Name:  Jorge Celi (celijorg@msu.edu)
Department: Zoology
Advisor:  Steve Hamilton
Starting Year in Program:  2005
Statement: My goal is to understand how ecological, biogeochemical, and hydrological processes and patterns at the watershed/landscape scale respond to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and to draw on this understanding to generate recommendations to improve ecosystem protection and management. Currently, I am investigating the ecological-hydrological relationships between the lowland Napo River, in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon, and its associated floodplain and wetland environments. The objectives of my study are: 1) To assess the extent and diversity of floodplain/wetland environments; 2) To identify the spatial-temporal variability of areas directly flooded by the Napo River, and indirectly flooded by backwater effects that restrict drainage of local precipitation or runoff, and 3) To predict the impacts of changes in water level and other physical modifications caused by the development of an industrial waterway in the Napo.

Name:  Micaleila Desotelle (desotell@msu.edu)
Department:  Zoology
Advisor:  Steve Hamilton
Research Location:  Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held:  M.A., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 2007; B.S., Biology, Environmental Science, Winona State University, 2002
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name: Emily Grman (grmanemi@msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology
Advisor: Kay Gross
Research Location: Kellogg Biological Station and Southern California
Degrees Held: B.S., Beloit College, 2003
Starting Year in Program : 2004
Research Interests: Resource availability and arbuscular mycorrhizae
Statement: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), ubiquitous plant symbionts, play a pivotal role in plant access to soil nutrients in grasslands. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition may alter this symbiosis by changing the availability and identity of limiting resources. Because the mutualistic or parasitic functioning of the symbiosis depends on resource availability, N deposition may cause AMF to act as plant parasites. Furthermore, plant species differ in the degree to which they benefit from AMF; they may also differ in the degree to which they are parasitized. This mechanism may partly explain why N additions impede grassland restorations, reduce species diveristy, and change plant community composition.

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Name:  Krista Isaacs (isaacskr@msu.edu)
Department:  Crop and Soil Sciences
Advisor: Sieg Snapp
Degress Held:  B.A., Sociology, University of Montana, 2000
Starting Year in Program:  2008

Name:  Nikhil Jaikumar (jaikumar@msu.edu)
Department:  Crop and Soil Sciences
Advisor:  Sieg Snapp
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name:  Jean Johnson (john2597@msu.edu)
Department:  Zoology/EEBB
Advisor:  Tom Getty
Degrees Held:  B.S., Biology, Augsburg College, 2005
Research Location:  Lux Arbor Reserve, Kellogg Biological Station
Starting Year in Program:  2006
Research Interests: Parental investment, sexual conflict, and maternal hormones
Statement: I study behavioral ecology.  My research looks at the role of maternal testosterone in sexual conflict and parental investment in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon).  I focus on whether female house wrens enhance testosterone levels in their eggs to increase male care for offspring when she has been cheating on her mate.

Name:  Kane Keller (keller47@msu.edu)
Department:  Plant Biology
Advisor:  Jen Lau
Degrees Held:  B.S., Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007; A.S. with Highest Honors, Rock Valley College, 2005
Starting Year in Program:  2007
Statement: My research explores processes that regulate community structure or determines assembly trajectories and the effects of multiple levels of diversity on ecosystem processes and evolution in prairie habitats. I am focusing on the interface between community ecology and evolution to explore topics such as: the independent and interactive effects of genetic diversity and propagule pressure on plant establishment and invasion into novel communities; and the effects of genetic and species diversity and genotypic order or arrival on community and ecosystem functions as well as the maintenance of these diversity patterns and their implications for the evolutionary potential of species.  Additionally, I plan to explore how locally native switchgrass populations can be influenced by increasing agricultural switchgrass biofuel production and what consequences may arise from these plantations.  Overall, I believe that understanding the mechanisms that drive community changes, determine species interactions, and influence the assembly of biodiversity would enhance the aestheticism of natural systems as well as the ability to recreate or restore communities.

Name:  Lauren Kinsman (kinsmanl@msu.edu)
Department:  Zoology
Advisor:  Steve Hamilton
Starting Year in Program:  2007
Research Interests: Shallow freshwater ecosystems
Statement:  I study the ecology of shallow freshwater ecosystems like ponds, wetlands, and streams.  I am particularly interested in biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in these ecosystems.  For my dissertation research, I am investigating how fluctuating water levels influence phosphorus binding and release processes in sediments.  I am currently testing the hypothesis that processes of phosphorus binding and release and controls over these processes depend heavily on characteristics of the sediment in an ecosystem (e.g., organic matter content, iron content).

Name:  Melissa Kjelvik (kjelvikm@msu.edu)
Department:  Zoology and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior program (EEBB)
Advisor:  Gary Mittelbach
Degrees Held:  B.S., Natural Resources, 2007
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name:  Raffica La Rosa (larosara@msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology
Advisor:  Jeff Conner
Starting Year in Program:  2006
Statement:   My dissertation research is on the adaptation and evolution of novel  floral parts in response to visiting pollinators. The questions I am  working on are: how does natural selection produce evolutionarily  novel structures, what traits are adaptive, and using a comparative  approach, what is the outcome of selection on adaptations across  species and environments?  I am using members of the milkweed sub- family (Asclepiadoideae) to answer these questions because they have  very unique flowers and are found in a variety of environments  throughout the world. To measure direct selection, with the intent of  identifying adaptations to pollinators, I will focus on three native  species in the genus Asclepias.

Name:  Jason Martina (marti993@msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology
Advisor:  Hamilton/Turetsky
Research Locations:  Lux Arbor
Degrees Held:  M.S., Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 2006; B.S., Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 2004; A.S., Biology, McHenry County College, 2002
Starting Year in Program:  2006
Research Interests:  wetland biogeochemistry and ecosystem ecology
Statement: I am interested in plant species/trait effects on ecosystem function.  More specifically, I am investigating how the invasion of aggressive wetland plant species, such as Phalaris arundinacea, influences nitrogen retention and removal in Michigan wetlands.  This is of importance because wetlands play a critical role in nitrogen storage and removal on the landscape through processes like sedimentation and denitrification, and these processes are likely altered by changes in dominant species.  My main research goal is to link dominant plant traits to variation in N cycling, mediated by the soil microbial community.

Name: Jarad Mellard (mellard@.msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology
Advisor: Chris Klausmeier
Research Location: Gull Lake
Degrees Held: B.S., Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 2003
Starting Year in Program : 2005
Research Interests: phytoplankton community ecology
Statement: I am interested in organism x environment interactions and the processes responsible for natural selection. Specifically, my dissertation research examines the role of physical mixing on phytoplankton community structure in lakes. The physical fluid environment determines the vertical distribution of phytoplankton as well as the nutrient, light, and predation environments they experience. Resultant production and selection for traits depend on the intensity and vertical extent of mixing. I attempt to fit community structure to the environment, sort out how mixing affects species coexistence, and understand the impact of biological-physical coupling on aquatic ecosystems.

Name: Sara Parr Syswerda (parrsar1@msu.edu)
Department: Crop and Soil Science
Advisor: Phil Robertson
Research Location: Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held: B.S. 2003, Cornell University
Starting Year in Program : 2003
Research Interests: Ecosystem services from agricultural systems
Statement: The focus of my research is on the effect of management on the partitioning of ecosystem services in agricultural systems. I am currently looking at the impact of rotational diversity and nitrogen fertilization level on nitrate leaching, green house gas production, and carbon sequestration. I am using data from the mainsite LTER as well as from the Biodiversity and Nitrogen Rate Study experiments. I hope to also interview farmers to determine the likelihood and feasibility of giving farmer green payments for ecosystem services. This research is important because of the extent of agriculture over the globe and the amount of pollution that agriculture produces.

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Name: Todd Robinson (robin590@msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology & Ecology; Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program
Advisors: Kay Gross, Gary Mittelbach
Research Location: Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held: B.A., 2003, Dartmouth College
Starting Year in Program : 2005
Research Interests: Resource variation, community ecology
Statement:My current research is focused on examining how predicted changes in precipitation patterns might affect community structure in mesic systems.

Name:  Anne Royer (royerann@msu.edu)
Department:  Plant Biology
Advisor:  Jeff Conner
Research Location:  Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held:  B.A., Oberlin College, 2002
Starting Year in Program:  2006
Research Interests:  Floral evolution and plant-pollinator interactions
Statement: Broadly, I am interested in how interactions between species contribute to the evolution of biodiversity. My research focus is on the evolutionary ecology of plant-insect interactions, particularly plant-pollinator relationships.  I am presently looking at the evolution of floral traits in Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae); I am interested in how the transition to self-pollination has influenced the evolution of stamen number.  I am also interested in questions relating to plant selection on pollinators and plant-pollinator coevolution; to pursue these ideas, I am planning exploratory studies in spring 2008 on Claytonia virginica (Portulacaceae) and its specialist pollinator Andrena erigeniae.

Name:  Leilei Ruan (ruanleil@msu.edu)
Department:  Crop and Soil Sciences
Advisor:  Phil Robertson
Degrees Held:  M.S., Soil Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, 2007; B.S., Land Resources Management, Anhui Agricultural University, 2004
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name:  Iurii Shcherbak (shcherba@msu.edu)
Department:  Crop and Soil Sciences
Advisor:  Phil Robertson
Degrees Held:  Diploma in Computer Science, 2006, Moscow State University
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name: Jay Sobel (sobelj@msu.edu)
Department: Plant Biology and EEBB
Advisor: Doug Schemske
Research Location: Mainly in California throughout the Sierra Nevada and into the Cascades
Degrees Held: B.S., 1998, Western Michigan
Starting Year in Program: 2002
Research Interests: Evolutionary ecology and genetics
Statement: My current research focuses on the pattern and process of speciation. A fundamental unanswered question in speciation is what components of reproductive isolation are most important in forming new species. In order to answer this, I am examining the strength of reproductive barriers between recently diverged sister species in the wildflower genus Mimulus. I employ a variety of methods to assess important ecological barriers such as differences in habitat, timing of reproduction, and pollinators in this phylogenetic comparative context. Experimental hybridizations are being performed in the greenhouse to measure components of isolation related to intrinsic genetic isolation such as gametic isolation and hybrid inviability. Additionally, with the aid of sequence-based markers developed through a collaborative effort, I am estimating patterns of historical and current gene flow between these pairs of close relatives.

Name:  Tomomi Suwa (suwatomo@msu.edu)
Department:  Plant Biology and EEBB
Advisor:  Jen Lau
Research Location:  Kellogg Biological Station
Degrees Held: M.S., Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008; B.Sc. (Honors), Ecology, University of Guelph, 2004
Starting Year in Program:  2008
Statement: I am broadly interested in the ecology and evolution of species interactions. Recently, I became interested in direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic disturbance on the outcome of species interaction, including plant-rhizobia mutualisms and competition among plant species. I am currently studying the ecological and evolutionary consequences of herbicide application on mutualism between herbicide tolerant soybeans and rhizobia. The soybean-rhizobia system is an ideal system to test how strong selection agents can potentially alter the strength of plant-rhizobia mutualism.  Furthermore, it may provide some important insights in agricultural practices, if herbicide severely reduces rhizobia performance and decreases net crop yield. I am addressing similar questions on crop weeds, and am particularly interested in the factors that may facilitate or limit rapid evolution of herbicide resistance, including levels of standing genetic variation in natural weed populations and ecological trade-offs.

Name:  Edythe Sonntag (sonntage@msu.edu)
Department:  Fisheries/Wildlife
Advisor:  T. Burton, Steve Hamilton
Research Location:  Southern half of the Lower Peninsula
Degrees Held: 
Starting Year in Program:  2005
Research Interests:  Amphibian biology, behavior and conservation
Statement: I am studying the status of the Blanchard's cricket frog (Acris crepitans blanchardi) in Michigan. This species was once the most common in Michigan, but has declined significantly in the last 20 years. Only approximately 25 populations remain in the state at this time. My goal is to first locate the remaining populations in Michigan and then study a subset of those populations to identify natural history characteristics such as migratory ability, habitat use, population dynamics, and population connectedness. To help answer these questions I am using call surveys, mark/recapture surveys, and genetic analysis and looking at the spatial distribution of the popualtions using GPS/GIS technology. In addition, I am comparing responses to calls to determine if there are call dialects forming in geographically isolated populations.

Name:  Mridul Thomas (thomasmr@msu.edu)
Department:  Zoology
Advisor:  Elena Litchman
Degrees Held:  M.Sc., Marine Science, University of Goa, 2007; B.Sc., Zoology, University of Madras, 2005
Starting Year in Program:  2007

Name: Brook Wilke (wilkebro@kbs.msu.edu)
Department: Crop and Soil Sciences
Advisor: Sigelinde Snapp
Research Location: KBS, Nebraska, Michigan, and Kansas
Degrees Held: B.S., Biology, Nebraska Weslyan University, 2004
Starting Year in Program: 2006
Research Interests: Agroecology in midwestern grain cropping ecosystems
Statement: My research aims to better understand plant communities in agricultural ecosystems so that farmers can sustain productivity over long periods using ecological tools rather than chemical means. Two promising ecologically based alternatives to chemical fertilizer management are winter annual cover crops and perennial grain polycultures. Identification of well adapted varieties, species and complementary mixtures of species are key to the reliability of these alternative systems. These two approaches appear to contribute important ecosystem services such as increased nutrient use efficiency, but must be implemented in ways that maintain profitability for farmers.