I am a graduate student in the Genetics Department at the University of Georgia. In my dissertation, I am investigating how two invasive vines (kudzu and wisteria) spread in an urban landscape. My work includes both a mathematical and demographic approach as well as a genetic approach. Kudzu and wisteria are native to Asia and invasive in the southeastern United States.

The specific aims of my project are to:

• Understand the genetic diversity of each vine across the city and over different growing seasons
• Understand whether pollen or seed dispersal is more important in spreading genes of vines.
• Gather geographic, demographic, and genetic data to enter into a model to predict the persistence of specific patches of vines over time.

©2014 Sandra Hoffberg