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Faculty News and Updates

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From publishing books to winning national awards, our faculty have made their mark on the field of ecology and evolutionary biology over the past year. Below is a sampling of articles from our EEB blog. We hope you enjoy reading about our fantastic faculty!

Michael Blum’s research on rats was featured on The Atlantic’s CityLab website. Read More.

Gordon Burghardt was featured in a Discover magazine article about play behavior in non-mammalian animals. Read More. He has also been featured in the Knoxville News Sentinel, on NPR, and the Observer.

Todd Freeberg’s behavioral ecology study was featured in an article in Natural History. Read More.

Sergey Gavrilets coauthored paper about a new study that sheds light on the power of norms and the origins of cooperation. Read More. Gavrilets also authored a paper in Science Reports that is getting international attention. Read More.

Louis J. Gross has been chosen as a member of the inaugural class of fellows of the Society for Mathematical Biology. Read More.

Colleen M. Iversen has been named as an Ecological Society of America Early Career Fellow for 2017. Read More.

Brandon Matheny authored Fungi of Australia: Inocybaceae. It is a major revision and describes a total of 137 recognized species, of which 101 are new to science! Read More. He also received an award from the Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation to revise the taxonomy of species of mushroom-forming fungi called Inocybe. Read More. Finally, Matheny’s research about hallucinogenic mushrooms and their insect-repellent properties received some attention this year. Read More.

Matheny Lab graduate students published papers that ended up on the cover of two scientific magazines. Read More.

Gary McCracken published a paper about a new study demonstrating Brazilian free-tailed bats are faster than previously documented. Read More.

Beth Schussler is co-PI on collaborative NSF S-STEM grant, which will provide scholarships and research opportunities for STEM-focused students from rural Appalachia to attend UT. Read More.

Kimberly Sheldon was featured in Entomology Today for her work on climate and thermal limits in beetles. Read More.

Daniel Simberloff, the Gore Hunger Professor of Environmental Science, received the Honorable John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Award at the 2016 California Islands Symposium. Read More. Simberloff and postdoc Christy Leppanen received a grant from the Eppley Foundation for hemlock woolly adelgid research. Read More. Simberloff was also featured in Wired and Slate magazines.

Awards and Accolades

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Congratulations to students, faculty, and staff in EEB who have won grants, awards, and recognitions since our last newsletter. We published a majority of these on our website throughout the year, but wanted to provide a quick recap for this edition of our newsletter:

Kenna Rewcastle, a 2015 graduate of the College Scholars program, was awarded a Fulbright US Student Program Grant for 2016–17.

Postdoc J. Mason Heberling (Kalisz Lab) has been awarded a two-year National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship.

Michael Van Nuland (Schweitzer Lab) received a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation.

Grad student Jessica Welch (McCracken and Simberloff Labs) was one of just six recipients of the “Graduate Student Policy Award” from the Ecological Society of America.

Current graduate students Michael Van Nuland, Rachel Wooliver, Ian Ware, Alix Pfennigwerth, Liam Mueller, and recent graduate Quentin Read (’16) had an article on the cover of Functional Ecology Special Feature on Plant Soil Feedback in June 2016.

Graduate student Brian Looney (Matheny Lab) had one of his Russula mushroom photos from Thailand on the cover of the January 2016 issue of Molecular Ecology.

Alumna Sara Kuebbing (’14), now a postdoc at Yale, was awarded a Smith Fellowship from the Society of Conservation Biology.

Rachel Wooliver (Schweitzer Lab) won the 2016 Francis and Evelyn Clark Soil Biology Scholarship from the Soil Science Society of America (one of two awarded every year).

Graduate student Alix Pfennigwerth (Schweitzer Lab) won a scholarship to support her travel, lodging, and registration to attend the Natural Areas Conference. While there, she received the award for Best Student Oral Presentation.

Ian Ware (Bailey Lab) received a $5,000 grant from the Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research, and a $9,500 Center for Tree Science Graduate Research Fellowship with the Morton Arboretum.

Professor Susan Riechert received the 2016 SEC Faculty Achievement Award.

Rachel Fovargue (Armsworth Lab) received a 2016-2017 Yates Dissertation Fellowship.

Kim Bush (’73), who received his degree in Zoology, was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus at the Alumni Board Awards dinner for his lifetime devotion to the advancement of global health.

Associate Professor Beth Schussler received an Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award at the Chancellor’s Honors Banquet in April.

Justin Hendy (Small Lab) received an award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching during Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week at UT.

Jim Fordyce was promoted from associate to full professor.

EEB Graduate Student Awards:

  • Outstanding Publication by a Graduate Student – Zach Marion (Fitzpatrick Lab)
  • Sandy Echternacht Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student – Ian Ware (Bailey Lab)
  • Outstanding Outreach & Community Service – Rachel Fovargue (Armsworth Lab)
  • Outstanding Master’s Thesis – Nate Sutton (Armsworth Lab)
  • Jim Tanner Outstanding Dissertation – Austin Milt (Armsworth Lab)
  • Best Progress Towards Dissertation – Michael Van Nuland (Schweitzer Lab)
  • Thomas G. Hallam Appreciation Award – Zach Marion (Fitzpatrick Lab)

EEB Undergraduate Student Awards:

  •  Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award – Christian Yarber (O’Meara Lab)
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Poster Award – Christian Yarber (O’Meara Lab)
  • Undergraduate Award for Professional Promise – Patrick McKenzie (Armsworth Lab)
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Award – Jacob Wessels (Kwit Lab)

EEB Staff Awards:

  •  EEB Outstanding Administrative Service Award 2016 – Janice Harper

Art and Science Working in Harmony in the Halls of Hesler

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art of plantsThe halls of Hesler look more like an art museum than the plant biology section of a science building thanks to a generous donation from Michael A. Mouron in honor of his father, Alfred Mouron, a graduate of the UT engineering program (’41). But art and science work in harmony, reminding the next generation of botanists of the natural beauty of their subjects, even when they are working in the lab.

W. Graham Arader III facilitated the donation of dozens of fine, hand-colored engravings to the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture. Some of the works are on loan to EEB so they can be displayed on the second and third floors of Hesler for all to view and appreciate. The collection includes works by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Robert John Thornton, and Johann Wilhelm Weinmann. Most of the works depict an individual species, but some show small thematic groups of plants (e.g. American bog plants), and there is even a portrait of Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy.

Other donations facilitated by Arader are installed in the Burchfiel Geography Building and Ayres Hall. Arader’s mission is to bring the art and science of natural history illustration to the next generation.

Field of Constructed Wetlands Born Because of Work by UT Alum

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Curt RichardsonIn 1972, UT was one of two universities offering a PhD in ecology. Curt Richardson (PhD ’72) was the second person to ever graduate from UT with a PhD in ecology.

“No question UT put me on the path to a remarkable career,” says Richardson, who was hired as assistant professor of ecology in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Michigan after completing his degree. During his time at the University of Michigan, he worked on one of the first major studies in the United States on the ecological and biogeochemical effects of waste water additions to wetlands at Houghton Lake.

“I am proud to say my research showed that wetlands cannot efficiently remove phosphorus from the water and that the natural wetland communities were greatly altered by the invasion of cattails,” says Richardson, whose research stopped EPA from approving the use of natural wetlands for wastewater treatment. “Thus, the field of constructed wetlands was born.”

Richardson accepted a position as head of the ecology program in the Duke School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, which later became the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. In the 38 years since, Richardson has worn many hats from ecology program chairman to acting dean of the school.

“However,” says Richardson, “my first love is teaching and research.” As professor of resource ecology, he has mentored hundreds of students and founded the Duke University Wetland Center in 1989.

Throughout his career, he has directed research on some of the most important wetland and water issues of our time. He is the author or co-author of over 200 peer-reviewed papers, written several books, received numerous national awards, and has been listed in Who’s Who in Science each year since 1989.

“These career achievements cannot outshine the real value of having the opportunity to work with great students and people over the past four decades.”

We love to hear from our alumni! Visit our Alumni News page and please share what is happening in your life using the Google Form link. Your story may end up on our website, social media platforms, or in our newsletter.

UT Alum Joins EEB as Greenhouse Manger

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Jeff MartinEarlier this year, Jeff Martin began as the new greenhouse and garden facility manager for EEB. A native of South Carolina, Jeff received his BS in horticulture from Clemson University and his MS in crop science from UT. His greenhouse experience ranges from ornamental propagation, organic vegetable production, and maintaining and expanding tropical plant collections.

The greenhouses, currently under renovation, help sustain UT as a renowned research institution by providing research opportunities and facilities for faculty and students. Greenhouses are a great place for students to observe and experiment with a wide range of plant families. The diverse collection in the EEB greenhouses reflects plants from tropical, temperate, and arid climates from around the planet.

Donations also help to support the greenhouses and outdoor gardens. Gift funds can be donated to the Ken McFarland Fund (greenhouses) and the Walter Herndon Garden Fund (outdoor gardens).

Simplifying Ecological Complexity

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Zachary MarionEvery day, biologists face the challenge of interpreting the patterns and processes of highly complex systems such as genomes, trait complexes, or communities. Zachary Marion, a graduate student in the Fitzpatrick Lab, is tackling the question of how biologists can reduce the diversity and complexity of these systems in a meaningful and understandable way in his study system of North American fireflies.

“Most people are unaware that fireflies deter predators with a diverse, toxic cocktail of over 850 compounds,” says Marion. “Much of the variation in toxin profiles can be explained by species identity and mate-signaling strategy. Interestingly, the chemotypes of nocturnal, bioluminescent fireflies are quite different from the toxins of day-active fireflies that signal mates with pheromones.”

With help from several funding sources, including NSF, DDIG, Hollaender, Fite, and Science Alliance awards, he discovered regular patterns in this defensive complex.

Unsatisfied with traditional statistical approaches, Marion borrowed from community ecology and developed a novel and intuitive statistical framework to describe phenotypic diversity. He looked at the average chemical diversity within a mate-signaling strategy and the effective number of distinct chemical cocktails present within a species.

One genus of fireflies, for example, does not make toxins themselves. Called femmes fatales, Photuris fireflies mimic the flashes of other species. When suitors approach in hopes of mating, they are eaten and their chemical defenses are stolen.

Using the method described above, Marion learned that the average femme fatale possesses few compounds relative to other fireflies, but are quite different from one another, most likely due to random sampling of their prey.

Marion received several awards during the EEB awards ceremony this spring. In addition to the Fite Award, which recognizes an outstanding graduate student in the Division of Biology, he received the Outstanding Publication by a Graduate Student award from EEB for his article “Extending the Concept of Diversity Partitioning to Characterize Phenotypic Complexity.” Marion also received the Thomas G. Hallam Appreciation Award, which is awarded by EEB graduate students to an individual for outstanding contributions towards improvement of the graduate experience.

Budke Excited to Expand Scope and Reach of UT Herbarium

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Jessica Budke,“Plants are my passion,” says Assistant Professor Jessica Budke, whose research focus is on the development and evolution of mosses.

As the new director of the UT Herbarium, she is proud to carry on the strong tradition of bryological research at UT, which began in 1934 with A. J. (Jack) Sharp.

The herbarium, UT’s plant library, is one of the largest in the Southeast with over 600,000 specimens from across the state of Tennessee and beyond. This biodiversity collection serves as a resource for researchers studying global climate change, biological invasions, and species relationships.

“Our research abilities and the increasing usefulness of biodiversity collections for the study of our living planet will continue to expand as we look to the future,” says Budke.

The herbarium is located in Temple Hall. Budke and her team are planning renovations to enhance the space and increase visiting researcher capacity. They are also expanding the herbarium team to include additional undergraduate students to participate in ongoing mounting and databasing projects.

The continuing support of the L. R. Hesler Endowment, which annually funds a graduate student research assistantship in the herbarium, provides EEB graduate students with the opportunity to gain advanced training in biodiversity research and specimen curation. The assistantship prepares them to be the next wave of successful scientists. Additionally, Budke is expanding the herbarium team to include adult volunteers. Interested in contributing? Contact jbudke@utk.edu

“I am excited to be joining an EEB department with a strong track record of botanical excellence,” says Budke. “It is an energetic and stimulating time to be joining the department. I look forward to engaging in collaborative projects with other EEB members that increase our botanical knowledge within the state of Tennessee and beyond.”

Stay in touch with the UT Herbarium!

Dung Beetle Research Helps Predict Human Impacts on Ecological Communities

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Dung BeetleA desire to understand the patterns and processes that determine the distribution of species and to use this information to predict impacts of anthropogenic change on species and ecological communities is what motivates Kimberly Sheldon’s research.

“I work primarily with dung beetles, a fascinating group that use dung as a food resource and for breeding purposes,” says Sheldon, a new assistant professor in the department. “By integrating the fields of ecology, physiology, and evolution, I have shown that dung beetles in the tropics have a narrower range of temperatures they can handle compared to dung beetles in temperate areas, which makes the tropical species more vulnerable to temperature change.”

Sheldon is excited to join the department because of the breadth and depth of research being conducted by EEB faculty and students and the opportunities for collaborative research. She has received a warm welcome from members of the EEB administration, as well as staff in the college and university. Additionally, she is impressed with the number of bright, highly motived undergraduate students in the EEB program.

“For an ecologist like myself, the Smokies offer exceptional biological diversity – including several species of dung beetle – close to home,” says Sheldon. “I am also excited for football season and the energy it brings to campus! Go Vols!”

Investigating Evolution, Individual, and Group Behaviors

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Nina FeffermanFascinated with the idea that huge and complicated tasks can be accomplished by groups that could not individually observe or understand the broader goal, much less design it, Nina Fefferman, associate professor, developed her research focus on how evolution can shape individual behaviors that only work when performed as part of a group.

“I study what types of images can be created by letting jigsaw puzzle pieces run around and attach themselves whenever they find another piece that fits,” says Fefferman, who recently joined EEB from a faculty position at Rutgers University.

Fefferman loves how many different aspects of nature and society are shaped by self-organizing, complex adaptive systems. In her research, she jumps from system to system, constantly learning new things with new, wonderful collaborators and students, while still being able to advance scientific understanding. With her lab collaborators, she has worked on everything from how to prepare for pandemics, to how real estate markets work, to how the evolution of bees can help design more secure internet systems.

“I’m really excited to be joining the department here in Knoxville,” says Fefferman. “There are so many amazing colleagues exploring a wide diversity of research questions at the interface of EEB and mathematics. I’m going to love being able to share my excitement and exchange ideas about both math AND biology rather than having to choose only one half of my soul, depending on the company!”

Prepared for Life After Undergrad

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Patrick MckenzieFor the past year, Patrick Mckenzie, a senior in the EEB program, worked in the Armsworth Lab on his undergraduate research project based on data collected throughout southern Appalachia by fellow and former lab members.

The data, which were collected from areas protected by The Nature Conservancy, includes information about individual trees across nine states. Also included are descriptive characteristics – such as elevation, latitude, and area – for each protected site. In his project, Mckenzie tests whether the elevation range within a given site does a good job of explaining tree diversity within that site.

He’s received lots of feedback and support for the project within EEB – from opportunities to present throughout the department to presentations at research conferences. In addition to supplementing his research experience, Mckenzie credits faculty within EEB for helping prepare him for life after undergrad.

“I hope to attend graduate school after I get my degree, and the personal attention from professors within the department has helped guide the early stages of my application process,” says Mckenzie. “The weekly guest seminars helped me meet other researchers from around the country. The connections I’ve made and the research I’ve done as an undergrad in EEB have helped me approach graduate school confidently and to feel like part of the broader EEB community.”

In May, Mckenzie received the EEB Undergraduate Award for Professional Promise at the annual EEB awards ceremony. He also received an honorable mention in the national Goldwater Scholarship program, which is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering in America.

“Patrick is as good as any undergraduate that I have encountered in the EEB major program to date,” says Paul Armsworth, professor and director of the Armsworth Lab. “He is right up there with our very, very best.”