"This work is super fulfilling for me since knotweed is such a huge problem! Knowing that my work can help others with controlling knotweed is very encouraging.”
— Hannah Merritt, (BSc in Biology and Chemistry; BEd in High School Education)
Hannah Merritt considers her summer research on knotweed, an invasive plant in B.C., to be highly meaningful.
“This work is super fulfilling for me since knotweed is such a huge problem!” says Merritt, who is the recipient of a federal research award, the NSERC USRA award.
Merritt explains that knotweed, a noxious species, can lower property value, destroy natural habitats, and encourage flooding by destroying riverbanks. She says, “Knowing that my work can help others with controlling knotweed is very encouraging.”
Advancing scientific knowledge
Merritt will be writing on her findings in an undergraduate thesis project. She and other researchers hope to publish some of their findings in an academic journal this year.
Merritt looks forward to advancing the breadth of scientific knowledge in this area. “It's exciting to be getting the word out!” she says.
This is Merritt’s second summer working with her faculty supervisor Dr. David Clements on knotweed research. Her research project last summer focused on rhizome and stem fragments, and how their growth rates are impacted by a water treatment prior to being buried in soil. Building upon the results of last year’s research, Merritt was able to propose this summer's research project – testing if differing temperatures would impact rhizome fragments regeneration rates.
Climate change and weed ecology
Merritt’s project is called "Climate effects on aquatic regeneration of knotweed rhizome and stem fragments."
In order to maintain the specific temperatures needed for her test results, Merritt had to get creative.
“I ended up setting up egg incubators in my room for two weeks and placing the rhizomes in there,” she said. “It almost felt like they were a pet, as I always had to monitor them.”
Although the experiment is still in progress, Merritt has noticed that certain temperatures are resulting in significantly higher growth. This data could be used to inform better and more effective knotweed management strategies in the future.
This Fall semester, Merritt looks forward to continuing to pursue her combined majors: Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, and Bachelor of Education in High School Education.
See also—Summer research work prepares TWU students for careers in science:
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About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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