director of research & conservation

Jennifer Ramp Neale, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Conservation
Ph.D. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, 2005
B.S. Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, 1999
Research Interest: 
Conservation of rare plants through applied methods
Conservation genetics of rare species
Pollination
Restoration and reintroduction of rare species
Statement: 

My research at the Gardens is focused on applied research of plants in the Southern Rocky Mountain region. My area of expertise is in utilizing genetic tools to address questions related to Colorado’s most rare and imperiled plants. I am collaborating with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to address genetic questions in four federally listed species through the use of molecular tools. In addition, I conduct long-term demographic monitoring of several species to track population dynamics over time, as well as to inform management activities. As the Gardens’ Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) conservation officer, I help protect our imperiled species from extinction through seed collection for future restoration and reintroduction needs.

As director of the Research & Conservation Department, my role is to act as the public face for the research done by our team. I not only serve in an advisory role for all the staff, but help to problem solve and ensure necessary resources are at hand.

Curriculum Vitae: 
neale_cv_july__2012_short.pdf
Publication: 

Neale, Jennifer M.R. 2012. Genetic considerations in rare plant restoration: practical applications. In Plant Reintroductions in a changing climate: promises and perils (Maschinski, J., Haskins, K.E. eds.). Island Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 71-88.

Neely, B., S. Panjabi, E. Lane, P. Lewis, C. Dawson, A. Kratz, B. Kurzel, T. Hogan, J. Handwerk, S. Krishnan, J. Neale, and N. Ripley. 2009 Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Strategy. Developed by the Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative. The Nature Conservancy, Boulder, Colorado: 117pp.

Ramp Neale, J.M. 2009. Introduction. In Rare: Imperiled Plants of Colorado. Denver, CO, Denver Botanic Gardens. pp. 3-4.

Ramp Neale, J.M., T.A. Ranker, S.K. Collinge. 2008. Conservation of rare species with island-like distributions: a case study of Lasthenia conjugens (Asteraceae) using population genetic structure and distribution of rare markers. Plant Species Biology 23:97-110. Awarded Best Paper of the Year 2008 by Plant Species Biology.

Geiger, J.M.O., T.A. Ranker, J.M. Ramp Neale, S.T. Klimas. 2007. Molecular biogeography and origins of the Hawaiian fern flora. Brittonia 59(2):142-158.

Ramp, J.M., T.A. Ranker, S.K. Collinge. 2006. Restoration genetics of the vernal pool endemic Lasthenia conjugens. Conservation Genetics 7:631-649.

DePrenger-Levin, Michelle, Ramp Neale, Jennifer M., Grant, Thomas A. III., Dawson, Carol, Ergüner Baytok, Yasemin. Life History and Demography of Astragalus microcymbus Barneby (Fabaceae). In Review. Natural Areas Journal.

Conference Abstract: 

Neale, Jennifer R., 2012. Denver Botanic Gardens Foray into Phenology. Center for Plant Conservation Annual Meeting, Claremont, CA.

Neale, Jennifer R., DePrenger-Levin, M. 2011. Ecological niche models used to guide future conservation of a rare species. Natural Areas Conference, Tallahassee, FL.

DePrenger-Levin, M., Neale, Jennifer R. 2011. Methods to evaluate the risk of extinction of Astragalus microcymbus, a recent candidate species. Natural Areas Conference, Tallahassee, FL.

Ranker, TA, Geiger, JMO, Sundue, MA, Ramp Neale, JM, Neale, R. 2011. The importance of SE Asia for the Hawaiian Islands. International Botanical Congress, Melbourne, Australia.

Schwabe, Anna, Neale, Jennifer, McGlaughlin, Mitchell E. 2011. Analysis of nuclear DNA from Sclerocactus glaucus and S. parviflorus to determine the level of directionality and hybridization between these two species. BOTANY 2011, St. Louis, MO.

Ramp Neale, Jennifer M. 2011. Research & Conservation at Denver Botanic Gardens: fifteen years of documenting and protecting our natural heritage. Center for Plant Conservation Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.

Ramp Neale, Jennifer M., 2010. The Rare Plant Conservation Initiative: Saving Colorado’s Wildflowers. Center for Plant Conservation Annual Meeting, Chapel Hill, NC.

Ramp Neale, J. 2009. Protecting rare plants in Colorado through in situ monitoring. American Public Garden Association Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO.

DePrenger-Levin, M., J.M.R. Neale, C. Dawson, T.A. Grant III. 2009. PVA predicts a grim future for the skiff milkvetch (Astragalus microcymbus): Where can we go from here? BOTANY 2009, Snowbird, UT.

Ramp Neale, J.M., M. DePrenger-Levin, C. Dawson, T.A. Grant III. 2009. Fencing populations of a rare native plant (Astragalus microcymbus) leads to increased reproduction but doesn’t tell the whole story, how can management save this species from extinction? BOTANY 2009, Snowbird, UT.

Ramp Neale, J., T.A. Ranker, C. Morden. 2009. Genetic considerations in ecological restoration. Hawaii Conservation Conference, Honolulu, HI.

Ramp Neale, J.M., R.B. Neale, T.A. Ranker. 2007. Identifying the dominant source reasons for the colonization of Hawaiian fern species using a trajectory and dispersal model. BOTANY 2007, Chicago, IL.

Ramp Neale, J.M., T.A. Grant III, M. DePrenger-Levin, C. Dawson. 2007. Use of Population Viability Analysis (PVA) in the Conservation of a Rare and Declining Narrow Endemic Astragalus microcymbus (Fabaceae). BOTANY 2007, Chicago, IL.