Rosemary Glos, Putnam Fellow

Biography

Rosy is an evolutionary ecologist who studies how fine-scale variation in plant traits influences plant-arthropod interactions. Her dissertation at the University of Michigan showed that microscopic differences in trichome (leaf hair) morphology can have strong effects on herbivores and pollinators, contributing to the evolution of highly diverse trichome assemblages across plant species. She has also investigated the reproductive and defensive costs/benefits of ants on plants, using a genus (Mentzelia, Loasaceae) that attracts ants via nectar produced on developing fruit. As a Putnam Fellow, Rosy is studying how tiny leaf structures, called domatia, attract and house beneficial mites: What morphological and chemical features make domatia attractive to mites and how do those traits vary across plant species? Do native and introduced plants differ in their ability to recruit useful mites? Can domatia help plants succeed in new environments? Rosy is also passionate about science outreach, especially when it means helping people see familiar plants in new ways. In her free time, she enjoys playing roller derby, climbing trees with ropes, illustrating plants, and perusing antique stores.