Student revitalizes endangered plant species

Contributed photo

Gulf Coast Pitcher Plants are carnivorous.

A Troy University student is restoring the ecosystem with his groundbreaking research on Gulf Coast pitcher plants, an endangered species.

Fisher Parrish, a senior biological sciences major from Dothan, Alabama, received a $750 Alabama Audubon Walter F. Coxe Research Grant and a $1,600 Alabama Wildflower Society Scholarship for his restorative work with the Gulf Coast Red Flowered Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia rubra ssp.

This carnivorous plant is endangered, and it is only native to three counties in the Florida Panhandle and in the Conecuh National Forest in Covington County, Alabama.

“Growing up, I would have never thought that Alabama had carnivorous plants,” Parrish said.

Parrish explained his brother and Dr. Alvin Diamond, specifically his field botany course, helped grow his interest in the subject.

“My brother, Tyler, has grown carnivorous plants for a while now, so finding out we have our own native species blew my mind,” Parrish said. “After talking Dr. Diamond’s ears off about how cool I thought they were, I had the pleasure of going with him to Splinter Hill Bog Preserve in Baldwin County, Alabama.

“I immediately fell in love, and my passion grew.”

Parrish explained the process of growing these plants began with a small project Dr. Diamond had been working on.

“Dr. Diamond was working on growing this rare plant and asked if I would like to help,” Parrish said. “As the plants and my passion grew together, Dr. Diamond mentioned taking this on as my master’s project to which I was excited but nervous to accept.

“Taking on this project, I will not only be growing these special plants but also surveying any populations that may exist within the area they have been found.”

Parrish hopes his work will safeguard populations in places like the Troy Arboretum, Atlanta Botanical Garden, and Donald E. Davis Arboretum in Auburn, which will further ensure the survival of this species if any catastrophe causes wild populations to become extinct. To prevent this, he plans to work with the U.S. Forest Service and the Conecuh National Forest to not only protect but also add to the individuals that remain.  

Parrish said the loss of this species could be detrimental to ecosystems.

“Pitcher Plants are sometimes referred to as foundational species,” Parrish said.

“Foundational species play a crucial role in creating and maintaining structure within an ecosystem.

“Pitcher Plants provide habitat for communities of specialists who specifically rely on them to create this. This could mean that if we lose Pitcher Plants, we might also lose all of the species within these communities.”

Parrish said many people wonder why Pitcher Plants are needed.

“Pitcher Plants may benefit more than you realize,” Parrish said. “These plants mostly consume mosquitoes, midges, deerflies and horseflies, all of which are human pests that can transmit human diseases such as malaria or West Nile virus.

“The loss of Pitcher Plants could not only disrupt food webs and the delicate balance of wetland ecosystems but also have direct impacts on us as well.”

For Parrish, his work in preserving this species is not only a passion, but a necessity.

“I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunities I’ve been given,” Parrish said. “So far, I’ve seen and used this project to continue pursuing my passion while making real-world contributions to the places and species I love.

“Working with such an imperiled species can be stressful at times, but it’s also incredibly motivating. Taking on a project of this scale as an undergraduate, alongside all of my coursework and other responsibilities, has been a big challenge. With all of that said, I’m so thankful and humbled to be able to do what I love and to be part of something truly special.”

Parrish said he encourages everyone to pursue their passions.

“Never be afraid to get out of your comfort zone to do the things you love, sometimes that is all it takes,” Parrish said. “If there is a project you see or hear about on campus, don’t be afraid to ask about it or how you could contribute.”

He also recommends reaching out to professors whose work is interesting as an opportunity to gain insight into what a job in that field may entail.

Parrish is also a part of a team tasked with a mark-recapture survey of the turtles at Mullis Pond. He said this is important because turtles can be great indicators of the health of an ecosystem due to their long lifespan, causing them to react slowly to change. This makes them a prime species to study when monitoring long term changes in environmental stress.

“Mullis Pond at the Troy Arboretum is an urbanized waterbody that receives significant urban runoff,” Parrish said. “The water from the urban communities may bring pollutants that can directly affect organisms within the pond.

“Monitoring the turtle population can allow us to understand the impacts of urbanization, pollution and habitat change.”

According to Parrish, to date, they now have a total of four species recorded in the pond including the common snapping turtle, the common musk turtle and the eastern mud turtle. This type of long-term monitoring program can help formulate future conservation plans, especially in urban areas where this is often overlooked.

The Troy Arboretum is located at 101 Pell Avenue and is open from dawn to dusk with over 10 miles of trails for anyone to explore and enjoy. Parrish strongly encourages anyone who has not taken the chance to visit to go out and enjoy nature.