Adam Meneses is a Graduate Student at Iowa State University studying remnant and reconstructed prairies in southern Minnesota. Growing up in California, Adam loved being outside. His research studying flowering plants and their associated pollinators eventually led him to pursue a master’s degree at ISU!
What did you enjoy most about the outdoors and conservation growing up? Growing up in LA County, CA, my love for conservation came way later in life. However, one memory that comes to mind is spending some of my summer with my grandfather chopping invasive Eucalyptus trees for firewood. It was tough work that I didn’t quite understand at the time because why do we need firewood in a Los Angeles winter? My grandfather always said, “Eucalyptus is the best wood to burn.” And boy was he right! California has a big problem with invasive Eucalyptus. I used to lead a fuels reduction crew, and my primary target was always eucalyptus for wildfire mitigation. This moment introduced me to fire ecology and wildlife protection, something I am very passionate about.
Why did you choose Iowa State for Graduate School? Iowa State is known for its ecology programs and great faculty! I knew I needed a one-on-one connection with my advisor to be successful both in my research and my program. After speaking to and learning more about Dr. Katherine Kral-O’Brien on her mentorship style and work, I felt that Iowa State was the right choice for me because of her and what Iowa State has to offer.
What is the most useful thing that you’ve learned as a student? Self-confidence — absolutely. Throughout undergrad, working for a conservation corps, and now starting graduate school, none of this would’ve been possible if I didn’t believe in myself. I had a ton of pressure I put on myself. I was the first person in my family to graduate college with a Bachelors of Science degree, go into a field knowing I wouldn’t be making a lot money, and pursue a master’s degree. My passion, support network and —most importantly— my self-confidence got me here today. I am proud of myself and hopeful for the future.
Why did you choose Wildlife Ecology as your focus of study? I love being outside —plain and simple. My last job that I worked at, for 3 years, I had the opportunity to teach young adults how to live and work outside. I feel that a master’s in Wildlife Ecology will set me up to be successful in my next journey of life and to continue to make an impact.
Why are you interested in butterflies and flowers? I’ve always loved working with plants, especially flowering plants! A lot of my work in my previous position was invasive removal of various species invasive to California. One project that comes to mind was when I worked in Napa, CA. My crew and I took out the invasive yellow star thistle and bull thistle to allow for the milkweed to grow. That site that we worked on was a common migratory zone for the Monarchs. With our help of eliminating the Yellow Star Thistle, we were able to help the Monarchs continue on their journey. This project really piqued my interest in the relationship of butterflies and flowers!
What research are you conducting this summer? This summer my field tech and I have been traveling to remnant and reconstructed prairies across southwest Minnesota. We are looking for differences in butterfly surveys and flowering forb species at the prairies. We have completed our first week of research and are excited to continue collecting data throughout the summer!
What are you excited to learn during your research? I am excited to learn more about all the flowering species and butterflies of the Midwest! I am from California, so a lot of the plants and butterflies are new to me. Getting to learn a whole new set of plants and insects is a challenge, but something that I am excited to take on!
How can Iowans help butterflies? PLANT NATIVE SPECIES! Growing native flowers allows for native insects to grow and flourish. During my bumblebee research in my undergrad, we stopped at a frozen yogurt place that had an outdoor garden of native plants. While enjoying our yogurt, we noticed some bumblebees flying around some native plants. Those bees ended up being two endangered queen bumblebees vital for our research! Planting native plants allows for native animals to thrive!
