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CECB UPDATE
Boston University • Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology • Fall 2005
GREETINGS FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
This edition of CECB Update is the eighth
consecutive year that we have produced
this newsletter to help keep you abreast
of the activities, programs, and events
associated with CECB. First of all, I am
pleased to tell you that 2005 marks the
10th Anniversary of Boston University’s
Tropical Ecology Program. Since 1996,
over 300 undergraduate concentrators
in biology and environmental science have participated in
this semester abroad program in Ecuador. Students
continue to rave about their experiences and the influence
that their participation has had on their subsequent
thinking and careers upon graduation. It is heartening to
learn that this program has provided an important turning
point in the lives of so many young people. We have
celebrated this milestone by producing two DVDs, one
highlighting the experiences of some of our former students
in this special program, and another emphasizing the
diversity of life that students experience in the tropical
ecosystems that best characterize Ecuador—the Amazonian
rainforest, the Andes Mountains, coastal South America,
and the Galapagos Islands.
In this Anniversary year, I am happy to tell you that the
Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS) is undergoing a major
facelift made possible by a grant from the National Science
Foundation (NSF)—with new student dormitories, an
expanded laboratory building, and other amenities—
including internet access and a new canopy tower that
will replace the access tree to our canopy walkway. These
changes will greatly benefit students who choose to
participate in our Tropical Ecology Program during the next
decade. The changes underway have drawn an increasing
number of scientists from around the world to conduct
research at the TBS—including CECB Associate Nathan
Phillips—who was recently funded by NSF to investigate
the physiological ecology of tropical palms. In collaboration
with German scientists, Christian Voigt, Detlev Kelm, and
Katja Rex, CECB Director Thomas Kunz has been assessing
the biodiversity of bats at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station
for the past several years. This research has led to the
discovery that this region of the Amazonian rainforest may
support the highest diversity of bats anywhere in the world.
This finding complements similar findings by CECB Faculty
Associate James Traniello and his students who also have
discovered an extraordinary high diversity of ants at TBS,
and other TBS researchers who have found similarly high
diversity of tree and beetle species diversity at this site.
GALAPAGOS SUMMIT ON EVOLUTION
Last June, tropical biologists,
evolutionary philosophers, historians,
and students converged on the
Galapagos island of San Cristobal for the
first ever World Summit on Evolution,
the first in a series of meetings to
discuss evolution. The summit, hosted
by CECB partner institution Universidad
San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), was held
in honor of the opening of the Galapagos Academic Institute
for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS).
Set on a 4.5 hectare campus, GAIAS overlooks the bay of
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and provides unparalleled access
to these unique islands as the only educational facility in
the archipelago. USFQ hopes GAIAS will become a premier
educational institution for researchers and students that
will promote biodiversity and encourage continued study
of evolutionary theory.
CECB Faculty Associate Thomas Kunz played an important
role in this groundbreaking conference. Dr. Kunz was
awarded a NSF grant to support the participation of 27
graduate students, two of whom (Polly Campbell and Pablo
Jarrin) were from Boston University. Dr. Kunz served as
one of eight summit organizers and chaired the second
session, titled “What is Evolution?,” on June 12. Four
researchers received honorary degrees from USFQ,
including Dr. Kunz.
CECB Associates continue their high visibility and productivity
in teaching, research and publications that focus on ecology
and the environment. We are especially pleased to welcome
Dr. Pamela Templer, a new Faculty Associate who is conducting
research on forest ecosystem processes and will be teaching
courses in forest ecology and environmental sciences.
As we face the many environmental challenges in the years
ahead, with increasing pressures from global climate change,
emerging diseases, and other threats to both terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems, we seek your continued interest and
support for educating and training the next generation of
students by providing them with the necessary financial and
logistics support to conduct research that promises to make
a difference. We welcome your continued support of our
programs and research activities.
With best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year,
Thomas H. Kunz
10 INCREDIBLE YEARS
TROPICAL ECOLOGY PROGRAM
The Spring 2005 semester of the Tropical Ecology Program officially marked the program’s 10th Anniversary.
Since its inception in 1996, over 300 students have taken part in this unique, field-based program based in
Ecuador that has provided aspiring biologists and environmental scientists with critical skills they will
require in their future professions.
Last spring, CECB sent the largest group to Ecuador in the history of the program, with 25 students in two
sections. This fall, fourteen students departed for Ecuador to participate in this program, where they
covered a wide range of topics, traveled to the mountainous regions of the Andes, sailed around the
Galapagos Islands, and lived in the Amazon rainforest.
Ever mindful for the future, the program continues to recruit students from across the United States. And,
this 10th Anniversary has proved to be an exciting time at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station. A recent grant
of $193,700 from the National Science Foundation has provided BU-TEP with the means to upgrade critical
infrastructure, including the construction of a new laboratory and improvements to student and researcher
housing. We ask you to join us in celebrating this program’s remarkable achievements.
“THIS PROGRAM DEVELOPS INVALUABLE THINKING AND
COOPERATIVVE SKILLS IN AN AMAZING ENVIRONMENTAL
SETTING.”
“THE
~SHANNON MCCOOK, 2005
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN THE
FIELD AND SPEND A SEMESTER IN ONLY SELF-INITIATED
WORK WAS UNBEATABLE...”
"AMAZING
PROGRAM
-
FINALLY GOT TO GO BEYOND
WHAT YOU LEARN IN A BOOK AND DECIPHER KNOWLEDGE
FOR MY OWN.
GREAT EXPERIENCE - OPENS YOUR EYES
TO WHAT THE WORLD IS REALLY LIKE WHILE GAINING
SO MUCH INSIGHT."
~ NICOLE SIMURO, 2005
~ROSIE DENT, 2005
TROPICAL ECOLOGY PROGRAM ALUMNI
Sean Dixon (Spring 2003) was a NOAA Fisheries Observer in Alaska following his
graduation in 2004. Sean is now studying environmental law at Pace Law and Yale.
([email protected])
Gabby Fredman (Fall 2003) is currently persuing her Ph.D. in Oral Biology at BU,
specifically studying inflammation and resolution of disease pathologies.
([email protected])
Denise Guillot (Fall 1999) has entered the Ph.D. program in Anthropology at Boston
University. She is currently conducting her fieldwork with primates at the Tiputini
Biodiversity Station in Ecuador and interacting with current BU-TEP students.
([email protected])
Shannon Gustafson (Spring 1999) currently teaches seventh grade life, physical, and
earth science classes in Milford, MA. Shannon still incorporates her Ecuadorian
experiences into many of her daily science lessons. ([email protected])
Andrea Lucky (Spring 1999) is now a Ph.D. student at the University of California –
Davis in Entomology, studying ant systematics and evolution. ([email protected])
Rex Malmstrom (Fall 1997) just completed her Ph.D. in Microbial Ecology at the
University of Delaware. He will begin a post-doctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology later this fall. ([email protected])
Janice Markey (Spring 1997) worked for some time as a forester for an electric company
in New Mexico. She has now resettled in Boston as an environmental scientist working
for a company that deals with industrial waste water management. ([email protected])
Rachel Meddaugh (Fall 2002) graduated in May 2004 and has now finished her first year
at the University of Rhode Island, where she is working on her Pharm.D. degree.
([email protected])
Brian Miller (Spring 2002) is currently enrolled in a marine science Ph.D. program at
the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. His research focus is sperm whale
ecology. ([email protected])
Jessica Muhlin (Spring 2000) is currently a Marine Biology Ph.D. candidate at the
University of Maine, focusing on the population genetic structure of rockweed. Presently,
her research involves releasing labeled oranges off coastal points to measure dispersal
potential and characterize circulation patterns. ([email protected])
Lydia Munger (Spring 1999) earned a Master of Environment Management from Duke
University and is currently employed as a Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator with
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in Washington, D.C.
([email protected])
Bridget O’Neill (Fall 1999) is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign. She works with Japanese beetles in the Entomology Department,
investigating the effects of atmospheric change on herbivorous insects.
([email protected])
Julie Palakovich (Spring 2004) is a first year graduate student at the University of
Minnesota – Duluth, where she is persuing research in ornithology.
([email protected])
Raymond Wright (Fall 2003) is currently enrolled at Harvard University’s Graduate
School of Education, where he will be completing his Masters Degree this coming spring
with the intention of becoming a secondary school biology teacher.
([email protected])
OUR SEARCH FOR MONKEYS
TROPICAL ECOLOGY
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
BY: CRAIG O’CONELL AND NICOLE SIMURO
Nothing will ever compare to our last day in the
rainforest, when we were lucky enough to see all nine species
of monkeys at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS). It had
been a goal of ours since the beginning to see every species,
but as of the last day we still had yet to see the pygmy
marmosets that inhabit the black water region. But on that
last day, we took a boat float and were lucky enough to see
these little guys and they were by far the cutest little
mammals we have ever seen. But that was only the start to
our day. On that boat float, we also spotted dusky titis (a
rare sight), squirrel monkeys, and wooly monkeys.
Once we completed out our boat trip, we decided to
take a long day hike. To our surprise we quickly ran into saki
monkeys, strange looking creatures with faces like those of a
sumo wrestler. Later on the hike, we heard the loud,
obnoxious yell of a howler monkey. We had heard the
monkey’s howl many times prior to this, but we could never
quite pinpoint its origins in the depths of the forest. With
determination, we searched for it and finally found the
monkey on top of a palm tree. When we stood underneath
the tree, the howling was so loud and frightening, it sounded
more like a movie monster than a primate.
The CECB, in collaboration with the Office
of Development and Alumni Relations and
the Office of Sponsored Programs, continues
its fund-raising campaign to support
scholarships for undergraduate, graduate,
and post-doctoral scholars to conduct
research in ecology and conservation biology.
The CECB wishes to acknowledge and thank
the following individuals and organizations
for their generous support this past year.
STRATOSPHERE CLUB (≥ $50,000)
The National Science Foundation
ECOSPHERE CLUB ($10,000 – $49, 999)
The Earle Chiles Foundation
Dr. Christopher Reaske, BU Development
CANOPY CLUB ($5,000 - $9,999)
Xerox
DIRECTOR’S CLUB ($2,500 - $4,999)
RAINFOREST CLUB ($1,000 - $2,499)
Merrill Family Charitable Foundation
Anthony and Gail Patt, BU Biology
FRIENDS OF CECB (UP TO $999)
Atop the Canopy Tower at TBS
Later in the day, we decided to walk to the canopy
tower so we could watch the sun set on our last day at Tiputini.
To our surprise we spotted the last two diurnal species of
monkeys, the spider monkeys and a large group of golden
tamarins, when we reached the top. A short time later we
found ourselves surrounded by woolly monkeys. Deciding
this was another great photo opportunity, we quickly walked
down several flights of stairs so we would be just below the
forest canopy, rather than on top of it. As we sat silently, a
baby woolly monkey with a head larger than its body came
within five feet of us to eat fruit in the trees. It was such an
amazing sight that we completely ignored the sunset and
began furiously taking pictures. After being entranced by all
this, we realized that we missed just about the entire sunset.
But we quickly forgot about that afterwards as we rolled
American Society of Mammalogists
Todd Klipp, BU General Council
Dr. Farouk El-Baz, Center for Remote Sensing
down the Tiputini River towards the dining hall
with the stars gazing down upon us. The night
ended with us seeing our first night monkey,
completing our ultimate goal of observing all
species of monkeys in one full day.
We will never forget the TBS and all the
amazing experiences we had there. This
beautiful place taught us life-changing lessons,
encouraged us to savor every moment, and
provided us with innumerable opportunities. We
hope to return one day to a TBS that is just as
diverse and enchanting as our last day in the
rainforest.
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
WATER AND FIENDS: EFFECTS ON HYLA EBRACCATA
Both abiotic conditions and natural enemies can have dramatic
effects on individual survival, plastic phenotypic responses, and
population processes. But, little work has addressed how these
factors interact. Justin Touchon, a Ph.D. student in the Warkentin
lab, is currently conducting a study to show the effects of combined
factors on the arboreal eggs and aquatic tadpoles of the neotropical
treefrog, Hyla ebraccata. His study will augment various
environmental factors, such as temperature, rainfall, and shading,
as well as monitor the effects of such changes on egg and larval
development, predation, and survival to maturity.
Touchon conducted the past season’s field research in Gamoba,
Panama, where he focused on two ponds where egg clutches are
commonly found. There, he conducted two primary experiments.
Touchon’s work has already produced some fascinating results, which
will be submitted for publication in Spring 2006.
A clutch of Hyla ebraccata eggs
In order to effectively gauge tadpole response to predator cues,
Touchon created three separate environments in which he reared
Hyla ebraccata. Two environments contained separate and distinct
predators and a third environment consisted of a control. The
three tadpole groups showed significant differences in growth, and
also differences in musculature and tail shapes when controlling
for body size. Most interestingly, however, tadpoles reared under
the influence of a predator did not show any increased fitness when
exposed to that predator or any other predator.
A second experiment evaluated the effect of changes in rainfall on clutches of
eggs. Hyla ebraccata lays its eggs on leaves above water where these eggs develop
very rapidly. Because of the rapid development of its eggs, short-term changes in
water exposure can alter its embryonic development. Naturally, these eggs develop
in three environments: eggs receiving heavy rain, eggs receiving little or no rain,
and eggs developing underwater. To determine the effects of changes in water
exposure, Touchon simulated these three environments and recorded hatching times
and development periods. He found significant variations upon doing so. Eggs that
hatched underwater hatched later and produced smaller, immature tadpoles than
eggs exposed to either heavy or little rain. Touchon continued this experiment by
exposing the resulting tadpoles to predation in the fall.
Large Hyla ebraccata tadpole
Hyla Ebraccata
metamorph without tail
Touchon and Warkentin hope that this research will improve
understanding of the interacting processes affecting amphibian
populations and offer predictions about effects of climate and
habitat change. This research will be informative to amphibian
conservation efforts and environmental education in a world
where climate and habitat change holds ever increasing
importance.
A WHOLE NEW CAN OF ANENOME
Sometimes, a routine sampling trip can yield unexpected results, as GRS Biology
students Adam Reitzel and James Sullivan discovered after collecting some
ctenophores off the coast of Woods Hole, MA during the summer of 2004. What
originally began as a population study of a little known sea anemone that parasitizes
a common local ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi, has expanded into a broad project
aimed at understanding how clonality is involved in a host’s parasite load, a better
understanding of the evolution of a common life-history strategy (parasitism),
and a test of a proposed method of invasive species control. Together with CECB
Faculty Associate John Finnerty, Reitzel and Sullivan have conducted novel research
on a “worm-like” parasitic anemone called Edwardsiella lineata.
Early parasitic infection
When surveying Mnemiopsis leidyi at Woods Hole, Reitzel and Sullivan found the Edwardsiella lineata parasites
in dense numbers. Edwardsiella lineata parasitizes the ctenophore, feeding off of ingested prey by positioning
its oral end in the ctenophore’s gut, growing up to 1.5 cm in length, sometimes longer than the host! After
an indeterminate period of infection, it morphs into a pelagic larval stage and leaves the ctenophore, using
tiny cilia to propel itself through the water. Experimental results have shown that at this stage the larva can
either reinfect a second ctenophore or morph again, this time into a star-shaped adolescent. After developing
a full crown of tentacles and eight mesenteries, the juvenile reaches a
sexually mature state, looking like a typical anemone. Reitzel and Sullivan
intend to use the 400 parasites they have collected to determine the role
of larval stage asexual reproduction in shaping the population structure of
this curious anemone.
Parasite burrowing out of a
ctenophore
Further study of the anemone may also provide support for proposed methods
to control the invasive host species, Mnemiopsis leidyi. This voracious
predator, native to waters off the coast of North and South America, has
invaded numerous Mediterranean seas, choking fisheries dependent on
zooplankton. Some researchers have suggested that Edwardsiella lineata
could be used to control this invasive species. But, Reitzel and Sullivan
caution this approach, stating that the parasite should be further studied,
particularly given the results of their ongoing experiments and the general
lack of knowledge regarding this species’ overall role in ecosystem function.
UPCOMING RESEARCH PROJECTS
Paul Barber recently began a collaborative project with Conservation International to investigate the genetic
connectivity of the Raja Ampat Seascape in Indonesia. This project will help to integrate genetic connectivity
data into marine conservation planning.
Farouk el-Baz has received a two-year project grant from the National Science Foundation entitled, “Nearsurface drainage within a groundwater basin in southwest Egypt using radar data.” The project will examine
the environment of groundwater from channels beneath the desert.
Les Kaufman recently partnered with Conservation International on a large project called the Marine
Management Area Science (MMAS) program, to study ecosystem effects of management in four tropical
nearshore systems: Caribbean, Brazil, eastern tropical Pacific, and Fiji.
Nathan Phillips has been awarded a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation to study the
physiological ecology of palm Mauritia flexuosa at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in Ecuador.
NEW CECB FACULTY ASSOCIATES
The CECB would like to
welcome Dr. Pamela Templer as
its newest faculty associate.
Professor Templer is broadly
interested in ecosystem
ecology and the influence that
plant-microbial interactions
have on nutrient cycling,
retention, and loss. Particularly, she is interested in
the impact of human activity, such as fossil fuel
combustion, the introduction of non-native plant species
and land use change on global elemental cycles. Her
lab currently examines a variety of nitrogen (N) sources,
including rain, fog, and anthropogenic N deposition and
the tracking of N inputs in forest ecosystems to learn
whether they are assimilated by plants and microorganisms, transformed to different forms of nitrogen,
or lost from the ecosystem. She and her graduate
students currently work in temperate forests of the
northern United States, redwood forests of California,
and tropical rainforests in Puerto Rico.
NEW CECB FACULTY PUBLICATIONS
Thomas Kunz co-edited (with Akbar
Zubaid and Gary F. McCracken) a new
book entitled Functional and
Evolutionary Ecology of Bats (ISBN:
019515472X, 400# pp., Oxford
University Press). This book presents
some of the latest research findings
on the physiological ecology,
functional morphology, and roosting
ecology and population biology of
bats.
Cutler Cleveland co-edited (with
Christopher Morris) the Dictionary of
Energy (ISBN: 0080445780, 512# pp,
Elsevier Science), a reference
resource for researchers and policy
makers that contains over 8,000
definitions and 100 essays written by
experts covering the scientific,
historical, and social significance of
energy.
FACULTY AND STUDENT AWARDS
CECB Faculty Associate Paul Barber was awarded
the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists
and Engineers. The award is the highest honor
presented by the Federal government for
professionals in their early careers.
Thomas Kunz received an honorary doctorate
from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito
during the World Summit on Evolution in the
Galapagos this summer. It was presented to him
in honor of his tireless efforts in promoting
conservation biology in Ecuador.
Farouk El-Baz was elected as a member of the
Board of International Scientific Organizations
(BISO) for the National Academy of Sciences in
Washington, D.C. His membership on the NAS
Committee on Human Rights was also extended
for another term.
Adam Reitzel of John Finnerty’s lab was awarded
a 3-year EPA-STAR fellowship to study population
genetic structure in the starlet sea anemone
Nematostella.
Pat Burton was awarded the Belamarich Award
for best dissertation in the Department of Biology
in 2005. His dissertation compared gene
expression during larval development,
regeneration, and asexual reproduction in
Nematostella.
Mutlu Ozdogan of the Department of Geography
and the Center for Remote Sensing recently
completed his Ph.D. and has won a NASA award
to spend one year to do research on land use and
land cover change at the Goddard spaceflight
Center in Maryland.
Eric Crandal a PhD candidate under Paul Barber
received a grant from the National Science
Foundation for doctoral dissertation improvement
and will spend the winter conducting fieldwork
in the South Pacific.
Benita Chick of Paul Barber’s lab was awarded a
Lerner-Gray grant to conduct her graduate
fieldwork.
Joshua Drew of Paul Barber’s lab was awarded
the Humes Alumni Award for upcoming fieldwork
in the Solomon Islands.
TROPICAL ECUADOR DVD AVAILABLE
Produced in collaboration with
the Office of Development,
International Programs, and
BU’s Media Group, the CECB
has released a new 22-minute
DVD entitled Boston University
Tropical Ecuador: An Invitation
to the Tropics.
This
instructional DVD, filmed
entirely on location in Ecuador and the Tiputini
Biodiversity Station, highlights the extraordinary
biodiversity found in Ecuador’s diverse ecosystem.
Individuals who wish to receive a copy of this DVD can
contact the CECB administrator at [email protected]. Price:
$12.50 (includes shipping). Our 13-minute promotional
DVD Boston University’s Tropical Ecology Program, which
highlights student experiences from BU-TEP and program
specifics, is also available for purchase. Price: $12.50
(includes shipping).
NEW CECB WEB SITE DEBUTS
This summer, the CECB redesigned its web site
to provide greater content and improved
navigability. In addition to featuring up-to-date
information on CECB news, the new web site
features five video clips of the Tropical Ecology
Program, a TEP student blog titled Destination:
Ecuador!, and the latest information from the
Tiputini Biodiversity Station.
The new web site’s features will continue to
expand in the coming months. Upcoming
features will include a new career and
internships web page for ecology students and
a Digital Symposium of student BU-TEP projects.
Check back regularly for new features and the
latest information at http://www.bu.edu/cecb.
BU-TEP T-SHIRTS ON SALE
The CECB continues to offer T-shirts to promote and
commemorate the Tropical Ecology Program in Ecuador.
T-shirts are currently on sale for $20 (includes shipping
and handling). To purchase a T-shirt, please send a
check payable to CECB at 5 Cummington St., Boston
MA 02215. All proceeds go to support the Tropical
Ecology Program.
CONTACT CECB
MAIL: Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology
Boston University
5 Cummington St.
Boston, MA 02215
PHONE: (617) 353-6982
FAX: (617) 353-5383
E-MAIL: [email protected]
WEB: http://www.bu.edu/cecb