Tammo Reichgelt, a paleobotanist and assistant professor in residence in the Department of Earth Sciences, discovered that while some fern species prefer rural areas, others can thrive in urban settings. His exploration began when he noticed ferns growing in an urban area of Vernon, CT, leading him to investigate similar observations through citizen science data from iNaturalist. His findings, published in the American Journal of Botany, reveal that the fern species adapted to relative high temperatures can survive in urban areas. Reichgelt suggests that these urban ferns could serve as a practical and low-maintenance solution for addressing urban heat island effects. He is now focused on examining the physiological and functional differences between urban and rural ferns to better understand their adaptations and potential environmental benefits.
