Susan Tinch looks out over the wetlands at Lakeshore Park. 

It's early one morning. She keeps her eyes and ears open as she looks out over the water and plants, up to the skies and trees, to spot birds. 

Tinch is a biology major, who is assisting in research collecting data at the wetlands pre-restoration. This will provide a baseline of information that will be beneficial in measuring the effects of the planned restoration work there. She's working with Dr. David DesRochers, an ornithologist and associate professor of biology, recording birds and vegetation at the wetlands. 

They have seen an increase in the number of birds using the wetlands for breeding, from 19 species in 2011 to 24 in 2015. Thirteen species of sedges and one species of rush have been identified, and she's working on identifying other vegetation. 

Tinch presented her research, titled "Evaluation of Bird and Plant Communities of a Degraded, Urban Wetland," at the Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference and Association of Southeastern Biologists, as well as at Dalton State's Student Scholarship Showcase. She won first place in undergraduate research poster presentation at SEEC, and tied for first place in oral presentations for the Department of Natural Resources at the Showcase. 

Tinch is excelling while doing what she loves thanks to Dalton State's undergraduate research opportunities.

posted 05/24/2016 in Academics

Tags:

Comments:

No comments have been posted.

HTML not allowed, max characters 255, * denotes required field.