In 2022, Green-Wood launched an all-new research fellowship program in environmental science. Fellows are selected to conduct original research here on our grounds, using our natural and organizational resources to support their work.
2022 Research Fellow
Mesocarnivore Distributions across NYC Greenspaces: Raccoon Space Use in The Green-Wood Cemetery and Prospect Park
Myles Davis; M.A. candidate in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology; Columbia University
Surprisingly, with the ubiquity of raccoons in big cities, no study of this type has ever been conducted in an urban greenspace. This study will help us understand how raccoon populations are spread and congregated across Green-Wood, as well as what resources present at the Cemetery influence their distribution and activity. This research is critical to understand issues of disease transmission, property damage, and how humans and raccoons may better coexist in urban environments.
2022 Research Fellow
Disturbed and Diverse: Soil Microbial Communities of The Green-Wood Cemetery
Theodore R. Muth, Professor of Biology, CUNY Brooklyn College Biology Department, and the CUNY Graduate Center, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior program, and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.
The soil beneath our feet is rarely discussed outside academic circles, yet an essential factor in mitigating climate change and the health of the environment. It’s critical in recycling nutrients, absorbing and filtering stormwater, and is necessary for the growth of plants and trees. Soils are also the habitat for microbes that facilitate decomposition, bioremediation, and plant health, which all play a role in mitigating climate change. It is estimated that soils around the world store more carbon than plants, animals, and the atmosphere combined. Professor Muth’s study will analyze microbial communities in urban soils and how they are affected by soil disturbances and will propose management practices that can support these essential ecosystem services.
2023 Research Fellow
Investigating the Structure and Function of Rhizosphere Microbiomes
Leyla Hernandez, Education Manager at Genspace (a community biology lab in Brooklyn), and Elizabeth Tuck, Executive Director of Genspace.
This project explores the microorganisms living in the soil around tree roots (the rhizosphere) and their role in tree ecosystems. Led by Leyla Hernandez and Elizabeth Tuck of Genspace, a community biology lab in Brooklyn, along with high school interns, the team assessed the specific microorganisms present and their activities. Their aim was to identify microbes that may impact soil health and tree growth. Preliminary findings show that oak trees infected with bacterial leaf scorch have higher soil microbiome diversity compared to healthy ones.
2023 Research Fellow
Cold hardiness and Dormancy Dynamics of Woody Perennials at The Green-Wood Cemetery
Erica Kirchhof, Ph.D. Student, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison
This project investigated the cold hardiness and winter dormancy cycles in various tree species, focusing on how chilling accumulation influences cold hardiness loss and the emergence of buds. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was used to measure cold hardiness on cuttings from 26 deciduous and evergreen species. The project also modeled dormancy progression and deacclimation—the process by which a plant regains its tolerance to warmer temperatures. This research helps to understand how the cold hardiness, dormancy, and emergence of buds may be affected by shifts in climate patterns, and subsequently how changes in these factors could disrupt plant growth cycles.
2024 Research Fellow
Trialing of Climate-Adaptive Oaks for Urban Landscapes at Green-Wood
Dr. Nina Bassuk, Emeritus Professor, Cornell Urban Horticulture Institute (UHI), and Florae Collaborative LLC (dba Phytacell).
Green-Wood currently hosts the largest collection of hybrid oaks bred by Cornell’s Urban Horticulture Institute (UHI), led by Dr. Nina Bassuk. These oaks are part of a decade-long project aimed at developing trees that are well-suited to urban environmental conditions, including drought and alkaline soils. After several years of growth across the state, promising selections are under assessment at Green-Wood. The team is studying their growth, form, pest resistance, and ability to tolerate urban stress. They also planted additional UHI hybrid oaks and select Southwestern species that show potential for urban adaptation.
2024 Research Fellow
Biodiversity on Native and Non-native Tree Leaves
Dr. Emily Herstoff, Assistant Professor of Biology at St. Francis College, and Dr. Michael Tessler, Assistant Professor of Biology at Medgar Evers College
Drs. Herstoff and Tessler studied the small organisms living on Green-Wood’s trees to assess the impacts of native and non-native tree species on biodiversity. The study surveys the diversity of certain types of fungi and insects that form galls (abnormal growths on plants) found on native and non-native species within the same genus. The team is also examining the rates at which leaves are being consumed by herbivores to assess nutrient levels of comparable trees. The results will provide insights into the ecological roles of native and non-native trees in urban environments, offering guidance to land stewards on planting choices that promote biodiversity.