Zach Aanderud
Ajay Bhardwaj
Alex Eilts
Mary Anne Evans
Ilia Gelfand
Poonam Jasrotia
Stuart Jones
Neville Millar
Jonathan O'Brien
Bruce Robertson
Donald Schoolmaster
Robin Tinghitella

Past KBS Research Associates

Name: Zach Aanderud (aanderud@msu.edu)
Department: Kellogg Biological Station
Lab: Jay Lennon
Research Interests:
Research Location: Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held: Ph.D. 2006, University of California - Davis; M.S. 2003, University of California - Davis
Statement: Precipitation events induce temporal variability in soil moisture and create rapid and dramatic physiological responses by soil bacteria.  My research focuses on how fluctuations in soil moisture via precipitation influences belowground ecosystem processes, microbial stress physiology, and the linkages between these two fields.  Presently, I am evaluating how intra-annual precipitation variability influences CO2 flux from agricultural and natural ecosystems through field precipitation manipulations and real-time CO2 and soil moisture measurements.  This research will determine how intra-annual variability in soil moisture mediates fine-grain temporal changes in CO2 flux and assess the role of land use practices in inluencing this interaction.  In these same field preciptation manipulations, I am using "heavy" water (H218O) stable isotope probing to determine which individual strains of bacteria are predominantly responsible for the immense fluxes of CO2 following soil rewetting.  In addition to advancing our collective understanding of microbial water stress physiology, this research will help predict if future changes in precipitation, induced by rising global temperatures, will have a positive or negative feedback on global warming.

Name:  Ajay Bhardwaj (ajaykbhardwaj@gmail.com)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station/GLBRC
Lab:  Hamilton
Research Location:  W. K. Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held:  M.S., 1999 and Ph.D., 2003; Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, India (www.hillagric.ernet.in)
Research Interests: I am currently involved in research investigating hydrology and water cycle components under biofuel cropping systems.
Research Statement: My research interests broadly include discovering the critical role of soil as the source and sink of nutrients and contaminants, and interaction of hydrological, physical and chemical processes under diverse management conditions in agricultural, urban and suburban environments. The complexity of the hydro-physicochemical processes that occur in soil have captured the interest and imagination of many researchers in the physical, chemical, biological, and earth science communities. It is becoming widely recognized by scientists, resource economists, and social scientists that soil quality is inextricably linked to water quality/quantity and ecosystem function. Specifically, my future research goals are to develop techniques to analyze the effects of soil, water and crop management on soil-water interaction, understand the existing roles, and evolving new techniques, from the micro- (molecular) to macro-scale (ecological).

Name:  Alex Eilts (eilts@kbs.msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab:  Kay Gross, Gary Mittelbach
Research Interests:  Mechanisms of diversity maintenance in plant communities, physiological responses of plants to non-trophic interactions, and impacts of shifts in species abundance and composition within plant communities
Degrees Held: Ph.D. 2007, University of Arizona; B.S. 2001, University of Maryland – College Park
Statement: Changes in both the biotic and abiotic environment can alter the patterns of species abundance and diversity in communities.  My research utilizes ecophysiology to mechanistically address the processes of coexistence in plant communities, with implications for how species attain abundance and why rare species persist.  I have applied these general questions to studies of exotic species invasions, the mechanisms of their numerical success as well as their impacts on the native flora.  I am currently involved in a project investigating the interactions between soil resource heterogeneity and clonality in an experimental plant community.  My focus, within the larger scope of the project is on how clonal integration may alter the interactions between clonal and unitary plants, and between species of neighboring unitary species.  I will continue to use my ecophysiological background to work toward uncovering the mechanisms which are the drivers of change within these experimental communities.

Name:  Mary Anne Evans (evansm27@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab:  Litchman
Research Interests:  Theoretical and empirical phytoplankton ecology
Research Location:  Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held:  Ph.D. 2007, University of Michigan; M.S. 2001, University of Michigan
Statement: My research focuses on the controls of phytoplankton productivity and community composition. Currently I am investigating the controls on abundance of Microcystis, a toxin producing cyanobacteria known to cause harmful algal blooms.  Over the next two years, I will be developing a predictive theory of Microcystis dominance in lakes of different trophic status, food web structure, and morphometry. This theory builds on the work of Huisman et al. (2004) which links turbulence and water clarity to forecast Microcystis blooms.  New work will also incorporate the effects of nutrient levels and filter feeders on Microcystis and phytoplankton competitive interactions.  Incorporating these interactions into the predictive theory is needed because the spread of zebra mussels has been observed to decrease the nutrient levels needed to support Microcystis blooms. The expanded theory will be tested by simultaneously measuring turbulence levels, nutrient concentrations, water clarity, and Microcystis abundance in multiple lakes in Michigan representing a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological conditions as well as lake sizes. My research focuses on the controls of phytoplankton productivity and community composition. Currently I am investigating the controls on abundance of Microcystis, a toxin producing cyanobacteria known to cause harmful algal blooms. Over the next two years, I will be developing a predictive theory of Microcystis dominance in lakes of different trophic status, food web structure, and morphometry. This theory builds on the work of Huisman et al. (2004) which links turbulence and water clarity to forecast Microcystis blooms.  New work will also incorporate the effects of nutrient levels and filter feeders on Microcystis and phytoplankton competitive interactions. Incorporating these interactions into the predictive theory is needed because the spread of zebra mussels has been observed to decrease the nutrient levels needed to support Microcystis blooms.  The expanded theory will be tested by simultaneously measuring turbulence levels, nutrient concentrations, water clarity, and Microcystis abundance in multiple lakes in Michigan representing a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological conditions as well as lake sizes.

Name:  Ilia Gelfand (igelfand@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station/GLBRC
Lab:  Robertson
Research Interests:  Biogeochemistry, biosphere atmosphere interactions
Degrees Held:  M.S. 2002, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Ph.D. 2008, Weizmann Institute of Science
Statement:  My current research focuses on the sustainability of biofuel production in agriculture. Currently, I’m trying to answer the question of how much carbon production of the “green” energy costs, or how “green” is green energy? The main attempt in my current research is to combine carbon budgets of the different biofuel producing systems.

The carbon budget is simply mass balance of all carbon (CO2) used to produce the biofuel in a given agro-ecosystem. For this end we are measuring soil emissions of the main greenhouse gases, using automatic chambers together with measurement of biomass production and changes in soil organic carbon concentration.

Name:  Poonam Jasrotia (poonamjasrotia@gmail.com)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station/GLBRC
Lab:  Robertson
Research Location:  Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held:  M.S., 1999 and Ph.D., 2004; Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, India (www.hillagric.ernet.in)
Statement: My current research goals evolve around studying the sustainability of biofuel cropping systems, in particular, assessing biomass yield and quality, and environmental impacts. I am interested in determining which biofuel crops are more economically as well as environmentally sustainable. Because cellulosic crops, such as switchgrass and native prairie, can be grown on land not suitable for food production, they can help to avoid the food vs. fuel competition that is a criticism of grain-based ethanol. Cellulosic crops are mostly perennials, and once planted, require little management throughout the subsequent years, and have conservation and environmental benefits that are potentially quite significant.

Name:  Stuart Jones (stujones@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab:  Lennon
Degrees Held:  B.S. in Biology 2003, University of Wisconsin-Madison; PhD. in Limnology and Marine Sciences 2008, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Interests:  Biogeochemistry, microbial and ecosystem aquatic ecology
Statement: My research is motivated by the fundamental role microbes play in all biogeochemical processes. I employ a diverse set of techniques to mesh distinct datasets including microbial community composition and genetic expression, high-resolution sensor data, and biogeochemical measures.  In addition, I employ bioenergetic and ecosystem-scale mass balance models to understand broader scale processes.  The key to future research will be incorporating these diverse datasets in a predictive approach.  I am extremely excited about my research at the interface of microbial and ecosystem aquatic ecology, and believe that a mechanistic understanding of linkages between microbial genetic expression and ecosystem processes will allow me to explore the implications of future global environmental scenarios.

http://www.msu.edu/~stujones

Name: Neville Millar (millarn@msu.edu)
Department: Kellogg Biological Station
Lab: Phil Robertson (EPRI)
Research Interests: Ecosystem Sustainability, Greenhouse Gases, Carbon and Nitrogen Biogeochemistry
Research Location: KBS
Degrees Held: B.Sc. 1994. University of St. Andrews, Scotland, UK; M.Sc. 1996. University of London, UK; Ph.D. 2002. Imperial College London, UK.
Statement: My research focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry, with the aim of utilizing various land management strategies to mitigate these emissions, reduce nutrient loss and promote ecosystem sustainability. My past work has looked at agroforestry practices on smallholder farms in East Africa, and the effects of elevated carbon dioxide (FACE) on crop yield and microbial communities in European grasslands.

Name:  Jon O'Brien (obrien97@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab:  Hamilton
Research Interests: aquatic biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, stream and wetlands ecology
Research Location:  KBS
Degrees Held: Ph.D., 2006, Kansas State University; M.S., 2002, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Statement: Human activities, such as agriculture and urban development, can lead to elevated nitrogen (N) concentrations in streams and rivers, producing to algal blooms in downstream estuaries and marine ecosystems.  Aquatic organisms have the ability to remove some N before it reaches coastal areas.  Recent research has highlighted the role that biotic assimilation plays in N transport in stream systems; however the fate of assimilated N is not well understood.  I am conducting experiments using in-situ chambers to label stream biofilms, allowing us to track the retention time and eventual fate of assimilated N.  In addition, I am working on a project investigating the role of wetlands in N retention with in stream networks.  Wetlands residing within the stream channel (through-flow wetlands), often created by beaver dams or old impoundments, have a disproportionate effect on a stream network’s water quality.  We measured the net N removal from 15 through-flow wetlands and found that these ecosystems are consistent sinks for nitrate (the prominent form of N) throughout the year and can have a significant impact on the ability of watersheds to retain N.

Name:  Bruce Robertson (roberba1@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab:  Schemske
Research Interests: Maladaptation, habitat selection, ecological and evolutionary traps, spatial and landscape ecology, behavioral ecology, conservation biology, ornithology sensory ecology, fire ecology
Research Location:  KBS
Degrees Held: Ph.D. 2007, University of Montana; B.S. 1996, University of Notre Dame
Statement: My current research focuses on assessing the value of contemporary and potential biofuel crops (corn, switchgrass monoculture and mixed-grass prairie) to avian and arthropod biodiversity. Increasing demand for energy coupled with reduced oil availability has resulted in rapid and dramatic increases in the price of petroleum and spurred increased interest in the development of alternative fuel sources. Cellulosic ethanol production promises greatly increased energy efficiency and could be a win–win for farmers, soil and water conservation, wildlife, and the environment. To date, there is limited published scientific information available linking changes in biodiversity to agricultural land-use associated with corn or switchgrass production. This research weds sensory and landscape-ecology approaches/perspectives. Specific projects will 1) quantify the abundance and diversity of bird species associated with corn, switchgrass, and native mixed-grass prairie experimentally and statistically controlling for scale-dependence in habitat structure; 2) formally review extant data on the this subject within a meta-analytical approach; 3) test the relative importance of area- and edge-effects in shaping distributions of grassland birds within these habitat types; and 4) test among mechanistic hypotheses explaining area/edge sensitivity in grassland birds.

The evolution and ecology of maladaptation is a particular fascination of mine, and I have a deep interest in ecological and evolutionary traps—cases in which rapid environmental change has uncoupled the proximate cues organisms use to make decisions from the expected evolutionary outcomes of responding to those cues. I strive to investigate these fascinating cases empirically and theoretically, using conceptual and modeling approaches. I am currently working with colleagues to draw attention to the role of polarized light pollution in triggering ecological traps and other maladaptive behaviors and to model the potential population consequences of ecological traps under difficult ecological and evolutionary scenarios. Other topics I write on include: the role of temperature in microhabitat selection in birds, nest predation vs. food in shaping laying decisions, and how fire severity can shape post-fire biodiversity.

Name: Donald Schoolmaster (schoolm4@msu.edu)
Department: Kellogg Biological Station
Lab: Kay Gross
Research Interests: Theoretical ecology,  plant population and community ecology
Research Location: Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held: Ph.D. 2004, University of Michigan; M.S. 1998, University of Michigan
Statement:

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Name:  Robin Tinghitella (hibbsr@msu.edu)
Department:  Kellogg Biological Station
Lab: Getty/GK-12
Degrees Held:  B.S. in Biology, 2002, University of Portland; Ph.D. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, 2008, University of California-Riverside
Statement: My research employs field and laboratory-based empirical approaches, integrating behavioral ecology and molecular biology, to understand the causes and consequences of sexual signal variation.  Sexual selection is widely recognized to promote population divergence, speciation, and biodiversity. As a graduate student along with my advisor and colleagues, I observed the rapid evolutionary loss of singing ability, in a Hawaiian population of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus.  In fewer than 20 generations between the late 1990s and 2003, we observed the replacement of normal wing morphology with a mutant wing, ‘flatwing’, that eliminates male crickets’ ability to produce song, their sexual signal.  Currently, >90% of males in this population sport the mutated wing.  The mutation was favored because silent flatwing males escape parasitization by a deadly parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea, that the cricket encounters only in Hawaiian populations.  Clearly, flatwing males have obstacles to overcome in mate location and courtship because they use song to attract females from afar and to ‘convince’ them to mate once they are in close proximity.  My work has addressed the contributions of both adaptive (natural and sexual selection) and non-adaptive influences (population history, genetic drift) to the rapid evolutionary loss of this sexual signal.  Recent phylogenetic studies in diverse organisms, ranging from insects to vertebrates, have shown that male sexual traits are frequently lost, despite the contention that such sexually selected characters should be maintained by sexual selection.  My research addresses such questions as: does phenotypic plasticity in behavior facilitate rapid changes in sexual signaling, and what is the non-adaptive context in which rapid evolutionary changes in signaling occur? Using a combination of field-based, laboratory-based, and molecular studies, I revealed the roles of pre-existing variation in male and female mating behavior and the consequences of island colonization for female preferences.