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The
Center
maintains links to ongoing research studies on the biodiversity of
Kentucky.
Such projects include those addressing basic questions of demography,
ecology,
systematic status, as well as applied research relating to
environmental
vulnerability, assessment, and management of sensitive taxa.
If you are currently involved in
a project
you would like listed on this page, please contact the director at Philip.Lienesch@wku.edu.
In the message, include a description of the project, web site URL,
mailing
address (including EMail) and phone number of at least one contact
person.
WESTERN
KENTUCKY
UNIVERSITY
Dr.
Lawrence Alice
| My research interests
include the taxonomy and evolutionary biology of the economically
important plant genera Rubus (blackberries and raspberries) and Mentha
(including spearmint and peppermint), mainly using molecular
techniques, notably PCR and DNA sequencing, to address these
evolutionary questions. Data are used to infer evolutionary
(phylogenetic) relationships, test hypotheses of hybridization, examine
biogeographic patterns, and consider modes of speciation. |
Dr. Richard Bowker
Herpetology -
Physiological Ecology
|
Dr.
Ken Crawford
Activity levels and
ecophysiology of overwintering
turtles
Amphibian monitoring |
Dr.
Blaine Ferrell
| Impact of brown-headed
cowbird parasitism
on the reproductive success of neotropical migrants nesting in Mammoth
Cave National Park |
Dr.
Scott Grubbs
The current research in my
lab focuses on
three themes: (1) spatial distribution and importance of environmental
variables, ranging from watershed size and disturbance frequency to
substratum type and stream depth, on stream macroinvertebrates and fish
assemblages, (2) mechanisms regulating the processing of autumn-shed
leaves in ponds and streams, and (3) biogeography and taxonomy of
stoneflies.
Co-director: WKU Upper Green
River Biopreserve
|
Dr. Steven Huskey
I currently study gross
anatomy, skeletal articulations, and biomechanical measures to link
form and function in vertebrate feeding mechanisms, using techniques
such as electromyography, high-speed videography, and suction pressure
generation to measure performance. A typical model involves the
feeding mechanism of fishes, namely basses, sunfishes, and snook.
Vertebrate locomotion and flight are also areas of specific interest.
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Dr. Philip
Lienesch
I currently have two
contracts to study fish distributions at Mammoth Cave National
Park. One study focuses on the fishes living in the free-flowing
and impounded sections of the Green River as it passes through the park
and the second is examining whether above surface water fishes enter
into the cave system and if so, do they have any impact on cave
organisms.
|
Dr. Jeffrey Marcus
The color patterns on the
wings of butterflies and moths are among the most striking visual
patterns in nature, and have played an important role in the
development of ecological and evolutionary theory. My
laboratory is studying how butterflies and moths make these
patterns by a series of genetic interactions that occur during wing
development. Changing these interactions can result in changes in the
adult color pattern. We are interested in manipulating these
interactions and looking at how these interactions have changed over
evolutionary time to produce the color patterns found in different
species of butterflies and moths.
|
Dr.
Doug McElroy
I am an evolutionary
biologist interested in the genetic control of phenotypic variation and
its consequences for evolution and speciation. The majority of my
research focuses on the cichlid fishes of Lake Malawi, Africa;
currently, I am investigating the genetic basis of color variation, as
well as differences in visual sensitivities among species and their
possible associations with habitat, trophic ecology and
phylogeny. I maintain a secondary interest in population genetics
and wildlife molecular forensics.
|
Dr.
Albert Meier
My best-known research
focuses on the influence of disturbance on the structure and function
of forest communities and ecosystems. I have also published on
the ecology of Caribbean Island and landscape ecology. My current
research also includes restoration of native flora including the
American chestnut, and landscape influences on environmental conditions
in streams.
Gap
dynamics in the Ozarks
Co-director: WKU Upper Green River Biopreserve
|
Dr.
Ouida Meier
Dr. Keith Philips
My research is in the
field of insect systematics and diversity, with an emphasis on
beetles. My research interests are in conducting evolutionary and
biogeographic analyses, and behavioral and ecological studies,
particularly those relevant to conservation. I have also used
geographic information systems for studying insect distributions and
have been involved in several surveys of oak savannas and tropical
forests. Most recently I have been studying dung beetles, and my
data has altered the current concept of the evolution of dung
manipulation, nesting behavior, and relationships among the
tribes. Currently I am studying the ecology of dung beetles of
the Upper Guinean Forests of Ghana, West Africa, one of 25 biodiversity
conservation hotspots in the world.
|
Dr. Charles
H. Smith
Bibliography and
bibliometrics
History of biogeography and
the study
of biodiversity
Life and work of Alfred Russel
Wallace
I am currently finishing up an enhanced bibliography (with links to the
full text of about 400 of the items) of selected 1951-1975 literature
on biogeography, diversity, and related fields for mounting on the
Internet, complementing my already operating "Early Classics in
Biogeography, Diversity, and Distribution Studies: To 1950”.
|
Dr. Michael
Smith
Neurophysiology
of the fish inner ear
effects
of anthropogenic sound on fishes
|
Dr.
Michael Stokes
I am currently involved in
two projects: (1) investigating the interactions between small mammal
populations and native grasslands restoration/construction, and (2)
developing support and curatorial services for long-term ecological
monitoring an inventory programs with the National Park Service.
|
ASSOCIATES
WESTERN
KENTUCKY
UNIVERSITY
Dr.
Gary Dillard
| Taxonomy and ecology of
freshwater algae,
especially the Chlorophyceae and Chrysophyceae |
Dr.
Larry Elliott
Environmental
microbiology
Testing water samples for
microbial pathogens |
Dr.
Robert Hoyt
Watershed analysis of the
Mammoth Cave
region
Impact of agricultural runoff
on stream
fish community structure |
| Dr. Kessler is the
director of The Nature
Conservancy’s Green River Conservation Program. This landscape scale,
community-based
program works to promote the conservation of the state’s most diverse
river
system. The program focuses on the upper Green from the Green River
Reservoir
to the mouth of the Nolin River and all the watershed in-between. Dr.
Kessler
and others are working to identify and address the major threats to
biodiversity.
Their study includes examining the effects of flow and temperature
modification
and non-point source pollution. The program incorporates private
landowners and the community as a whole in on-the-ground conservation
work
such as restoring riparian buffers and constructing cattle fences.
State
and federal agencies are also involved with the program to assist with
finding solutions to identified threats. The program also funds various
long-term ecological research on fish and invertebrates in support of
potential
restoration of more natural river flow and temperatures. |
| Dr. Frederick and his
graduate students
are currently involved in several biodiversity related research
projects.
One project concerns the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Resources
(KDFWR) Technical Guidance Program Evaluation. This consists of
determining
if wildlife populations at the local level have responded to habitat
improvement
work implemented through KDFWR Technical Guidance Programs. This
includes
examining key species abundance and richness. A second project involves
the ecology of wild hogs (Sus scrofa) in southeastern Kentucky. Hogs
are
radio-tracked in order to better learn and understand their ecology
with
a sample being used to document existing diseases. A third project
involves
the breeding biology, habitat use and survival rates of swamp rabbit
(Sylvilagus
aquaticus) populations. A fourth project involves initiating a study to
determine if trace minerals can be used to establish the origin
(breeding
areas) of Kentucky’s wintering and fall-migrant ducks. Lastly, Dr.
Frederick,
Dr. Stephen Sumithran and students are involved with a project
concerning
GIS modeling of ecological factors associated with wood rat (Neotoma
floridana)
distribution. |
| Dr. Staddon is interested
in biodiversity
related issues targeting the microbial level. His current plans are to
conduct a research program to examine microbial diversity in forest
soils
in Kentucky. |
KENTUCKY
STATE
UNIVERSITY
Dr.
David Gordon (Division of Math & Sciences)
| Dr Gordon is currently
conducting research
on the ecology, conservation and behavior of bees. His emphasis is on
the
roles native bees as pollinators play in wildlands, gardens and
commercial
crops. Dr. Gordon is examining how conservation of wildlife habitat can
benefit farmers through the pollination services provided by native
bees
and other “alternative pollinators” and how conservation of native bees
can benefit wildlife programs by providing the pollination services
required
to produce seed and fruits that wildlife depend on for food, and that
native
plants depend on for reproduction. |
| During the spring of 2000,
Dr. Kingsolver
conducted a sabbatical project collecting data on the flora of the John
James Audubon State Park. His work included site data, natural history
observations and photographs of many of the spring and summer
wildflowers.
He is also involved in the monitoring of water quality in the North
Panther
Creek watershed in Daviess County. This work is funded by the EPA and
involves
chemical and physical analyses of the stream. Students working on the
project
are investigating macro invertebrates as bio-indicators every
year. |
MOREHEAD
STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr.
David Eisenhour (Department of Biological and Environmental
Sciences)
| Dr. Eisenhour’s research
involves documenting
the biodiversity of fish found in the Kentucky region. His current
projects
include a systematic study of minnows and madtom catfish and
ichthyofaunal
surveys and population estimates in the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Graduate
students of Dr. Eisenhour are working on the spatial and temporal
variation
of fish communities in Triplett Creek, Kentucky and conducting an
analysis
of habitat characteristics limiting Clinostomus elongatus distribution
in Kentucky. |
| Dr. Derting is presently
involved with
the Vertebrate Distribution Mapping Component of the Kentucky Gap
Analysis
Project. The goals of this project are two fold: 1) to provide maps of
unknown confidence that predict the distributions of terrestrial
vertebrates
in Kentucky on order to support analysis of the conservation status of
vertebrate species and 2) to develop a database of locational records,
geographic range, wildlife habitat associations and predicted
distributions
of each vertebrate species for the long-term utility of the Kentucky
Department
of Fish and Wildlife resources and its cooperators. |
| Dr. Dahlem is an insect
systematist whose
primary interest is in calyptrate Diptera, especially within the
familes
Sarcophagidae (flesh flies) and Calliphagidae (blow flies). He also
works
with the Tachinidae and is currently working on a revision of Ravinia
(Diptera:
Sarcophagidae), a common genus of mostly dung breeding flies. Dr.
Dahlem has recently finished a revision of the flesh flies, which live
as inquilines in the pitchers of North American pitcher plants. He is
also
the Adjunct Curator of the entomological collections at the Cincinnati
Museum of Natural History. |
| Dr. Dalton is involved
with habitat restoration
and management of wetlands, grasslands,and woodlands. He also conducts
natural areas inventory of the northern Bluegrass region of Kentucky. |
| Dr. Giesmann is involved
in a project
to established a repository for germplasm of rare and endangered plants
(as listed by KSPNC) using cryopreservation of seeds and tissue
cultures
in liquid nitrogen. For further information on this project or to
contribute
material, please contact Dr. Giesmann. |
| Dr. Luken studies species
diversity and
the effects of disturbance gradients on the shorelines of flood control
reservoirs. He also examnines the ecological effects of invasive
species. |
| Dr. Naczi is involved with
plant systematics
and the diversity of sedges. His current projects include examining the
diversity of sedges in Kentucky and state nature preserves and the
systematics
of rare and endangered species. |
| Currently, Dr. Wagner is
working part-time
on a biodiversity study concerning the spiders of Kentucky. Visit The
Spiders of Kentucky website for information on spider anatomy,
poisonous
species, common species, basic spider identification and a species
list. |
| Dr. Kolka is a watershed
hydrologist currently
involved in building and maintaining a long-term baseline hydrological
and water quality data set for eastern Kentucky forested watersheds |
| Dr. Maehr is presently
involved in elk
restoration research being conducted in eastern Kentucky. By visiting
the Kentucky Elk
Research Project
website, you will learn about the reintroduction of elk into Kentucky
as
well as be able to view video footage of the first elks released in
2000.
Current research includes studies on the activity and movement of the
elk
herd and their impacts on whitetail deer and coyote. |
| Dr. Rieske-Kinney is
involved with several
projects dealing with artropods in Eastern Kentucky forests. |
Dr.
David Wise (Department of Entomology)
| Dr. Wise’s research
concerns the complexities
of interactions in ecological communities. Specifically, he is
examining
the food web dynamics of forest-floor leaf litter, and the conservation
and enhancement of native generalist predators for biological control
of
crop pests. |
| Dr. Covell is a leading
authority of the
Lepidoptera of Kentucky and currently has records of over 2,400 known
species. |
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