cichlids

Lake Malawi cichlids:

Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, holds a monophyletic radiation of more than 450 cichlid species. This speciation has been primarily intralacustrine which is particularly remarkable given the fact that the lake is only approximately 2 million years old. A common opinion among researchers is that lake level fluctuations have contributed significantly to population isolation and micro-allopatric speciation. Population isolation and ultimately speciation has also, in many cases, been linked to sexual selection through female choice because variation in female preference can result in assortative mating. The mbuna (rock dwellers) are an extremely diverse group of brightly colored Lake Malawi cichlids that inhabit rocky outcroppings, to which they are endemic. In addition, all mbuna are maternal mouthbrooders and are associated with a lack of larval dispersal and high philopatry. Though mbuna are similar in morphology (trophic specializations excluded), they show vast color differences between species. It has been well established that though many mbuna exist in sympatry, there is little interbreeding in the field or in the lab. Sexual selection through female choice is believed to have facilitated mbuna speciation.

I am investigating:

Collaborators: David Howe at Rutgers University, Jay Stauffer at the Pennsylvania State University

Graduate student currently working on Lake Malawi cichlid project:

Mate choice in poeciliids:

Poeciliids are unusual among fish because they are livebearers with internal fertilization. These fish are particularly interesting to evolutionary biologists and behavioral ecologists because of the role of sexual selection and perhaps sensory bias in their life history. Some poeciliid fish such as the mollies and mosquitofish are said to exhibit very little mate choice while others such as the swordtails and guppies are known for their elaborate sexual displays and ornaments. It has been suggested that female mollies have preferences for certain phenotypic characteristics but because of the male dominated mating system, they are unable to express these preferences.

I am investigating:

Hudson River juvenile striped bass:

Striped bass are an extremely valuable natural resource along the Atlantic coast of the United States. They support both commercial and recreational fisheries. The Hudson River Estuary is the nursery area for one of the two most important populations contributing to the Atlantic stock. After the larvae are spawned in the tributaries, they migrate as juveniles to the estuary where they feed and grow. Feeding success as juveniles correlates with adult population success. We still have only a limited understanding of how variation in estuary habitat affects feeding and therefore survival into the adult population.

I am investigating:

Collaborators: David Howe at Rutgers University, Francis Juanes at the University of Massachusetts

PEOPLE:

Environmental/Science literacy in authentic science:

Invasive plants pose a serious threat to biodiversity and native ecosystems, yet information on their biology is lacking. This lack of understanding limits the ability of natural resource managers to respond to current problems and makes it difficult to predict future and often economically expensive problems. In NY and NJ forests, most invasive plants are difficult to study without using labor-intensive ground surveys and a large number of person hours. We plant to use a relatively novel means of collecting invasive plant data by mobilizing a work force of volunteer “citizen scientists,” drawn from the membership of the New York - New Jersey (NY-NJ) Trail Conference. We will use these data to look for large-scale patterns of invasive plant occurrence. We will also help these citizens develop scientific and environmental literacy. Given the biological importance of understanding plant invasions along trails and the recent interest in citizen science initiatives, results generated from this work will serve as a national model for environmental study in other locations.

We are investigating:

Collaborators: Joan Ehrenfeld, Rutgers University, Ed McGowan at the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and Ed Goodell at the NY-NJ Trail Conference

Promoting environmental literacy in Gr. 6-Life:

I am working on a number of projects focusing on basic scientific and environmental literacy. Through the Cook College Teacher Education program and the Graduate School of Education, I am collaborating with Ravit Golan Duncan in an investigation of pre-service teacher conceptions of science and ecology. I am also interested in what type of information is necessary to alter conceptions. I am working closely with Bruce Barbour of Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Environment Program.

Transfer of Scientific Abilities:

I am a co-investigator on this NSF supported project led by Eugenia Etkina in the Rutgers Graduate School of Education. My role in this project will be to determine if students trained to use scientific reasoning skills in one domain can apply their skills to another domain.

Use of models to construct scientific understanding:

I am a co-investigator on this NSF supported project led by Ashok Goel of Georgia tech entitled: Collaborative Research: Learning About Complex Systems in Middle School by Constructing Structure-Behavior-Function Models. Cindy Hmelo-Silver of Rutgers Graduate School of Education is a co-investigator. We are planning to use aquaria as a model system for learning.