Mark Alan Hershkovitz facts for kids
Mark Alan Hershkovitz is an American scientist. He is a biochemist, which means he studies the chemistry of living things. He is also a taxonomist, meaning he names and classifies different types of living things, especially plants.
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His Journey in Science
Mark Hershkovitz started his science journey at Illinois State University, where he earned his first degree in 1981. Later, he went to the University of California, Davis. There, he earned his Master's degree in 1986 and his PhD in 1990. His main focus during his PhD was botany, the study of plants.
After finishing his studies, he worked at the Smithsonian Institution. This is a famous group of museums and research centers. Around 1996, he joined the National Center for Biotechnology Information. This center helps scientists understand how living things work at a tiny level.
Since 2005, Dr. Hershkovitz has been a professor at the University of Chile. He continues to teach and do research there.
Naming and Classifying Plants
As a taxonomist, Dr. Hershkovitz has helped name or rename many plants. This work helps scientists around the world understand and organize the different types of plants on Earth. Here are some of the plants he has worked on:
- Cistanthe amaranthoides (Phil.) Carolin ex Hershk.
- C. arenaria (Cham.) Carolin ex Hershk.
- C. calycina Carolin ex Hershk.
- C.celosioides (Phil.) Carolin ex Hershk.
- C.cephalophora (I.M.Johnston) Carolin ex Hershk.
- C.coquimbensis (Barneoud) Carolin ex Hershk.
- C.cymosa (Phil.) Hershk.
- C. densiflora (Barnéoud) Hershk.
- C. monandra (Nutt.) Hershk.
His Research Work
Dr. Hershkovitz has written several important scientific papers. These papers share his discoveries with other scientists. His research often uses DNA to understand how different plants are related to each other. This helps us learn about the history of plants and how they have changed over time.
Some of his key works include:
- Hershkovitz, M.A. & Zimmer, E.A. 2000. Ribosomal DNA evidence and disjunctions of western American Portulacaceae. This paper looked at the DNA of a plant family called Portulacaceae. It helped explain how these plants are spread out across western America.
- Hershkovitz M.A., Arroyo M.T.K, Bell C., and Hinojosa L.F 2006. Phylogeny of Chaetanthera (Asteraceae: Mutisieae) reveals both ancient and recent origins of the high elevation lineages. This research explored the family tree of a plant group called Chaetanthera. It showed how some of these plants came to live in high mountain areas.
Images for kids
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Phemeranthus spinescens
See also
In Spanish: Mark Alan Hershkovitz para niños
