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Behavioral evolution pabbassi /at/ uci.edu |
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My research interests include plant ecology and conservation, community ecology, invasive species, and human effects on ecosystems. I am interested in looking at local plant communities and the changes that are taking place in those communities. Also, I am interested in looking at the ways in which local human populations respond to ecological concerns and research. I am interested in working with local communities in education, development, and conservation issues. |
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My background is in molecular biology and applying molecular techniques to address issues facing restoration efforts. The Carpenter lab is concerned with tropical rainforest restoration. Using the lab's field site in Costa Rica - a former coffee plantation and cattle ranch that was purchased by Dr. Carpenter - researchers in the lab are seeking to understand the best ways to initiate and foster restoration of damaged tropical land. We are looking for solutions that are not only biologically feasible, but are also economically viable for the communities subsisting on the land. Specific questions focus on the role of nitrogen-fixing legumes, aluminum hyperaccumulators and mycorrhizal fungi in the reforestation of such degraded, eroded land. |
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Population genetics of marine animals. Current genetic methods provide efficient tools for discovering unusual and relevant aspects of natural history that would otherwise go unobserved. Due to their immense diversity in reproductive modes, parental behavior, and dispersal abilities, marine organisms provide countless opportunities for testing population genetic hypotheses. More specifically, I am interested in using genetic methods to address questions of mating system dynamics (polygamy vs. monogamy), evolution of hermaphroditism, and speciation in marine animals. |
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I am interested in understanding the mechanisms that determine the diversity and abundance of fungal communities and the consequences of this diversity for plant communities. In particular, I study the relative importance of pathogens and resource heterogeneity on the maintenance of plant diversity. My research also considers the dynamics of fungal communities in New England salt marshes. Specifically, I am using molecular tools to investigate shifts in the diversity of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungal communities along a salinity gradient. djbradle /at/ uci.edu |
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My research interests include experimental evolution, population genetics, and the evolution of aging. Specifically, my research focuses on heat-shock genes in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. I am interested in how these genes are regulated in populations of Drosophila selected for postponed aging. |
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My main areas of interest include the evolutionary genetics and natural history of organisms as they apply to marine conservation biology. My research entails such topics as population genetics, speciation, gene flow, and phylogeography. |
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Jawless feeding in hagfish. I am fascinated with the functionalities of jawless feeding because they help me assess possible functional advantages of vertebrate jaws, which occur in 99.8% of extant craniates. Hagfish are an interesting study system because they are basal craniates, the sister taxon of the vertebrates, and are important scavengers in marine food webs. So far, I have learned that hagfish feeding muscles can produce a lot of force and individual animals can ingest food as big as their own heads. However, the absence of jaws precludes rapid prey capture. I am currently investigating feeding muscle activity patterns from living specimens and assessing ontogenetic and interspecific variation in the feeding morphology from preserved specimens. |
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My recent project has focused on the interactions between the environment and an organism’s physiology and how this affects an individual’s behavior. In particular I have studied the importance of osmoregulatory behavior in amphibians and how this physiological parameter may affect the distribution of these organisms. Fundamentally I am interested in understanding animal behavior as a response to the interaction between environment and physiological limitations. Currently, I am working on the effect of dehydration/starvation in fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) metabolism in order to better understand how insects may deal with a decrease in water availability |
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I am interested in the evolutionary development of sensory systems and the corresponding development of complex behaviors. Currently I am studying Monarch, Viceroy, Soldier and Queen Butterflies to determine their range of color vision. By utilizing epi-illumination microscopy in conjunction with behavioral experiments I hope to demonstrate that these butterflies are capable of discriminating between colors in the long wavelength portion of the spectrum. Following these experiments I would like to explore the coevolution of color vision in insect pollinators and the colors and other visual cues of plants. |
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Biomechanics and functional morphology scrofts /at/ uci.edu |
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Entomology and genetics edaniels /at/ uci.edu |
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Evolutionary biomechanics of elasmobranch cartilage. Cartilaginous fishes are an ideal study group for the myriad levels of diversity (morphological, dietary, habitat, etc.) they exhibit, albeit with skeletons traditionally considered to be neither as strong nor stiff as those constructed from bone. My current research investigates interspecific variation and biochemical/structural properties of prismatic cartilage calcification. This method of mineralization is unique among the vertebrates and may shed light into the evolutionary history of cartilage as a skeletal building block. |
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I am broadly interested in plant genome evolution and local adaptation in natural populations. I'm interested in abiotic stress tolerance in natural populations, particularly salinity tolerance. I currently study the genetics of salinity tolerance in natural populations of Arabidopsis lyrata and am doing mapping studies for genes involved in salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. I'm also interested in factors controlling genome size changes and evolutionary rates in genomic regions. I'm involved in a collaborative effort looking at the role and abundance of helitron elements in grass genomes. lderosew /at/ uci.edu |
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My research interests focus on the anthropogenic vs biogenic contribution |
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My work involves the creation and refinement of theoretical models of albertd /at/ uci.edu |
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Immunology/infections and cancer gdvorkin /at/ uci.edu |
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Comparative Vertebrate Physiology. I am interested in the energetics, thermal tolerance, cardiopulmonary system and ecology of lower vertebrates (fish and reptiles) and their adaptations to environmental factors, particularly ambient oxygen level and temperature. My dissertation will involve research into the development and significance of the Left Aortic Arch and pulmonary-to-systemic cardiac shunting in embryonic and hatchling American alligators. |
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Biomechancs and behavior kfeitl /at/ uci.edu |
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I study parental care in zebra finches, a monogamous songbird from Australia. I am interested in factors that affect partitioning of care among males and females especially with respect to offspring sex. My current project focuses on assessing the differential costs of sons and daughters and adjustments in parental care in response to these costs. Since this species exhibits biparental care and is not size dimorphic this study may reveal interesting variations on traditional theoretical predictions of sex allocation. vfoster /at/ uci.edu |
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My research is focused on understanding how plant adaptations to water stress are correlated with nutrient cycling. I am currently working in Owens Valley, California, where I am studying the effect of groundwater depth on plant physiological function, and how this process could ultimately alter nitrogen cycling. |
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My research focuses on the mechanisms that enable exotic plants to invade native plant communities. I am working in southern California's coastal sage scrub systems that are being invaded by exotic annual grasses and forbs. I am currently examining differences in water and nitrogen use between native and exotic species to test the hypothesis that successful invaders use resources unused by the resident community and fill an empty niche. I am also investigating how the outcome of competition between natives and exotics varies under different rainfall regimes. goldstel /at/ uci.edu |
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Vertebrate Ectotherm Physiology. I am current working on cardiac shunting in alligators as their unique central circulation allows the surgical elimination of their capacity for right to left (pulmonary bypass) shunting. My future work will be on the interaction between environmental change and the ecophysiology of vertebrate ectotherms. |
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Microbial ecology cahanson /at/ uci.edu |
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Evolutionary physiology of functional traits. My interests lie in the area of evolutionary physiology. I am interested in the origin and maintenance of functional traits and their effects on fitness for animals, as well as ecological consequences of these evolutionary processes. I am most interested in large-scale evolutionary events such as the evolution of homeothermic endothermy in birds and mammals, as well as speciation and other macro-evolutionary processes. |
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Biomechanics and functional morphology of marine fishes |
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I study how invading exotic plant species alter the association between native plants and their strong microbial mutualists to increase the exotic invasive potential. I am interested in groups of understudied microbial mutualists that may have the ability to explain general patterns of invasion. Currently, I am investigating how exotics associate with the bacteria, pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophs (PPFMs, Methylobacterium). PPFMs have been well studied in crop science and are known to increase plant growth and crop yields as well as confer drought and pathogen resistance. However, PPFMs have not been studied in the context of invasion biology making them a good candidate for further study. iirvine /at/ uci.edu |
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Plant community ecology llarios /at/ uci.edu |
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I am interested in the interactions between parents and offspring and sexual imprinting effects in mate choice on novel traits. |
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The Role of Non-Coding DNA in Plant Genome Evolution. My research focuses on non-coding DNA in plants and how it shapes their genomes. Traditionally, biology has viewed all DNA that does not code for protein as merely "junk" DNA. However, with the advent of whole-genome sequences, the emerging view is that a great deal of this "junk" is in fact functional, playing a pivotal role in the structure and function of genes and entire genomes. I focus on two types of non-coding DNA and their interactions: regulatory sequences that control gene expression, and selfishly-replicating sequences known as transposable elements. |
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Evo-Devo of Butterfly wings. I am interested in the genetic and developmental basis of morphological evolution, and I will use the great diversity of butterfly wing patterns to address this general issue. I am adapting classic developmental biology techniques to larval and pupal butterfly wings. This approach should allow the detection and the functional alteration of genes that are candidates for the development of color patterns. In my future work, I will apply these techniques to the highly polymorphic species Heliconius erato, for which unique wing phenotypes are maintained in restricted geographical areas by Mullerian mimicry. arnaudm /at/ uci.edu |
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My project is focused on using two early successional trees to facilitate the establishment and growth of an endangered later successional hardwood. One of the facilitator species, Inga spectabilis (Fabaceae), is a nitrogen-fixing legume that has been shown to facilitate the growth of other mid-late successional tree species. The second early successional tree, Vochysia guatemalensis |
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I am interested in invasion biology and how invasive species affect their environments. I am particularly interested in the question of whether or not species alter their environment to obtain a competitive advantage in their invaded range. I want to address this question by looking at the genus Centaurea. Many species of Centaurea are invasive across Northern America. Some of the most noxious are Centaurea diffusa, Centaurea maculosa, and Centaurea stolstitialis. I am interested in examining how the Centaurea genus effects soil microbe communities in its invaded range. |
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Communication/Avian Social Behavior My current research interests include the study of parrot calls and social behavior. I work with budgerigars, and recently, I focused on how intersexual call imitation affects budgie parental care and reproductive success. I'm also interested in the social functions of parrot calls, and how they differ from those of songbird songs. moravecm /at/ uci.edu |
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Biomechanics of filter feeding in elasmobranchs. |
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My interested is on understanding the effects of climate variability on population dynamics and genetic structure of marine predators. At ecological time scales, climate variability influences seabird demographic parameters and population structure. At longer time scales, population structure may results in the development of morphological and genetic differences. One aspect of my graduate research focuses on understanding how Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) populations respond to long-term changes in productivity of the marine environment within the Southern California Bight. Another component of my research focuses on the historical and ecological factors that influence the genetic differentiation within and among a complex of gulls species inhabiting the west coast of North America. cpickens /at/ uci.edu |
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Pollination Mutualisms/ Plant-animal interactions. My principal interest is in plant-animal interactions, especially in pollination mutualisms from an evolutionary point of view. My work concerns the origins of adaptations that govern these interactions, such as perception mechanisms in animals, and reproductive traits of plants. I am currently studying the relationship that links visual system traits and nectar feeding behavior in the butterfly genus Lycaena. Lycaena exhibits great variability in the distribution of visual pigments in the compound eye from which is possible to suggest behavioral predictions about the search and utilization of nectar plants. |
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Plant-fungus interactions. I'm interested in understanding interactions between plants and symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Specifically, I will be addressing the following questions: What factors influence the arbuscular mycorrhizal community found in soil (e.g. competition between different AMF taxa, soil characteristics, host specificity, etc.)? Do plants exert any control over colonization by mycorrhizal species according to AMF function? Do plants benefit by associating with a large diversity of mycorrhizal species as opposed to only one or two species? |
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My areas of interest include experimental evolution, population genetics, and the biology of aging. I'm currently investigating physiological disparities between the late life and aging phases of adult life in Drosophila melanogaster. |
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My research looks at the functional diversification of duplicated opsins in lycaenid butterflies. I approach this study in an integrative manner by combining molecular techniques, phylogeny, mutagenesis, physiology and behavior. Lycaenids are the youngest among butterfly families and are the least studied. Most members of this family are also sexually dimorphic. This work aims to reveal the potential adaptability of visual pigments to the sensory ecology of lycaenids. |
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Plant Community Ecology. I am interested in the factors that control plant community structure and ecosystem function in both stable and disturbed communities. I am currently working on developing a research project to study how plant hemiparasites may influence community structure and ecosystem functioning in alpine tundra. |
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My interests lie in the mechanical constraints imposed by hydrodynamics on the locomotion, circulation, and feeding of aquatic organisms. In past projects, I have looked at the hydrodynamics of thrust production in ascidian larvae, the mechanisms of phototaxis of ascidian larvae, and the settlement/transport processes of gastropod larvae. I am currently working in the McHenry Laboratory, which focuses on the biomechanics of aquatic organisms with a particular emphasis on the vertebrates. |
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Comparative vertebrate exercise physiology. My research interests lie in plasticity of the vertebrate oxygen transport system, specifically in relation to exercise. I study the effects of aerobic exercise training upon the physiology of various reptile species at the whole-animal as well as biochemical level. Future research plans include an investigation of the effects of different modes of exercise (i.e. terrestrial versus aquatic locomotion) upon the energetics of ectotherms. aszucsik /at/ uci.edu |
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I am interested in the chemistry of decomposition, nutrient cycling between plants and soils, and terrestrial feedbacks to global climate change. |
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Mechanics of Aquatic Organisms. I am interested in how the physical properties of fluids influence sensory systems in aquatic environments. Specifically I am looking at how the morphological characteristics of aquatic organisms affect the local flow regimes at the point of sensory reception. Currently my model system is the lateral line in zebrafish. I am interested in how the changes in morphology of the cranial lateral line over development affect the perceptive capabilities of the system. |
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I’m interested in plant reproductive ecology and evolution, particularly in tropical island floras. Though most flowering plants are hermaphroditic (80% worldwide), there is actually a myriad of other types of plant breeding systems, including plants with separate male and female individuals (dioecy) and plants with separate male and female flowers on the same individual (monoecy). These breeding systems are rare worldwide, but have much higher incidences in tropical island floras. Though this general overall pattern is well-studied, the origins and evolutionary significance of the high incidences of these rare breeding systems has only been studied in two island floras to date, Hawaii and New Zealand. |
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Comparative physiology avorhees /at/ uci.edu |
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Ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry wenwenw /at/ uci.edu |
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Plant ecology and evolution jjweber@uci.edu |
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My current research involves tracking and quantifying amino acids in their natural systems using quantum dots (nanoscale semiconductors that fluoresce in different colors depending on their size). Specifically, I am using this method to partition uptake of carbon and nitrogen by plant roots and their mycorrhizal extensions. |
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Tropical Restoration Ecology. A considerable fraction of the tropical forests in Costa Rica have been subjected to severe deforestation and subsequent conversion to pastureland. The resulting soil compaction, erosion, and nutrient depletion coupled with high levels of rainfall and intense sunlight may hinder the process of succession. The method I am interested in seeks to jumpstart succession by planting early-successional pioneer species as nurse trees, or facilitators, for a late-successional tree species. My research will concentrate on direct mechanisms of facilitation, including accumulation of toxic chemicals, increased nutrient availability, and increased shade. |
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Marin Moravec
Amanda Szucsik
