For more information visit: eeb.tamu.edu

News fEEB

EcologyandEvolutionaryBiologyMonthlyNewsletter

June2020�Issue1�Volume9

MonthlyDiscussionAsanEEBcommunity,howcanwefind

abalancebetweenonlineandin-personscienceactivitiesintheageofsocialdistancing?DoyouthinkCOVID-19isimpactingpublicperceptionof

science?

Wanttojointhediscussion?

RespondtothecorrespondingemailORtweetoutyourresponsewhileincluding

#TAMUEEB

Author:RachaelGlazner

StudentSpotlight

MCHannonisathird-yearPh.D.candidateinMarineBiologyatTexasA&MUniversityatGalveston.ShegraduatedfromHumboldtStateUniversitywithadoublemajorinMarineBiologyandZoology,andiscurrentlyamemberoftheSchulzelab.Herdissertationresearchfocusesonthereproductivehabitsofalocalspeciesofpolychaetes,thecommonclamworm.Sheistakingafourprongedapproachtogetacomprehensivepictureofwhatisoccuringbyusingecological,genetic,histological,andbiomechanictools.Inhersparetime,MCisveryactiveandenjoysplayingUltimateFrisbeeandgoingtoaCrossfitgym(whenconditionsaresafe).Funfact:MCisanordainedministerinthestateofTexasandofficiatedherfirstweddingearlierthisyear!

For more information visit: eeb.tamu.edu

LaboratoryHighlightCoastal and Wetlands

Ecology Lab

JanelleGoekeisa4thyearPhDcandidateintheEEBProgram.SheisoriginallyfromRochester,NY,andgraduatedwithaB.S.inBiologyfromSUNYGeneseoin2016.HerresearchintheArmitagelabfocusesontheeffectsthatmangroveencroachmentwillhaveonfoodwebsalongtheGulfCoastofTexas.Sheisespeciallyinterestedintrophicinteractionsincoastalenvironmentswithfoundationalplantspecies.

RachaelGlaznerisa5thyearPh.D.candidateintheEEBProgram.Herresearchhasfocusedontheeffectsofmangroveexpansiononpredator-preyinteractionsinTexas.SherecentlypassedherdissertationdefenseinAprilandlooksforwardtograduatingthisAugust!

AhsleyMcDonaldisa2ndyearPh.D.studentintheMarineBiologyIDPprogram.AshleygraduatedwithaB.S.inMarineSciencesfromEckerdCollege.Sheisinterestedinhowecologicaldisturbancesimpactcoastalwetlands,particularlytheplantcommunities.AshleyiscurrentlystudyinghowtheclosureofRolloverPassonBolivarpeninsulaisimpactingsurroundingwetlandsandisdevelopingamesocosmexperimenttostudyhowsalinityimpactsplantgrowthandcompetition.

Dr. Anna Armitage

If you want to know more about the Coastal and Wetlands Ecology Lab, please feel free to visit their website:

tamug.edu/armitage/

JamieThompsonisa3rdyearPh.D.studentintheMarineBiologyIDPProgram.OriginallyfromDallas,TX,herresearchinGalvestonnowfocusesontheeffectsofdisturbancesinmangrovesattheirnorthernrange,inparticularwinterfreezeeffectsandinsectherbivory.Shealsoenjoysspendingalotoftimeoutdoorsbirding.Duetothelimitationsofsocialdistancingsheiscurrentlyisworkingonanelaboratebirdfeedersetupinherfrontyard.

Dr.AnnaArmitageistheCoastalandWetlandsEcologyLabPI.Herdeeppersonalconnectiontonatureisreflectedinherprofessionalandpersonallife.Herweekendsareoftenspentvolunteeringatlocalwetlandrestorationprojects,tendinghervegetablegarden,orhikingandbirdwatchinginlocalparks.

TheArmitagelabexamineschangesincommunitystructureandtrophicinteractionsfollowing

habitatrestoration,nutrientenrichment,orotheranthropogenicalterations.Theirworkspansmanycoastalhabitats,includingsaltmarshes,mangroves,tidalmudflats,seagrassbeds,andtidal

freshwaterwetlands.Theyutilizefieldexperimentsandawidearrayofanalyticalprocedurestoinvestigatecoastalecosystemfunctionssuchasnutrientcyclingandtheprovisionoffisheryhabitat

andfoodwebsupport.

For more information visit: eeb.tamu.edu

JurgensLabNews

Dr.LauraJurgensjoinedtheEEBcommunityin2019asthePIfortheMarineCommunity&EcosystemResilienceLabatTAMUG.HerlabmembersincludeM.S.studentAnikaAgrawal,M.S.studentEmilyHubbard,andSeniorResearchAssociateMelissaCiesielski.Anika’sresearchfocusesontheeffectsofasynchronousstressorsonoysters,andEmily’sworkfocusesonoysterreefrestoration.AnewEEBstudentwillbejoiningtheirteamintheFallof2020,AraniCuevas-Sanchez.WelcometotheEEBProgram,Arani!

CongratulationstoSpencerDeBrockforbeingawardedtheWernerandHildegardHesseResearchAwardbytheAmericanOrnithologicalAssociation!Thisawardsupportsgraduatestudentresearch(MastersorDoctorate),withpreferencegiventothosestudyingbirdsinthewild.

2ndyearEEBstudentRachelBusselmanwasselectedastherecipientofthenationalKappaKappaGammaFoundationGraduateScholarshipforthe2020–21academicyear!TheFoundationiscelebratingits25thyearandhonorsthehistoryofwomenthroughitsmuseums;Enablesthewomenoftodaythroughscholarships;InvestsinwomenbypartneringwiththeFraternitytofundleadershipprograms;andinhardtimes,meetstheneedsofitsmembersthroughfinancialaid.

CharlesCriscionehasrecentlypublishedanarticleaboutheparasiticlancetfluke!Youcanfindithere:Criscione,C.D.,B.J.vanParidon,J.S.Gilleard,andC.P.Goater.2020.Clonematecotransmissionsupportsa roleforkinselectioninapuppeteerparasite.ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences117 (11):5970-5976.(https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922272117)

HamerLabNews

Announcements

ApaperfromGregSword'slabwasrecentlyselectedastheEditor'sPickarticleinPhytobiomeJournalandhasbeengettingsomemediaattention.Thestudyshowsthatasurprisingnumberoffunginaturallyassociatedwithcultivatedcottoncanhelpreduceinfestationsoftheplantbyparasiticnematodes.Readmoreaboutithere:https://phys.org/news/2020-04-fungi-cotton-decrease-root-nematode.html

***Remembertopracticesocialdistancingwhenworkingoncampus***

MackenzieTietjenrecentlyreceivedherPhDintheRaulF.MedinalabintheEntomologyDepartment.Herdissertationistitled“TickPopulationEcologyandits’PotentialRoleinExplainingTick-borneDiseasePrevalence.”ShewillbemovingtoapostdoctoralpositionattheUSDA-ARSinKerrville,TXworkingonthepopulationgeneticsoftheprimaryscrewworm(Cochliomyiahominivorax).ShewillbesamplingTiesinPanamaandtheCaribbeanandusingSNPsinattemptstoidentifytheoriginofthe2016screwwormoutbreakinFlorida.