Climate Change and its Effects on the Cyclanthera dissecta Population near Weatherford, Oklahoma

Cyclanthera dissecta (Cucurbitaceae) is a weedy annual wine native to western Oklahoma. This species has been poorly studied, but is closely related to medicinal and edible species, including Cyclanthera pedata and agricultural weeds. We have tracked changes in a population of Cyclanthera dissecta near Weatherford, Oklahoma for over three years in order to determine baseline population size and effects of unusual weather conditions on this plant. There is not much research to look to, but we hope to learn about the effects of drought in southwestern Oklahoma. The horrid drought in this area caused a sharp decline in plant life in 2011 compared to 2010, and has made a comeback in 2012. These initial results provide a glimpse at the effects of climate change on plant populations in southwestern Oklahoma and will allow us to further investigate potential edible and medicinal compounds.