Jesse Bellemare, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Smith College
March 2020
As our world warms, the distributions of many native plant species are shifting with the climate. But not all species will keep pace with modern climate change, and some could face extinction. This poses a dilemma— what role should we take in helping native plant populations migrate? How do we balance our instinct for preservation with the risk of a relocated plant species disrupting the ecology of its new region? Jesse Bellemare explores these questions in the context of the constant evolution of plant ranges over time, and the current insights we can gain from native plant horticulture.
Jesse Bellemare’s research focuses on the ecology and biogeography of forest plants in the eastern United States. In addition to being an Associate Professor at Smith College, he is currently the president of the New England Botanical Club.