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Biology faculty research interests

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Download a summary of all faculty research interests here.

Douglas Carter (CarterD@ccsu.edu)

Office: 343 Copernicus Hall, (860) 832-2647; carterd@ccsu.edu

My primary research interest is in plant physiology. I’m particularly interested in photosynthesis at all levels; whole plant, organellar, and molecular levels. My current focus is on chloroplast genes that code for proteins that constitute the core complexes of Photosystems I and II. To date (Sept. 2003), there are about 30 chloroplast genomes that have been completely sequenced and are available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information. For the past year, my research students and I have been “data mining” these gene banks in an effort to identify distributional patterns for these genes. Thus far, we have identified two basic patterns that essentially reflect the two main evolutionary branches of all green plants; streptophytes and chlorophytes. The one notable exception is the monocot genome, and that is the crux of our research efforts. We would like to use these distribution patterns as evolutionary “signatures” that might better resolve the origins of monocots; thus, our research problem has become one that lies within the field of molecular evolution. Our present challenge is to develop an assay that will allow us to determine the distributional patterns in plant species whose chloroplast genomes have not yet been published so that we can begin to the fill the gaps on the phylogenetic tree.

Tiffany M. Doan (DoanTiM@ccsu.edu)

My research interests include the evolution and ecology of tropical organisms, especially reptiles and amphibians. I study the systematics, taxonomy, speciation, biogeography, ecology, and conservation of various groups of lizards, snakes, and frogs. My principal research program examines the evolutionary and ecological processes that affect the lizard family Gymnophthalmidae, which inhabits the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Basin of South America. Other projects include conservation biology and the impact of tourism on amphibians in the southeastern Peruvian rainforest, a description of a new species of snake from Central America, and an examination of the genetic and morphological diversity of a complex of rainforest toads. For more information on my research and publications please visit my website (www.biology.ccsu.edu/doan).

Sylvia Halkin (HalkinS@ccsu.edu)

Sometimes eastern gray squirrels will bury a nut and then also cover a second place where nothing is buried, or will dig and cover extra holes before burying a nut, or perform other kinds of behavior whose apparent function is to deceive observers about the actual locations of buried nuts. Last year, at the suggestion of my student Tom McKenna, we tried to see whether such deceptive behavior increased if we tried to dig up nuts that we had watched squirrels bury, thus increasing the threat of cache robbery and the motivation to squirrels to hide the location of buried nuts. With a small number of cooperative squirrels, deceptive behavior did indeed increase when we tried to steal their buried nuts! The ability of the squirrels to respond in an adaptive way is evidence that this deception is indeed intentional, and is an interesting window into the thought processes of squirrels. In Spring 2005, I will be working with a group of students to see whether we can obtain a statistically significant set of data on this very cool behavior.

When I'm not studying squirrels, my major research focus is how birds use vocalizations to communicate with one another. I am currently studying the form and function of calls given by emus, large flightless Australian birds. I am most interested in a long-distance call given by female emus that appears to function to attract mates. I have previously studied song exchanges between pairs of northern cardinals, in particular the function of female cardinals singing from their nests, where it seems that by singing the female lets her mate know whether food is needed at the nest.

I have also conducted research with students and supervised Master's thesis and independent study projects in many other areas of animal behavior, including winter roosting behavior of American crows, noctural behavior of terns, predation on warbler nests, black bear population censusing, the formation of "V"s by flocks of Canada geese, behavioral interactions of house sparrows at feeders, "barbering" behavior of laboratory mice, and interpreting behavior from patterns of tracks left in the snow.

Publications of Dr. Sylvia Halkin

Jeremiah Jarrett (JarrettJ@ccsu.edu)

Research Interests and Ongoing Projects for Dr. Jarrett

I am generally interested in the ecology and biology of marine invertebrates. Listed below are specific areas of interest and ongoing projects.

NO-HYPE Model

1. NO-HYPE (Nearshore/Offshore Hydrodynamics and Population Ecology), a project funded by NSF through 2005 involving scientists from CCSU, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of North Carolina, and CICESE (Mexico). We examined the influence of coastal oceanographic features and the reproductive biology of intertidal barnacles on larval production, recruitment, and population abundance for populations at two study sites that differ in overall abundance of these intertidal barnacles.

2. Phenotypic Plasticity. The barnacle Chthamalus fissus exhibits 3 morphs as shown below. My students and I have determined that the predatory snail, Mexacanthina lugubris, induces juvenile barnacles to develop either a narrow or bent morphology, both of which defend the barnacle from predation by this snail which uses a labral spine to penetrate the barnacle operculum. To learn more about this project, click here.

3. Salinity and Nutritional Stress. I am interested in examining the influence of salinity stress and low food conditions on larval and juvenile performance of marine invertebrates in the laboratory and in the field. Research primarily occurs from late May to Late August.

4. Low Oxygen Stress. The impacts of low oxygen conditions on larval survival and growth and subsequent juvenile survival and growth are poorly understood. I will be examining the impacts of low oxygen on fast developing, lecithotrophic (nonfeeding) larvae of marine invertebrates common to Long Island Sound. Most work would be in lab during summer months with potential for field work as well. I will be submitting research grant application to Long Island Sound Fund to support student researchers.

5. Shell Selection by Hermit Crabs. I am currently studying hermit crab shell selection to determine what shell characteristics determine choice and what the selective advantages are to choosing specific shells. Research from May – November.

Joshua King (kingjor@mail.ccsu.edu)

What causes some animals to be more abundant or more widely distributed than others? What are the physical characteristics that produce these patterns? These are the central questions I pursue through my research program. I use ants as model organisms in ecology because: (1) they are among the most abundant and diverse families of animals, and therefore very important ecologically, (2) they are tractable study subjects at almost any latitude, (3) numerous species are important terrestrial invaders, and (4) a range of levels of social organization and life history strategies can be found within the ants. My approach is organismal, that is, I study the biology, behavior, and evolution of ants to better understand their ecology. To accomplish this, I use manipulative field experiments, molecular techniques, and a variety of analytical approaches. Come see me if you are interested in research on any of these topics. For more information on my research and publications please visit my website (www.biology.ccsu.edu/kingjor).

Thomas Mione (MioneT@ccsu.edu)

Jaltomata andersonii

Students interested in working with me do not need prior research experience, but will need to work consistently during the project to reveal nature’s secrets. My research program primarily involves the genus Jaltomata, a fascinating group of plants in the tomato family. Jaltomata species grow in tropical America, from near sea-level to high elevations (about 4000 meters). In Latin America people eat the ripe fruits. I have been investigating the following questions: 1) how many species are there? 2) what is the geographic distribution of each species? 3) what are the evolutionary relationships among these species (phylogeny)? and 4) how do people use the plants? While getting at the question of “how many species,” colleagues and I have revealed several new-to-science species (the picture shows a new-to-science species we recently discovered in Peru). I continue to address the above questions, but also keep finding interesting side-projects to work on with students. For example, is the increase in size of Jaltomata flowers, seen one whole day after the flower opens, due to increase in cell size or cell division, or both? Addressing this question will involve use of a compound microscope. Another question involves nectar production: Where exactly in the flowers is nectar produced? The student will need to grow plants (e.g., in our greenhouse), and make careful observations of where nectar appears, and make sections of tissue for microscopy. Of course students working under my direction can also work on plants that grow wild here in New England. For a list of my publications, some with students, see my research web site and then click on “publications.”

Barbara Nicholson (NicholsonB@ccsu.edu)

I am a field-oriented ecologist that specializes in northern wetlands. Students who elect to undertake research with me can conduct experiments a wide variety of topics ranging from the ecology of a single species to the ecology of entire ecosystems. I have had students studying tree ring growth and its relationship to climate, lichens and air pollution in Connecticut, mapping wetland units in Shade Swamp, conducting macrofossil identification in wetland sediments, examining the function of constructed wetlands, and discovering the level of water quality improvements in the Connecticut River. I myself am currently investigating the impact that a severe drought has had on peatland ponds in northern Alberta. These are ponds that are surrounded by peatlands (peat accumulating wetlands). In order for peatlands to form, water tables surrounding the ponds need to be high and stable. Fluctuating and depressed water levels create dry conditions that are not conducive for the growth of peat mosses, as mosses do not have roots. The presence of peatlands suggests that previous droughts could not possibly have been severe or lengthy in duration. In 2002 however, water tables in the ponds fell so low that many of these ponds dried up and new plant species began colonizing the exposed lakebeds. My research involves investigating what species of plants are colonizing and determining whether these ponds have gone through this type of drought cycle before. Documenting previous periods of drought involves conducting a paleoecological study, where the pond sediments are cored and the sediments sifted for microfossil and macrofossil remains. Many types of fossils are preserved in the sediments such as seeds, plant fragments, pollen and diatoms. I am hoping that the fossil history of these sediments will reveal the frequency and possible duration of these drought cycles. I presented preliminary results of this study at a conference last summer and have had a positive response to this research. Much work is yet to be done and I welcome anyone whom wants to be involved.