Heather Sahli

Dr. Heather Sahli is a Professor in the Biology Department at Shippensburg University. Her research focuses on plant-pollinator interactions, endangered species conservation, and local adaptation mechanisms, particularly in rare species like Iris verna and coastal plants such as Mondara punctata. She presented findings on reproductive limitations and salt spray tolerance at the 2024 National Botany Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

• Primary Affiliation: Shippensburg University
• Department: Biology

Sahli’s work explores how genetic diversity and environmental factors (e.g., light, soil nutrients) influence seed production and plant survival. Her team identified stomatal density as a key adaptation in Mondara punctata populations along the Atlantic coast.

Recent publications highlight her contributions to understanding pollination networks in Hawaiian ecosystems, trait evolution under selection, and pleiotropic constraints in plant reproduction. Collaborative studies with students examine invasive species impact, floral polymorphism, and adaptive diversification.

• Scientific Awards: Not listed in provided text

Sahli mentors graduate and undergraduate students, including Master’s candidate Chris Duff and undergraduates Leslie Taylor and Ekaterina Hampton. She emphasizes hands-on conservation through initiatives like transforming 12 university buildings into pollinator habitats. Her research directly informs conservation strategies for endangered species in Pennsylvania and Hawaii.