Alex Heine ’24

Major

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Project Title

“Go to the Ant Thou Sluggard, Consider Her Ways and Be Wise”: Buffelgrass Seed Preferences, Predation and Dispersal in Kenya Home Range by Messor Harvester Ants

Presentation Link

View Alex's Presentation

Certificate(s): Archaeology, Environmental Studies

I examined pictures and videos of Messor harvester ants and their preference for buffelgrass seeds in Laikipia County, Kenya. The predation of buffelgrass by harvester ants could provide insights into how to manage the plant’s population in areas where it is invasive, such as the United States. During the study, I observed and documented the ants via video as they selected seeds from a pile collected by researchers in the field. Then, I ran an analysis of variance model to determine if the differences in seed preference were statistically significant. My efforts contributed to the study’s continuing data collection, which will further the understanding of the relationship between these two species. This internship provided me the opportunity to learn basic Swahili, gain practical data processing skills, and gain new perspectives on conservation’s impact on humans. Due to this experience, I further developed my confidence in pursuing research in conservation biology, and I now have new possibilities and ideas for future research.



Internship Year

2021

Project Category

Biodiversity and Conservation

Organization(s)

Mpala Research Centre

Mentor(s)

Dino Martins, Executive Director, Mpala Research Centre, and Visiting Research Scholar, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University