Jersey Fontz (she/her) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biology (Water) student
You have probably seen Phragmites australis in the wild—it’s a tall reed with a purple feathery seed head often found in roadside ditches—but did you know it is Ontario’s worst invasive plant species?
Jersey Fontz, a PhD student in Biology (Water) is conducting her research in Long Point, an area globally recognized for its high biodiversity and is currently under threat by various invasive plant species. Fontz is developing a seed mix that can be used to promote the growth of native species instead of invasive species after invasive species removal. If successful, more native plant species will grow in these wetlands promoting a healthier ecosystem.
Fontz’s work to restore native plant species is important because wetlands are among the top productive ecosystems in the world, storing carbon, improving water quality, and offering flood protection (to name a few benefits). In addition, ecosystem restoration can be costly and pre-emptively limiting the regrowth of invasive species helps reduce costs.
To learn more, please visit Science that matters: Doctoral student researches invasive plant species that threaten wetlands on Waterloo Science News.