http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=SusanLetcher&feedformat=atomEEBedia - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T22:44:35ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.25.2http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=10393Susan Letcher2009-02-09T16:23:01Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br />[[Image:IMG_6147.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Susan in a tree]]<br />
Ph.D. 2008 <br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
after January 1, 2009:<br /><br />
Resident Professor<br /><br />
Organization for Tropical Studies<br /><br />
Apartado Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
tel (506) 2524-0607 ext. 1542<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2008<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Thesis title: Structural, floristic, and phylogenetic dynamics of tropical forest stands during succession.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br /> <br />
<i>summa cum laude</i><br /> <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. (in press) Rapid recovery of biomass, species richness, and species composition in a forest chronosequence in northeastern Costa Rica. Biotropica. <br /><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. 2005. Common plant families of La Selva Biological Station. Lulu Press, Morristown, N.C. [available at http://lulu.com/barefootsisters] <br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
Letcher, S.G. November 2008. “Forests of the future? Tropical forests and biodiversity conservation.” (invited seminar) Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. July 2008. “La rapidez y eficacía de la regeneración natural del bosque lluvioso en la Zona Norte de Costa Rica.” (poster) Las Cruces Restoration and Conservation Workshop, San Vito, Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. June 2008. “Phylogenetic diversity of woody plants during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Paramaribo, Suriname.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>January 2009-present</b> Resident Professor, Organization for Tropical Studies</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2008</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 4230 (Methods of Ecology)</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2007, Summer 2008</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Other Links</h2><br />
<p>See my sporadically updated blog at http://lianawoman.blogspot.com.<br /> <br />
I am also a contributor to http://www.madsci.org. Check it out!<br /><br />
As of January 2009, I am working for OTS: http://www.ots.ac.cr<br /><br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Letcher]] [[Category:EEB People|Letcher]]</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=9631Susan Letcher2009-01-16T01:06:38Z<p>SusanLetcher: updating CV</p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br />[[Image:IMG_6147.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Susan in a tree]]<br />
Ph.D. 2008 <br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
after January 1, 2009:<br /><br />
Resident Professor<br /><br />
Organization for Tropical Studies<br /><br />
Apartado Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
tel (506) 2524-0607 ext. 1542<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2008<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Thesis title: Structural, floristic, and phylogenetic dynamics of tropical forest stands during succession.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br /> <br />
<i>summa cum laude</i><br /> <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. (in press) Rapid recovery of biomass, species richness, and species composition in a forest chronosequence in northeastern Costa Rica. Biotropica. <br /><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. 2005. Common plant families of La Selva Biological Station. Lulu Press, Morristown, N.C. [available at http://lulu.com/barefootsisters] <br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
Letcher, S.G. November 2008. “Forests of the future? Tropical forests and biodiversity conservation.” (invited seminar) Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G., and Chazdon, R.L. July 2008. “La rapidez y eficacía de la regeneración natural del bosque lluvioso en la Zona Norte de Costa Rica.” (poster) Las Cruces Restoration and Conservation Workshop, San Vito, Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. June 2008. “Phylogenetic diversity of woody plants during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Paramaribo, Suriname.<br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 4230 (Methods of Ecology)</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2007, Summer 2008</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Other Links</h2><br />
<p>See my sporadically updated blog at http://lianawoman.blogspot.com.<br /> <br />
I am also a contributor to http://www.madsci.org. Check it out!<br /><br />
As of January 2009, I am working for OTS: http://www.ots.ac.cr<br /><br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Letcher]] [[Category:EEB People|Letcher]]</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Move-out_day&diff=6472Move-out day2008-05-05T02:09:40Z<p>SusanLetcher: I can't do Tuesday PM-- I moved myself to Saturday instead</p>
<hr />
<div>'''The [[Green Grads]] are organizing a pilot project for a move-out item collection at the end of the Spring semester. '''<br />
We all know how much waste there is when students move out of the dorms. In coordination with EcoHuskies, OEP and Residential Life, we'll be collecting usable items such as furniture, clothes, canned food, appliances etc. as well as encouraging recycling and overall waste reduction. <br />
<br><br><br />
WE NEED YOUR HELP! <br><br />
If you can volunteer for a time slot between May 6th - May 11th, 10am - 6pm each day (Tuesday through Sunday), let us know (contact [[Karolina Fucikova]] or [[Tsitsi McPherson]]) or just sign up here:<br />
we'll have two tents (A and B in the table below) Tues-Fri and one tent Sat-Sun. We probably need 2-4 people at each tent.<br />
<br />
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="right"<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="200" align="center"|Time<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Tuesday<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Wednesday<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Thursday<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Friday<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Saturday<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="150"|Sunday<br />
|- <br />
| setup 9:30|| Karolina, Tsitsi|| Karolina || || Karolina|| Karolina|| Karolina <br />
|- <br />
| 10:00-12:00||A: Tsitsi|| Tsitsi, Laura|| || || Karolina|| Karolina <br />
|-<br />
| 10:00-12:00||B: Emily Galanto|| Karolina || || || || <br />
|- <br />
| 12:00-2:00|| A:|| || Tsitsi|| || || Karolina<br />
|-<br />
| 12:00-2:00|| B: Laura || || || || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:00-4:00|| A: Tsitsi|| Susan L.|| Tsitsi|| Karolina, Dan Britton|| Tsitsi|| Tsitsi<br />
|-<br />
| 2:00-4:00|| B: Laura || Dan Britton|| Karolina|| || || <br />
|- <br />
| 4:00-6:00|| A: || || || Tsitsi|| || Tsitsi<br />
|-<br />
| 4:00-6:00|| B: Tsitsi|| Karolina, Dan Britton|| Karolina|| || Susan L.|| <br />
|- <br />
| cleanup 6:00-? || Tsitsi, Karolina ||Tsitsi, Karolina || Tsitsi, Karolina|| Tsitsi, Karolina|| Tsitsi, Karolina|| Tsitsi, Karolina<br />
|- <br />
<br />
|}<br />
you can also help by distributing the following flyer:<br />
* [[Image:moveout3.pdf]] <br></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2008&diff=5784Graduate Research Symposium 20082008-02-28T00:20:22Z<p>SusanLetcher: abstract submission</p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>'''<br />
== Saturday, March 1st 2008 ==<br />
'''</big> </center><br />
<center> <big>'''8:30am - 4:00pm'''</big> </center><br><br />
<center> <big>'''BPB 130'''</big> </center><br />
<br><br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==Schedule==<br />
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" <br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="80" align="center"|Time<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="120"|Speaker<br />
!style="background:#efefef;" width="450"|Title<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 8:30-9:00 || || Coffee & Breakfast <br />
|- <br />
| 9:00-9:15 || ||Welcome Address<br />
|- <br />
| 9:15-9:30 ||[[#Lori Benoit|Lori Benoit]] || A molecular genetic study of ''Hydrilla verticillata'', an invasive aquatic weed<br />
|- <br />
| 9:30-9:45 ||[[#Tobias Landberg|Tobias Landberg]] || Allometric engineering of salamanders<br />
|- <br />
| 9:45-10:00 || [[#Frank Smith|Frank Smith]] || A Functional Analysis of the Homeobox Protein Dll-B in the Ascidian Ciona intestinalis<br />
|- <br />
| 10:00-10:15 ||[[#Karolina Fucikova|Karolina Fucikova]] || Systematics of the Green Algal Genus ''Bracteacoccus''<br />
|- <br />
| 10:15-10:30 || [[#Leah Brown-Wilusz|Leah Brown-Wilusz]] || Hatching Plasticity in Spotted Salamanders<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 10:30-11:00 || || Break<br />
|- <br />
| 11:00-11:15 || [[#Susan G. Letcher|Susan G. Letcher]] || Community phylogenetic structure of secondary and old-growth forests in northeastern Costa Rica<br />
|- <br />
| 11:20-11:45 ||[[#Adam Wilson & Natalia Norden|Adam Wilson & Natalia Norden]] || R Statistics: Don't be scared!<br />
|- <br />
| 11:45-12:00 ||[[#Kristiina Hurme|Kristiina Hurme]] || Tadpole schooling in ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
|- <br />
| 12:00-12:15 ||[[#Katherine Shaw|Katherine Shaw]]|| Sneaky Threespines: Characterizing geographic variation of sneaking behavior in ''Gasterosteus aculeatus'' of the Pacific Northwest <br />
|- <br />
| 12:15-12:30 ||[[#Bryan Connolly|Bryan Connolly]] || The interaction of deer and invasive plant species in forests of the northeast<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 12:30-2:00 || || Lunch<br />
|- <br />
| 2:00-2:15 ||[[#Cory Merow|Cory Merow]] || America's Next Top Ecological Model<br />
|- <br />
| 2:15-2:30 ||[[#Geert Goemans|Geert Goemans]] || Eel sushi, delicious or deadly?<br />
|- <br />
| 2:30-2:45 ||[[#Nicholas Tippery|Nicholas Tippery]] || Population genetic study of ''Nymphoides cordata'' (Menyanthaceae) in Connecticut<br />
|- <br />
| 2:45-3:00 ||[[#Jessica M. Budke|Jessica M. Budke]] || Examining the calyptra-sporophyte interaction in the moss ''Funaria hygrometrica''<br />
|- <br />
| 3:00-3:15 ||[[#Suegene Noh|Suegene Noh]] || Are hybrid lacewings attractive?<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 3:15-3:30 || ||'''Speed Talks'''<br />
|- <br />
| ||Cory Merow || Cooperative Aliens Invade New England!<br />
|-<br />
| ||Nicholas Tippery || Reconstructing phylogeography using ancestral area likelihood analysis<br />
|- <br />
| ||Maria Pickering || Green Grads<br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
The '''EEB Graduate Student Symposium''' is an all day event where graduate students present their research to other graduate students and faculty. Any EEB graduate student can present: BSMS, masters, PhD, old and new students. New graduate students usually present research ideas or preliminary data, while those more ‘seasoned’ students present their most recent results, often in preparation for upcoming spring and summer meetings. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
This year we are trying out a new phenomenon, Speed Talks, in addition to our regular 15min presentations. There will be an almost unlimited number of 15min talks, and a limited number of speed talks. We would like to invite all EEB graduate students to give a 15min talk. Speed Talks have been seen at several large meetings over the last year (playing off the speed dating idea). These talks will be 3min presentation, PowerPoint optional. They are ideal for sharing side projects, amazing images or videos, great opportunities that others should take advantage of, or any other interesting things that you would like to share. Since this is new, we are going to have one small section of them in the afternoon. We envision these being given in addition to a regular 15min talk. If you are interested in participating in this section please let molly.letsch@uconn.edu know, the actual number of these talks is still flexible but we will take these on a first come basis<br />
<br />
<center>'''15min Talk Title Submission Deadline: Monday, Feb 18th'''</center><br />
<br><center>'''Abstract Submission Deadline: Self-Submitted on EEBedia after the schedule is posted'''</center><br />
<br><br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==Abstracts==<br />
<span id="Lori Benoit">'''Lori Benoit'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Tobias Landberg">'''Tobias Landberg'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Frank Smith">'''Frank Smith'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Karolina Fucikova">'''Karolina Fucikova'''</span><br />
<br><br />
Green algae (Chlorophyta) are a morphologically heterogeneous group that is undergoing considerable revisions at present. Especially in coccoid genera, there have been striking cases of polyphyly, when species originally placed in one genus were shown to belong to up to three different classes. The coccoid chlorophycean genus ''Bracteacoccus'' Tereg was until recently considered monophyletic, but with the advent of new molecular data, it no longer appears as such. Work is being conducted with the ultimate goal of monographing the genus ''Bracteacoccus''.<br />
----<br />
<span id="Leah Brown-Wilusz">'''Leah Brown-Wilusz'''</span><br />
<br><br />
We studied hatching plasticity in spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum'') embryos by exposing them to combinations of egg and larval predator cues. Animals exposed to egg predators hatched out earlier regardless of whether larval predators were present or not. Animals exposed to larval predators only had the largest tail areas and survived longest in lethal predation trials. However, animals exposed to both predators had intermediate tail morphology and survival times indicating costs of hatching out early. The early effects of hatching plasticity were no longer detectable at metamorphosis indicating there are no long-term costs of hatching plasticity on growth or developmental rates.<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan G. Letcher">'''Susan G. Letcher'''</span><br />
<br><br />
The emerging field of community phylogenetics permits ecologists to incorporate phylogenetic information into the study of ecological processes. Given the widespread evidence for phylogenetic niche conservatism (the propensity for closely related species to share the same suite of traits), phylogenetic structure in community data sets can be used to infer assembly processes. Phylogenetic clustering is generally interpreted as evidence for abiotic filtering, in which the match between organism and environment drives community assembly. Phylogenetic overdispersion is interpreted as evidence for strong biotic interactions, either in the form of competition between closely related species or facilitation between distantly related species. Currently, the only published work on community phylogenetics during succession has been conducted in microbial systems. I examined the phylogenetic structure of a chronosequence data set of woody vegetation from 30 sites in northeastern Costa Rica, ranging from 10 yrs to old growth. I found significant phylogenetic overdispersion in forests of all ages, but the scale at which I detected overdispersion varied along the chronosequence. At young sites (<20 yrs), the species pool for the age class showed overdispersion but individual sites showed little or no phylogenetic structure. In older sites, the species pool showed no phylogenetic signal, but individual sites showed strong overdispersion. These data suggest that biotic filtering operates throughout the successional process, and becomes especially strong as the forest matures. <br />
----<br />
<span id="Kristiina Hurme">'''Kristiina Hurme'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Adam Wilson & Natalia Norden">'''Adam Wilson & Natalia Norden'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Katherine Shaw">'''Katherine Shaw'''</span><br />
<br><br />
I propose to investigate variation in a conditional male mating behavior and provide an initial assessment of the environmental and genetic underpinnings of sneaking behavior in Pacific Northwest threespine stickleback populations (''Gasterosteus aculeatus'' L.). Preliminary investigation suggests regional differences in the propensity of male sneaking behavior, an alternative tactic that allows males to escape strong intraspecific mate competition by fertilizing eggs in the nests of other males. This study system offers an intriguing opportunity to evaluate the patterns of expression of alternative mating tactics among populations rather than focus on variation within populations under variable environmental conditions. By utilizing methods to investigate both potential genetic and environmental components underlying phenotypic variation in oceanic (ancestral) and freshwater populations across regions, this work will enhance our evolutionary insight into the extent by which ancestral plasticity has shaped geographic variation in sneaking propensity. <br />
----<br />
<span id="Bryan Connolly">'''Bryan Connolly'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Cory Merow">'''Cory Merow'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Nicholas Tippery">'''Nicholas Tippery'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Jessica M. Budke">'''Jessica M. Budke'''</span><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
<span id="Suegene Noh">'''Suegene Noh'''</span><br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Graduate Research Symposium]]<br />
[[Category:Graduate Student Resources]]</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3894Susan Letcher2007-09-18T16:07:30Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br />[[Image:IMG_6147.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Susan in a tree]]<br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological role of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. 2005. Common plant families of La Selva Biological Station. Lulu Press, Morristown, N.C. [available at http://lulu.com/barefootsisters] <br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Other Links</h2><br />
<p>See my sporadically updated blog at http://lianawoman.blogspot.com.<br /> <br />
I am also a contributor to http://www.madsci.org. Check it out!<br /></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3892Susan Letcher2007-09-18T16:01:02Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br />[[Image:IMG_6147.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Susan in a tree]]<br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. 2005. Common plant families of La Selva Biological Station. Lulu Press, Morristown, N.C. [available at http://lulu.com/barefootsisters] <br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3891Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:52:53Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br />[[Image:IMG_6147.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Susan in a tree]]<br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:IMG_6147ultraLoRes.jpg&diff=3885File:IMG 6147ultraLoRes.jpg2007-09-18T15:39:53Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:IMG_6147.jpg&diff=3879File:IMG 6147.jpg2007-09-18T15:33:24Z<p>SusanLetcher: Ten meters up in a Brosimum tree. Thanks, Steve!</p>
<hr />
<div>Ten meters up in a Brosimum tree. Thanks, Steve!</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3874Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:26:05Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3871Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:24:12Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3870Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:23:34Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle">Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3869Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:21:51Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle">Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates doing research at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2005</b> Mentor for two Wellesley undergraduates at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2004</b> Mentor for a UCONN undergraduate at La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3866Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:16:12Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle">Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3865Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:14:13Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle">Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3864Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:13:17Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div><br />
<ul><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Editable_text_begins_here"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Editable text begins here</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Education"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Education</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Publications"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Publications</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Presentations"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Presentations</span></a></li><br />
<br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Teaching_Experience"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Teaching Experience</span></a></li><br />
</ul><br />
</td></tr></table><script type="text/javascript"> if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } </script><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit section: Editable text begins here">edit</a>]</div><a name="Editable_text_begins_here"></a>Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><br />
<br />
<h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3863Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:12:42Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div><br />
<ul><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Editable_text_begins_here"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Editable text begins here</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Education"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Education</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Publications"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Publications</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Presentations"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Presentations</span></a></li><br />
<br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Teaching_Experience"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Teaching Experience</span></a></li><br />
</ul><br />
</td></tr></table><script type="text/javascript"> if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } </script><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit section: Editable text begins here">edit</a>]</div><a name="Editable_text_begins_here"></a>Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /><br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;"><br />
<br />
<h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3862Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:11:31Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
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<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div><br />
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<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Editable_text_begins_here"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Editable text begins here</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Education"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Education</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Publications"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Publications</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Presentations"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Presentations</span></a></li><br />
<br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Teaching_Experience"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Teaching Experience</span></a></li><br />
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<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit section: Editable text begins here">edit</a>]</div><a name="Editable_text_begins_here"></a><h2> Editable text begins here </h2><br />
<div class="floatright"><span><a href="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" class="image" title=""><img src="/eebedia/images/thumb/e/e2/Gradhandbook.png/200px-Gradhandbook.png" alt="" width="200" height="191" longdesc="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" /></a></span></div><br />
<p><br />
Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /<br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=2" title="Edit section: Education">edit</a>]</div><a name="Education"></a><h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div><br />
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<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Editable_text_begins_here"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Editable text begins here</span></a></li><br />
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<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Presentations"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Presentations</span></a></li><br />
<br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Teaching_Experience"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Teaching Experience</span></a></li><br />
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<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit section: Editable text begins here">edit</a>]</div><a name="Editable_text_begins_here"></a><h2> Editable text begins here </h2><br />
<div class="floatright"><span><a href="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" class="image" title=""><img src="/eebedia/images/thumb/e/e2/Gradhandbook.png/200px-Gradhandbook.png" alt="" width="200" height="191" longdesc="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" /></a></span></div><br />
<p><br />
Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /<br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=2" title="Edit section: Education">edit</a>]</div><a name="Education"></a><h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=4" title="Edit section: Presentations">edit</a>]</div><a name="Presentations"></a><h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Susan_Letcher&diff=3859Susan Letcher2007-09-18T15:09:10Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div>table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div><br />
<ul><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Editable_text_begins_here"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Editable text begins here</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Education"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Education</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Publications"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Publications</span></a></li><br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Presentations"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Presentations</span></a></li><br />
<br />
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Teaching_Experience"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Teaching Experience</span></a></li><br />
</ul><br />
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<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit section: Editable text begins here">edit</a>]</div><a name="Editable_text_begins_here"></a><h2> Editable text begins here </h2><br />
<div class="floatright"><span><a href="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" class="image" title=""><img src="/eebedia/images/thumb/e/e2/Gradhandbook.png/200px-Gradhandbook.png" alt="" width="200" height="191" longdesc="/eebedia/index.php/Image:Gradhandbook.png" /></a></span></div><br />
<p><br />
Susan G. Letcher<br /><br />
Ph.D. Candidate<br /><br />
<br />
University of Connecticut<br /><br />
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br /><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043<br /><br />
Storrs, CT 06269<br /><br />
(860) 486-0805<br /><br />
<p><br />
in Costa Rica until December 20, 2007:<br /><br />
Estación Biológica La Selva<br /><br />
c/o OET, Apto. Postal 676-2050<br /><br />
San Pedro de Montes de Oca<br /><br />
Costa Rica<br /><br />
(507) 766-6565 ext. 166<br /><br />
fax (506) 766-6535<br /<br />
<br />
</p><p><br /><br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=2" title="Edit section: Education">edit</a>]</div><a name="Education"></a><h2>Education</h2><br />
<p><b>Ph.D.</b> 2003–Present<br /> <br />
<br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT<br /><br />
Primary Advisor: Robin L. Chazdon<br /> <br />
Research Project: The ecological effects of lianas during forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica.<br /> <br />
</p><p><b>B.A.</b> 1996-2000<br /> <br />
Carleton College, Northfield, MN <br />
</p><br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit section: Publications">edit</a>]</div><a name="Publications"></a><h2>Publications</h2><br />
<br />
Chazdon, R.L., Letcher, S.G., van Breugel, M., Martínez-Ramos, M., Bongers, F., and Finegan, B. 2007. Rates of change in tree communities of secondary Neotropical forests following major disturbances. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362:273-289.<br /><br />
<br />
Palomaki, M.B., Chazdon, R.L., Arroyo, J.P., and Letcher, S.G. 2006. Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests. J. Trop. Ecol. 22:223-226.<br /><br />
<br />
Miller, D.S., Letcher, S. and Barnes, D.M. 1996. Fluorescence imaging study of organic anion transport from renal proximal tubule cell to lumen. American Journal of Physiology-Renal Fluid and Electrolyte Physiology 40: F508-F520.<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=4" title="Edit section: Presentations">edit</a>]</div><a name="Presentations"></a><h2>Presentations</h2><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2007. “Patterns of forest succession in northeastern Costa Rica: aboveground biomass, species richness, and species composition in a chronosequence of 30 sites.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico.<br /><br />
<br />
Sun, J.W.C., Rundel, P., Chazdon, R.L., and Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Diversity and succession dynamics in understory herb communities of lowland rainforests.” (poster) Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Morelia, Mexico. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. July 2006. “Stand structure and species composition of secondary forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Kunming, China. <br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. April 2006. “The ecological role of lianas in tropical forests.” UCONN Latin American and Caribbean Studies Symposium, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2006. “Species composition and structural diversity of regenerating tropical forests in northeastern Costa Rica.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2005. “Liana diversity in a forest chronosequence: preliminary data and directions for future research.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, State College, Pennsylvania.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. February 2005. “Lianas and tropical forest diversity.” University of Connecticut Graduate Research Symposium, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
Letcher, S.G. March 2004. “The effects of lianas in tropical secondary forests: directions for future study.” Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference, Storrs, Connecticut.<br /><br />
<br />
<div class="editsection" style="float:right;margin-left:5px;">[<a href="/eebedia/index.php?title=Template:EEB_Graduate_Student&amp;action=edit&amp;section=5" title="Edit section: Teaching Experience">edit</a>]</div><a name="Teaching_Experience"></a><h2>Teaching and Mentoring Experience</h2><br />
<p><b>June-August 2007</b> Coordinator, Research Experience for Undergraduates at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Spring 2007</b> EEB 244W (Evolution, writing-intensive section)<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Fall 2006</b> Volunteer, Environmental Education Program at La Selva Biological Station.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Summer 2006</b> Resource person, OTS Tropical Biology (06-3) and Plant Systematics (06-9) at La <br />
Selva.<br />
<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>Winter 2004</b> Teaching assistant, Carleton College tropical rainforest ecology program, <br />
La Selva.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2004</b> Teaching assistant, BIOL 108 and BIOL 102.<br />
</p><br />
<p><b>2003</b> Teaching assistant, EEB 293 (Methods of Field Ecology).<br />
</p><br />
<br />
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<!-- Served by hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu in 0.244 secs. --></body></html></div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2007&diff=2786Graduate Research Symposium 20072007-03-30T15:57:05Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>'''Saturday March 31st'''</big><br />
<br />
Biological Sciences and Physics Building. Room 130<br />
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM</center><br />
<br />
The EEB Spring Symposium will be on Saturday, March 31st.<br />
This is an all day event where graduate students get a chance to present their research to other graduates and faculty in the department. Regardless of your research level, this symposium provides an opportunity to present project ideas and/or results in a low-stress atmosphere, and obtain valuable feedback from grads and faculty. Because this is an all day event, lunch and snacks will be provided by funds requested from the GSS by our graduate student GSS senators. Grads, please consider giving a talk. <br />
<br />
<center>The submission deadlines are as follows:</center><br />
<br />
<center>'''Title submission deadline: Monday, March 19th'''</center><br />
<br />
<br />
Please submit titles to: molly.letsch@uconn.edu<br />
Early submission of titles is encouraged!<br />
<br />
<center>Self Submission Abstract deadline: Monday, March 26th</center><br />
<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>8:15-9:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Breakfast</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:00-9:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Tsitsi McPherson|Tsitsi McPherson]]<br />
: Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:15-9:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Suegene Noh|Suegene Noh]]<br />
: Testing for preference of song characters in ''Chrysoperla lucasina''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:30-9:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Kristiina Hurme|Kristiina Hurme]]<br />
: Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:45-10:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Nicholas Tippery|Nicholas Tippery]]<br />
: Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>10:15-10:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Beth Jacobsen|Beth Jacobsen]]<br />
: Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical cicadas periodical<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>10:30-11:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Break</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:00-11:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#J. Pablo Arroyo|J. Pablo Arroyo]]<br />
: Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity<br />
in Costa Rica.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:15-11:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Z. Herrick|Susan Z. Herrick]]<br />
: Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:30-11:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Krissa Skogen|Krissa Skogen]]<br />
: Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:45-12:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Jang K. Kim|Jang K. Kim]]<br />
: Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:00-12:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Adam Wilson|Adam Wilson]]<br />
: The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:15-12:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Roberta Engel|Roberta Engel]]<br />
: Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>12:30-1:45</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Lunch</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>1:45-2:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Letcher|Susan Letcher]]<br />
: Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:00-2:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Carrie Fyler|Carrie Fyler]]<br />
: Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm systematics<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:15-2:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Karolina Fucikova|Karolina Fucikova]]<br />
: New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:30-2:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Juan Carlos Villarreal|Juan Carlos Villarreal]]<br />
: Toward a phylogeny of the Nothoceros/Megaceros alliance and the origin of the North American Endemic ''M. aenigmaticus''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:45-3:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Diego Sustaita|Diego Sustaita]]<br />
: Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
----<br />
<center>[[Image:Picfoot.jpg]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br />
<span id="Tsitsi McPherson">'''Tsitsi McPherson'''</span><br />
<br />
Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Suegene Noh">'''Suegene Noh'''</span><br />
<br />
Testing for preference of song characters in Chrysoperla lucasina<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Kristiina Hurme">'''Kristiina Hurme'''</span><br />
<br />
Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
<br />
<br />
Group-living is a widespread phenomenon among animals that increases survival through increased predator detection and dilution of risk. Parental care is also widespread; parents may increase offspring survival through predator defense, food provisioning or nest building. Despite high levels of predation in aquatic environments, parental care of tadpoles is rare, probably because most adult anurans are terrestrial whereas tadpoles are aquatic. Within the Neotropical genus Leptodactylus, research has revealed an adaptive tendency towards tadpole schooling and female care and the novel use of stereotyped signals in female-offspring communication. Leptodactylus insularum tadpoles form dense aggregations that experience intense predation from terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates. Females attend the eggs and aggregations of tadpoles, and lead these schools to different microhabitats in temporary ponds. I will address multiple hypotheses about the effect of group size on predation risk and oxygen availability in tadpole schools, the biology of parental care, and the genetic composition of female-tadpole groups in Leptodactylus insularum. Additionally, I will discuss current research on growth rates and lung development in tadpoles, the effect of variation in female attendance on offspring growth and survival, and parent-offspring communication.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Nicholas Tippery">'''Nicholas Tippery'''</span><br />
<br />
Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Nind02-ITS2.png|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Molecular phylogenetic methods often are based purely on the linear sequence of nucleotides for the region of interest. Methods that explore additional facets of sequence data include models of codon evolution for protein coding regions and doublet models that account for covarying sites. I have developed a method that extracts further phylogenetically-informative data from the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, based on predicted models of ITS secondary structure. Like their flanking ribosomal genes, the ITS regions (ITS-1 and ITS-2) have secondary structures ('stems' and 'loops') that are conserved across taxonomic groups as divergent as algae and angiosperms. In the method presented, seven conserved structural regions of ITS (three from ITS-1 and four from ITS-2) were encoded for their nucleotide composition and pairwise alignment type (match or mismatch). Data for different taxa were aligned to each othe under the primary criterion of structural similarity, which differed from the traditional, phenetic alignment. Rather than incurring costs simply for changes in nucleotide identity, the method penalized changes that disrupted secondary structure. Thus, by aligning sequences based on structure and assigning costs to structural changes, the method generated phylogenetic data that were nearly independent from the simple nucleotide sequences on which they were based. In an application from the family Menyanthaceae, the method substantially improved support for nodes that were ambiguous under analysis of traditionally aligned sequences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Beth Jacobsen">'''Beth Jacobsen'''</span><br />
<br />
Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical<br />
cicadas periodical<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="J. Pablo Arroyo">'''J. Pablo Arroyo'''</span><br />
<br />
Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity<br />
in Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Z. Herrick">'''Susan Z. Herrick'''</span><br />
<br />
Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Krissa Skogen">'''Krissa Skogen'''</span><br />
<br />
Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Jang K. Kim">'''Jang K. Kim'''</span><br />
<br />
Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
<br />
<br />
Desiccation stress can determine the upper distribution limits and could enhance the uptake of nitrate and ammonium of intertidal algal species. Emersion following desiccation might stimulate several aspects of metabolism. Upper shore species may exhibit greater stimulation of N uptake following desiccation and achieve maximum uptake at higher desiccation levels. The objective of this study was to determine whether Porphyra species from different vertical elevations respond differently to the desiccation stress, in terms of nitrate uptake and growth. The intertidal species (''Porphyra umbilicalis'') and subtidal species (''P. amplissima'') were utilized in this study. Both species were cultivated at 100–150 umol m-2 s-1 light intensities, 500 uM nitrate concentration and 10 C (''P. umbilicalis''). ''Porphyra amplissima'' was cultivated at 15 C for three days, and ''P. umbilicalis'' was cultivated at 10 C for three weeks at a photoperiod of 12:12h L:D. Samples were exposed to air for 0, 30 min (30-50% water loss) and 2 hrs (90% water loss), 4 hrs after light exposure each day. Desiccation was more stressful to the subtidal species, ''P. amplissima'', than to the intertidal species, ''P. umbilicalis''. When tissues were exposed for 2 hrs daily, ''P. amplissima'' lost weight and pigments, while the growth rate of ''P. umbilicalis'' dropped by only 30% compared with that of continually submerged blades. Nitrate uptake rate of subtidal ''P. amplissima'' was only 73% (30-50% water loss) and 62% (90% water loss) of that of continually submerged tissue. Nitrate uptake rates of ''P. umbilicalis'' were not significantly different in each treatment. These results suggest that species in the intertidal zone, which have longer exposure times, may have higher time-use efficiency than the subtidal species in terms of nitrate uptake. This indicates a possible correlation between nitrate uptake and observed vertical distribution patterns.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Adam Wilson">'''Adam Wilson'''</span><br />
<br />
The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
<br />
[[Image:FireTime.jpg|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Fire is a defining component of the fynbos ecosystem in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Many ecologically important species require fire for reproduction and the frequency of fire is a primary determinant of species composition. It has been hypothesized that climate change will increase fire frequency by raising temperature and reducing the reliability of rainfall. However, little work has been done to quantify the relationship between fire occurrence and climate factors. I am currently working on spatio-temporal statistical models to explain the monthly variability of fire frequency in mountain fynbos regions from 1980-2000. Preliminary results suggest a clear relationship between temperature, precipitation, and fire events, with more and larger fires occurring in hotter, drier months and years. These findings have important ramifications for conservation and management of fynbos. If climate change leads to higher temperatures or lower rainfall, our models imply that fire frequency will increase. Increased fire frequency will favor re-sprouters and other species that reproduce quickly over plants with slower reproduction cycles. Thus, if the fire regime changes, the community composition of the fynbos could change.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Roberta Engel">'''Roberta Engel'''</span><br />
<br />
Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Letcher">'''Susan Letcher'''</span><br />
<br />
Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
<br />
Since species abundance data sets are often massively multivariate, extracting useful axes of variation is a challenge. Here, I present a data set of woody plant abundance from 30 sites along a forest succession gradient in northeastern Costa Rica, comprising 8914 individuals of 477 species. I summarize the state-of-the-art methods for examining similarity in species composition between sites, performing an ordination based on the similarity matrix, and examining the validity of <i>a priori</i> groupings in the data set. This analysis reveals significant changes in the species composition of sites along a chronosequence.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Carrie Fyler">'''Carrie Fyler'''</span><br />
<br />
Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm systematics<br />
<br />
<br />
New tapeworm species are continually being discovered and described from a variety of vertebrate hosts. Traditionally, all taxonomic assessments have been based on morphology alone. Recently an increase in tapeworm molecular sequence data has made it possible to construct molecular phylogenies to confirm morphological hypotheses and thus incorporate a total evidence approach to tapeworm systematics. In the current study the elasmobranch host <i>Pristis clavata</i> Garman, 1906 (dwarf sawfish) was examined for a unique tapeworm complex suspected to be a genus new to science. Traditional morphological techniques were used to erect the new genus and to describe three new species. Molecular sequence data from the nuclear ribosomal subunit 28S were generated for at least two individuals of each putative new species. Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony were used to analyze the dataset within a much larger phylogenetic framework. The morphological results led to the erection of a new genus and three new species. The molecular results confirmed the presence of three species. Each hypothesized morphological species formed a clade distinct from the other two species. The molecular results however did not support the placement of all three species in a single genus. In both parsimony and Bayesian analyses species A and B formed a clade phylogenetically distinct from the most closely related genera, however species C was always sister taxon to the genus <i>Acanthobothrium</i>. The results of these molecular analyses suggest that the cestode species parasitizing sawfish are some of the most basal lineages of a very interesting clade including <i>Acanthobothrium</i> (parasites of elasmobranches), Proteocephalidea (parasites of fresh water teleosts) and <i>Potomotrygonocestus</i> (parasites of fresh water rays in South America). This is a very diverse group of parasites in which each genus has at least some affinities to freshwater. This is in contrast to their closest relatives, which are found entirely parasitizing elasmobranchs in marine environments. These new species may be the key to understanding the origin and diversification of the group. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Karolina Fucikova">'''Karolina Fucikova'''</span><br />
<br />
New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors a remarkable biodiversity. Within the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI), a project that has been in progress in the park since 1997, 976 algal taxa have been reported to this day. This number includes a few old historical records from the 1940s, as well as hundreds of taxa reported by the algal Taxonomic Working Group (TWiG) of the ATBI. From the total of 976 taxa, 392 have been added since the last published species record list (2004). Ranges of several algal taxa have been extended as a result of this work. In addition, some new species of diatoms (Bacillariophyta), blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), green algae (Chlorophyta), and conjugating green algae (Charophyta) have been described. Even more taxa, ca. 50, have not been identified to species level with certainty, and are therefore putative new species as well. <br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Juan Carlos Villarreal">'''Juan Carlos Villarreal'''</span><br />
<br />
Toward a phylogeny of the Nothoceros/Megaceros alliance and the origin of the North American Endemic ''M. aenigmaticus''<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Diego Sustaita">'''Diego Sustaita'''</span><br />
<br />
Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
<br />
<br />
Prey processing generally refers to the act of manipulating prey to facilitate its passage through the alimentary tract. Naturally, there is tremendous variation in the way different groups of birds go about this. In predatory birds for instance, this process begins with capturing and killing prey, followed by further processing prior to consumption. Here I discuss my endeavor to study the biomechanics of prey processing and feeding in a predatory songbird – the Loggerhead Shrike – through an intraspecific, ecomorphological approach. Given their morphological and behavioral adaptations for processing vertebrate prey, unique impaling behavior, broad geographic distribution, and omnivorous food habits, shrikes form a particularly interesting system for examining functional trade-offs, and the mechanistic basis to patterns of phenotypic variation.<br />
<br />
----</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2007&diff=2780Graduate Research Symposium 20072007-03-29T16:26:30Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>'''Saturday March 31st'''</big><br />
<br />
Biological Sciences and Physics Building. Room 130<br />
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM</center><br />
<br />
The EEB Spring Symposium will be on Saturday, March 31st.<br />
This is an all day event where graduate students get a chance to present their research to other graduates and faculty in the department. Regardless of your research level, this symposium provides an opportunity to present project ideas and/or results in a low-stress atmosphere, and obtain valuable feedback from grads and faculty. Because this is an all day event, lunch and snacks will be provided by funds requested from the GSS by our graduate student GSS senators. Grads, please consider giving a talk. <br />
<br />
<center>The submission deadlines are as follows:</center><br />
<br />
<center>'''Title submission deadline: Monday, March 19th'''</center><br />
<br />
<br />
Please submit titles to: molly.letsch@uconn.edu<br />
Early submission of titles is encouraged!<br />
<br />
<center>Self Submission Abstract deadline: Monday, March 26th</center><br />
<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>8:15-9:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Breakfast</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:00-9:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Tsitsi McPherson|Tsitsi McPherson]]<br />
: Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:15-9:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Suegene Noh|Suegene Noh]]<br />
: Testing for preference of song characters in ''Chrysoperla lucasina''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:30-9:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Kristiina Hurme|Kristiina Hurme]]<br />
: Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:45-10:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Nicholas Tippery|Nicholas Tippery]]<br />
: Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>10:15-10:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Beth Jacobsen|Beth Jacobsen]]<br />
: Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical cicadas periodical<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>10:30-11:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Break</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:00-11:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#J. Pablo Arroyo|J. Pablo Arroyo]]<br />
: Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity in Costa Rica.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:15-11:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Z. Herrick|Susan Z. Herrick]]<br />
: Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:30-11:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Krissa Skogen|Krissa Skogen]]<br />
: Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:45-12:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Jang K. Kim|Jang K. Kim]]<br />
: Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:00-12:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Adam Wilson|Adam Wilson]]<br />
: The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:15-12:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Roberta Engel|Roberta Engel]]<br />
: Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>12:30-1:45</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Lunch</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>1:45-2:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Letcher|Susan Letcher]]<br />
: Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:00-2:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Carrie Fyler|Carrie Fyler]]<br />
: Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm Systematics<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:15-2:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Karolina Fucikova|Karolina Fucikova]]<br />
: New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:30-2:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Diego Sustaita|Diego Sustaita]]<br />
: Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
----<br />
<center>[[Image:Picfoot.jpg]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br />
<span id="Tsitsi McPherson">'''Tsitsi McPherson'''</span><br />
<br />
Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Suegene Noh">'''Suegene Noh'''</span><br />
<br />
Testing for preference of song characters in Chrysoperla lucasina<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Kristiina Hurme">'''Kristiina Hurme'''</span><br />
<br />
Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Nicholas Tippery">'''Nicholas Tippery'''</span><br />
<br />
Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Nind02-ITS2.png|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Molecular phylogenetic methods often are based purely on the linear sequence of nucleotides for the region of interest. Methods that explore additional facets of sequence data include models of codon evolution for protein coding regions and doublet models that account for covarying sites. I have developed a method that extracts further phylogenetically-informative data from the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, based on predicted models of ITS secondary structure. Like their flanking ribosomal genes, the ITS regions (ITS-1 and ITS-2) have secondary structures ('stems' and 'loops') that are conserved across taxonomic groups as divergent as algae and angiosperms. In the method presented, seven conserved structural regions of ITS (three from ITS-1 and four from ITS-2) were encoded for their nucleotide composition and pairwise alignment type (match or mismatch). Data for different taxa were aligned to each othe under the primary criterion of structural similarity, which differed from the traditional, phenetic alignment. Rather than incurring costs simply for changes in nucleotide identity, the method penalized changes that disrupted secondary structure. Thus, by aligning sequences based on structure and assigning costs to structural changes, the method generated phylogenetic data that were nearly independent from the simple nucleotide sequences on which they were based. In an application from the family Menyanthaceae, the method substantially improved support for nodes that were ambiguous under analysis of traditionally aligned sequences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Beth Jacobsen">'''Beth Jacobsen'''</span><br />
<br />
Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical<br />
cicadas periodical<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="J. Pablo Arroyo">'''J. Pablo Arroyo'''</span><br />
<br />
Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity<br />
in Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Z. Herrick">'''Susan Z. Herrick'''</span><br />
<br />
Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Krissa Skogen">'''Krissa Skogen'''</span><br />
<br />
Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Jang K. Kim">'''Jang K. Kim'''</span><br />
<br />
Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
<br />
<br />
Desiccation stress can determine the upper distribution limits and could enhance the uptake of nitrate and ammonium of intertidal algal species. Emersion following desiccation might stimulate several aspects of metabolism. Upper shore species may exhibit greater stimulation of N uptake following desiccation and achieve maximum uptake at higher desiccation levels. The objective of this study was to determine whether Porphyra species from different vertical elevations respond differently to the desiccation stress, in terms of nitrate uptake and growth. The intertidal species (''Porphyra umbilicalis'') and subtidal species (''P. amplissima'') were utilized in this study. Both species were cultivated at 100–150 umol m-2 s-1 light intensities, 500 uM nitrate concentration and 10 C (''P. umbilicalis''). ''Porphyra amplissima'' was cultivated at 15 C for three days, and ''P. umbilicalis'' was cultivated at 10 C for three weeks at a photoperiod of 12:12h L:D. Samples were exposed to air for 0, 30 min (30-50% water loss) and 2 hrs (90% water loss), 4 hrs after light exposure each day. Desiccation was more stressful to the subtidal species, ''P. amplissima'', than to the intertidal species, ''P. umbilicalis''. When tissues were exposed for 2 hrs daily, ''P. amplissima'' lost weight and pigments, while the growth rate of ''P. umbilicalis'' dropped by only 30% compared with that of continually submerged blades. Nitrate uptake rate of subtidal ''P. amplissima'' was only 73% (30-50% water loss) and 62% (90% water loss) of that of continually submerged tissue. Nitrate uptake rates of ''P. umbilicalis'' were not significantly different in each treatment. These results suggest that species in the intertidal zone, which have longer exposure times, may have higher time-use efficiency than the subtidal species in terms of nitrate uptake. This indicates a possible correlation between nitrate uptake and observed vertical distribution patterns.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Adam Wilson">'''Adam Wilson'''</span><br />
<br />
The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
<br />
[[Image:FireTime.jpg|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Fire is a defining component of the fynbos ecosystem in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Many ecologically important species require fire for reproduction and the frequency of fire is a primary determinant of species composition. It has been hypothesized that climate change will increase fire frequency by raising temperature and reducing the reliability of rainfall. However, little work has been done to quantify the relationship between fire occurrence and climate factors. I am currently working on spatio-temporal statistical models to explain the monthly variability of fire frequency in mountain fynbos regions from 1980-2000. Preliminary results suggest a clear relationship between temperature, precipitation, and fire events, with more and larger fires occurring in hotter, drier months and years. These findings have important ramifications for conservation and management of fynbos. If climate change leads to higher temperatures or lower rainfall, our models imply that fire frequency will increase. Increased fire frequency will favor re-sprouters and other species that reproduce quickly over plants with slower reproduction cycles. Thus, if the fire regime changes, the community composition of the fynbos could change.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Roberta Engel">'''Roberta Engel'''</span><br />
<br />
Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Letcher">'''Susan Letcher'''</span><br />
<br />
Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
<br />
Since species abundance data sets are often massively multivariate, extracting useful axes of variation is a challenge. Here, I present a data set of woody plant abundance from 30 sites along a forest succession gradient in northeastern Costa Rica, comprising 8914 individuals of 477 species. I summarize the state-of-the-art methods for examining similarity in species composition between sites, performing an ordination based on the similarity matrix, and examining the validity of <i>a priori</i> groupings in the data set. This analysis reveals significant changes in the species composition of sites along a chronosequence.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Carrie Fyler">'''Carrie Fyler'''</span><br />
<br />
Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm Systematics<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Karolina Fucikova">'''Karolina Fucikova'''</span><br />
<br />
New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors a remarkable biodiversity. Within the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI), a project that has been in progress in the park since 1997, 976 algal taxa have been reported to this day. This number includes a few old historical records from the 1940s, as well as hundreds of taxa reported by the algal Taxonomic Working Group (TWiG) of the ATBI. From the total of 976 taxa, 392 have been added since the last published species record list (2004). Ranges of several algal taxa have been extended as a result of this work. In addition, some new species of diatoms (Bacillariophyta), blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), green algae (Chlorophyta), and conjugating green algae (Charophyta) have been described. Even more taxa, ca. 50, have not been identified to species level with certainty, and are therefore putative new species as well. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Diego Sustaita">'''Diego Sustaita'''</span><br />
<br />
Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
<br />
<br />
Prey processing generally refers to the act of manipulating prey to facilitate its passage through the alimentary tract. Naturally, there is tremendous variation in the way different groups of birds go about this. In predatory birds for instance, this process begins with capturing and killing prey, followed by further processing prior to consumption. Here I discuss my endeavor to study the biomechanics of prey processing and feeding in a predatory songbird – the Loggerhead Shrike – through an intraspecific, ecomorphological approach. Given their morphological and behavioral adaptations for processing vertebrate prey, unique impaling behavior, broad geographic distribution, and omnivorous food habits, shrikes form a particularly interesting system for examining functional trade-offs, and the mechanistic basis to patterns of phenotypic variation.<br />
<br />
----</div>SusanLetcherhttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2007&diff=2779Graduate Research Symposium 20072007-03-29T16:20:01Z<p>SusanLetcher: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>'''Saturday March 31st'''</big><br />
<br />
Biological Sciences and Physics Building. Room 130<br />
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM</center><br />
<br />
The EEB Spring Symposium will be on Saturday, March 31st.<br />
This is an all day event where graduate students get a chance to present their research to other graduates and faculty in the department. Regardless of your research level, this symposium provides an opportunity to present project ideas and/or results in a low-stress atmosphere, and obtain valuable feedback from grads and faculty. Because this is an all day event, lunch and snacks will be provided by funds requested from the GSS by our graduate student GSS senators. Grads, please consider giving a talk. <br />
<br />
<center>The submission deadlines are as follows:</center><br />
<br />
<center>'''Title submission deadline: Monday, March 19th'''</center><br />
<br />
<br />
Please submit titles to: molly.letsch@uconn.edu<br />
Early submission of titles is encouraged!<br />
<br />
<center>Self Submission Abstract deadline: Monday, March 26th</center><br />
<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>8:15-9:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Breakfast</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:00-9:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Tsitsi McPherson|Tsitsi McPherson]]<br />
: Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:15-9:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Suegene Noh|Suegene Noh]]<br />
: Testing for preference of song characters in ''Chrysoperla lucasina''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:30-9:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Kristiina Hurme|Kristiina Hurme]]<br />
: Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>9:45-10:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Nicholas Tippery|Nicholas Tippery]]<br />
: Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>10:15-10:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Beth Jacobsen|Beth Jacobsen]]<br />
: Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical cicadas periodical<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>10:30-11:00</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Break</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:00-11:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#J. Pablo Arroyo|J. Pablo Arroyo]]<br />
: Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity in Costa Rica.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:15-11:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Z. Herrick|Susan Z. Herrick]]<br />
: Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:30-11:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Krissa Skogen|Krissa Skogen]]<br />
: Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>11:45-12:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Jang K. Kim|Jang K. Kim]]<br />
: Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:00-12:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Adam Wilson|Adam Wilson]]<br />
: The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>12:15-12:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Roberta Engel|Roberta Engel]]<br />
: Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
----<br />
<br><br />
; <nowiki>12:30-1:45</nowiki> &nbsp; &nbsp; <big>Lunch</big><br />
<br><br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>1:45-2:00</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Susan Letcher|Susan Letcher]]<br />
: Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:00-2:15</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Carrie Fyler|Carrie Fyler]]<br />
: Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm Systematics<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:15-2:30</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Karolina Fucikova|Karolina Fucikova]]<br />
: New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
----<br />
; <nowiki>2:30-2:45</nowiki> &nbsp; [[#Diego Sustaita|Diego Sustaita]]<br />
: Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
----<br />
<center>[[Image:Picfoot.jpg]]</center><br />
----<br />
<br />
<span id="Tsitsi McPherson">'''Tsitsi McPherson'''</span><br />
<br />
Transboundary Protected Areas: potential for the Guiana Shield Corridor<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Suegene Noh">'''Suegene Noh'''</span><br />
<br />
Testing for preference of song characters in Chrysoperla lucasina<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Kristiina Hurme">'''Kristiina Hurme'''</span><br />
<br />
Tadpole schooling and parental care in an aquatic-breeding tropical frog, ''Leptodactylus insularum''<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Nicholas Tippery">'''Nicholas Tippery'''</span><br />
<br />
Expanding the phylogenetic utility of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using predicted secondary structure.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Nind02-ITS2.png|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Molecular phylogenetic methods often are based purely on the linear sequence of nucleotides for the region of interest. Methods that explore additional facets of sequence data include models of codon evolution for protein coding regions and doublet models that account for covarying sites. I have developed a method that extracts further phylogenetically-informative data from the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, based on predicted models of ITS secondary structure. Like their flanking ribosomal genes, the ITS regions (ITS-1 and ITS-2) have secondary structures ('stems' and 'loops') that are conserved across taxonomic groups as divergent as algae and angiosperms. In the method presented, seven conserved structural regions of ITS (three from ITS-1 and four from ITS-2) were encoded for their nucleotide composition and pairwise alignment type (match or mismatch). Data for different taxa were aligned to each othe under the primary criterion of structural similarity, which differed from the traditional, phenetic alignment. Rather than incurring costs simply for changes in nucleotide identity, the method penalized changes that disrupted secondary structure. Thus, by aligning sequences based on structure and assigning costs to structural changes, the method generated phylogenetic data that were nearly independent from the simple nucleotide sequences on which they were based. In an application from the family Menyanthaceae, the method substantially improved support for nodes that were ambiguous under analysis of traditionally aligned sequences.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Beth Jacobsen">'''Beth Jacobsen'''</span><br />
<br />
Introgression between two NZ cicada species and how are periodical<br />
cicadas periodical<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="J. Pablo Arroyo">'''J. Pablo Arroyo'''</span><br />
<br />
Natural Forest Management Plans: A framework for assessing tree diversity<br />
in Costa Rica.<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Z. Herrick">'''Susan Z. Herrick'''</span><br />
<br />
Spatial Interactions of Breeding Male Green Frogs (''Rana clamitans'') and Bullfrogs (''Rana catesbeiana'')<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Krissa Skogen">'''Krissa Skogen'''</span><br />
<br />
Does atmospheric nitrogen deposition contribute to the decline of a native nitrogen-fixing species, ''Desmodium cuspidatum''?<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Jang K. Kim">'''Jang K. Kim'''</span><br />
<br />
Are Intertidal Seaweeds More Efficient at Nutrient Absorption?<br />
<br />
<br />
Desiccation stress can determine the upper distribution limits and could enhance the uptake of nitrate and ammonium of intertidal algal species. Emersion following desiccation might stimulate several aspects of metabolism. Upper shore species may exhibit greater stimulation of N uptake following desiccation and achieve maximum uptake at higher desiccation levels. The objective of this study was to determine whether Porphyra species from different vertical elevations respond differently to the desiccation stress, in terms of nitrate uptake and growth. The intertidal species (''Porphyra umbilicalis'') and subtidal species (''P. amplissima'') were utilized in this study. Both species were cultivated at 100–150 umol m-2 s-1 light intensities, 500 uM nitrate concentration and 10 C (''P. umbilicalis''). ''Porphyra amplissima'' was cultivated at 15 C for three days, and ''P. umbilicalis'' was cultivated at 10 C for three weeks at a photoperiod of 12:12h L:D. Samples were exposed to air for 0, 30 min (30-50% water loss) and 2 hrs (90% water loss), 4 hrs after light exposure each day. Desiccation was more stressful to the subtidal species, ''P. amplissima'', than to the intertidal species, ''P. umbilicalis''. When tissues were exposed for 2 hrs daily, ''P. amplissima'' lost weight and pigments, while the growth rate of ''P. umbilicalis'' dropped by only 30% compared with that of continually submerged blades. Nitrate uptake rate of subtidal ''P. amplissima'' was only 73% (30-50% water loss) and 62% (90% water loss) of that of continually submerged tissue. Nitrate uptake rates of ''P. umbilicalis'' were not significantly different in each treatment. These results suggest that species in the intertidal zone, which have longer exposure times, may have higher time-use efficiency than the subtidal species in terms of nitrate uptake. This indicates a possible correlation between nitrate uptake and observed vertical distribution patterns.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Adam Wilson">'''Adam Wilson'''</span><br />
<br />
The Fire-Weather relationship in the South African Fynbos: Implications under Climate Change<br />
<br />
[[Image:FireTime.jpg|thumb|left]]<br />
<br />
Fire is a defining component of the fynbos ecosystem in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa. Many ecologically important species require fire for reproduction and the frequency of fire is a primary determinant of species composition. It has been hypothesized that climate change will increase fire frequency by raising temperature and reducing the reliability of rainfall. However, little work has been done to quantify the relationship between fire occurrence and climate factors. I am currently working on spatio-temporal statistical models to explain the monthly variability of fire frequency in mountain fynbos regions from 1980-2000. Preliminary results suggest a clear relationship between temperature, precipitation, and fire events, with more and larger fires occurring in hotter, drier months and years. These findings have important ramifications for conservation and management of fynbos. If climate change leads to higher temperatures or lower rainfall, our models imply that fire frequency will increase. Increased fire frequency will favor re-sprouters and other species that reproduce quickly over plants with slower reproduction cycles. Thus, if the fire regime changes, the community composition of the fynbos could change.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Roberta Engel">'''Roberta Engel'''</span><br />
<br />
Origins of pseudoscorpion lineages endemic to the outcrops of southwestern Australia<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Susan Letcher">'''Susan Letcher'''</span><br />
<br />
Methods for evaluating ecological similarity in large multivariate data sets: an example using forest succession data from northeastern Costa Rica<br />
<br />
Since species abundance data sets are often massively multivariate, extracting useful axes of variation is a challenge. Here, I present a data set of woody plant abundance from 30 sites along a forest succession gradient in northeastern Costa Rica, comprising 8914 individuals of 477 species. I summarize the state-of-the-art methods for examining similarity in species composition, performing an ordination based on the similarity matrix, and examining the validity of <i>a priori</i> groupings in the data set. This analysis reveals significant changes in the species composition of sites along a chronosequence.<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Carrie Fyler">'''Carrie Fyler'''</span><br />
<br />
Erection of a new genus: A total evidence approach to tapeworm Systematics<br />
<br />
<br />
Enter Abstract Here<br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Karolina Fucikova">'''Karolina Fucikova'''</span><br />
<br />
New Algal Species Records for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, U.S.A.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors a remarkable biodiversity. Within the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI), a project that has been in progress in the park since 1997, 976 algal taxa have been reported to this day. This number includes a few old historical records from the 1940s, as well as hundreds of taxa reported by the algal Taxonomic Working Group (TWiG) of the ATBI. From the total of 976 taxa, 392 have been added since the last published species record list (2004). Ranges of several algal taxa have been extended as a result of this work. In addition, some new species of diatoms (Bacillariophyta), blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), green algae (Chlorophyta), and conjugating green algae (Charophyta) have been described. Even more taxa, ca. 50, have not been identified to species level with certainty, and are therefore putative new species as well. <br />
<br />
----<br />
<span id="Diego Sustaita">'''Diego Sustaita'''</span><br />
<br />
Prey processing in predatory birds: food for thought<br />
<br />
<br />
Prey processing generally refers to the act of manipulating prey to facilitate its passage through the alimentary tract. Naturally, there is tremendous variation in the way different groups of birds go about this. In predatory birds for instance, this process begins with capturing and killing prey, followed by further processing prior to consumption. Here I discuss my endeavor to study the biomechanics of prey processing and feeding in a predatory songbird – the Loggerhead Shrike – through an intraspecific, ecomorphological approach. Given their morphological and behavioral adaptations for processing vertebrate prey, unique impaling behavior, broad geographic distribution, and omnivorous food habits, shrikes form a particularly interesting system for examining functional trade-offs, and the mechanistic basis to patterns of phenotypic variation.<br />
<br />
----</div>SusanLetcher