Undergraduate Myles Nellans is studying the vulnerability of native pollinators to drought and heat waves.
A new sustainability scholarship from UT’s Department of Geography and Sustainability supported undergraduate research by Myles Nellans about the vulnerability of native butterflies in Tennessee.
Nellans, a wildlife and fisheries science major with minors in sustainability, watershed, and ecology and evolutionary biology, heard about the S. David Freeman Sustainability Scholarship he could use to propel his research career in his Sustainability Principles and Practices class.
This past summer, Nellans used the scholarship to study butterflies from Seven Islands State Birding Park and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Working with Professor Kimberly Sheldon and Postdoctoral Researcher Osmary Medina-Báez in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Nellans investigated the impacts of heat waves and drought on the survival of multiple species of butterfly.
Few studies have addressed the effects of changing moisture stress on butterflies, and his research may ultimately help to support sustainability strategies and viable development practices.
“Pollinator conservation is an essential part of environmental sustainability,” Nellans said. “Supporting plant reproduction, biodiversity, and food crops, butterflies are a priority when thinking of a sustainable future.”
His research experience included experimental design, field and lab work, thermal testing and animal husbandry, skills that will be essential to his future career.
Nellans also presented his findings at UT’s Discovery Day in September, further developing his communication skills in sharing his research and its implications to a large audience.
With the Volunteer spirit and research skills that transform college classroom learning into real experiences, Nellans is motivated by his passion for sustainability and preparing to continue his academic journey in graduate school, studying evolutionary ecology and the effects of environmental change on pollinator ecology.
by Graycen Clements