Eva Monheim is currently the faculty advisor/mentor of the Temple Community Garden group at the Main Campus, an organization comprised of students from the Tyler School of Art.
The Temple Community Garden is organized by students that have a drive to become more involved in the Philadelphia Community, by contributing time to local gardens and constructing a charity vegetable garden at the Main Campus.
Dan Feesler, Nicole Wilson and other students have formed this group to beautify the hardscape that is uninspiring for creative art backgrounds. They have been acquiring materials, funding, and student volunteers to help with the construction of a vegetable garden at the corner of 11th and Berks Streets.
(CLICK ON THE IMAGES AT RIGHT TO VIEW THEM LARGER.)
Eva Monheim is the instructor and mentor for students in the Directed Studies, Honor Projects, Senior Seminar and Temple Community Projects which include:
A comprehensive plant inventory for Temple Main Campus, developed by Rebecca Bakker includes data collection for over 1200 specimens – it can be viewed on www.plantmapper.com
Written documents include:
"Looking at Bark: Winter Tree Assessment and Mapping: Temple University Main Campus, Philadelphia, PA"
To many, winter landscapes in temperate regions seem nothing more than barely tolerated, bare, brown vistas of plainness and to try to identify plants in such an environment would seem impossible. But to those of sharp eye and heightened patience, winter panoramas are full of delicate assemblies of twig, bud and bark, compositions that, although present throughout the seasons, only now display themselves more conspicuously, a promise for tomorrow, subtle in their restraint.
Winter colors are polar opposites of spring, summer and fall hues. Spring can be described as fresh, rising sap green brilliance, the ascending sun burnishing new growth of leaves, twigs and flowers, the most easily viewed determinants of a plant’s name and designation. Summer’s color grows intense and vivid, as low herbaceous borders blaze yellows, reds and oranges mimicking the sun’s heat. Now fruits mature and are served up for scattering and enjoyment by all earth’s creatures. Fall paints similarly bright colors only higher, tinting the tree leaves. The brighter colors soon dissipate as winter’s grays and browns shroud the landscape while plants rest until spring.
To take the time to look closely within these mellowed shades is to compare textures and contrasting patterns, entering a more finely tuned level of discernment and perception. So began the scheme to identify and map all interior trees on Temple University’s main campus in Philadelphia, PA. during the winter of 2009.
The research and development plans for a 57 acre parcel to be converted to a nursery for Green Acres Nursery and Garden Center, by Michael Cristinzio. The business is family owned.
The overall plan includes a sustainable wetland park will be donated to the community as an educational tool as Best Practice for stormwater management. The wetland park will address the runoff from the nursery and the nearby roadway.
This report is intended to research aspects of designing a wholesale nursery. Furthermore, this report will give information regarding the methods of production as follows; bare root, pot-n-pot, container, and field grown B&B. Lastly, this report includes information from those within the nursery industry through interviewing and surveying.
The main goal of this research is to design a wholesale nursery for Green Acres Nursery and Garden Center. In doing so, Green Acres hopes expand its buying power and overall size of the corporation, increase sales and sales diversity, and become self sufficient in supplying nursery stock. In stride with Green Acres’s current mission statement and company philosophy, the wholesale nursery will promote quality and affordability. Also Green Acres will continue to strive for customer satisfaction to ensure customer loyalty and appreciation.
With the 30th anniversary coming spring of 2009, the company’s future and success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of all Green Acres employees, but special recognition must be attributed to the man who started it all, Robert Cristinzio. Without his passion and commitment, Green Acres and this report would not be what it is today. Therefore, this report and the future success of Green Acres Nursery and Garden Center and Green Acres Wholesale Nursery is dedicated to my dad, Robert Cristinzio.
Mycorrhizae in the Arboretum and the Urban Environment
Marion Holme's research explores the world of mycorrhizae. Her research, paper - "Mycorrhizae in the Arboretum and the Urban Environment" - and power point reveal some new findings in the world of mycorrhizae relationships.
Mycorrhizae in the Arboretum and the Urban Environment
Mycorrhizae are tiny fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of host plants. Early stages of the evolution of mycorrhizal symbiosis are traced back to the Devonian and Silurian eras of early geologic time. The fossil record suggests that associations between fungi and primitive land plants served as an important part of the plants’ colonization of the land, which began during these periods (Mukerji et. al 1).
Seven types of mycorrhizae are currently recognized: endomycorrhizae, etcomycorrhizae, ectendomycorrhizae, ericoid, orchid, arbutoid, and monotropoid mycorrhizae. The first two are the most common types, with many of the others being specially adapted to individual orders or families of plants. Mycorrhizal infestation results in a mutually beneficial “common life” shared between the fungus and the host plant Wilcox 225). Mycorrhizae benefit plants by increasing nutrient and water uptake and protecting against soil borne pathogens. In exchange, the host plant provides a source of carbon for the fungus.
Mycorrhizae are crucially important parts of nearly all of the earth’s ecosystems due to the benefits they provide to plants. A strong fungal association increases the host plant’s resistance to stress and tolerance of poor conditions. The fungal symbiosis and its formation is known to vary depending on the nature of the immediate environment. A variety of soil factors influence the formation and survival of mycorrhizae, including pH, compaction, soil nutrient content, soil moisture, and temperature.
Light Intensity and Duration on Plant Growth Rates
"Light Intensity and Duration on Plant Growth Rates," written, researched and presented by Elton Koroly reveals surprising results with regard to night-time light pollution.
Light Intensity and Duration on Plant Growth Rates
A recent issue of National Geographic contained a very interesting story on Light. The cover of the issue cites “The End of Night: Why We Need Darkness.” The story centered on artificial light created all across the globe. Scientists are just beginning to study this phenomenon, called Light Pollution. “Its benefits come with consequences” (Klinkenborg, 107).
The article states that “Wherever human light spills into the natural world, some aspect of life – migration, reproduction, feeding – is affected” (Klinkenborg, 108). The article generally concentrated on these areas. However, the effect of Light pollution is an interesting topic and the author failed to mention the plant ecology angle of the story.
What is the effect of light pollution on plants, and has the author missed the larger point? What is the potential effects light intensity and duration can have on plant growth?
Advising a student's design proposal for the Philadelphia Sketch Club property – a prestigious institution that has included many famous artists such as Thomas Eakins, the Peale family, etc. Jeff Goldman is restoring and creating new spaces for the long neglected courtyard garden. His work will lead to the overall increased use for the facility.
Meghan Anderson's presentation on www.plantmapper.com site shows the importance of a comprehensive tree inventory for the Temple Arboretum
Eva Mahoney discusses the protocol developed for obtaining student data for the Temple Arboretum Mapping Project. She also assembled a comprehensive record on the data collected.
This report is intended to research aspects of designing a wholesale nursery. Furthermore, this report will give information regarding the methods of production as follows; bare root, pot-n-pot, container, and field grown B&B. Lastly, this report includes information from those within the nursery industry through interviewing and surveying.
Mycorrhizae are tiny fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of host plants. Early stages of the evolution of mycorrhizal symbiosis are traced back to the Devonian and Silurian eras of early geologic time. The fossil record suggests that associations between fungi and primitive land plants served as an important part of the plants’ colonization of the land, which began during these periods (Mukerji et. al 1). 
A recent issue of National Geographic contained a very interesting story on Light. The cover of the issue cites “The End of Night: Why We Need Darkness.” The story centered on artificial light created all across the globe. Scientists are just beginning to study this phenomenon, called Light Pollution. “Its benefits come with consequences” (Klinkenborg, 107).