Historically, aquatic ecology focused below the waterline with an emphasis on local biotic and abiotic processes that regulate communities. In recent years, ecologists have also turned to regional processes that might affect local communities: for example - how important is inter-site dispersal to populations and communities? Among diverse interests in our lab, questions of dispersal keep recurring, requiring a regional perspective. Broader spatial perspective necessitates longer time scales than possible in short-term experiments, so we are combining biogeographical with experimental approaches.
Much of our work focuses on metapopulations & metacommunities in "isolated" wetlands, many of them with hydroperiods < 1 year. These ephemeral wetlands were once very numerous across the U.S., but many have been wiped out. Beyond obvious conservation questions, the remaining wetlands have attractive features for research: they can be quite accessible and rich in fauna & flora; they comprise distinct habitats in a now-fragmented landscape, and can date back 1000's of years. These habitats may still harbor much of the original biodiversity (Click here to read about a related paper).
Combined with experimental approaches, these wetlands are: an excellent subject for questions about regional processes regulating populations and communities; are clearly relevant to concerns about managing aquatic biodiversity; and provide a natural laboratory for studies of natural selection and adaptation. Also, these ecosystems appear to be well-suited as models to test concepts related to complexity theory, especially the response of species and biodiversity to habitat fragmentation.
Collaborators Collaborators at UCF include John Fauth and Pedro Quintana-Ascencio. We're conducting a factorial manipulation of cattle grazing, fire, and fertilizer in 40 wetlands at the MacArthur AgroEcology Research Center with Patrick Bohlen. The experiment is funded by the US Dept. of Agriculture and should be the basis for long-term study. We're also cranking up separate landscape genetics studies (one on bald cypress in an urbanizing landscape, the other on an invading mosquito) with Eric Hoffman. Another UCF-based project is a collaboration with Laurence von Kalm - we're exploring Wolbachia.
We worked with Michael Lemke on a multi-year comparison of nitrogen dynamics in two wetlands of the Illinois River floodplain: one has been restored, and the other was corn stubble at first. The Illinois River is a major source of nitrogen in the Mississippi watershed. Nitrogen dynamics are a high priority for the Illinois River watershed, and for waters downstream. Restored wetlands may mitigate some of the nutrient export, depending on restoration status and connectivity to the river. Several papers are forthcoming, with time and luck.
We've worked with Jurek Kolasa to complement his
extensive work on coastal rock pools at the Discovery
Bay Marine Lab,
in Jamaica. We analyzed connectivity among rock pools and then sampled
inter-pool dispersal of organisms to evaluate the importance of this
dispersal to pool assemblages after a major disturbance. A paper is
forthcoming, with time and luck.
We're also working with Andy Bohonak on analyses of
composition among vernal pools in San Diego
County, California, plus population genetics of sphaerid clams in
ephemeral wetlands. Several papers are forthcoming, with time and luck.
In the foreseeable future, the research of my students and I will be directed to:
- Sampling populations and communities across varying spatial scales to analyze pattern, including landscape genetics.
- Conducting experiments and making observations of populations and assemblages under various conditions, including disturbances. We hope to add experimental tanks and ponds to our repertoire.
- Developing and testing models of connectivity among populations and assemblages. Current models use complex networks or cellular automata. We hope to expand and enhance this work.
- Meta-analyses of existing data. For example, a recent paper was the result of such an effort with a class.
- Other projects that capture our imagination, ranging from Wolbachia to the potential survival of bacteria on Mars (yup, the rovers were not sterile...). These projects may not fit with all the above blather, but they're fun, too.