In a remote rainforest in Manú National Park, Christopher Dick clips leaves from the tree Poulsenia armata. He hopes to find signs of ancient geological changes lodged in the tree’s genome. Image credit: Jason Houston, Science.

Herbarium director Chris Dick, EEB professor Stephen Smith and  postdoctoral fellow James Pease, are the U-M participants in a multi-institutional NSF Frontiers in Earth Systems Dynamics grant: The Dynamics of Mountains, Landscapes and Climate in the Distribution and Generation of Biodiversity of the Amazon/Andean Forest

Earlier this year, the research team mounted an expedition to the Peruvian Amazon where they were joined by Lizzie Wade, Science's Latin American correspondent. Stemming from this experience, the journal Science published an extensive feature article - How the Amazon became a crucible of life. Dick is quoted extensively, particularly toward the end.

Listen to an accompanying Science podcast. Chris Dick’s work is discussed beginning at about 26:00.