Principal INVESTIGATORS
Dr. Carla Atkinson - University of ALABAMA
Carla Atkinson (lab website) is an Assistant Professor in UA's Department of Biological Sciences.
The Atkinson Aquatic Ecology and Conservation lab examines how species traits and community structure drives ecological function, with a particular emphasis in aquatic ecosystems. The lab employs a combination of field experiments, mesocosm studies, and observational approaches to understand how body stoichiometry, trophic ecology, and growth efficiencies respond under various conditions and across populations. |
Dr. Jeff Lozier - UNIversity OF ALABAMA
Jeff Lozier (lab website) is an Associate Professor in UA's Department of Biological Sciences.
The Lozier Lab applies population genetics to address basic evolutionary and ecological questions relating to demography and adaptation in spatially and environmentally complex landscapes, especially in invertebrates (and most especially in bumble bees, but we make exceptions). Research focuses primarily on the use of high throughput sequencing technologies to generate large numbers of genetic markers for making inferences about evolutionary patterns in wild populations. More general interests include a focus on threats to and conservation of pollinator biodiversity. |
Dr. Colin Jackson - UNIVersity OF Mississippi
Colin Jackson (lab website) is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi.
Researchers in the Jackson Lab study the microbiomes of plants, animals, soils, and waters, and as well as characterizing spatial and temporal patterns in microbiome stucture also elucidate the importance of these communities in ecosystem level processes such as organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. |
Dr. Ryan Garrick - UNIVersity OF MISSISSIPPI
Ryan Garrick (lab website) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi.
The Garrick lab focuses on understanding processes that generate and maintain biodiversity within and among species, with an emphasis on natural populations of invertebrates, particularly montane forest biota. Other interests include applied conservation genetics and molecular ecology. |
Postdoctoral researchers
Dr. Garrett Hopper - University of ALABAMA
Garrett Hopper is an aquatic ecologist with broad interests in community ecology, ecosystem structure and function, and conservation biology. His research addresses two basic themes: 1) identifying patterns and processes regulating species diversity and habitat associations of stream organisms; 2) influence of global change on the relationship between diversity and stream ecosystem function. Garrett combines field, mesocosm, and laboratory studies to understand these interactions and processes.
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Dr. MArlene chiarello - University of mississippi
Marlene is an ecologist focusing on the communities of microorganisms living in freshwater and marine environments, and particularly those associated with communities of plants and animals. She's interested in understanding how these microbiome communities assemble, vary across individuals, species, time and space, and what are their impact on macrobial communities, especially in a context of increasing anthropic pressures on natural ecosystems. She is also interested in the possible applications of these interactions for sustainable human development (e.g. bioremediation, sustainable aquaculture).
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Dr. Mark Mccauley - University of Mississippi
Mark McCauley is an aquatic ecologist with a focus on conservation biology. His research includes both freshwater and marine ecosystems and explores: 1) the interactions between host and symbionts, 2) the phylogenetic relationships of holobionts, and 3) how global change impacts the biodiversity and functional diversity within habitats.
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Graduate Students
JAMIE BUCHOLZ - University of ALABama
Jamie's research interest centers on what processes underlie the patterns of genetic variation seen in species across space and time. Specifically, she is interested how new species arise, what impacts their contemporary distribution, and how intraspecific variation relates to functional diversity. Her research interests encompass a wide variety of taxa, however she has a particular interest in unionid bivalves, which have unique life histories.
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IRENE SANCHEZ GONZALEZ - University of alabama
Irene is interested in the diversity of traits of freshwater mussels, including morphology and nutrient storage, and how those traits vary across environmental gradients. She plans to study the influence that mussel diversity has on ecosystem functioning by employing both lab experiments and field observations in several streams draining into the Tennessee and Mobile River Basins. Some of her previous research includes: land use impacts on water quality and the influence of river habitat on freshwater mussel community structure.
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Megan kubala - University of alabama
Megan's broad research interests include aquatic ecology, conservation biology, and microbial ecology. She isinterested in studying how mussel species diversity influences sediment microbial community structure as well as how sediment microbial species composition impacts large-scale ecosystem processes. Some of her previous research projects have included studying the bioaccumulation of PCBs in aquatic systems and nutrient assimilation in the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata.
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Undergraduate RESEARCHERS
Austin beets - university of alabama
ansley hamid- University of alabama
Ansley is going into her junior year at the University of Alabama. She has helped prepare all the materials for field work, has been assisting with field work, and helping with data management. In general, Ansley has been helping keep the team organized. Ansley is also conducting her own independent research using Corbicula fluminea, the invasive Asian clam, as a surrogate indicator of microplastic pollution impacting unionid mussel communities.
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collaborators
Paul Johnson - Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center
Jim Williams - University of Florida Natural History Museum
Nathan Whelan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
John Pfeiffer III - University of Florida
Nate Johnson - U.S. Geological Survey
Don Hubbs - Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Matt Jenny - University of Alabama Biological Sciences
Jim Williams - University of Florida Natural History Museum
Nathan Whelan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
John Pfeiffer III - University of Florida
Nate Johnson - U.S. Geological Survey
Don Hubbs - Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Matt Jenny - University of Alabama Biological Sciences