2007 All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) Grant Awards
| $60,000 in Awards Presented to ATBI Researchers
Grant money supplied to Discover Life in America by the Great Smoky Mountains Association and Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is supporting All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory research in the Park for the 2007 season. Dr. John Morse, Discover Life in America Board member and Science Committee Co-Chair, administers the grant program, now in its eighth year. The review panel included five DLIA scientists. Requests totaled $80,078 for the $60,000 budgeted for this year. Links to the grant summaries are below. 18 proposals were funded out of a total of 20 submitted. The research will delve into a variety of life forms in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of the proposals are continuations of previous and on-going work. All are coordinated with the Discover Life in America Science Plan. The grant season is from April 1st though March 1st. |
In the photo below, a female katydid (Scudderia sp.) bathes in the sunshine on a hot August afternoon along the Old Settlers Trail. See grant #01 for more on Orthoptera diverstiy in GSMNP.
Click photo to enlarge. |
Recipients of the grants will present a report of results to date at the December, 2007 annual meeting of the ATBI, with a final report and geo-referenced data by March 1, 2008 . They will send voucher specimens to the Park and other authorized collections. Individuals and organizations interested in assisting with the funding of future ATBI research please contact Steve Bohleber, steve@bohleberlaw.com, DLIA Board member and chair of the Development Committee.
Congratulations to these scientists for their selection.
| TITLE of Project: | Continuation of the Survey of Orthopteroid Insects in GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 01 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | JoVonn G. Hill |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Mississippi Entomological Museum/ Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Mississippi State University |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | PO Box 9775 Mississippi State University, MS 39762 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | jgh4@entomology.msstate.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 662-325-2085 or 662-617-1526 |
| PI FAX: | 662-325-8837 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $2,476 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
This project is a continuation and possible final year of field work of previous surveys by Matt Dakin to inventory the species of the order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, grouse locusts, pigmy mole crickets, katydids, crickets, camel, cave, and leaf rolling crickets) as well as the associated orders Blattaria (roaches), Mantodea (mantids), and Phasmida (walking sticks) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition it will gather information about when and where they occur in the Park. Photographs of at least the suborder Caelifera (grasshoppers, grouse locusts, and pigmy mole crickets) will be taken. These photographs and the information obtained during these surveys will be used to produce peer-reviewed articles, articles for the public, and web based identification keys and species pages. |
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| TITLE of Project: | A Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Update of the Violaceae in the GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 02 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Landon E. McKinney |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | n/a |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | ASC Group, Inc. |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 1616 Burlington Pike, Suite A Florence, Kentucky 41042 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | lmckinney@ascgroup.net |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 859-746-1967 |
| PI FAX: | 859-746-1968 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $1,820 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The objective of this project is to update our knowledge of the plant family Violaceae in GSMNP. In doing so, all existing specimens will be annotated. Mis-identifications will be corrected and nomenclature will be changed in keeping with the latest treatments. The field survey will include all species but will place special emphasis on those species considered scarce, rare, or only known from historical records. Field documentation will be thorough and include population characteristics, potential threats, concise habitat and distribution notes and any other feature deemed noteworthy. All locations for new populations will be documented further by a concise narrative description, photograph, a collection specimen, and GPS location for georeferencing purposes. It is also intended to conduct a workshop/seminar on the family, its characteristics, and tips on easy identification for all interested. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Tardigrade Inventory 2007-2008 |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 03 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Paul J. Bartels |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Biology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Warren Wilson College |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | CPO 6032 PO Box 9000 Asheville, NC 28815 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | pbartels@warren-wilson.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 828-771-3069 |
| PI FAX: | 828-299-4841 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,960 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
We propose to continue our inventory of water bears. To date (Jan ‘07) we have identified over 10,000 specimens, discovering 70 new records for the park, including 14 species new to science. This is the second largest inventory of tardigrades ever completed, and the first to create a computer, georeferenced database. We now have three publications in refereed journals on our work in the Park, with several more in the pipeline. We also received a $60,000 grant from North Carolina Biotechnology Center in partnership with Sean O’Connell at Western Carolina University. This will give Waren Wilson College the microscopy tools necessary for new species descriptions and for greater impact in outreach activities, and it will give Western Carolina University upgraded DNA barcoding capabilities. Work will occur this year on both morphological and genetic species descriptions. |
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| TITLE of Project: | Taxonomic Inventory of Endoparasitism in Passerine Birds from GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 04 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Charles T. Faulkner |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Department of Comparative Medicine |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2407 River Drive Knoxville, Tennessee 37966-4543 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | ctfaulkner@utk.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-974-5718 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-5640 |
| CO-INVESTIGATOR #1: | Dr. Vina R. Diderrich-Faulkner |
| DEPARTMENT: | Department of Allied Health |
| ORGANIZATION: | Lincoln Memorial University |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 965 Cumberland Gap Parkway Harrogate, TN 37752 |
| ELECTRONIC MAIL: | vina.faulkner@lmunet.edu |
| TELEPHONE: | 423-869-6407 |
| FAX: | n/a |
| CO-INVESTIGATOR #2: | Paul E. Super |
| DEPARTMENT: | Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center |
| ORGANIZATION: | Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | P.O. Box 357 Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 |
| ELECTRONIC MAIL: | paul_super@nps.gov |
| TELEPHONE: | 828-926-6251 |
| FAX: | n/a |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,500 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The parasites living inside birds, fish and mammals in the Park (GSMNP) are often forgotten in traditional biodiversity surveys. To date, there are no published studies of the parasites living in GSMNP birds. We have been studying the parasites from birds surveyed in the nationwide Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program carried out at Purchase Knob, GSMNP since 2003. One goal of our study has been to provide a list of parasites infecting the resident and migratory birds found at the high elevations of GSMNP. We are especially interested in a group of internal parasites classified in the genera Isospora and Eimeria because their classification in wild bird populations is poorly understood. We believe that many of these parasites are new species to science and the new fecal specimens we obtain in 2007 will provide us with additional material required for their formal description. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Noctuidae of Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 05 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Michael G. Pogue |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Systematic Entomology Laboratory |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | U.S. Department of Agriculture |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | Smithsonian Institution, NMNH P.O. Box 37012, MRC-168 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | mpogue@sel.barc.usda.gov |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 202-382-1786 |
| PI FAX: | 202-786-9422 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $1,800 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The family Noctuidae is the most diverse of all groups of moths with over 2,900 species in North America. The research proposed is to document this family within Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). To date, 492 species or 16.8% of the North American fauna have been found in GSMNP. This year’s research will concentrate on two areas, sites between 3,000 and 4,000 feet and the north shore of Fontana Lake. Collecting methods will include black light traps, mercury vapor lights, and using bait to attract species that are not readily attracted to light. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Discover lichens in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2007 |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 06 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Tor Tønsberg |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Museum of Natural History |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Bergen |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | Allégaten 41, P.O. Box 7800 N-5020 Bergen Norway |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | tor.tonsberg@bm.uib.no |
| PI TELEPHONE: | +47 5558 3333 |
| PI FAX: | + 47 5558 9667 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,116 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The main aim is to find as many crustose lichens as possible new to science or at least new to the Park. Focus will be on sterile, crustose species on tree bark and on rock overhangs, and on lichens on leaves (of evergreens). It is necessary to carry out field work in as many habitats as possible in the Park, to learn about the variation and ecology of the species. The dust lichens (Lepraria) have a diversity center in the Park. They can easily be seen on bark and rock surfaces from trails throughout the Park. Several of them are not yet described. Material from several localities is needed to make descriptions of lichens new to science. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Extending Our Knowledge of the Diversity of Water Mites (Acari-Hydrachnidiae) |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 07 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Ian M. Smith |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Biodiversity |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | KW Neatby Building, 960 Carling Avenue Ottawa ON K1A 0C6 Canada |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | smithi@agr.gc.ca |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 613-759-1783 |
| PI FAX: | 613-759-1927 |
| CO-INVESTIGATOR: | Andrea J. Radwell |
| DEPARTMENT: | Biological Sciences |
| ORGANIZATION: | University of Arkansas |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 26 Emporia Street Eureka Springs, AR 72632 |
| ELECTRONIC MAIL: | radwell@razorbackroad.com |
| TELEPHONE: | 479-253-2883 |
| FAX: | 479-575-4010 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,534 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| In 2005 and 2006, we surveyed water mites in 19 watersheds and contributed records on 51 genera in 25 families and 7 superfamilies. We are submitting records to the ATBI database of known species from our collections thus far, but we estimate that at least half of our specimens represent new species. For 2007, we propose to return to sites previously sampled to obtain specimens needed to facilitate continued progress on species identification. Preliminary 2006 surveys of water mites in the lower Abrams watershed and in southern watersheds accessible only by boat across Fontana Lake suggest that these areas have the potential to yield species not yet found in the Park; thus, we propose to expand our work in southern and eastern watersheds. We also propose a follow-up to our 2006 workshop to train Park personnel and volunteers in water mite collection. | |
| TITLE of Project: | 2007 EPT Blitz and Barcoding for GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 08 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Xin Zhou |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Guelph |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 50 Stone Road Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | xinzhou@uoguelph.ca |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 519-824-4120, Extension: 56964 |
| PI FAX: | 519-824-5703 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,875 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies), or “EPT”, are commonly encountered aquatic insects and are widely used in freshwater biomonitoring. However, the difficulties in species-level identification, especially of immature stages, have hindered their implementation. DNA barcoding can improve resolution on taxonomic identification, enable confident association of larval and adult stages, and discriminate cryptic species. A COI barcode reference library established from expertly identified specimens is a prerequisite for applying DNA barcoding to the identification of aquatic insects. The GSMNP has highly diversified EPT fauna and is an ideal region for a model study of DNA barcoding of EPTs. A new EPT blitz is proposed to survey a broader area of the Park (especially central, southern, and eastern portions) with an emphasis on authoritatively identified adults. This survey will discover new Park species, discover new species for science, and establish a COI barcode reference library for all EPT species collected during the survey. |
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| TITLE of Project: | Turbellaria Flatworm Diversity in GSMNP and Environmental Factors of Distribution |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 09 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Benny C. Glasgow |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | n/a |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | n/a |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 617 Road 1205 Nettleton, MS 38858 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | Nettlee@aol.com |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 662-322-1401 |
| PI FAX: | NA |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $1,364 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
This study will survey class Turbellaria within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, describe the habitats where they are found, and examine environmental factors (air and water temperature, substrate type, pH of water or soil, and elevation) affecting their distribution. This study will confirm previous records and search for additional species. Finding representatives of the relatively rare land planaria and cave planaria where new species may occur will be emphasized. |
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| TITLE of Project: | ATBI Teacher Internship |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 10 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Jason P. Love |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Citizen Science |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 9275 Tremont Rd. Townsend, TN 37882 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | Jason@gsmit.org |
| PI TELEPHONE: | (865) 448-9732 Extension: 14 |
| PI FAX: | (865) 448-9205 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $1,200 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The ATBI Teacher Internship will provide an opportunity for local teachers to gain the skills to conduct biodiversity inventories both in the park and in their schoolyards. Specifically, the project will: 1) provide and opportunity for two local teachers to learn about the ATBI and to gain scientific skills to share with students; 2) provide data for the ATBI; 3) improve both the scientific and educational aspect of Tremont’s ATBI activities; and 4) foster relationships with local teachers that will facilitate their continuing participation in the ATBI and incorporation of ATBI research into the classroom. | |
| TITLE of Project: | A Survey of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria in GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 11 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Shien Lu |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology and Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Mississippi State University |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | Box 9655 Mississippi State, MS 39762 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | sl332@msstate.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 662-325-3511 |
| PI FAX: | 662-325-8955 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,300 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The unique and different forests, wild flowers, and grasses provide the most beautiful colors found anywhere. Unfortunately, these valuable plants are being threatened by various plant pathogens, such as the chestnut blight pathogen. Bacteria are one of major groups causing plant diseases. However, there is no record of pathogenic bacteria of plants in the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) database. The objective of proposed research of this project is to survey pathogenic bacteria of plants growing in the Park to enrich the ATBI database. Molecular techniques and biochemical tests will be employed to identify plant pathogenic bacteria present in the Park. Bacterial disease samples will be prepared as permanent specimens. The expected findings of this project will generate a list of pathogenic bacteria present in the Park, which will be added into the ATBI database, and will provide valuable clues to effectively managing these pathogenic bacteria. |
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| TITLE of Project: | Tomoceridae in GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 12 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Kelly L. Felderhoff |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology & Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 205 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-4560 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | kfelderh@utk.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-974-2372 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-4744 |
| CO-INVESTIGATOR: | Dr. Ernest C. Bernard |
| DEPARTMENT: | Entomology & Plant Pathology |
| ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 205 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-4560 |
| ELECTRONIC MAIL: | ecbernard@mail.ag.utk.edu |
| TELEPHONE: | 865-974-3653 |
| FAX: | 865-974-4744 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,365 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| Springtails are small insects that feed on fungi and decomposing organic matter. The family Tomoceridae includes some of the largest (up to 5 mm) and most abundant springtails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My goal is to estimate the diversity of Tomoceridae in the Park with surveys that focus on watersheds and unique areas that have not been sampled previously. At the present time I have tentatively identified 12 species from the Park, of which 7 appear to be undescribed. Individuals will be collected and maintained alive for imaging of the diverse scale patterns that these species exhibit. After photography, they will be studied morphologically and molecularly characterized for identification. Using these traits, I will describe new species, build web pages for each species, and prepare identification materials to separate the taxa. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Morpho and cryptic species of Tabanidae in GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 13 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Mr. Andrew D. Haddow |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology & Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 205 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg. Knoxville, TN 37996-4560 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | ahaddow@utk.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-974-7135 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-4744 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,700 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| Horse and deer flies are economically and medically important insects containing approximately 3,800 species worldwide, 292 in America north of Mexico. Some 101 species have been reported from Tennessee and 99 from North Carolina. We aim to conduct the first intensive season-long trapping in the Park specifically for this taxon to determine their seasonality, distribution, population dynamics, and diversity. Trapping will occur in a diverse sampling of ecotypes within the Park in both Tennessee and North Carolina. All species encountered will be analyzed molecularly to identify the presence of cryptic species. We will develop a Lucid web-based key and a checklist of the horse and deer flies of the GSMNP. Data will be submitted to the ATBI online database and results will be presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the ATBI. Species collected will be preserved, identified, and submitted to the GSMNP museum. | |
| TITLE of Project: | A survey of the Psychodidae (Diptera) of GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 14 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Mr. Gregory R. Curler |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology & Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2431 Joe Johnson Drive 205 Ellington Plant Sciences Bldg. Rm. 205 Knoxville, TN 37996-4560 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | gcurler@utk.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-974-7135 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-4744 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,310 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| In order to find additional new species and records of Psychodidae in GSMNP and obtain additional material for descriptions of previously collected new species, I propose to continue sampling with Malaise traps and begin sampling with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) traps, particularly in unique aquatic and semi-terrestrial microhabitats. Inventory data will subsequently be recorded in the ATBI Database and used to construct web-based, multi-access taxonomic keys and species fact sheets. In addition, field and laboratory research experience will be provided to a group of Cherokee, North Carolina high school students who are under the supervision of Paul Super during the 2007 field season. The students will work with me to set up Malaise traps at various locations, and a workshop will be given by me in early August at the Purchase Knob research facility to cover aspects of the GSMNP ATBI, GSMNP psychodid survey and new species description. |
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| TITLE of Project: | Inventory of Acari in the soil and litter of GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 15 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | William N. Reynolds |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology and Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 2341 Joe Johnson Dr., Room 205 Knoxville, TN 37996 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | wreynold@utk.edu, negundo22@yahoo.com |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-385-9563 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-4744 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,516 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The extreme biodiversity of mites inhabiting the soil and litter of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) has yet to be documented by the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI). At present, only four terrestrial mite species are officially listed in the inventory. I propose to collect mite specimens from historical ATBI sample residues and also from soil and litter samples representing several distinct forest and sub-alpine soil communities in the Park. I expect to identify many species from the four suborders of mites commonly found in the soil, especially Oribatida and Mesostigmata. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Plant viruses in GSMNP |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 17 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Sead Sabanadzovic |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Entomology and Plant Pathology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Mississippi State University |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | Mail Stop 9775 Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | ss501@msstate.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 662-325-9322 |
| PI FAX: | 662-325-8837 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,500 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| The project proposes an organized investigation on viruses infecting succulent and lesser woody vegetation present in the Park. Plenty of plant species/varieties present in the Park represent an excellent substrate for initiating such research. This proposal is based upon some preliminary data on plant viruses present in the GSMNP generated during the last year’s DLIA-funded project. Although the focus of that project was on ferns, several viruses were detected in some other plant species collected in the late stages of the project (including Rubus spp., Rhododendron, etc) indicating that viruses may be more widespread than thought. Some of detected viruses are very likely new viral species to science. This project will enrich the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) of the GSMNP and may have larger scientific impact by discovering yet undescribed plant virus species indigenous to this forest ecosystem. |
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| TITLE of Project: | Ant Diversity in GSMNP, part IV |
| GRANT # DLIA2006- | 19 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Nathan Sanders |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Ecology & Evolutionary Biology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | University of Tennessee |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville, TN 37996 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | Nathan.Sanders@utk.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 865-974-5231 |
| PI FAX: | 865-974-3067 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $4,149 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| Our research group has spent three very successful summers collecting leaf litter ants in deciduous forests of the Park. We have also processed all of the samples from Chuck Parker’s “pilot ATBI study.” Here, we propose to continue sampling leaf litter ants in GSMNP. This year, we will (1) focus on ants in three genera which we know little about (Pyramica, Stenamma, and Myrmica) and (2) direct our collecting toward high-elevation sites and areas which continue to yield potentially new species. | |
| TITLE of Project: | Bacterial Inhabitants of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Rhizospheres: Links to Plant Survival and Sustainability |
| GRANT # DLIA2007- | 20 |
| PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): | Dr. Seán O’Connell |
| PI DEPARTMENT: | Biology |
| PI ORGANIZATION: | Western Carolina University |
| POSTAL ADDRESS: | 132 Natural Science Building Cullowhee, NC 28723 |
| PI ELECTRONIC MAIL: | soconnell@wcu.edu |
| PI TELEPHONE: | 828-227-2203 |
| PI FAX: | 828-227-7066 |
| GRANT AMOUNT: | $3,500 |
| PROJECT SUMMARY: | |
| All plants require microbial partners in soil for nutrient exchange via their roots. Fungi and bacteria play extremely important roles in providing water, phosphorous, nitrogen, and sulfur among other things that plants depend upon for growth and reproduction. The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid threatens forest stability in GSMNP by killing and weakening stands of Eastern Hemlock. Examination of microbial communities inhabiting hemlock rhizospheres will help us determine which species are most important to the health of the plant and microbial stocks could be kept in case hemlock reforestation is necessary. This project will describe species of bacteria that are the most common in hemlock roots systems – environments that have never been explored in this way – and tie metabolic functions of the bacteria to their host. Dozens of new species records will be generated and information made available in publications and online databases and websites. | |
