present a progress report on her Citizen Science project on Insect – Thistle Interactions here in Chaffee County. Dr Louda has been studying native thistles especially the Platte Thistle for many years starting at the University of Nebraska. The database she and fellow researchers have built over the years is one of the first to quantify the effects of native flower-and seed-feeding insects on native plant populations. Her inquisitive mind led her to continue asking questions about the insect – thistle interactions in our area after she “retired” to Salida. The comprehensive list of insect species interacting with a characteristic native plant developed by her Citizen Science project also provides a useful baseline dataset for assessment of biological responses to climate change in the future. In this talk she will introduce the charming creatures that the project collected (2023, 2024) that now reside in the Natural History Museum, Entomology Division, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Dr Svata Louda grew up fascinated by nature, bringing home whatever she found as she explored nature in the chaparral behind her home abutting the Angeles National Forest in southern CA. After a short foray into Economics, she settled into a lifelong career in the Biological Sciences. She earned a B.S. degree in Zoology, a Masters in Marine Ecology and her PhD. in Ecology, followed by a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Plant Ecology at Yale University. After various research projects she landed at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, becoming the George Holmes University Professor of Biological Sciences. Since moving to Salida 20 years ago, she has continued to stay engaged in the biological sciences and collaborate with former colleagues and students on research.
Central Colorado Humanists sponsor Sunday Science on the first Sunday of each month. Each presentation is informative and features a science topic that is understandable by both scientists and non-scientists. The doors open at 9:30 a. m. and the talk begins promptly at 10 a. m. Admission is free, and the public is welcome. Please note the change of location to A Church, 419 D Street, Salida, CO, and join us