Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources

and

Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution Newsletter

 

August - September 2009

 

Previous newsletters may be found at:

 http://www- rci.rutgers.edu/~deenr/news.html

 

 

Welcome to two new DEENR faculty members.

The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources is pleased to announce the addition of two new members in 2009: Professor Debashish Bhattacharya and Assistant Professor Siobain Duffy.  

After receiving his Ph.D. in Biology at Simon Fraser University in 1989, Dr. Bhattacharya was an Alfred P. Sloan Postdoctoral Fellow at Woods Hole until 1991 and subsequently a Humboldt Scholar at the University of Cologne until 1994.  He joins our department after holding the positions of Professor of Biology and Chair of the Interdisciplinary Program on Genetics at the University of Iowa.  Dr. Bhattacharya’s research is on the forefront of algal/protist evolution and genomics.  Among other things, his group is investigating how intracellular organelles of foreign origin became a defining characteristic of eukaryotes; how plastid endosymbionts have become integrated into host cell biochemistry; how to predict and ameliorate devastating red tides; how genomic variation confers adaptation to different environments in unicellular algae; what is the framework of the eukaryotic tree of life.  He uses genomic, phylogenetic, and bioinformatics approaches in his research.  He plans to develop an interdepartmental course in environmental genomics to enhance and extend the departmental curriculum.

 

Dr. Duffy, a Rutgers undergraduate, received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University in 2006, where she won a prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowship and an NSF Graduate Fellowship.  She then held an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics in the Department of Biology at Penn State University.  Dr. Duffy studies both short- and long-term evolution of viruses.  She is interested in viral organismal biology, evolutionary processes, and the prediction and mitigation of emerging disease.  She utilizes both experimental and phylogenetic approaches in her work on viral ecology and evolution.

 

With the recent addition of Assistant Professor Nina Fefferman in addition to Drs. Duffy and Bhattacharya, the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources significantly extends its expertise in evolutionary biology, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

 

Welcome to the incoming graduate students!

The fall 2009 semester brings us thirteen new graduate students. They come from diverse backgrounds and will be doing their graduate work in many different areas.

  • Jessica Cummings joins the Steven Handel lab. Jessica is working towards her MS degree. Jessica has a BA in accounting from Sienna College.
  • Andrea Egizi is a Ph.D. student in Dina Fonseca’s lab. Andrea has a BS in biology from The College of New Jersey.
  • Michael Garzio will be working with Oscar Schofield while he pursues his MS. Michael has a BS in Ecology and Natural Resources from Rutgers.
  • Brad Greening is a Nina Fefferman Ph.D. student. Brad has a BS in computer science from Rutgers –Camden.
  • Brian Johnson comes to the Michael Sukhdeo lab from Minnesota State University at Moorhead with a BA in biology. Brian is an MS student.
  • Jennifer (Oberle) Kilic is a Cook graduate with a BS in biological sciences and a Rutgers- Camden MS in biology. John Dighton, her MS advisor, continues to advise Jenn as a Ph.D student.
  • Sarah Pena, a Ph.D. student, is currently advised by Steven Handel. Sarah’s undergraduate degree is a BA in urban studies from Vassar College.
  • Orin (Robbie) Robinson holds a BS in biomedical sciences from Auburn University, a BS in biology and an MS in marine science from the University of South Alabama.
  • Suzanne Rose joins the program to receive her Ph.D. working with Kay Bidle. Suzanne has a BS in biology from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
  • Laura Shappell is a Ph.D. student in Joan Ehrenfeld’s lab. Laura has a BS in environmental and forest biology from SUNY Syracuse and an MS in coastal and marine studies from Coastal Carolina University.
  • Dontay Williams is joining the Peter Morin lab. Dontay is a Ph.D. student who comes to Rutgers with a BS in fisheries science from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
  • Karen Wylie joins the Nina Fefferman lab as a Ph.D. student. Karen has a BSc in conservation biology from Oxford Brookes University and an MSc in biology from the University of Oxford.
  • Chengyi Yan joins the Joan Ehrenfeld lab as a Ph.D. student. Chengyi completed his BS in ecology at Shandong University and his MS in marine science at Rutgers working with Paul Falkowski.

 

Special Highlights

Joanna Burger, (DEENR and the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience), Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences was awarded the Brewster Medal by the American Ornithologists’ Union  (AOU) at its 127th annual meeting on August 15, 2009.  The AOU is the largest international society devoted to all aspects of avian science. This is the highest medal of the society and is awarded for outstanding scientific research contributions to avian biology.  The bronze medal is named after William Brewster, one of the AOU founders in 1883.  Joanna received the award for her extensive scientific contributions to behavior, ecology, and ecotoxicology, particularly of seabirds, and her mentorship of more than 50 graduate students. 

 

 

Presentations:

Ecological Society of America’s 94th Annual Meeting (8/2/08-8/7/08), Albuquerque, NM.

  • Wes Brooks, a Ph.D. candidate in Rebecca Jordan’s lab, gave a talk entitled "Effects of species richness, density, and propagule pressure on woody seedling community productivity and invasibility"
  • Steven Gray, , presented a poster entitled “Combining fuzzy logic cognitive mapping with resilience theory to understand social-ecological system dynamics: A case study of Mid-Atlantic fisheries and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)” Steven is also a Ph.D. candidate in Rebecca Jordan’s lab
  • Rebecca Jordan gave a talk entitled “A framework for promoting understanding of the ecological nature of science (ENOS).”
  • Rebecca Jordan also chaired a special session on Public Participation in Research (i.e., Citizen Science) and Ecological Literacy: Future Directions 
  • David Mellor, a Ph.D candidate in Rebecca Jordan’s lab, presented a talk entitled “The role of male behavior on female mate choice in Mbuna cichlids."  Co-authors: David Mellor, Catherine Tarsiewicz, Rebecca Jordan
  • William Landesman, was co-organizer and moderator of the symposium: “How Can Soil Microbial Ecology Contribute to the Sustainability of Agricultural Systems?”
  • Kathleen McCarthy, a master’s student in Rick Lathrop’s lab gave the following presentation "The Source - Sink Dynamics of Anurans in Stormwater Basins of New Jersey's Coastal Plain" Authors: Kathleen McCarthy, Richard G. Lathrop  Kathleen has recently defended her MS and is currently working with the Natural Resources Group of the New York City Parks Department.
  • Linda Rohleder, a Ph.D. candidate in the Claus Holzapfel lab, presented a poster entitled “ The Vertical Dimension of Deer-Browse Effects on Forest Understory Diversity and Density.” The poster was co-authored Claus Holzapfel
  • Kristen A. Ross, post doctoral assistant, presented a poster entitled “Assessing the Accuracy of Volunteer Monitoring of Invasive Plant Species” co-authored by Joan Ehrenfeld, Rebecca Jordan, and Wesley R. Brooks.
  • Alicia Shenko, a Ph.D. candidate working with Rebecca Jordan, gave a poster entitled  “Ecological influence of small mammals in wetland conservation and restoration.”  Authors: Alicia Shenko, Rebecca Jordan, and Walter F. Bien (Drexel University).
  • Alicia Shenko and John Ruppert, a Ph.D. student working with Ravit Golan Duncan,  co-organized a workshop “Death Wish or Golden Parachute: A Discussion of Interdisciplinary Research in Ecology and Education and Making it Work for your Dissertation.”
  • Maria Stanko, a Ph.D. candidate in Peter Morin’s lab, presented a poster entitled "Plant-pollinator interactions in a highly invaded community: Network structure for native and non-native plants."
  • Holly Vuong, a Ph.D. candidate in Peter Morin’s lab, presented a poster entitled “Do natural history patterns of birds affect the probability of increasing tick infestation?” Co-authors: Vuong, H., H. Suthers, J. Huie

 


  • Kornbluh, Andrea, Kenneth L. Clark, Dennis Gray, Nicholas Skowronski, and John Hom  presented a poster entitled “Insect invasion and forest resilience:  Recovery of C and N dynamics following invasion by gypsy moth (*Lymantria dispar* L.).” Andrea received her MS from E&E. Dennis received his Ph.D. from E&E and Nick is currently a Ph.D. candidate working with Ming Xu.
  • Clark, Kenneth L., Nicholas Skowronski, Andrea Kornbluh, Michael Gallagher, John Hom, Dennis Gray, and John Dighton presented a poster entitled “Mechanisms of recovery following disturbance in forest ecosystems on the Atlantic coastal plain.”

 

American Ornithologists Union, Philadelphia PA

Joanna Burger, (DEENR and Cell Biology and Neuroscience) presented two talks:

·        “Radionuclides and Metals in Muscle of Common Eiders, and Metals in Their Eggs and Feathers, from the Aleutians.”  Co-authors: Joanna Burger, Michael Gochfeld, and Christian Jeitner. Christian is an E&E  MS student in Joanna’s lab.

·        “Sea Level Change and Responses by Colonial Waterbirds in New Jersey.”  Co-authors: Joanna Burger, Fred Lesser, Michael Gochfeld, and Sheila Shukla

 

John Dighton and his lab have presented talks and posters at several meetings this summer:

Oral presentations at the 12th biennial Soil Ecology Society Meeting, July 22-25, 2009. Burlington Vermont:

  • Landesman, William J. and John Dighton. Temporal dynamics of microbial response to two-year rain exclusion.
  • Dighton, John, Lena Jonsson, John Lussenhop. Effects of leaf litters on the ectomycorrhizal fungal community and soil fauna in pitch pine mesocosms.
  • Lammers Kristin, John Dighton, Georgia Arbuckle-Keil. Leaf litter chemistry changes due to burning.
  • Gray, Dennis M. and John Dighton presented a poster entitled “The effect of disturbance on soil nutrients and plant species composition.”

 

 

Other venues for the Dighton lab:

  • Crane Sharron, John Dighton, and Dennis Gray  presented a poster entitled “Fungal Succession on and Decomposition of Lymantria dispar (Gypsy Moth) Frass” at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, May, 17-21, 2009. Philadelphia. Sharron is Ph.D. candidate co-advised by John Dighton and Tamar Barkay.
  • Sterner, Laurel, Gregory Foy, Dennis, M. Gray and John Dighton presented a poster entitled “ Determination of phosphorus concentration in Pinelands clay.” at the 237th American Chemical Society March 22-26, 2009 Salt Lake City, Utah
  • John Dighton (Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences) was invited to the University of Illinois at Chicago on Sept 1 to present one of the seminars in the John Lussenhop Memorial Symposium on Soil Ecology, along with Sherri Morris, Amy Treonis, Dave Coleman, Julie Jastrow and Ralph Boerner.
  • Gray, Dennis M., John Dighton, Kenneth L. Clark, Nick Skowronski, Andrea Kornbluh presented a poster entitled “Insect herbivory influence on plant and soil nitrogen.” Biogeomon 6, June 29-July 3, 2009. Helsinki Finland

 

On August 12th Rebecca Jordan and a Ph.D. candidate in her lab, Steven Gray presented a talk to the Marine Activities Resources and Education (MARE) Teacher Institute in Tuckerton, NJ. The presentation was entitled “Thinking below the surface: using aquaria, the outdoors and others to teach about ecosystems.”

 

In late July, George McGhee (Department of Geological Sciences) gave an invited paper at Oxford University, England, in a week-long conference on Darwin and Evolution in this 150th year since the publication of On the Origin of Species (Richard Dawkins was the keynote speaker at the conference).

 

Oscar Schofield (Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences) gave the following presentations:

  • Warm days in the West Antarctica Peninsula: The impact of regional warming on the marine ecosystem (Princeton University, NJ)
  • Revised Science overview for the NSF Ocean Observatory Initiative. Final Design Review for the OOI (National Science Foundation, International Videoconference)
  • My personal story of why high school kids need to learn science: Preparing for the gathering storm (Department of 4H, Rutgers, NJ)
  • Development of ocean observatories by the United States (EuroSITES Annual review meeting, Cape Verde, Africa)
  • Using Webb gliders to maintain a sustained ocean presence. (SPIE Defense Security and Sensing Symposium, Orlando Florida)
  • Developments of ocean observatory systems for the United States. (Neptune Canada/VENUS Seminar, Victoria Canada)
  • Role of gliders for future biogeochemical studies (Ocean Carbon Biogeochemsitry Meeting, Woods Hole, Massachusetts) co-author Scott Glenn.
  • Dawn in the new age of oceanography with the ocean observatories (REU Lecture, Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida)

 

 

Andrew “Pete” Vayda, (Professor emeritus, Department of Human Ecology) presented a paper entitled "Dos and Don'ts in Interdisciplinary Research on Causes of Fires in Tropical Moist Forests:  Examples from Indonesia." on Aug. 7 at the 1st World Congress for Environmental History in Copenhagen, Denmark.

 

Publications:

David Ehrenfeld reports the following paper:

  • "Urban wetlands: An opportunity for environmental conservation in China," Asian Journal of Ecotoxicology 4(2): 295-299, 2009.

 

Joan G. Ehrenfeld reports two publications:

·         “Invasive Species as Ecosystem Transformers” in the Encyclopedia of Invasive Introduced Species, University of California Press, D. Simberloff, editor-in-chief.

·        Yu, Shen and J. G. Ehrenfeld. 2009. Relationships among plants, soils and microbial communities along a hydrological gradient in the New Jersey Pinelands, USA. Annals of Botany. doi:10.1093/aob/mcp183, 12 p. Shen was a post-doc in Joan’s lab.

 

Nina Fefferman reports the acceptance for publication of a collaborative paper on desert tortoise conservation:

  • Reed, J.M., N.H. Fefferman, and R.C. Averil-Murray. Vital Rate Sensitivity Analysis and Management Implications for Desert Tortoise. (In Press, Biological Conservation)

 

Jason Grabosky reports two new publications:

  • Grabosky J.  2009.  “Developing Finite Element Models for Root Growth Under Pavement”. In:  Watson G.W., Costello L., Scharenbroch B., and Gilman E. eds.: The Landscape Below Ground III: Proceedings of an international workshop on tree root development in urban soils. Lisle Illinois; Oct. 6-8 2008.    pp 294-300.
  • Grabosky J., Haffner E. and Bassuk N.  2009.  Plant available moisture in stone-soil media for use under pavement while allowing urban tree growth.  Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 35(5): 271-278. 

 

Brooke Maslo and Julie Lockwood report a publication in press:

  • Maslo, B. and J.L. Lockwood.  Evidence-based decisions on the use of predator exclosures in shorebird conservation.  Biological Conservation.  Brooke is a Ph.D. candidate in Steven Handel’s lab.

 

Oscar Schofield (Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences) reports the following publications:

  • Montes-Hugo, M., Doney, S. C., Ducklow, H., Fraser, W., Martinson, D., Stammerjohn, S. E., Schofield, O. 2009. Recent changes in phytoplankton communities associated with rapid regional climate change along the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Science. 323, 1470 (2009), DOI: 10.1126/science.1164533
  • Montes-Hugo, M., Ducklow, H., Schofield, O. 2009. Contribution by different marine bacterial communities to particulate beam attenuation. Marine Ecology Progress Series. Doi:10.3354/meps07883.
  • Glenn, S. Schofield, O. 2009. Growing a distributed ocean observatory: Our view from the COOL room. Oceanography 22(2): 78-92.

 

Orion Weldon, a Ph.D. student working with Julie Lockwood, had an article in the NJ Trailwalker magazine on the work that he is doing in the highlands. The title is "A Flash of Grey and Gold.” It is on Orion’s Golden-winged Warbler work.
Follow the link: http://www.nynjtc.org/trailwalker/2009/so09.pdf

Grants:

Joan Ehrenfeld reports the following two grants:

·        National Science Foundation, “ULTRA-Ex: Connectivity Along Urban Rivers: A Keystone Process for Urban Ecosystems”

·        NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection:  “Carbon storage and sequestration on restored forested wetlands: a potential mechanism carbon management”

 

Karl Kjer received a $12,000 supplement grant from NSF in order to travel with Postdoctoral Fellow, Jess Thomas, to Guelph Ontario, where they sequenced over 1000 caddisfly samples, and learned about high throughput sequencing techniques at the Barcode Center at the University of Guelph.

 

Rick Lathrop, Director of Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis (CRSSA) reports two grants:

  • CRSSA and JCNEER funded by NOAA to develop a Coastal Vulnerability Decision Support System.

Sea level rise is a physical reality that is impacting the New Jersey coastline.  Sea level rise is a world-wide phenomena, mitigating its impacts is a local decision-making challenge and is going to require site-specific remedies. To address these needs, the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR) and Rutgers University Center for Remote Sensing & Spatial Analysis (CRSSA) are collaborating to develop a place-based Coastal Vulnerability Decision Support System (CV-DSS).  NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Coastal And Estuarine Environmental Technology has provided $272,971 to fund the two year project. CRSSA Director Richard Lathrop will serve as PI with JCNERR’s Mike Kennish as co-PI and Lisa Auermuller and Scott Haag as Co-Investigators.  The project will be undertaken in cooperation New Jersey’s Coastal Management Office.

Faced with a variety of conflicting mandates and uncertainty as appropriate responses, local land use planners and managers will greatly benefit from place-based decision support system tools that outline a range of geographically targeted management options.  The planned CV-DSS will improve upon existing map-based tools by identifying critical human as well as environmental infrastructure, including a land ownership parcel-based query system and further decision support tools that will help decision-makers geographically target suitable best management practices (BMPs).

 

 

 

  • 2) CRSSA funded to make Rutgers Engineering Soil Survey maps of New Jersey web-accessible.

The Rutgers University Center for Remote Sensing & Spatial Analysis (CRSSA) has teamed up with the Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation to make the Rutgers Engineering Soil Survey maps of New Jersey accessible via the Internet.  The Engineering Soil Survey maps, originally developed by the Rutgers Engineering School, are heavily utilized by engineering firms and transportation agencies in designing roadway and transportation infrastructure construction and improvement projects.  The existing series of maps will be digitized and a web-accessible geospatial visualization and query tool developed. The objective is to make these maps and associated tabular information web accessible to serve the needs of NJDOT staff as well as the broader geotechnical and transportation engineering community. The NJ Department of Transportation has provided $183,712 to fund the 1.5 year project. CRSSA Director Richard Lathrop will serve as PI on the project.

 

Oscar Schofield (Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences) reports the following two grants:

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Earth-Sun System Division 2009-2012. Satellite driven studies of climate mediated changes in Antarctic food webs. Oliver, Kohut, Irwin, Fraser, Schofield ($747,880)
  • National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs 2009-2011. Collaborative research aboard icebreaker ODEN: ASPIRE Amundsen sea polynya international research expedition. Yager, P., Sherrell, R., Ducklow, H., Stammerjohn, S., Schofield, O. (under negotiation) 

 

Rachael Winfree (Department of Entomology) reports two new grants:

  • R Winfree (PI) and N Williams, U C Davis (Co PI). “Strategies for Promoting Reliable Crop Pollination by Native Bees.” USDA AFRI.  3 years, $400,000
  • R Winfree (PI) “Developing science-based pollinator restoration protocols for use in Farm Bill conservation programs.” NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, State of New Jersey. 2 years, $32,304

 

Faculty Achievements and Activities:

John Dighton was elected as President-elect of the Soil Ecology Society.

 

John Dighton presided over the symposium: An Holistic View of Soil Ecology: A tribute to the late John Lussenhop. at the 12th biennial Soil Ecology Society Meeting, July 22-25, 2009. Burlington Vermont

 

John Dighton is co-PI of the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate students program with Bill Saidel of Rutgers Camden. This was the second year in which 10 undergraduate students participated. During the program all students stayed at the Pinelands dormitory for their orientation and introduction to the New Jersey Pinelands. Through tours of local Pinelands habitats and presentations by invited speakers the students learned about the conservation, management, and restoration of the New Jersey Pinelands. Throughout the program various workshops were offered in which questions of scientific ethics, women in science and scientific writing for peer reviewed journals were also addressed. Three students remained at the Pineland Station for entire program to conduct individual research projects with a Pineland Station faculty mentor.

 

John Dighton and Dennis Gray are co-PI’s of the NSF International Research Experience for Students program project: Impacts of Forest Floor Manipulations and the Problem of Post Harvest Residue Removal for Biofuels. In 2009 three undergraduate students participated in a Rutgers Pineland Station research project in the NJCF Franklin Parker Preserve before going to Finland where they conducted 10 week individual research projects with Finnish Forestry Institute (METLA) researchers. While there they visited research stations Estonia, central Finland and Lapland. The students also attended the Biogeomon conference in Helsinki.

 

Joan Ehrenfeld is serving as Guest Editor for the next issue of Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics

 

Nina Fefferman reports the following activities:

  • Nina acted as a Subject Matter Expert for the Bio-Math Connection (BMC) Field Testers Workshop in the area of Ecology (July 8-14th), helping produce teaching materials for high school educators to integrate the mathematics and biological curricula for high school students.
  • She co-organized a workshop on Mathematical Models in Economic Epidemiology at Makarere University (Aug 3-5) and gave two invited lectures at a mini-institute on epidemiological modeling for African and American graduate students in Kampala (July 29th and 30th)
  • Nina has organized a special semester on Modeling Behavioral Epidemiology, beginning this fall, which will host visiting researchers throughout the semester, culminating in a Workshop in November. Contact her for a list of expected visitors and the dates of their visits.

 

Julie Lockwood was interviewed for BBC Online on extinction patterns within geological and modern taxa. The interview can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8188166.stm

 

Oscar Schofield (Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences)  is the 2009 Chair of the Advisory Committee for the European EuroSITES program

 

Transitions:

Congratulations to the following students on the successful defense of their Ph.D dissertation:

  • William Landesman on July 27th, advisor John Dighton
  • David La Puma on August 20th, advisor Julie Lockwood
  • Kyle Bennett on August 28th, advisor Rich Lutz
  • Ben Baiser on August 28th, advisor Julie Lockwood
  • Lauren Spearman on September 14th, advisor Mike May

 

Congratulations to Denise Hewitt on the successful completion of her Qualifying Exam on Sept. 10th.

 

Alumni:

Mary Cadenasso (Ph.D 1998, Steward T.A. Pickett, advisor) received a Career award from NSF.  The NSF website states:  CAREER: The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of the early career-development activities of those teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education within the context of the mission of their organization. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education.

Mary wrote a proposal entitled “CAREER: Spatial heterogeneity and ecosystem function in an urban landscape: an integrated research, teaching, and community engagement program” for her research in the Sacramento, CA metropolitan region.”

 

 

Joanna Choo, (Ph.D.2006, Ted Stiles advisor) presented at the American Ornithological Union meeting on Aug 14 "Timing of life cycle events in equatorial birds - An intertropical comparison" Joanna Choo has accepted a  fixed term Assistant Professor position at Penn State , Harrisburg.

Heather Bowman Cutway (Ph.D. 2004, Joan Ehrenfeld advisor)  reports the following publication:

  • Bowman Cutway, Heather and Joan G. Ehrenfeld. 2009. Exotic plant invasions in forested wetlands: effects of adjacent urban land use type.  Urban Ecosystems 12(3): 371-390.

 

Greg Dahle (Ph.D. 2009, Jason Grabosky advisor) delivered the following talk to the International Society of Arboriculture 85th Annual Conference in Providence in July 2009  

  • Exploring changes in allometric branch patterns related to variations in branch stiffness and anatomical properties along branches.
  •  

Frank Gallagher,Visiting Scholar (Ph.D. 2008, Jason Grabosky, advisor)) was presented with a Proclamation from the City of Jersey City for efforts in conservation and restoration of Liberty State Park. 

 

In August Frank Gallagher also gave a presentation at the Annual ESA conference in Albuquerque New Mexico entitled "Soil Metal Contamination Influences the Vegetation Assemblage Development of an Urban Brownfield".

 

Dennis Gray  (Ph.D. 2006) and his advisor John Dighton have the following publication:

  • Gray, Dennis M. and John Dighton. (2009) Nutrient utilization by pine seedlings and soil microbes in oligotrophic pine barrens forest soils subjected to prescribed fire treatment. Soil Biology & Biochemistry. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.06.021

 

Krumins, Jennifer A., John Dighton, Dennis Gray, Rima Franklin, Peter J. Morin, Michael S. Roberts. (2009) Soil microbial community response to nitrogen enrichment in two scrub oak forests. Forest Ecology and Management. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.06.046. Jenn received her Ph.D. in 2008 advised by Peter Morin.

 

Brian Palestis (Ph.D.2000, Joanna Burger, advisor) reports the following publications:

  • Palestis, B.G. In press. Fluctuating asymmetry in common tern chicks varies with hatching order and clutch size. The Auk. Oct 2009. 
  • Palestis, B.G. 2009. Use of artificial eelgrass mats by saltmarsh-nesting common terns (Sterna hirundo). In Vivo 30(3): 11-16. 
  • Etinger, A., J. Lebron, and B.G. Palestis. In press. Sex-assortative shoaling in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Bios.  
  • Zaatari, D., B.G. Palestis, and R. Trivers. 2009. Fluctuating asymmetry of responders affects     offers in the Ultimatum Game oppositely according to attractiveness or need as perceived by proposers. Ethology 115: 627-632

 

 

Kristen A. Ross, Senior Ecologist at the Center for Urban Restoration Ecology was invited by the Master Gardeners of Morris County to give a presentation entitled “Impacts of Invasive Species on Forested Systems” as part of the Master Gardener Advanced Training Program on August 14, 2009.