GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:

 

Beth Dalrymple: (9/06-present)

Control of reeds canary grass using competition

 

Alex Threlkeld: (9/06-present)

Glade restoration that increases habitat for wildlife

 

Jack Cornell: (9/05-present)

Control methods for lespedeza (herbicides, mowing, fertilization)

 

Pam Brown: (9/02-5/05)

Currently, my interests lie in plant/herbivore interactions.  More specifically, I am interested in the correlation between moisture stress, leaf nitrogen content, and amount of herbivory on oak (Quarcus) seedlings.  I plan to initiate a correlative study this spring at Bull Shoals Field Station, in which I will compare the moisture stress, leaf nitrogen content, and herbivory amount on oak seedlings from forest and savanna habitats.

 

Where are they now: Worked for National Park Service at Wilson Creek Battlefield, now working in a biology lab in Tulsa, OK.

 

Doug Aubrey: (5/02 –8/04)

My general interests within biology focus on plant ecology, plant eco-physiology, biogeography, and plant evolutionary ecology. I am currently working towards a Masters of Science in Biology at Missouri State University. My career goals include achieving the highest degree offered in my field of study as well as continuing to perform research in an ecological context.

Currently, I am performing a demographic and physiological study of the dominant overstory seedlings and saplings in Ozark forests. The goal of the study is to identify how fire affects community structure and composition of seedlings and saplings, and to better understand how these species respond to fire and light in different habitats. My study attempts to determine indirect links between fire history on canopy leaf production and the demography of the dominant overstory tree seedlings and saplings (Carya tomentosa, C. texana, Juniperus virginiana, Quercus alba, Q. falcate, Q. velutina, Q. stellata, and Q. muhlenbergi). I am focusing on species response to light environment (i.e., habitat), which is a function of fire effects on canopy coverage (production), and relating their physiological responses to species demography in order to predict changes in potential canopy recruitment and understory composition and structure through time. In addition, the study will address the direct and indirect effects of burning on plant community structure and habitat stability.

The study takes place at Missouri State University’s Bull Shoals Field Station located in Taney County, Missouri.  This is an excellent location to perform such research, as there is both historical presence of oak savannas within the area, and varying fire histories.

 

I am also investigating the influence of seabirds on the soil chemistry and plant species richness of small oceanic islands located in the Gulf of California. Seabirds roost or nest on a number of small islands in this system, and can significantly alter the soil chemistry as a result of their guano deposits. This research focuses on relating soil chemical characteristics (Electrical conductivity, pH, Ammonium content, and Nitrate content) to plant distributions on the islands. This island system represents an excellent location to conduct such an experiment, as there are islands that experience heavy guano inputs from seabirds and islands that do not receive guano at all. 

 

Where are they now: Doug is working for USDA Forest Service at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina

  

Cynthia Andre: (1/01 – 5/03)

The Ozark Wake Robin, Trillium pusillum var. ozarkanum, is an endemic Ozark monocot, occurring in approximately 7 counties in Arkansas in the main part of its range and in 4 counties in Missouri, although there are only 1-2 populations within 3 of these counties. Study of this variety has been quite limited, although there has been known habitat destruction or alteration over time affecting its status in the state. A general study of this variety was undertaken to provide a knowledge base that might assist in future conservation or preservation efforts. The present study, including 3 sites, will include demographics, phenology, distribution, physiological status, edaphic requirements, pollination, seed dispersal, seed predation, and plant community structure.

 

Where are they now: Cynthia is a freelance "nature" writer

 

Kyle Barrett: (9/00 – 8//02)

I am interested in the relationship between habitat subsidies and the resulting density and diversity of resident communities.  Habitat subsidies are materials that are derived in one system and are subsequently transferred to another.  Such subsidies have significant impacts on many ecosystems.  The impact of subsidies is especially dramatic in the Gulf of California.  Here, desert islands with very little primary productivity receive subsidies from the extremely productive Gulf of California. 

I am currently investigating the effect of habitat subsidies on lizard communities on a series of desert islands off the coast of Bahia de los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico.  These islands provide a wonderful setting for a natural experiment.  Nutrients from the gulf make their way onto the islands via tidal action and seabirds, which feed in the ocean waters and subsequently deposit guano on the islands.  These inputs are greatest on smaller islands because small islands have a higher perimeter to area ratio (i.e., a higher percentage of total island area is exposed to the ocean), and because seabirds tend to nest preferentially on small islands.  As a consequence, small islands (especially those with nesting seabirds) have been shown to have significantly higher arthropod densities.  My research will attempt to determine if these areas of higher arthropod density support higher lizard density and diversity than expected. 

To quantify the importance of habitat subsidies I am using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis.  This analysis is done on the clipped tails of lizards from islands of varying size and bird activity.  It is also performed on arthropods from these islands.  Arthropods consuming tidal materials have a distinct C₁₃/C₁₂ ratio, while those consuming bird materials have a distinct N₁₅/N₁₄ ratio.  By comparing the isotope analysis from the lizards to that of the arthropods, a clear picture of the ultimate diet sources (marine or terrestrial) for these lizards is provided.

Kyle received a Sigma Xi grant for this research

 

Where are they now: Kyle is in a doctoral program at Auburn in Alabama

 

 

 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:

Cole Hendrix (Spring 2007, BIO 499; Summer 2007, internship with National Park Service)

Leaf production herbivory in Ozark forests; control of lespedeza

 

Diane Dorey (Summer 2006-spring 2007, BIO 499))

Control of lespedeza

 

Stuart Miller (Spring 2004, BIO 498; Honors Project, Project Director) 

Project Title: "Impacts of Saddlebrooke Village Development Upon Bull Creek Region and Homeowner Conservation Plan"

 

Kate Heckman (2002-2004, Drury University-Biology Honors Project, Committee Member; Funded by Mellon Foundation Grant)

Ecology and physiology of biological crusts on quartz rocks in Baja California Mexico. Presented a poster at Ecological Society of America Meeting in August 2003.

 

Kevin McCloud (Spring and Summer 2003; Funded by Mellon Foundation Grant)

Soil sampling in Baja California Mexico. Data analysis of soil pH, electric conductivity, and nitrate content as well as plant and soil moisture.

 

David Pulley (Spring and Summer 2003, BIO 499; Funded by Mellon Foundation Grant)

Soil respiration at Bull Shoals Field Station. Also participated in soil sampling in Baja California Mexico. David Presented a poster on soil respiration research at Missouri Natural Resource Conference in January 2004. David was awarded a Sigma Xi grant to carry out this research

 

Doug Aubrey (Summer 2001, BIO 499; Funded by Mellon Foundation Grant)

I participated in Dr. Wait’s research in Baja California, Mexico. I conducted a survey of pH and salinity across islands. I found that bird guano decreases soil pH, but does not affect salinity. However, birds did alter spatial heterogeneity in salinity by causing greater fine scale variation.

In addition, I examined the effects of fire on seedling and sapling composition in an Ozark Forest. I applied a demographic and physiological approach. Below is an abstract for a presentation on my research:

 

Cindy Austin: (Summer 2000, Bio 499)

I examined the effects of nitrogen supply rate on leaf development rates (initiation rate, time to full expansion, size at full expansion, time to senescence) in Velvet Leaf. A primary goal of this research was to develop a leaf development index that can be used to rapidly assess the developmental stage of a leaf. Such an index can be used to assess the effects of resource availability (e.g., elevated CO₂) on leaf development, or the feeding patterns of herbivores in relation to leaf development.

 

Destiny Case: (Summer 1999; funded by a Missouri State Faculty Grant)

I examined the effects of defoliation and nitrogen fertilization on the ability of Velvet leaf to grow and reproduce. I found that when Velvet Leaf growth rates were constant the plants were able to equally compensate for defoliation. However, when plants had a declining growth rate, the plants were not able to compensate for the defoliation. This research has implications for understanding compensatory growth in relation to resource availability.