Fermilab ecologist discovers two rare plants

Fermilab contract restoration ecologist Ryan Campbell holds a sprig of woodland bluegrass, Poa sylvestris, a recently discovered rare plant species at Fermilab. Image courtesy of Ryan Campbell.

Tucked out of sight and sheltered in the woods near Fermilab's main entrance, something extraordinary is happening. A tender little plant is bearing fruit and will soon go to seed in a brilliant burst of iridescent blue.

The blue cohosh, one of two plant species identified for the first time at Fermilab this spring, may look fragile, but its presence marks a victory for woodland restoration.

Consulting restoration ecologist Ryan Campbell identified the blue cohosh, Caulophylum thalictoides, and woodland bluegrass, Poa sylvestris, while surveying Fermilab woodlands in May. These native plants are uncommon in Chicagoland, making them valuable to conservation efforts.

"Those plants wouldn't be here without a whole team effort," Campbell said. "They are here because of the work done at Fermilab and through the entire Chicago area's conservation community."

As Campbell noted on the Fermilab Natural Areas blog, the cohosh was likely brought onsite through a seed exchange between Fermilab and a local county forest preserve to increase biodiversity.

The woodland bluegrass is more mysterious. Difficult to spot, this plant may have been onsite for some time but was overlooked or mistaken for a common grassy cousin.

"Whenever we find a new plant, it's like finding a new piece in this big puzzle," said Fermilab Roads and Grounds' Bob Lootens. "We're not going to find all of the pieces, but every new piece is important in restoring what we once had."

The discovery of thriving native plants indicates the success of restoration efforts. Woodland and prairie burnings have been instrumental in Fermilab's restoration, removing invasive species and encouraging native plants to reclaim their natural niche.

"What we're doing is working and clearly needs to continue," Campbell said. "This is good for Fermilab and good for the region. Five years from now, you never know what plant we'll find next."

-- Daisy Yuhas

The uncommon and newly discovered blue cohosh, Caulophylum thalictoides, will soon be bearing bright blue seeds.

World Cup Fever at CERN

Normally, the data points from the CERN cafeteria are extremely repeatable over the course of a week. Monday through Friday the data points cluster briefly at the coffee machine at 9 am, and then around the pizza station at 12:30. They shift from the patio region to the indoor region around October, and reverse their movement in April. The start up of the Large Hadron Collider saw an increase in data volume, but otherwise the points spread themselves out evenly over the expanse of the cafeteria, day in and day out.

Anyone watching the data from the past few weeks, however, will notice a bump that appears just to the right of the cash registers, near a satellite TV projector, between 4 and 5:30 pm. The bump appears again between 8:30 and 10 pm. The data points tend to remain rigid for most of the 90 minutes, with momentary displays of excited behavior.

CERN has always been a hub of international collaboration; a place where people from many nations come together for a single goal. It is said that in the CERN cafeteria, a visitor can hear ten languages being spoken over the course of one meal. During the past few weeks, national pride has hit a high, with the World Cup football (soccer) competition in full swing. Save for the Olympics, it is the only sporting event where everyone at CERN has a home team to cheer for.

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