2026 Lectureship: Dr. Andrea Carminati - The Underground Tug-of-War: How Soil Controls Plant Thirst

How dry is "too dry" for a plant? We often think of plants as having complete control over their water intake, but the reality is a physical tug-of-war. For a plant to survive, it must pull water out of the tiny pores in the soil, a task that becomes exponentially harder as the ground dries out. By combining the laws of physics with observations of plants across different climates and species, we have identified the exact point at which the soil begins to "win" this tug-of-war, forcing plants to slow down their water use. Our research shows that the "thirstiness" of a landscape is heavily dictated by soil texture, whether it is sandy, silty, or clay heavy. This discovery provides a new, universal way to understand how different plants adapt to drought and how ecosystems across the globe will react to a changing climate.

Door Open: 2:45pm (AP Bio - Room 140)

Seminar: 3:00pm - 4:00pm (AP Bio - Room 140)

Reception: 4:00pm - 5:30pm (Ap Bio - Atrium/Lobby; light refreshements will be served)