http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=TobiasLandberg&feedformat=atomEEBedia - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T13:07:44ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.25.2http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=16101Tobias Landberg2010-09-24T12:55:33Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">PhD</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias@bu.edu <br><br />
I've now joined [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher working on red-eyed tree frogs in Panama. Tons of new data will premier at SICB in Salt Lake City!<br />
<br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I recently earned my PhD in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] headed my committee– which also included Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
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<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
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<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
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Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''' and Schwenk, K. (in press). Book review: Steyermark, A.C. Finkler, M.S. & Brooks, R.J. (editors) 2008. Biology of the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). – Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Palarch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (2010) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology 24(3):576-586 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
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== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
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[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:Pokeymonkey.gif&diff=15576File:Pokeymonkey.gif2010-08-26T22:37:24Z<p>TobiasLandberg: pokey monkey</p>
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<div>pokey monkey</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=15405Tobias Landberg2010-06-08T02:11:36Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">PhD</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I recently earned my PhD in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] headed my committee– which also included Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'll have now joined [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher. I am working on the red-eyed tree frog in Panama. Stay tuned for exciting new data!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
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<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''' and Schwenk, K. (in press). Book review: Steyermark, A.C. Finkler, M.S. & Brooks, R.J. (editors) 2008. Biology of the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). – Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Palarch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (2010) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology 24(3):576-586 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=15404Tobias Landberg2010-06-08T02:11:09Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I recently earned my PhD in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] headed my committee– which also included Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'll have now joined [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher. I am working on the red-eyed tree frog in Panama. Stay tuned for exciting new data!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''' and Schwenk, K. (in press). Book review: Steyermark, A.C. Finkler, M.S. & Brooks, R.J. (editors) 2008. Biology of the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). – Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Palarch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (2010) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology 24(3):576-586 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=15039Tobias Landberg2010-04-09T18:04:01Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''Publications''' */</p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''' and Schwenk, K. (in press). Book review: Steyermark, A.C. Finkler, M.S. & Brooks, R.J. (editors) 2008. Biology of the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). – Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University Press. Palarch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (2010) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology 24(3):576-586 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=15038Tobias Landberg2010-04-09T17:36:37Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (2010) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology 24(3):576-586 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2010&diff=14919Graduate Research Symposium 20102010-03-27T02:52:12Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>''' <br />
== Saturday, March 27, 2010 == <br />
==== Biology/Physics Building Room 130, 9:00am to ~ 4:00pm ====<br />
'''</big> </center> <br><br />
<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 />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
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==New 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 & Tea (drinks only) <br />
|- <br />
| 9:00-9:15 || Debra Kendall || Welcome address by the associate dean for life sciences and for research and graduate education<br />
|- <br />
| 9:15-9:30 || Susan Herrick || Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans.<br />
|- <br />
| 9:30-9:45 ||Elizabeth Wade || Microsatellite and gene discovery using 454 sequencing in the cicada genus Kikihia<br />
|- <br />
| 9:45-10:00 || Jessica Budke || Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>).<br />
|- <br />
| 10:00-10:15 || Kerri Mocko || "Service to the plant": Solar tracking and leaf shape in ''Pelargonium''<br />
|- <br />
| 10:15-10:30 || Chris Owen || Diversification of the Australian cicada genus ''Pauropsalta''<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 10:30-11:00 || || '''Morning Break - Drinks and Fruit'''<br />
|- <br />
| 11:00-11:15 ||Alejandro Rico || Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br />
|- <br />
| 11:15-11:30 || [[Tobias Landberg]] || Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in spotted salamanders and survival with fish predators<br />
|- <br />
| 11:30-11:45 ||Brian Klingbeil || Season-specific responses of bats to landscape structure in Amazonia<br />
|- <br />
| 11:45-12:00 || Kristiina Hurme || Antipredator behavior in schooling tadpoles <br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 12:00-1:30 || || Lunch - Sandwiches and Salad<br />
|- <br />
| 1:30-2:00 || Lori Hosaka LaPlante || Keynote Address: Seals, Saints and Salamanders<br />
|- <br />
| 2:00-2:15 || Geert Goemans || The cicada tribe Zammarini: trying to untangle the taxonomic mess <br />
|- <br />
| 2:15-2:30 || Karolina Fučíková || Cryptic diversity of tiny green thingies: To barcode or not to barcode?<br />
|- <br />
| 2:30-2:45 || Yu Fan || Are you over-partitioning?<br />
|- <br />
| 2:45-3:00 || [[Nic Tippery]] || It's Greek to me, but Latin to you: Notes on nomenclature<br />
|- <br />
| 3:00-3:15 ||Frank Smith || The evolutionary developmental genetics of wing number in insects. <br />
|- <br />
| 3:15-3:30 ||Diego Sustaita || The beak of the shrike: variation in form and a story about function...<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;" | 3:30-3:45 || || '''Speed Talks'''<br />
|- <br />
| 3:30-3:35 || Lori Benoit || Hydrilla highlights<br />
|- <br />
| 3:35-3:40 || Maria Pickering || Highlights from a Collecting Trip in Vietnam<br />
|- <br />
| 3:40-3:45 || [[Nic Tippery]] || Best Grad/Postdoc Webpage - 2010<br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==Abstracts==<br />
<span id="NAME">''' Susan Herrick'''</span><br />
<br> Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans <br><br />
Phenotypically similar species are hypothesized to adjust their behavior when they coexist to decrease competition. Pond-breeding frogs constitute an ideal system to address this hypothesis because multiple species may compete for noise-free periods to call for mates. American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and green frogs (R. clamitans) commonly co-occur in breeding ponds. Males of both species vocalize to defend territories and attract females. However, bullfrogs call more aggressively than green frogs and are expected to control access to the limiting acoustic resources. I predicted that green frogs increase chorusing activity in periods of bullfrog inactivity and that these patterns can be detected at both diel and seasonal scales. I used automated acoustic software to identify bullfrog and green frog vocalizations through two breeding seasons. Temporal partitioning occurs on a seasonal time scale. Bullfrog and green frog calling rates are both high early in the season in late May but then diverge. Bullfrog calling rate peaks in mid-June and drops sharply thereafter. In contrast, green frog calling falls to low levels in June but then rebounds when bullfrog calling declines, so that green frog calling reaches a second peak in late June and tapers off thereafter, ceasing in early August. There is no evident temporal partitioning on shorter time scales. Both species call most from midnight until 0600. However, the diel timing of bullfrog calling is predictable, whereas green frog calling is more variable. These results suggest green frogs are responding to reduced bullfrog activity by adjusting their calling effort. <br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Alejandro Rico'''</span><br />
<br> Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br> <br />
Modulation of feeding behavior in hummingbirds, the most important vertebrate pollinators, has been demonstrated to affect the persistence of many kinds and number of plants, and subsequently the interactions and services provided by entire ecosystems. Similarly, composition and concentration of floral nectars has been shown to influence which flowers hummingbirds feed at, and their rate of movement among flowers. To date, our understanding of feeding behavior in hummingbirds is based on the theory that they use capillarity in order to feed on nectar. It is widely accepted as fact that hummingbirds feed by moving nectar up their tongues in the same way that water moves up a tiny capillary glass tube. Our entire understanding of the nature of the interaction of hummingbirds and plants has been based on this concept of the mechanics of feeding. My previous work on the structure of the hummingbird tongue suggests that the capillarity model of feeding in hummingbirds may be wrong. Preliminary results point to a novel and radically different nectar trapping mechanism; if true, our ideas about how external factors affect the rate at which hummingbirds gain nectar from flowers would change. In this presentation I document the process of nectar uptake using high-speed video and microscopy capabilities describing the fluid mechanics of tongue loading, discussing the implications of this new perspective at several different levels ranging from biophysics to ecology and evolution.<br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Jessica Budke'''</span><br />
<br> Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>). <br><br />
In bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) the diploid sporophyte is small, unbranched, and physically attached to the maternal haploid gametophyte. One of the major maternal influences in moss plants is a cap of gametophyte tissue (the calyptra) that covers the sporophyte’s apex during early developmental stages. Previous studies indicate that the calyptra functions mechanically to influence sporophyte development and is necessary for spore formation. Sporophytes without their calyptra wilt at the apex; they survive only when placed in a high humidity chamber. These observations stimulated the hypothesis that the maternally derived calyptra functions as a waterproof cap, preventing desiccation of the developing sporophyte’s apex. In plants the cuticle, an external layer of lipids and waxes, maintains internal hydration. To explore this hypothesis, I am using scanning and transmission electron microscopy to examine cuticle morphology and development of both the calyptra and sporophyte in the moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>. Results for this species indicate that the calyptra’s cuticle is thicker and more complex than other gametophyte tissues; the cuticle is also present on the calyptra throughout sporophyte development. These observations support the calyptra as a specialized maternal gametophyte structure and provide a mechanism by which the calyptra prevents harmful water loss during critical sporophyte developmental stages. Sporophyte development is directly related to reproductive output and thus evolutionary fitness in mosses. The maternal care provided by the calyptra and its cuticle may have been a critical innovation for the evolutionary success of the ~12,500 moss species worldwide.<br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Karolina Fučíková'''</span><br />
<br> Cryptic diversity of tiny green thingies: To barcode or not to barcode? <br><br />
The taxonomy of green coccoid algae traditionally has been limited by their character-poor morphology when solely using light microscopy. Alternative methods, especially the use of molecular sequence data, often reveal cryptic diversity and help clarify phylogenetic affiliations of green coccoids. The present study focuses on the genus Pseudomuriella Hanagata and its phylogenetic relationships to morphologically similar genera. Newly-discovered, morphologically cryptic diversity of the genus Pseudomuriella is reported here and examined using molecular markers – barcodes – from the three cellular compartments: the plastid rbcL gene, the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2, and the mitochondrial cox1 gene. The utility of the three markers is discussed using a comparison of their performance in species-level resolution within the Pseudomuriella clade, while also considering the ease of their use. All three genes examined were found to contain variation usable for species-level resolution, and provided largely consistent phylogenies. A joint use of the three markers may be the ideal tool for barcoding cryptic green algal species, but rbcL appears to be the most practical combination of good phylogenetic signal and ease of use.<br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Beth Wade </span><br />
<br> Microsatellite and gene discovery using 454 sequencing in the cicada genus Kikihia <br><br />
Genomic information for non-model organisms is becoming increasingly easier to obtain. Next generation sequencing is revolutionizing whole genome and transcriptome sequencing by providing large amounts of data relatively cheap. Traditional techniques for obtaining nuclear loci for population genetics studies, such as microsatellites and SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) are labor intensive and expensive. In addition, nuclear loci for phylogenetic analyses tend to be limited to a few loci with conserved primers that are used on a wide range of taxa. I have used 454 Life Sciences technology to whole genome sequence nine species of the New Zealand genus Kikihia in an attempt to isolate microsatellites and SNPs for population genetics analyses for this genus and protein-coding genes for systematic studies in the cicada family. In this presentation, I will briefly overview next generation sequencing technology and present my preliminary findings on the cicada genome. <br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''[[Nic Tippery]]''' </span><br />
<br> It's Greek to me, but Latin to you: Notes on nomenclature <br><br />
The classical languages of Latin and Greek have trickled down to us through a variety of historical uses, from simple transmission of ancient texts to entirely new uses of the languages by speakers of modern languages. Although as scientists we all embrace the necessity of a certain familiarity with Latin and Greek, ever fewer people are actually familiar with the origins and meanings of the words they use. I will present a brief overview of these classical languages as they are used by scientists today, including the different grammatical forms of words, derivation of some popular names, and the ever-important and often-overlooked question of how to tell if a word construct is of Latin or Greek origin (yes, they are different languages!).<br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Kerri Mocko </span><br />
<br> "Service to the plant": Solar tracking and leaf shape in ''Pelargonium'' <br><br />
Solar tracking in plants describes the temporary and reversible movement of leaves in response to light. Darwin recognized that this phenomenon provided a “service to the plant” that has since been studied by ecophysiologists, most extensively in arid environments. Under cool temperatures and non-water stressed conditions, plants display diaheliotropic movements that maintain leaves perpendicular to incident light, maximizing photon flux density to achieve high photosynthetic rates throughout the day. Under hot, dry conditions, paraheliotropic movements parallel to solar incidence reduce photon flux density to prevent thermal damage and enhance water use efficiency. Examined mostly in species with pulvini and pinnate leaves, there has been little direct attention to the effect of leaf shape on the extent of solar tracking. Leaf energy exchange with the environment depends on the physical properties of a given leaf shape such that an entire leaf has a thicker boundary layer and less heat transfer with the environment than a highly dissected leaf. Therefore, dissected leaves are predicted to maintain temperatures closer to ambient. However, energy budgets for any shape of leaf can be influenced by changes in leaf angle. We measured diurnal changes in leaf inclination and azimuth of two closely related co-occurring geophytic ''Pelargonium'' species of contrasting leaf shape. While both species tracked the sun during the course of the day, there was more movement in highly dissected leaves. Under winter growing conditions, leaves of the dissected species moved to intercept more solar radiation and heat up more quickly than the non-dissected species. Between species, differences in leaf shape and solar tracking combined to result in similar maximum leaf temperatures. Thus the full extent of Darwin’s “service to the plant” results from the synergistic effects of leaf movement and morphology. <br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''[[Yu Fan]]''' </span><br />
<br> Are you over-partitioning? <br><br />
Partitioned analyses have been routine in recent Bayesian phylogenetics because of three reasons. First, automated sequencing has made it feasible to sequence large amounts of nucleotide data. Second, genes or codon positions may endure different selective pressures, and models need to account for the resulting differences in substitution rates and/or pattern of substitution. Third, it is necessary to partition the data due to intrinsic differences; for example, molecular and morphological data can only be reasonably combined if a different models can applied to each separately. It is always a challenge, however, to avoid unnecessarily complex partitioning schemes. The Bayes Factor (BF) has been demonstrated to be a good model selection criterion, but its usage relies on the accurate estimation of the marginal likelihood of each model. The Harmonic Mean (HM) estimator of marginal likelihood is a computationally fast approach, and has been widely used in Bayesian phylogenetic research. However, it is known to be biased, which causes it to favor more complex (e.g. more highly partitioned) models. Here, we propose a new method of marginal likelihood estimation, the Stabilized Stepping-Stone (<math>\rm{S}^3</math>) method, and apply it to a simulation study. 200 nucleotide data sets of various sizes (number of taxa and sites) were simulated from an unpartitioned General Time Reversible model with Gamma rate heterogeneity (GTR+G), and later analyzed by both unpartitioned and partitioned (with 2 equal subsets) models.The BF calculated from HM (HM-BF) and <math>\rm{S}^3</math> (<math>\rm{S}^3</math>-BF) showed very different results, not only in magnitude but also in repeatability, despite the fact that both HM and <math>\rm{S}^3</math> analyses were based on samples of equal size. The HM-BF method chose the more complex partitioned model 21.5% of the time, compared with 0.5% for the <math>\rm{S}^3</math>-BF method. The <math>\rm{S}^3</math> method was strikingly better than HM in terms of repeatability. Pairs of independent <math>\rm{S}^3</math> analyses had regression <math>R^2</math> 0.9991, whereas <math>R^2</math> for pairs of HM analyses was only 0.1636.<br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Kristiina Hurme'''</span><br />
<br> Anti-predator Behavior in Schooling and Non-schooling Tadpoles (Anura, Leptodactylidae) <br> <br />
Tadpoles developing in temporary ponds must grow quickly to reach metamorphosis before the pond dries; these tadpoles must be more active and spend more time foraging than tadpoles of species developing in permanent ponds, but are also more susceptible to predation. Tadpole schooling may allow individuals to reduce predation risk by finding safety in numbers, and achieve foraging rates that would be too risky for individual tadpoles. While maximizing growth rates, schooling tadpoles might sacrifice their ability to escape from predators since individuals cannot maximize both growth rate and burst swimming speed. If tadpoles are unable to escape from predators, they may avoid capture by remaining inconspicuous within the selfish herd and avoiding detection. This strong selection for not being an “odd” individual can minimize variation in growth and behavior among individuals, and may result in stereotyped anti-predator behaviors. To determine if schooling tadpoles experience depressed anti-predator behavior, I performed predation trials with both schooling (Leptodactylus insularum) and non-schooling (Physalaemus pustulosus) Leptodactylid tadpoles. For each predation trial, I recorded the activity levels of 10 tadpoles before and after the addition of a lethal insect predator. I found that schooling tadpoles exhibited significantly higher activity levels and were more vulnerable to predation than non-schooling tadpoles were. I will also test to see if schooling tadpoles experience a higher encounter rate with predators.<br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''[[Tobias Landberg]]''' </span><br />
<br> Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in spotted salamanders and survival with fish predators <br> <br />
Development of escape swimming behavior begins in spotted salamanders well before hatching. The escape response reaches peak levels early in the larval period when predation rates are thought to be highest. Trials with lethal fish predators strongly supports this hypothesis. Survival time with lethal predators is shortest at the point in ontogeny when escape performance is highest. Survival time is negatively correlated with movement and escape rates. Both escape swimming performance and survival time with lethal predators is positively correlated with relative tail area. These results support the hypothesis that predation by fish relies on visual cues (body size and movement rate) and that high relative tail area and escape performance is a response to this form of natural selection.<br />
----<br />
[[Category:Graduate Research Symposium]]<br />
[[Category:Graduate Student Resources]]<br />
__NOTOC__</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Current_events&diff=14843Current events2010-03-17T15:38:46Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
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<!--Please keep your postings as brief as possible. Also, post information that will not become dated (e.g., "Jane Doe received a grant" is good, but "The EEBedia club is meeting this Friday" is not). Older postings will be moved to the current events archive periodically (follow the "More..." link to get there).--><br />
<!--BEGIN YOUR POSTINGS WITH AN ASTERISK, STARTING BELOW THIS LINE--><br />
<br />
*EEB Undergraduate '''[[Colin Carlson]]''' co-authored his [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf first scientific publication] with '''[[Tobias Landberg]]''' describing a giant jawless snapping turtle<br />
*Greenhouse staff member Dr. '''Matt Opel''' was recently elected to serve as President of the Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society.<br />
*'''Juan Carlos Villarreal''' has been awarded the Michael J. Hogan Graduate Summer Research Award.<br />
*'''Kathryn Theiss''' has been awarded a fellowship from the Switzer Foundation.<br />
*'''Jessica Budke''' received an award from the Botanical Society of America for graduate student research. <br />
*'''Chris Owen''' won a graduate student research grant from the Society of Systematic Biologists to partially fund his May-July research stay in Australia working with Max Moulds on a monograph of the Australian Cicada genus Pauropsalta.<br />
*Congratulations to '''Don Les''', who was presented with the first CLAS Research Award in the Life Sciences at the CLAS graduation ceremony on May 10, 2009.<br />
*'''Jessica Budke''' received a Stanley Greene award from the International Association of Bryologists for $1,100 to complete her dissertation research. She also received a $700 award from the American Microscopy Society allowing her to pursue her studies. A single award for a graduate student is given every year by the Society.<br />
*'''April Lynn Rodd''' is a new initiate to Phi Beta Kappa. She is an EEB Major working in David Wagner's lab.<br />
*'''Alejandro Rico Guevara''' won one of the best presentation awards at last week's joint meeting of the Wilson Ornithological Society and the Association of Field Ornithologists. The other presentation award went to '''Jason Hill '08''' for a talk on his MS work.<br />
*'''David Wagner''' was named a finalist for UConn's 2008-2009 Environmental Leadership Award. The awards are given to faculty, staff, students, organizations and teams for their proven dedication and outstanding contributions to a more environmentally aware and sustainable campus. Provost Peter Nicholls will present the awards to the winners on April 20th.<br />
*'''Kevin Burgio''', who is a University Scholar pursuing his honors thesis work in Margaret Rubega's lab, has been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship. "The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by the United States Congress in 1986 in honor of former United States Senator and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, a Republican from Arizona. Its goal is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.<br />
The Scholarship is awarded to about 300 college sophomores and juniors nationwide a maximum of $7500 per academic year (for their senior year, or junior and senior years). The scholarship is awarded based on merit, the actual amount given is based on financial need.<br />
Competition for the Scholarship is exceedingly intense. Universities are allowed to nominate only four undergraduate students per year to receive the final Scholarship. As a result, the Scholarship is widely considered the most prestigious award in the U.S. conferred upon undergraduates studying the sciences. Through March 2006, Princeton University has had the most Goldwater Scholars with 64, followed by Harvard University (60), Duke University (58), Kansas State University (57), and the University of Chicago (53)."<br />
*'''Kentwood Wells'''' book on The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians, published by the University of Chicago Press, has been named one of Choice magazine’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2008. There are 575 titles on the list in all fields, but only 12 in zoology. Choice magazine is used by many libraries to identify books to be added to their collections.<br />
*'''Suegene Noh''' won a Student Competition for the President's Prize at the recent national meeting of the Entomological Society of America, in Reno. The award was for her talk at the session entitled Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity: Behavior and Communication. The presentation she gave was "The inheritance of song and preference in hybrids between Chrysoperla carnea and C. agilis green lacewings."<br />
*Joel R. Duff, '''JUAN CARLOS VILLARREAL,''' D.C. Cargill, & K.S. Renzaglia received the Sullivant award (recognizing the best paper in bryology published in the Bryologist) from the American Bryological and Lichenological Society for their paper entitled "Progress and challenges toward developing a phylogeny and classification of the hornworts" (2007; The Bryologist 110:214-243) <br />
*'''Jang Kim''' received the First Place - Student Oral Presentation Award for his presentation titled "DESICCATION OF THE ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT GENUS Porphyra (=NORI) ALTERS NITROGEN METABOLISM IN A NOVEL WAY" at World Aquaculture 2008 in Busan, Korea. <br />
*'''[[Leslie J. Mehrhoff]]''' was awarded the Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society "for eminent horticultural accomplishments in the horticulture industry,or for outstanding service to the Society" during a black tie dinner on June 12, 2008.<br />
*'''[[Nanci Ross]]''', Ph.D. student of Greg Anderson from the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, won the Edmund H. Fulling Award for best student contributed oral paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Economic Botany. This, the 49th annual meeting of the Society, was held during the week of 2 June at Duke University. The title of Ms Ross' presentation was: "Impacts of ancient Maya forest gardens on Mesoamerican tree species composition".<br />
*A paper by Rahbek, C., N. Gotelli, R. K. Colwell, G. L. Entsminger, '''[[T. F. L. V. B. Rangel]]''', and G. R. Graves. 2007. Predicting continental-scale patterns of bird species richness with spatially explicit models. ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B'' 274:165-174 has won The Smithsonian Institution's "2007 National Museum of Natural History Science Achievement Award," which is given to the best 3-5 papers authored by staff in the NMNH. <br />
<br />
[[Older EEB news|More...]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Current_events&diff=14842Current events2010-03-17T15:38:06Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--ADVICE TO POSTING IN CURRENT EVENTS--><br />
<!--Please keep your postings as brief as possible. Also, post information that will not become dated (e.g., "Jane Doe received a grant" is good, but "The EEBedia club is meeting this Friday" is not). Older postings will be moved to the current events archive periodically (follow the "More..." link to get there).--><br />
<!--BEGIN YOUR POSTINGS WITH AN ASTERISK, STARTING BELOW THIS LINE--><br />
<br />
*EEB Undergraduate '''[[Colin Carlson]]''' co-authored his [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf first scientific publication] with '''[[Tobias Landberg]]''' describing a giant jawless snapping turtle in Wethersfield Cove, CT<br />
*Greenhouse staff member Dr. '''Matt Opel''' was recently elected to serve as President of the Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society.<br />
*'''Juan Carlos Villarreal''' has been awarded the Michael J. Hogan Graduate Summer Research Award.<br />
*'''Kathryn Theiss''' has been awarded a fellowship from the Switzer Foundation.<br />
*'''Jessica Budke''' received an award from the Botanical Society of America for graduate student research. <br />
*'''Chris Owen''' won a graduate student research grant from the Society of Systematic Biologists to partially fund his May-July research stay in Australia working with Max Moulds on a monograph of the Australian Cicada genus Pauropsalta.<br />
*Congratulations to '''Don Les''', who was presented with the first CLAS Research Award in the Life Sciences at the CLAS graduation ceremony on May 10, 2009.<br />
*'''Jessica Budke''' received a Stanley Greene award from the International Association of Bryologists for $1,100 to complete her dissertation research. She also received a $700 award from the American Microscopy Society allowing her to pursue her studies. A single award for a graduate student is given every year by the Society.<br />
*'''April Lynn Rodd''' is a new initiate to Phi Beta Kappa. She is an EEB Major working in David Wagner's lab.<br />
*'''Alejandro Rico Guevara''' won one of the best presentation awards at last week's joint meeting of the Wilson Ornithological Society and the Association of Field Ornithologists. The other presentation award went to '''Jason Hill '08''' for a talk on his MS work.<br />
*'''David Wagner''' was named a finalist for UConn's 2008-2009 Environmental Leadership Award. The awards are given to faculty, staff, students, organizations and teams for their proven dedication and outstanding contributions to a more environmentally aware and sustainable campus. Provost Peter Nicholls will present the awards to the winners on April 20th.<br />
*'''Kevin Burgio''', who is a University Scholar pursuing his honors thesis work in Margaret Rubega's lab, has been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship. "The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by the United States Congress in 1986 in honor of former United States Senator and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, a Republican from Arizona. Its goal is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.<br />
The Scholarship is awarded to about 300 college sophomores and juniors nationwide a maximum of $7500 per academic year (for their senior year, or junior and senior years). The scholarship is awarded based on merit, the actual amount given is based on financial need.<br />
Competition for the Scholarship is exceedingly intense. Universities are allowed to nominate only four undergraduate students per year to receive the final Scholarship. As a result, the Scholarship is widely considered the most prestigious award in the U.S. conferred upon undergraduates studying the sciences. Through March 2006, Princeton University has had the most Goldwater Scholars with 64, followed by Harvard University (60), Duke University (58), Kansas State University (57), and the University of Chicago (53)."<br />
*'''Kentwood Wells'''' book on The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians, published by the University of Chicago Press, has been named one of Choice magazine’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2008. There are 575 titles on the list in all fields, but only 12 in zoology. Choice magazine is used by many libraries to identify books to be added to their collections.<br />
*'''Suegene Noh''' won a Student Competition for the President's Prize at the recent national meeting of the Entomological Society of America, in Reno. The award was for her talk at the session entitled Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity: Behavior and Communication. The presentation she gave was "The inheritance of song and preference in hybrids between Chrysoperla carnea and C. agilis green lacewings."<br />
*Joel R. Duff, '''JUAN CARLOS VILLARREAL,''' D.C. Cargill, & K.S. Renzaglia received the Sullivant award (recognizing the best paper in bryology published in the Bryologist) from the American Bryological and Lichenological Society for their paper entitled "Progress and challenges toward developing a phylogeny and classification of the hornworts" (2007; The Bryologist 110:214-243) <br />
*'''Jang Kim''' received the First Place - Student Oral Presentation Award for his presentation titled "DESICCATION OF THE ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT GENUS Porphyra (=NORI) ALTERS NITROGEN METABOLISM IN A NOVEL WAY" at World Aquaculture 2008 in Busan, Korea. <br />
*'''[[Leslie J. Mehrhoff]]''' was awarded the Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society "for eminent horticultural accomplishments in the horticulture industry,or for outstanding service to the Society" during a black tie dinner on June 12, 2008.<br />
*'''[[Nanci Ross]]''', Ph.D. student of Greg Anderson from the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, won the Edmund H. Fulling Award for best student contributed oral paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Economic Botany. This, the 49th annual meeting of the Society, was held during the week of 2 June at Duke University. The title of Ms Ross' presentation was: "Impacts of ancient Maya forest gardens on Mesoamerican tree species composition".<br />
*A paper by Rahbek, C., N. Gotelli, R. K. Colwell, G. L. Entsminger, '''[[T. F. L. V. B. Rangel]]''', and G. R. Graves. 2007. Predicting continental-scale patterns of bird species richness with spatially explicit models. ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B'' 274:165-174 has won The Smithsonian Institution's "2007 National Museum of Natural History Science Achievement Award," which is given to the best 3-5 papers authored by staff in the NMNH. <br />
<br />
[[Older EEB news|More...]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf&diff=14841File:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf2010-03-17T13:49:18Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
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<div>Pdf reprint of Landberg et al., 2010 describing Jawless, the giant snapping turtle that we attached the National Geographic Society's CritterCam to in Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut.</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Snapping_turtle_research_team&diff=14840Snapping turtle research team2010-03-17T13:48:00Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
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<div>=== '''Behavior, Ecology and Physiology of Connecticut Snapping Turtles (''Chelydra serpentina'')''' ===<br />
[[Image:Turtle research team graduation.JPG|center]]<br><br />
[[Image:Snapperdesignsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant2.jpg|right|frame|"Jawless" gets ready to film Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut River with National Geographic's CritterCam. July 15th, 2008 Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
<br />
== '''Science on the River''' ==<br />
<br />
In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie] and [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I worked this summer with ten high school students on a snapping turtle ecology project. The primary goal was to allow these young teenagers growing up in urban Hartford, CT access to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise be exposed to. <br />
<br>[[Image:Babysnappingturtleyawn.jpg|center]]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
''The first phase'' of the project included a study of nest protector devices that was designed to keep out large mammalian predators. <br />
<br />
''The second phase'' involved trapping snappers and outfitting them with National Geographic's CritterCam. We successfully deployed (and retrieved!) the CritterCam four times. <br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|left|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
[[Image:Lafayette.jpg|right|frame|Lafayette the 16 pounder from Wethersfield Cove]]<br />
<br><br />
'''July 15th 2008:''' We deployed the CritterCam on a monster snapper weighing 39 pounds in Wethersfield Cove off the Connecticut River. The local media covered the event: The Hartford Courant ran a front-page feature article and produced this [http://www.courant.com/video/?slug=hc-wn-snappingturtle video.] Channel 3 news also ran a [http://www.wfsb.com/video/16893134/index.html story.]<br />
<br />
'''July 16th 2008:''' Jawless went out for his second trip which only lasted 20 minutes<br />
<br />
'''July 17th 2008:''' Lafayette the 16 pound snapper took the CritterCam into the channel that connects Wethersfield cove to the CT river<br />
<br />
'''July 21st editorial:''' [http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snapper.art.artjul21,0,4808734.story Hartford Courant editorial] <br />
<br />
'''July 25th:''' Turtle's eye view: news report on footage from the maiden voyage of the CritterCam on a snapping turtle:<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16994116/index.html Channel 3 news video clip] and<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16991180/index.html Raw footage] from "Jawless", the monster snapper from Wethersfield Cove, CT[[Image:ColinCarlson.jpg|right|frame|[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Colin Carlson] analyzing video footage in the lab]]<br />
<br />
[[Image:Snippyfredbird1.jpg|right|frame|Snippy the Snapper from Shenipsit. Photo credit: Fred Bird]]<br />
<br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}} <br />
<br />
'''August 5th:''' Snippy the 24 pound Shenipsit Lake snapping turtle takes the crittercam for a spin... [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8791388 Channel 8 news video clip] Several ABC news affiliates ran a piece produced by [http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=080608-892032-M001485673 Channel 30 news]<br />
<br />
'''August 7th:''' The 2008 snapping turtle research team graduates!<br />
[http://fox61.trb.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=2780247 Channel 61 news video clip]<br />
<br />
'''August 12th:''' Reminder News [http://www.remindernews.com/node/7/&town=vernon&url=VERN-2008-08-12-6-Ar00600# story with pictures.] <br />
<br />
'''September 3rd''' WTNH Channel 8 news [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8944456 link] to Snippy footage. <br />
<br />
'''September 8th''' The nest we protected hatched babies!<br />
<br />
'''October 17th''' [http://advance.uconn.edu/2008/081020/08102013.htm UConn Advance article] on Tobias and the snapping turtle project.<br />
<br />
'''October 21st''' UConn's President Hogan [http://blogs.uconn.edu/president/?m=200810 blogs] about the project<br />
<br />
'''October 25th''' I spoke at the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/2008_DVM_NORTHEAST_REGIONAL_MEETING DVM meeting] at UConn about the project!<br />
<br />
'''November 11th''' Honors students in the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Bio_2289_(formerly_295) research seminar] learned about the project <br />
<br />
'''February 2009''' [http://www.northeastboating.net Northeast boating magazine] ran a full page article about the project [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:NEBoatingJan09.pdf (click here for pdf)]<br />
<br />
'''February 19th'''The UConn [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] hears about the project and gets a visit from a baby snapper<br />
<br />
'''June 12th & 13th''' We are going to try a deployment at Connecticut [http://web.uconn.edu/mnh/bioblitz/BioBlitz2009.html BioBlitz] in Keney Park in Hartford<br />
<br />
{{#ev:youtube|DKcQ6sRHhcY}}<br />
<br />
<br />
=='''Scientific Publication'''==<br />
<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br />
<br> Learn more at Colin's [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_Turtle_Research:_Analyses_and_Conclusions Analysis page]<br />
<br />
Back to [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg Tobias' research page]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Snapping_turtle_research_team&diff=14839Snapping turtle research team2010-03-17T13:46:46Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== '''Behavior, Ecology and Physiology of Connecticut Snapping Turtles (''Chelydra serpentina'')''' ===<br />
[[Image:Turtle research team graduation.JPG|center]]<br><br />
[[Image:Snapperdesignsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant2.jpg|right|frame|"Jawless" gets ready to film Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut River with National Geographic's CritterCam. July 15th, 2008 Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
<br />
== '''Science on the River''' ==<br />
<br />
In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie] and [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I worked this summer with ten high school students on a snapping turtle ecology project. The primary goal was to allow these young teenagers growing up in urban Hartford, CT access to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise be exposed to. <br />
<br>[[Image:Babysnappingturtleyawn.jpg|center]]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
''The first phase'' of the project included a study of nest protector devices that was designed to keep out large mammalian predators. <br />
<br />
''The second phase'' involved trapping snappers and outfitting them with National Geographic's CritterCam. We successfully deployed (and retrieved!) the CritterCam four times. <br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|left|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
[[Image:Lafayette.jpg|right|frame|Lafayette the 16 pounder from Wethersfield Cove]]<br />
<br><br />
'''July 15th 2008:''' We deployed the CritterCam on a monster snapper weighing 39 pounds in Wethersfield Cove off the Connecticut River. The local media covered the event: The Hartford Courant ran a front-page feature article and produced this [http://www.courant.com/video/?slug=hc-wn-snappingturtle video.] Channel 3 news also ran a [http://www.wfsb.com/video/16893134/index.html story.]<br />
<br />
'''July 16th 2008:''' Jawless went out for his second trip which only lasted 20 minutes<br />
<br />
'''July 17th 2008:''' Lafayette the 16 pound snapper took the CritterCam into the channel that connects Wethersfield cove to the CT river<br />
<br />
'''July 21st editorial:''' [http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snapper.art.artjul21,0,4808734.story Hartford Courant editorial] <br />
<br />
'''July 25th:''' Turtle's eye view: news report on footage from the maiden voyage of the CritterCam on a snapping turtle:<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16994116/index.html Channel 3 news video clip] and<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16991180/index.html Raw footage] from "Jawless", the monster snapper from Wethersfield Cove, CT[[Image:ColinCarlson.jpg|right|frame|[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Colin Carlson] analyzing video footage in the lab]]<br />
<br />
[[Image:Snippyfredbird1.jpg|right|frame|Snippy the Snapper from Shenipsit. Photo credit: Fred Bird]]<br />
<br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}} <br />
<br />
'''August 5th:''' Snippy the 24 pound Shenipsit Lake snapping turtle takes the crittercam for a spin... [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8791388 Channel 8 news video clip] Several ABC news affiliates ran a piece produced by [http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=080608-892032-M001485673 Channel 30 news]<br />
<br />
'''August 7th:''' The 2008 snapping turtle research team graduates!<br />
[http://fox61.trb.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=2780247 Channel 61 news video clip]<br />
<br />
'''August 12th:''' Reminder News [http://www.remindernews.com/node/7/&town=vernon&url=VERN-2008-08-12-6-Ar00600# story with pictures.] <br />
<br />
'''September 3rd''' WTNH Channel 8 news [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8944456 link] to Snippy footage. <br />
<br />
'''September 8th''' The nest we protected hatched babies!<br />
<br />
'''October 17th''' [http://advance.uconn.edu/2008/081020/08102013.htm UConn Advance article] on Tobias and the snapping turtle project.<br />
<br />
'''October 21st''' UConn's President Hogan [http://blogs.uconn.edu/president/?m=200810 blogs] about the project<br />
<br />
'''October 25th''' I spoke at the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/2008_DVM_NORTHEAST_REGIONAL_MEETING DVM meeting] at UConn about the project!<br />
<br />
'''November 11th''' Honors students in the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Bio_2289_(formerly_295) research seminar] learned about the project <br />
<br />
'''February 2009''' [http://www.northeastboating.net Northeast boating magazine] ran a full page article about the project [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:NEBoatingJan09.pdf (click here for pdf)]<br />
<br />
'''February 19th'''The UConn [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] hears about the project and gets a visit from a baby snapper<br />
<br />
'''June 12th & 13th''' We are going to try a deployment at Connecticut [http://web.uconn.edu/mnh/bioblitz/BioBlitz2009.html BioBlitz] in Keney Park in Hartford<br />
<br />
{{#ev:youtube|DKcQ6sRHhcY}}<br />
<br />
<br />
=='''Scientific Publication'''==<br />
<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 <br />
<br />
<br> Learn more at Colin's [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_Turtle_Research:_Analyses_and_Conclusions Analysis page]<br />
<br />
Back to [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg Tobias' research page]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14838Tobias Landberg2010-03-17T13:41:11Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
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<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
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<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
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== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
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== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
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=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
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=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
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My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
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== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
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[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
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=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
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With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
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Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
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== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
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=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
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<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71 {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf&diff=14837File:Landbergetal2010Jawless.pdf2010-03-17T13:38:07Z<p>TobiasLandberg: Reprint of Landberg et al., 2010 describing Jawless, the giant snapping turtle that we attached The National Geographic Society's CritterCam to in Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut.</p>
<hr />
<div>Reprint of Landberg et al., 2010 describing Jawless, the giant snapping turtle that we attached The National Geographic Society's CritterCam to in Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut.</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14836Tobias Landberg2010-03-17T13:34:26Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, C. (2010) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review 41(1):70-71<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14795Tobias Landberg2010-03-10T14:54:53Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''Dissertation research''' */</p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
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<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
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<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
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[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2010&diff=14777Graduate Research Symposium 20102010-03-09T01:41:46Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>''' <br />
== Saturday, March 27, 2010 == <br />
'''</big> </center> <br><br />
<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 />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==New 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 & Tea (drinks only) <br />
|- <br />
| 9:00-9:15 || Debra Kendall || Welcome address by the associate dean for life sciences and for research and graduate education<br />
|- <br />
| 9:15-9:30 || Alejandro Rico || Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br />
|- <br />
| 9:30-9:45 ||Elizabeth Wade || Microsatellite and gene discovery using 454 sequencing in the cicada genus Kikihia<br />
|- <br />
| 9:45-10:00 || Jessica Budke || Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>).<br />
|- <br />
| 10:00-10:15 || Kerri Mocko || TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 10:15-10:30 || Chris Owen || TBA<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 10:30-11:00 || || '''Morning Break - Drinks and Fruit'''<br />
|- <br />
| 11:00-11:15 ||Susan Herrick || Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans.<br />
|- <br />
| 11:15-11:30 || [[Tobias Landberg]] || Something something salamanders<br />
|- <br />
| 11:30-11:45 ||Brian Klingbeil || TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 11:45-12:00 || Kristiina Hurme || Antipredator behavior in schooling tadpoles <br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 12:00-1:30 || || Lunch - Sandwiches and Salad<br />
|- <br />
| 1:30-2:00 || Lori Hosaka LaPlante || Keynote Address: TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 2:00-2:15 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:15-2:30 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:30-2:45 || || <br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2:45-3:00 || || '''Speed Talks'''<br />
|- <br />
| 2:45-2:50 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:50-2:55 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:55-3:00 || || <br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==Abstracts==<br />
<span id="NAME">''' Susan Herrick'''</span><br />
<br> Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans <br><br />
Phenotypically similar species are hypothesized to adjust their behavior when they coexist to decrease competition. Pond-breeding frogs constitute an ideal system to address this hypothesis because multiple species may compete for noise-free periods to call for mates. American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and green frogs (R. clamitans) commonly co-occur in breeding ponds. Males of both species vocalize to defend territories and attract females. However, bullfrogs call more aggressively than green frogs and are expected to control access to the limiting acoustic resources. I predicted that green frogs increase chorusing activity in periods of bullfrog inactivity and that these patterns can be detected at both diel and seasonal scales. I used automated acoustic software to identify bullfrog and green frog vocalizations through two breeding seasons. Temporal partitioning occurs on a seasonal time scale. Bullfrog and green frog calling rates are both high early in the season in late May but then diverge. Bullfrog calling rate peaks in mid-June and drops sharply thereafter. In contrast, green frog calling falls to low levels in June but then rebounds when bullfrog calling declines, so that green frog calling reaches a second peak in late June and tapers off thereafter, ceasing in early August. There is no evident temporal partitioning on shorter time scales. Both species call most from midnight until 0600. However, the diel timing of bullfrog calling is predictable, whereas green frog calling is more variable. These results suggest green frogs are responding to reduced bullfrog activity by adjusting their calling effort. <br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Alejandro Rico'''</span><br />
<br> Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br> <br />
Modulation of feeding behavior in hummingbirds, the most important vertebrate pollinators, has been demonstrated to affect the persistence of many kinds and number of plants, and subsequently the interactions and services provided by entire ecosystems. Similarly, composition and concentration of floral nectars has been shown to influence which flowers hummingbirds feed at, and their rate of movement among flowers. To date, our understanding of feeding behavior in hummingbirds is based on the theory that they use capillarity in order to feed on nectar. It is widely accepted as fact that hummingbirds feed by moving nectar up their tongues in the same way that water moves up a tiny capillary glass tube. Our entire understanding of the nature of the interaction of hummingbirds and plants has been based on this concept of the mechanics of feeding. My previous work on the structure of the hummingbird tongue suggests that the capillarity model of feeding in hummingbirds may be wrong. Preliminary results point to a novel and radically different nectar trapping mechanism; if true, our ideas about how external factors affect the rate at which hummingbirds gain nectar from flowers would change. In this presentation I document the process of nectar uptake using high-speed video and microscopy capabilities describing the fluid mechanics of tongue loading, discussing the implications of this new perspective at several different levels ranging from biophysics to ecology and evolution.<br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Jessica Budke'''</span><br />
<br> Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>). <br><br />
In bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) the diploid sporophyte is small, unbranched, and physically attached to the maternal haploid gametophyte. One of the major maternal influences in moss plants is a cap of gametophyte tissue (the calyptra) that covers the sporophyte’s apex during early developmental stages. Previous studies indicate that the calyptra functions mechanically to influence sporophyte development and is necessary for spore formation. Sporophytes without their calyptra wilt at the apex; they survive only when placed in a high humidity chamber. These observations stimulated the hypothesis that the maternally derived calyptra functions as a waterproof cap, preventing desiccation of the developing sporophyte’s apex. In plants the cuticle, an external layer of lipids and waxes, maintains internal hydration. To explore this hypothesis, I am using scanning and transmission electron microscopy to examine cuticle morphology and development of both the calyptra and sporophyte in the moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>. Results for this species indicate that the calyptra’s cuticle is thicker and more complex than other gametophyte tissues; the cuticle is also present on the calyptra throughout sporophyte development. These observations support the calyptra as a specialized maternal gametophyte structure and provide a mechanism by which the calyptra prevents harmful water loss during critical sporophyte developmental stages. Sporophyte development is directly related to reproductive output and thus evolutionary fitness in mosses. The maternal care provided by the calyptra and its cuticle may have been a critical innovation for the evolutionary success of the ~12,500 moss species worldwide.<br><br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
[[Category:Graduate Research Symposium]]<br />
[[Category:Graduate Student Resources]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Graduate_Research_Symposium_2010&diff=14776Graduate Research Symposium 20102010-03-09T01:39:35Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><center> <big>''' <br />
== Saturday, March 27, 2010 == <br />
'''</big> </center> <br><br />
<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 />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==New 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 & Tea (drinks only) <br />
|- <br />
| 9:00-9:15 || Debra Kendall || Welcome address by the associate dean for life sciences and for research and graduate education<br />
|- <br />
| 9:15-9:30 || Alejandro Rico || Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br />
|- <br />
| 9:30-9:45 ||Elizabeth Wade || Microsatellite and gene discovery using 454 sequencing in the cicada genus Kikihia<br />
|- <br />
| 9:45-10:00 || Jessica Budke || Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>).<br />
|- <br />
| 10:00-10:15 || Kerri Mocko || TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 10:15-10:30 || Chris Owen || TBA<br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 10:30-11:00 || || '''Morning Break - Drinks and Fruit'''<br />
|- <br />
| 11:00-11:15 ||Susan Herrick || Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans.<br />
|- <br />
| 11:15-11:30 || Tobias Landberg || Something something salamanders<br />
|- <br />
| 11:30-11:45 ||Brian Klingbeil || TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 11:45-12:00 || Kristiina Hurme || Antipredator behavior in schooling tadpoles <br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;"| 12:00-1:30 || || Lunch - Sandwiches and Salad<br />
|- <br />
| 1:30-2:00 || Lori Hosaka LaPlante || Keynote Address: TBA<br />
|- <br />
| 2:00-2:15 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:15-2:30 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:30-2:45 || || <br />
|- <br />
!style="background:#efefef;" | 2:45-3:00 || || '''Speed Talks'''<br />
|- <br />
| 2:45-2:50 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:50-2:55 || || <br />
|- <br />
| 2:55-3:00 || || <br />
|- <br />
|}<br />
<center>[[Image:picheader1.gif]]</center><br />
<br />
__NOEDITSECTION__<br />
==Abstracts==<br />
<span id="NAME">''' Susan Herrick'''</span><br />
<br> Temporal patterns in calling behavior of syntopic anurans <br><br />
Phenotypically similar species are hypothesized to adjust their behavior when they coexist to decrease competition. Pond-breeding frogs constitute an ideal system to address this hypothesis because multiple species may compete for noise-free periods to call for mates. American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and green frogs (R. clamitans) commonly co-occur in breeding ponds. Males of both species vocalize to defend territories and attract females. However, bullfrogs call more aggressively than green frogs and are expected to control access to the limiting acoustic resources. I predicted that green frogs increase chorusing activity in periods of bullfrog inactivity and that these patterns can be detected at both diel and seasonal scales. I used automated acoustic software to identify bullfrog and green frog vocalizations through two breeding seasons. Temporal partitioning occurs on a seasonal time scale. Bullfrog and green frog calling rates are both high early in the season in late May but then diverge. Bullfrog calling rate peaks in mid-June and drops sharply thereafter. In contrast, green frog calling falls to low levels in June but then rebounds when bullfrog calling declines, so that green frog calling reaches a second peak in late June and tapers off thereafter, ceasing in early August. There is no evident temporal partitioning on shorter time scales. Both species call most from midnight until 0600. However, the diel timing of bullfrog calling is predictable, whereas green frog calling is more variable. These results suggest green frogs are responding to reduced bullfrog activity by adjusting their calling effort. <br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Alejandro Rico'''</span><br />
<br> Hummingbird feeding mechanics <br> <br />
Modulation of feeding behavior in hummingbirds, the most important vertebrate pollinators, has been demonstrated to affect the persistence of many kinds and number of plants, and subsequently the interactions and services provided by entire ecosystems. Similarly, composition and concentration of floral nectars has been shown to influence which flowers hummingbirds feed at, and their rate of movement among flowers. To date, our understanding of feeding behavior in hummingbirds is based on the theory that they use capillarity in order to feed on nectar. It is widely accepted as fact that hummingbirds feed by moving nectar up their tongues in the same way that water moves up a tiny capillary glass tube. Our entire understanding of the nature of the interaction of hummingbirds and plants has been based on this concept of the mechanics of feeding. My previous work on the structure of the hummingbird tongue suggests that the capillarity model of feeding in hummingbirds may be wrong. Preliminary results point to a novel and radically different nectar trapping mechanism; if true, our ideas about how external factors affect the rate at which hummingbirds gain nectar from flowers would change. In this presentation I document the process of nectar uptake using high-speed video and microscopy capabilities describing the fluid mechanics of tongue loading, discussing the implications of this new perspective at several different levels ranging from biophysics to ecology and evolution.<br><br />
<br />
<span id="NAME">'''Jessica Budke'''</span><br />
<br> Examining the gametophytic calyptra and its role in sporophyte development using the cord moss (<i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>). <br><br />
In bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) the diploid sporophyte is small, unbranched, and physically attached to the maternal haploid gametophyte. One of the major maternal influences in moss plants is a cap of gametophyte tissue (the calyptra) that covers the sporophyte’s apex during early developmental stages. Previous studies indicate that the calyptra functions mechanically to influence sporophyte development and is necessary for spore formation. Sporophytes without their calyptra wilt at the apex; they survive only when placed in a high humidity chamber. These observations stimulated the hypothesis that the maternally derived calyptra functions as a waterproof cap, preventing desiccation of the developing sporophyte’s apex. In plants the cuticle, an external layer of lipids and waxes, maintains internal hydration. To explore this hypothesis, I am using scanning and transmission electron microscopy to examine cuticle morphology and development of both the calyptra and sporophyte in the moss <i>Funaria hygrometrica</i>. Results for this species indicate that the calyptra’s cuticle is thicker and more complex than other gametophyte tissues; the cuticle is also present on the calyptra throughout sporophyte development. These observations support the calyptra as a specialized maternal gametophyte structure and provide a mechanism by which the calyptra prevents harmful water loss during critical sporophyte developmental stages. Sporophyte development is directly related to reproductive output and thus evolutionary fitness in mosses. The maternal care provided by the calyptra and its cuticle may have been a critical innovation for the evolutionary success of the ~12,500 moss species worldwide.<br><br />
<br />
<br />
----<br />
[[Category:Graduate Research Symposium]]<br />
[[Category:Graduate Student Resources]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Vertlunch&diff=14378Vertlunch2010-02-15T21:51:24Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=The Vertlunch page=<br />
This page is for use of participants in EEB 6480 Seminar in Vertebrate Biology a.k.a. VertLunch.<br/><br />
<br/><br />
:To upload a pdf use [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/upload.html this form] (note that you will be asked for username and password to access the form - contact Schultz, Schwenk or Wells to obtain)<br />
:To add a link to a journal article, review the instructions for hypertext links in [[Help:Contents|Help]].<br />
[[Image:Racertongueflick.gif |right|Black racer wagging its tongue like a dog. Photo by T. Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:cover_nature.jpg |thumb|Nature cover for Niedzwiedzki article]]<br />
[[Image:Copperhead Tongue-Flick sm.jpg |thumb|Cooperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix'') tongue-flicking. Photo by K. Schwenk and C. Smith.]]<br />
[[Image:Corytophanes_hernandezii_Hurme.jpg |thumb|A helmeted iguana, ''Corytophanes hernandezii'', in Belize. Photo by K. Hurme.]]<br />
[[Image:Molly_christmas2008.JPG |thumb|A spoiled domestic dog, ''Canis lupus familiaris'', in Connecticut. Photo by Evan Schultz.]]<br />
[[Image:DiegoBuster.jpg |thumb|Huge, slimy green reptile accompanied by an iguana. Photo by T. Landberg with K. Schwenk's camera]]<br />
[[Image:Kristiina_agalychnis.jpg |thumb|Tropical treefrog, ''Agalychnis'', with hideous, parasitic growth. Photo by C. Smith]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsFentonCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsDipnetCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader after unfortunate dipnet accident. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:SchultzCrayfishEarring.jpg |thumb|Resident ich, Dr. Eric 'Gonopodium' Schultz of UConn attended closely by resident ick of the Fenton River, Dr. 'Pierce Your Ear For You? Crayfish. Photo by K. Hurme]]<br />
<br />
<br />
=='''The Spring 2010 Edition'''==<br />
<br />
==Who we are==<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/faces.pdf}}<br />
:well, what we look like anyway. Don't like your picture? Send me a better one!<br />
<br />
January 22<br/><br />
:Revisiting a foundational study in sex allocation:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Maddox_and_Weatherhead_2009_Ecology.pdf}}<br />
:Maddox, J.D. and P.J. Weatherhead. 2009. Ecology 90(11): 3190–3196.<br />
:The foundational study:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Howe_Science_1977.pdf}}<br />
:Howe, H.F. 1977. Science 198(4318):744-746.<br />
<br/><br />
January 29<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Carry-over effects through a complex life history: from embryos to tadpoles through metamorphosis <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Touchon%26Warkenin.pdf}}<br />
:Touchon&Warkenin.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
February 5<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Devonian Tetrapod trackways:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf<br />
:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/suppinfo/nature08623.html<br />
:link to Supplementary Information files<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s2.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the entire print.<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s3.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the the foot and digits in close-up.<br />
:A review paper:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 12<br/> <br />
Do Orangutan males commit infanticide?<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/orangutaninfanticide.pdf}}<br />
:orangutaninfanticide.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 19<br/> <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/KomodoLizardVenom09.pdf}}<br />
:Do Komodo dragons have venom?<br />
{{#ev:youtube|q7CQInAXoqY}}<br />
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February 26<br/><br />
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March 5<br/><br />
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March 19<br/><br />
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April 23<br/><br />
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April 30<br/><br />
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[[Category:EEB Seminars]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Vertlunch&diff=14279Vertlunch2010-02-08T20:23:48Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=The Vertlunch page=<br />
This page is for use of participants in EEB 6480 Seminar in Vertebrate Biology a.k.a. VertLunch.<br/><br />
<br/><br />
:To upload a pdf use [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/upload.html this form] (note that you will be asked for username and password to access the form - contact Schultz, Schwenk or Wells to obtain)<br />
:To add a link to a journal article, review the instructions for hypertext links in [[Help:Contents|Help]].<br />
[[Image:Racertongueflick.gif |right|Black racer wagging its tongue like a dog. Photo by T. Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:cover_nature.jpg |thumb|Nature cover for Niedzwiedzki article]]<br />
[[Image:Copperhead Tongue-Flick sm.jpg |thumb|Cooperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix'') tongue-flicking. Photo by K. Schwenk and C. Smith.]]<br />
[[Image:Corytophanes_hernandezii_Hurme.jpg |thumb|A helmeted iguana, ''Corytophanes hernandezii'', in Belize. Photo by K. Hurme.]]<br />
[[Image:Molly_christmas2008.JPG |thumb|A spoiled domestic dog, ''Canis lupus familiaris'', in Connecticut. Photo by Evan Schultz.]]<br />
[[Image:DiegoBuster.jpg |thumb|Huge, slimy green reptile accompanied by an iguana. Photo by T. Landberg with K. Schwenk's camera]]<br />
[[Image:Kristiina_agalychnis.jpg |thumb|Tropical treefrog, ''Agalychnis'', with hideous, parasitic growth. Photo by C. Smith]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsFentonCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsDipnetCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader after unfortunate dipnet accident. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:SchultzCrayfishEarring.jpg |thumb|Resident ich, Dr. Eric 'Gonopodium' Schultz of UConn attended closely by resident ick of the Fenton River, Dr. 'Pierce Your Ear For You? Crayfish. Photo by K. Hurme]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==The Spring 2010 Edition==<br />
January 22<br/><br />
:Revisiting a foundational study in sex allocation:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Maddox_and_Weatherhead_2009_Ecology.pdf}}<br />
:Maddox, J.D. and P.J. Weatherhead. 2009. Ecology 90(11): 3190–3196.<br />
:The foundational study:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Howe_Science_1977.pdf}}<br />
:Howe, H.F. 1977. Science 198(4318):744-746.<br />
<br/><br />
January 29<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Carry-over effects through a complex life history: from embryos to tadpoles through metamorphosis <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Touchon%26Warkenin.pdf}}<br />
:Touchon&Warkenin.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
February 5<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Devonian Tetrapod trackways:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf<br />
:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/suppinfo/nature08623.html<br />
:link to Supplementary Information files<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s2.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the entire print.<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s3.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the the foot and digits in close-up.<br />
:A review paper:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 12<br/> <br />
Do Orangutan males commit infanticide?<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/orangutaninfanticide.pdf}}<br />
:orangutaninfanticide.pdf<br />
Since this will inevitably come up during this discussion:<br />
*WARNING* Contains strong language and crazy talk<br />
{{#ev:youtube|EY39fkmqKBM}} <br />
February 19<br/> <br />
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February 26<br/><br />
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March 5<br/><br />
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March 19<br/><br />
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March 26<br/><br />
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April 23<br/><br />
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April 30<br/><br />
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[[Category:EEB Seminars]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Vertlunch&diff=14278Vertlunch2010-02-08T20:14:06Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* The Vertlunch page */</p>
<hr />
<div>=The Vertlunch page=<br />
This page is for use of participants in EEB 6480 Seminar in Vertebrate Biology a.k.a. VertLunch.<br/><br />
<br/><br />
:To upload a pdf use [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/upload.html this form] (note that you will be asked for username and password to access the form - contact Schultz, Schwenk or Wells to obtain)<br />
:To add a link to a journal article, review the instructions for hypertext links in [[Help:Contents|Help]].<br />
[[Image:Racertongueflick.gif |right|Black racer wagging its tongue like a dog. Photo by T. Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:cover_nature.jpg |thumb|Nature cover for Niedzwiedzki article]]<br />
[[Image:Copperhead Tongue-Flick sm.jpg |thumb|Cooperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix'') tongue-flicking. Photo by K. Schwenk and C. Smith.]]<br />
[[Image:Corytophanes_hernandezii_Hurme.jpg |thumb|A helmeted iguana, ''Corytophanes hernandezii'', in Belize. Photo by K. Hurme.]]<br />
[[Image:Molly_christmas2008.JPG |thumb|A spoiled domestic dog, ''Canis lupus familiaris'', in Connecticut. Photo by Evan Schultz.]]<br />
[[Image:DiegoBuster.jpg |thumb|Huge, slimy green reptile accompanied by an iguana. Photo by T. Landberg with K. Schwenk's camera]]<br />
[[Image:Kristiina_agalychnis.jpg |thumb|Tropical treefrog, ''Agalychnis'', with hideous, parasitic growth. Photo by C. Smith]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsFentonCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsDipnetCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader after unfortunate dipnet accident. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:SchultzCrayfishEarring.jpg |thumb|Resident ich, Dr. Eric 'Gonopodium' Schultz of UConn attended closely by resident ick of the Fenton River, Dr. 'Pierce Your Ear For You? Crayfish. Photo by K. Hurme]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==The Spring 2010 Edition==<br />
January 22<br/><br />
:Revisiting a foundational study in sex allocation:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Maddox_and_Weatherhead_2009_Ecology.pdf}}<br />
:Maddox, J.D. and P.J. Weatherhead. 2009. Ecology 90(11): 3190–3196.<br />
:The foundational study:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Howe_Science_1977.pdf}}<br />
:Howe, H.F. 1977. Science 198(4318):744-746.<br />
<br/><br />
January 29<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Carry-over effects through a complex life history: from embryos to tadpoles through metamorphosis <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Touchon%26Warkenin.pdf}}<br />
:Touchon&Warkenin.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
February 5<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Devonian Tetrapod trackways:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf<br />
:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/suppinfo/nature08623.html<br />
:link to Supplementary Information files<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s2.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the entire print.<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s3.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the the foot and digits in close-up.<br />
:A review paper:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 12<br/> <br />
Do Orangutan males commit infanticide?<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/orangutaninfanticide.pdf}}<br />
:orangutaninfanticide.pdf<br />
Since this will inevitably come up during this discussion:<br />
{{#ev:youtube|EY39fkmqKBM}} <br />
February 19<br/> <br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 26<br/><br />
<br/><br />
<br />
March 5<br/><br />
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March 19<br/><br />
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March 26<br/><br />
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April 2<br/><br />
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April 9<br/><br />
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April 16<br/><br />
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April 23<br/><br />
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April 30<br/><br />
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[[Category:EEB Seminars]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Vertlunch&diff=14277Vertlunch2010-02-08T20:07:01Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=The Vertlunch page=<br />
This page is for use of participants in EEB 6480 Seminar in Vertebrate Biology a.k.a. VertLunch.<br/><br />
<br/><br />
:To upload a pdf use [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/upload.html this form] (note that you will be asked for username and password to access the form - contact Schultz, Schwenk or Wells to obtain)<br />
:To add a link to a journal article, review the instructions for hypertext links in [[Help:Contents|Help]].<br />
[[Image:Racertongueflick.gif |right|Black racer wagging its tongue like a dog. Photo by T. Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:cover_nature.jpg |thumb|Nature cover for Niedzwiedzki article]]<br />
[[Image:Copperhead Tongue-Flick sm.jpg |thumb|Cooperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix'') tongue-flicking. Photo by K. Schwenk and C. Smith.]]<br />
[[Image:Corytophanes_hernandezii_Hurme.jpg |thumb|A helmeted iguana, ''Corytophanes hernandezii'', in Belize. Photo by K. Hurme.]]<br />
[[Image:Molly_christmas2008.JPG |thumb|A spoiled domestic dog, ''Canis lupus familiaris'', in Connecticut. Photo by Evan Schultz.]]<br />
[[Image:DiegoBuster.jpg |thumb|Huge, slimy green reptile accompanied by an iguana. Photo by T. Landberg with K. Schwenk's camera]]<br />
[[Image:Kristiina_agalychnis.jpg |thumb|Tropical treefrog, ''Agalychnis'', with hideous, parasitic growth. Photo by C. Smith]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsFentonCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsDipnetCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader after unfortunate dipnet accident. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:SchultzCrayfishEarring.jpg |thumb|Resident ich, Dr. Eric 'Gonopodium' Schultz of UConn attended closely by resident ick of the Fenton River, Dr. 'Pierce Your Ear For You? Crayfish. Photo by K. Hurme]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==The Spring 2010 Edition==<br />
January 22<br/><br />
:Revisiting a foundational study in sex allocation:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Maddox_and_Weatherhead_2009_Ecology.pdf}}<br />
:Maddox, J.D. and P.J. Weatherhead. 2009. Ecology 90(11): 3190–3196.<br />
:The foundational study:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Howe_Science_1977.pdf}}<br />
:Howe, H.F. 1977. Science 198(4318):744-746.<br />
<br/><br />
January 29<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Carry-over effects through a complex life history: from embryos to tadpoles through metamorphosis <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Touchon%26Warkenin.pdf}}<br />
:Touchon&Warkenin.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
February 5<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Devonian Tetrapod trackways:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Niedzwiedzki_et_al_2010.pdf<br />
:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v463/n7277/suppinfo/nature08623.html<br />
:link to Supplementary Information files<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s2.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the entire print.<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/nature08623-s3.mpeg}}<br />
: Movie generated from surface scan of Muz. PGI 1728.II.1, the best-preserved single footprint showing the the foot and digits in close-up.<br />
:A review paper:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf}}<br />
:Janvier_and_Clement_2010.pdf<br />
<br/><br />
<br />
February 12<br/> <br />
Tastes like chicken...<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/orangutaninfanticide.pdf}}<br />
:orangutaninfanticide.pdf<br />
<br />
February 19<br/> <br />
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February 26<br/><br />
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March 5<br/><br />
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[[Category:EEB Seminars]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14142Tobias Landberg2010-01-29T19:30:33Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
BREAKING NEWS: I'll be joining [http://people.bu.edu/kwarken/ Dr. Karen Warkentin's lab] as a post-doctoral researcher in May 2010!<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off in. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14104Tobias Landberg2010-01-27T05:11:31Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off in. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=14103Tobias Landberg2010-01-27T05:03:21Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because female investment in egg size and number trade off in. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments favor large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
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<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
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<br />
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<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Vertlunch&diff=14063Vertlunch2010-01-26T00:03:43Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=The Vertlunch page=<br />
This page is for use of participants in EEB 6480 Seminar in Vertebrate Biology a.k.a. VertLunch.<br/><br />
<br/><br />
:To upload a pdf use [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/upload.html this form] (note that you will be asked for username and password to access the form - contact Schultz, Schwenk or Wells to obtain)<br />
:To add a link to a journal article, review the instructions for hypertext links in [[Help:Contents|Help]].<br />
[[Image:Racertongueflick.gif |right|Black racer wagging its tongue like a dog. Photo by T. Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Copperhead Tongue-Flick sm.jpg |thumb|Cooperhead (''Agkistrodon contortrix'') tongue-flicking. Photo by K. Schwenk and C. Smith.]]<br />
[[Image:Corytophanes_hernandezii_Hurme.jpg |thumb|A helmeted iguana, ''Corytophanes hernandezii'', in Belize. Photo by K. Hurme.]]<br />
[[Image:Molly_christmas2008.JPG |thumb|A spoiled domestic dog, ''Canis lupus familiaris'', in Connecticut. Photo by Evan Schultz.]]<br />
[[Image:DiegoBuster.jpg |thumb|Huge, slimy green reptile accompanied by an iguana. Photo by T. Landberg with K. Schwenk's camera]]<br />
[[Image:Kristiina_agalychnis.jpg |thumb|Tropical treefrog, ''Agalychnis'', with hideous, parasitic growth. Photo by C. Smith]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsFentonCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:KDWellsDipnetCrop.jpg |thumb|Our fearless leader after unfortunate dipnet accident. Photo by K. Schwenk]]<br />
[[Image:SchultzCrayfishEarring.jpg |thumb|Resident ich, Dr. Eric 'Gonopodium' Schultz of UConn attended closely by resident ick of the Fenton River, Dr. 'Pierce Your Ear For You? Crayfish. Photo by K. Hurme]]<br />
<br />
<br />
==The Spring 2010 Edition==<br />
January 22<br/><br />
:Revisiting a foundational study in sex allocation:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Maddox_and_Weatherhead_2009_Ecology.pdf}}<br />
:Maddox, J.D. and P.J. Weatherhead. 2009. Ecology 90(11): 3190–3196.<br />
:The foundational study:<br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Howe_Science_1977.pdf}}<br />
:Howe, H.F. 1977. Science 198(4318):744-746.<br />
<br/><br />
January 29<br/><br />
<br/><br />
Carry-over effects through a complex life history: from embryos to tadpoles through metamorphosis <br />
:{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/vertlunch/restricted/Touchon%26Warkenin.pdf}}<br />
:Touchon&Warkenin.pdf<br />
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February 5<br/><br />
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February 12<br/><br />
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February 19<br/> <br />
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February 26<br/><br />
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March 19<br/><br />
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March 26<br/><br />
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April 23<br/><br />
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April 30<br/><br />
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[[Category:EEB Seminars]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13934Tobias Landberg2010-01-21T00:19:22Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''Oxygen plasticity''' */</p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Dissolved oxygen can act as a resource, because it is required for aerobic metabolism, and as information, because it can indicate poor water quality and drying pond conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limits growth. The pond species, that lives in low oxygen habitats, had a much smaller response to oxygen than the stream species that generally experiences high oxygen. This suggests that the response to oxygen increases evolutionarily with the availability of oxygen. Later in development, pond larvae reversed the direction of their response so that larvae raised in low oxygen were larger than those raised in high oxygen. This growth response to low oxygen is correlated with early metamorphosis which suggests the response is adaptive when ponds dry up. The stream dweller, however, did not developmentally reverse the direction of plasticity. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen throughout development. This pattern appears adaptive as well because the streams dry up quickly almost every year. Together these results suggest that the ancestral condition in pond species is oxygen limitation in embryos followed by adaptive plasticity in larvae. The stream species has evolved two adaptations of their response, a larger magnitude response and an evolutionary reversal of the ancestral developmental reversal. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13930Tobias Landberg2010-01-20T21:48:22Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13929Tobias Landberg2010-01-20T21:47:49Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review (in press)<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13889Tobias Landberg2010-01-20T02:15:13Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching Evolution & Human Diversity (EEB 2202) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13888Tobias Landberg2010-01-20T02:14:04Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation? Together with [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting], I have mentored two honors students who completed theses on some of these questions.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=srhonors_theses Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis], was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[http://digitalcommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1075&context=srhonors_theses Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis] was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less explaining why they had lower survival despite only being exposed to chemical cues from the fish. Metamorphosis was approximately 25% shorter in duration for the salamanders exposed to predator cues compared to those not exposed. This suggests that salamanders assess their risk of predation and adaptively reduce the amount of time spent in the vulnerable metamorphic life stage. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13447Tobias Landberg2009-11-30T15:25:37Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landberg%26Azizi%28inpress%29.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=File:Landberg%26Azizi(inpress).pdf&diff=13446File:Landberg&Azizi(inpress).pdf2009-11-30T15:23:45Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg_CV&diff=13435Tobias Landberg CV2009-11-23T15:35:51Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''professional service''' */</p>
<hr />
<div>== '''Curriculum vitae''' ==<br />
=== '''current position''' ===<br />
Doctoral candidate<br> <br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br> <br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs<br> <br />
e-mail: tobias.landberg@uconn.edu<br><br />
Storrs, CT, USA <br><br />
<br />
=== '''professional preparation''' ===<br />
<br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
B.A., Anthropology Major, Biology Minor, May 2001 <br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
M.S., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, May 2004<br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Connecticut at Storrs, USA:<br> <br />
Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, advanced November 2005<br> <br />
<br />
=== '''positions''' ===<br />
'''Scientific Advisor'''<br>Research advisor to a collaborative project studying snapping turtle ecology. Responsibilities include project development and study design, camera attachment and deployment, teaching anatomy, trapping and handling turtles and communicating with the media. Jan 2008 - present.<br><br />
<br>'''Mentoring Fellow'''<br><br />
Graduate Student Mentoring Fellow 2008, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut. For graduate students who are the primary mentors of undergraduate students.<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Research Assistant'''<br><br />
Jockusch Laboratory, UCONN, 2006-present Geometric morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of morphology in Batrachoseps salamanders<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Teaching Assistant'''<br><br />
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008<br><br />
Evolution and Human Diversity, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008 <br> <br />
Vertebrate Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2007<br> <br />
Introductory Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2004-2006<br><br />
Honors Introductory Physiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2003<br><br />
Introductory Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2002-2003<br><br />
<br>'''Research Intern & Assistant'''<br><br />
Functional Morphology & Comparative Physiology Lab, UMASS Amherst, 1998-2004<br> Research on the functional morphology of lung ventilation and locomotion of turtles and salamanders.<br><br />
<br>'''Curatorial Associate'''<br><br />
Massachusetts Museum of Natural History Anthropological Primate Collections, 1997-2004. <br> Duties include preparation of osteological and preservation of soft- tissue materials, cataloguing specimens, maintaining beetle colony and training & <br />
supervising graduate and undergraduate student workers.<br><br />
<br>'''Student Instructor'''<br><br />
Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution - Undergraduate Seminar, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Fall, 2008<br><br />
Ecology and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity - Seminar for graduate students & professors - UMASS Amherst, Fall 2003<br><br />
<br />
=== '''publications ''' ===<br />
Landberg, T. & Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T. Allometric engineering of salamanders. Abstract published in Integrative and Comparative Biology. Talk presented at SICB annual meeting in San Antonio, TX January, 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2007. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. In press Journal of Experimental Zoology<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E., Landberg, T., and Wassersug, R. J. 2007. Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110: 290-297.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., 2004. Ontogeny of escape response performance in spotted salamanders (''Ambystoma maculatum''). MS Thesis, 41 pp., University of Massachusetts Amherst.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2003. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206(19): 3391-3404.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd. 2002. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in the red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta''. Integrative and Comparative Biology 42(6):1261A.<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E. and T. Landberg. 2002. Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205(6): 841-849.<br><br />
<br><br />
Brainerd, E.L. and T. Landberg. 2001. Ventilatory mechanics of an elongate aquatic salamander: ''Amphiuma tridactylum''. American Zoologist 40(6):952A.<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''professional service''' ===<br />
'''Reviewer'''<br><br />
Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology<br><br />
Copeia<br><br />
Evolution <br><br />
Functional Ecology <br><br />
Herpetologica <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Biology <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology<br><br />
Journal of Herpetology<br><br />
Journal of Morphology<br><br />
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology<br><br />
Zoology <br><br />
<br><br />
'''Member''' <br><br />
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology<br> <br />
International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists<br><br />
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles<br><br />
Student representative to the Vertebrate Collections Committee, UCONN<br><br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Student Association<br><br />
Division of Vertebrate Morphology representative to the Student and Postdoc Affairs Committee of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2008-2011)<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br />
==='''Awards'''===<br />
Dwight Davis award for best student paper in vertebrate morphology (Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology) 2004<br><br />
Schwenk Graduate Student Mentoring Fellowship (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut) 2007 $5000<br />
<br><br />
NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant 2008 ($12000)</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13196Tobias Landberg2009-10-21T14:14:23Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Carlson, C. J.], Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13195Tobias Landberg2009-10-21T05:36:27Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''Dissertation research''' */</p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The broad goal of my dissertation is to see how maternal, developmental and environmental sources of variation contribute to species level diversity.<br />
The specifics include two types of experimental manipulations of environmental features. First, oxygen, because these salamander have an aquatic embryonic and larval phase to their life histories that spans a wide range of natural oxygen levels across streams and ponds. Second, maternal investment in yolk reserves, because egg size and number trade off in females. Investing in fewer offspring by the mother must gain an advantage for individual larvae. I'm looking at sister species that breed in ponds and streams (A. texanum & A. barbouri respectively). <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Low oxygen may indicate poor water quality and drying conditions. Embryos raised in low oxygen were smaller than those raised in high oxygen indicating oxygen limited growth. About one third of the difference between stream and pond species snout-vent lengths was maternal/genetic while two thirds was induced by oxygen. Later in development, the larvae reversed the direction of their response so that low oxygen larvae were larger in two species that live in low oxygen ponds. The stream dweller, however did not developmentally reverse direction. It continued having the largest body size in high oxygen. This pattern looks adaptive in that all three species are largest in their native environmental oxygen levels. <br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', Carlson, C. J., Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13194Tobias Landberg2009-10-21T04:50:50Z<p>TobiasLandberg: /* '''Research philosophy''' */</p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal how developmental responses to the environment evolve. Together with an understanding of the organisms' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The goal of my dissertation work is to study how ontogenetic and ecological sources of variation contribute to species level diversity. Salamanders of all types incorporate larval features into the adult forms. Gills and tail fins are two of the main structures that vary across adult salamanders of different species. I am exploring salamander larvae for the developmental and environmental sources of variation generating the big macroevolutionary picture. <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Salamander larvae vary consistently between those that live in ponds which have large gills and tail fins and those that live in streams which have small gills and tail fins. I raised salamanders in high or low oxygen to see how the these respiratory organs respond to dissolved oxygen levels. Not surprisingly, the ones raised in low oxygen developed larger gills and tail fins. This type of investment could incur a cost by retarding growth or development. Surprisingly however, the low-oxygen animals that invested extra energy in respiratory organs also metamorphosed early. Low oxygen probably indicates poor water quality and pond drying. Larvae experiencing such conditions in the wild would probably be well served by getting out of the pond before they turn into "creek raisins".<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', Carlson, C. J., Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13164Tobias Landberg2009-10-20T02:17:12Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal whether the deveolpmental response to the environment has evolved. Together with an understanding of the animals' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The goal of my dissertation work is to study how ontogenetic and ecological sources of variation contribute to species level diversity. Salamanders of all types incorporate larval features into the adult forms. Gills and tail fins are two of the main structures that vary across adult salamanders of different species. I am exploring salamander larvae for the developmental and environmental sources of variation generating the big macroevolutionary picture. <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Salamander larvae vary consistently between those that live in ponds which have large gills and tail fins and those that live in streams which have small gills and tail fins. I raised salamanders in high or low oxygen to see how the these respiratory organs respond to dissolved oxygen levels. Not surprisingly, the ones raised in low oxygen developed larger gills and tail fins. This type of investment could incur a cost by retarding growth or development. Surprisingly however, the low-oxygen animals that invested extra energy in respiratory organs also metamorphosed early. Low oxygen probably indicates poor water quality and pond drying. Larvae experiencing such conditions in the wild would probably be well served by getting out of the pond before they turn into "creek raisins".<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', Carlson, C. J., Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History Notes: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review Dec. 2009<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13162Tobias Landberg2009-10-19T20:59:51Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal whether the deveolpmental response to the environment has evolved. Together with an understanding of the animals' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The goal of my dissertation work is to study how ontogenetic and ecological sources of variation contribute to species level diversity. Salamanders of all types incorporate larval features into the adult forms. Gills and tail fins are two of the main structures that vary across adult salamanders of different species. I am exploring salamander larvae for the developmental and environmental sources of variation generating the big macroevolutionary picture. <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Salamander larvae vary consistently between those that live in ponds which have large gills and tail fins and those that live in streams which have small gills and tail fins. I raised salamanders in high or low oxygen to see how the these respiratory organs respond to dissolved oxygen levels. Not surprisingly, the ones raised in low oxygen developed larger gills and tail fins. This type of investment could incur a cost by retarding growth or development. Surprisingly however, the low-oxygen animals that invested extra energy in respiratory organs also metamorphosed early. Low oxygen probably indicates poor water quality and pond drying. Larvae experiencing such conditions in the wild would probably be well served by getting out of the pond before they turn into "creek raisins".<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
<br><br><br><br><br />
=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
<br><br />
'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg, T.''', Carlson, C. J., Abernathy, K., Luginbuhl, C. Gemme, P. and Mergins, Craig (in press) Natural History note: CHELYDRA SERPENTINA SERPENTINA L. (Eastern Snapping Turtle). SURVIVAL AFTER INJURY. Herpetological Review<br><br><br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=13139Tobias Landberg2009-10-19T15:15:05Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
<br />
<br />
== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
<br />
I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
<br />
== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal whether the deveolpmental response to the environment has evolved. Together with an understanding of the animals' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
<br />
[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The goal of my dissertation work is to study how ontogenetic and ecological sources of variation contribute to species level diversity. Salamanders of all types incorporate larval features into the adult forms. Gills and tail fins are two of the main structures that vary across adult salamanders of different species. I am exploring salamander larvae for the developmental and environmental sources of variation generating the big macroevolutionary picture. <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
<br><br />
<br><br><br><br />
<br />
=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Salamander larvae vary consistently between those that live in ponds which have large gills and tail fins and those that live in streams which have small gills and tail fins. I raised salamanders in high or low oxygen to see how the these respiratory organs respond to dissolved oxygen levels. Not surprisingly, the ones raised in low oxygen developed larger gills and tail fins. This type of investment could incur a cost by retarding growth or development. Surprisingly however, the low-oxygen animals that invested extra energy in respiratory organs also metamorphosed early. Low oxygen probably indicates poor water quality and pond drying. Larvae experiencing such conditions in the wild would probably be well served by getting out of the pond before they turn into "creek raisins".<br><br />
<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
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My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
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== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
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[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
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Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
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=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
<br />
With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
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<br><br />
Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
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== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
<br />
[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
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=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
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'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
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Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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<br><br />
== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg T''' and Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology <br><br><br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2009). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. Journal of Experimental Zoology 311A(8):551-562. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
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== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
<br><br><br />
== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
<br />
My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
<br />
My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
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[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg_CV&diff=13138Tobias Landberg CV2009-10-19T15:06:26Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>== '''Curriculum vitae''' ==<br />
=== '''current position''' ===<br />
Doctoral candidate<br> <br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br> <br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs<br> <br />
e-mail: tobias.landberg@uconn.edu<br><br />
Storrs, CT, USA <br><br />
<br />
=== '''professional preparation''' ===<br />
<br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
B.A., Anthropology Major, Biology Minor, May 2001 <br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
M.S., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, May 2004<br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Connecticut at Storrs, USA:<br> <br />
Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, advanced November 2005<br> <br />
<br />
=== '''positions''' ===<br />
'''Scientific Advisor'''<br>Research advisor to a collaborative project studying snapping turtle ecology. Responsibilities include project development and study design, camera attachment and deployment, teaching anatomy, trapping and handling turtles and communicating with the media. Jan 2008 - present.<br><br />
<br>'''Mentoring Fellow'''<br><br />
Graduate Student Mentoring Fellow 2008, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut. For graduate students who are the primary mentors of undergraduate students.<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Research Assistant'''<br><br />
Jockusch Laboratory, UCONN, 2006-present Geometric morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of morphology in Batrachoseps salamanders<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Teaching Assistant'''<br><br />
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008<br><br />
Evolution and Human Diversity, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008 <br> <br />
Vertebrate Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2007<br> <br />
Introductory Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2004-2006<br><br />
Honors Introductory Physiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2003<br><br />
Introductory Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2002-2003<br><br />
<br>'''Research Intern & Assistant'''<br><br />
Functional Morphology & Comparative Physiology Lab, UMASS Amherst, 1998-2004<br> Research on the functional morphology of lung ventilation and locomotion of turtles and salamanders.<br><br />
<br>'''Curatorial Associate'''<br><br />
Massachusetts Museum of Natural History Anthropological Primate Collections, 1997-2004. <br> Duties include preparation of osteological and preservation of soft- tissue materials, cataloguing specimens, maintaining beetle colony and training & <br />
supervising graduate and undergraduate student workers.<br><br />
<br>'''Student Instructor'''<br><br />
Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution - Undergraduate Seminar, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Fall, 2008<br><br />
Ecology and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity - Seminar for graduate students & professors - UMASS Amherst, Fall 2003<br><br />
<br />
=== '''publications ''' ===<br />
Landberg, T. & Azizi, E. (in press) Ontogeny of escape swimming performance in the spotted salamander. Functional Ecology.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T. Allometric engineering of salamanders. Abstract published in Integrative and Comparative Biology. Talk presented at SICB annual meeting in San Antonio, TX January, 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2007. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. In press Journal of Experimental Zoology<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E., Landberg, T., and Wassersug, R. J. 2007. Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110: 290-297.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., 2004. Ontogeny of escape response performance in spotted salamanders (''Ambystoma maculatum''). MS Thesis, 41 pp., University of Massachusetts Amherst.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2003. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206(19): 3391-3404.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd. 2002. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in the red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta''. Integrative and Comparative Biology 42(6):1261A.<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E. and T. Landberg. 2002. Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205(6): 841-849.<br><br />
<br><br />
Brainerd, E.L. and T. Landberg. 2001. Ventilatory mechanics of an elongate aquatic salamander: ''Amphiuma tridactylum''. American Zoologist 40(6):952A.<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''professional service''' ===<br />
'''Reviewer'''<br><br />
Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology<br><br />
Copeia<br><br />
Evolution <br><br />
Herpetologica <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Biology <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology<br><br />
Journal of Herpetology<br><br />
Journal of Morphology<br><br />
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology<br><br />
Zoology <br><br />
<br><br />
'''Member''' <br><br />
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology<br> <br />
International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists<br><br />
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles<br><br />
Student representative to the Vertebrate Collections Committee, UCONN<br><br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Student Association<br><br />
Division of Vertebrate Morphology representative to the Student and Postdoc Affairs Committee of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2008-2011)<br><br />
<br><br><br />
==='''Awards'''===<br />
Dwight Davis award for best student paper in vertebrate morphology (Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology) 2004<br><br />
Schwenk Graduate Student Mentoring Fellowship (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut) 2007 $5000<br />
<br><br />
NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant 2008 ($12000)</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg_CV&diff=13104Tobias Landberg CV2009-10-15T01:03:44Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>== '''Curriculum vitae''' ==<br />
=== '''current position''' ===<br />
Doctoral candidate<br> <br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology<br> <br />
University of Connecticut, Storrs<br> <br />
e-mail: tobias.landberg@uconn.edu<br><br />
Storrs, CT, USA <br><br />
<br />
=== '''professional preparation''' ===<br />
<br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
B.A., Anthropology Major, Biology Minor, May 2001 <br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA:<br> <br />
M.S., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, May 2004<br />
<br><br> <br />
University of Connecticut at Storrs, USA:<br> <br />
Ph.D. candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, advanced November 2005<br> <br />
<br />
=== '''positions''' ===<br />
'''Scientific Advisor'''<br>Research advisor to a collaborative project studying snapping turtle ecology. Responsibilities include project development and study design, camera attachment and deployment, teaching anatomy, trapping and handling turtles and communicating with the media. Jan 2008 - present.<br><br />
<br>'''Mentoring Fellow'''<br><br />
Graduate Student Mentoring Fellow 2008, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut. For graduate students who are the primary mentors of undergraduate students.<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Research Assistant'''<br><br />
Jockusch Laboratory, UCONN, 2006-present Geometric morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of morphology in Batrachoseps salamanders<br />
<br><br />
<br>'''Teaching Assistant'''<br><br />
Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008<br><br />
Evolution and Human Diversity, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2008 <br> <br />
Vertebrate Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2007<br> <br />
Introductory Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 2004-2006<br><br />
Honors Introductory Physiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2003<br><br />
Introductory Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2002-2003<br><br />
<br>'''Research Intern & Assistant'''<br><br />
Functional Morphology & Comparative Physiology Lab, UMASS Amherst, 1998-2004<br> Research on the functional morphology of lung ventilation and locomotion of turtles and salamanders.<br><br />
<br>'''Curatorial Associate'''<br><br />
Massachusetts Museum of Natural History Anthropological Primate Collections, 1997-2004. <br> Duties include preparation of osteological and preservation of soft- tissue materials, cataloguing specimens, maintaining beetle colony and training & <br />
supervising graduate and undergraduate student workers.<br><br />
<br>'''Student Instructor'''<br><br />
Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution - Undergraduate Seminar, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Fall, 2008<br><br />
Ecology and Evolution of Phenotypic Plasticity - Seminar for graduate students & professors - UMASS Amherst, Fall 2003<br><br />
<br />
=== '''publications ''' ===<br />
<br />
Landberg, T. Allometric engineering of salamanders. Abstract published in Integrative and Comparative Biology. Talk presented at SICB annual meeting in San Antonio, TX January, 2008.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2007. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. In press Journal of Experimental Zoology<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E., Landberg, T., and Wassersug, R. J. 2007. Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110: 290-297.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., 2004. Ontogeny of escape response performance in spotted salamanders (''Ambystoma maculatum''). MS Thesis, 41 pp., University of Massachusetts Amherst.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd, 2003. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206(19): 3391-3404.<br><br />
<br><br />
Landberg, T., J. Mailhot, and E.L. Brainerd. 2002. Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in the red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta''. Integrative and Comparative Biology 42(6):1261A.<br><br />
<br><br />
Azizi, E. and T. Landberg. 2002. Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205(6): 841-849.<br><br />
<br><br />
Brainerd, E.L. and T. Landberg. 2001. Ventilatory mechanics of an elongate aquatic salamander: ''Amphiuma tridactylum''. American Zoologist 40(6):952A.<br><br />
<br><br />
=== '''professional service''' ===<br />
'''Reviewer'''<br><br />
Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology<br><br />
Copeia<br><br />
Evolution <br><br />
Herpetologica <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Biology <br><br />
Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology<br><br />
Journal of Herpetology<br><br />
Journal of Morphology<br><br />
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology<br><br />
Zoology <br><br />
<br><br />
'''Member''' <br><br />
The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology<br> <br />
International Society of Vertebrate Morphologists<br><br />
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles<br><br />
Student representative to the Vertebrate Collections Committee, UCONN<br><br />
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Student Association<br><br />
Division of Vertebrate Morphology representative to the Student and Postdoc Affairs Committee of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2008-2011)<br><br />
<br><br><br />
==='''Awards'''===<br />
Dwight Davis award for best student paper in vertebrate morphology (Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology) 2004<br><br />
Schwenk Graduate Student Mentoring Fellowship (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut) 2007 $5000<br />
<br><br />
NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant 2008 ($12000)</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Seminar_speaker_sign-up&diff=13033Seminar speaker sign-up2009-10-06T16:58:33Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
|'''To schedule a meeting:''' Click the 'edit' tab above. Enter '''your name''' to the right of the first pair of vertical lines <nowiki>(||)</nowiki> for the desired meeting time and the '''meeting location''' after the second pair of vertical lines.<br />
<br />
'''For seminar hosts:''' This page should be updated in order to reflect the schedule of the current week's seminar speaker. For an empty template of the source text, click [[Template:Seminar speaker sign-up|here]]. Customize the schedule to match the speaker's availability, and add events like meals and airport arrival/departure times as necessary.<br />
<br />
Click [[EEB Department Seminar|here]] for the EEB Department Seminar page.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<!--TO BEGIN A BLANK SCHEDULE, PASTE TEMPLATE BELOW THIS POINT--><br />
'''Seminar Speaker:''' Mark McPeek<br><br />
'''Institution:''' Dartmouth College<br><br />
'''Seminar Title:''' A Tale of Two Diversifications: Damselflies and the Questions They Raise<br><br />
'''Web Site:''' http://www.enallagma.com/<br><br />
'''Faculty or Student Contact:''' Mark Urban: (860) 486-6113, mark.urban@uconn.edu<br />
<br />
==Thursday, 8 October 2009==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| '''Time''' || '''Name''' || '''Room'''<br />
|-<br />
| 8:00am || Dave Wagner || breakfast at Tolland Inn, come to campus<br />
|-<br />
| 9:15am || Arrives, Mark Urban || BPP 200A<br />
|-<br />
| 10:00am || Janine Caira || TLS 483<br />
|-<br />
| 10:30am ||Susan Herrick || TLS 379<br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || Eric Schultz || PBB 205B<br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || Grad student Lunch || Bamford<br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || Tobias Landberg || BioPharm 410<br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || Andre Felton || BioPharm 303<br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm ||Kent Wells || TLS 380<br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || Seminar preparation || BPB 130<br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || Seminar || BPB 130<br />
|-<br />
| 6:00pm || Dinner (RSVP to Mark Urban)|| Willie Brewing<br />
|-<br />
|}</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Seminar_speaker_sign-up&diff=12985Seminar speaker sign-up2009-10-02T02:08:59Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
|'''To schedule a meeting:''' Click the 'edit' tab above. Enter '''your name''' to the right of the first pair of vertical lines <nowiki>(||)</nowiki> for the desired meeting time and the '''meeting location''' after the second pair of vertical lines.<br />
<br />
'''For seminar hosts:''' This page should be updated in order to reflect the schedule of the current week's seminar speaker. For an empty template of the source text, click [[Template:Seminar speaker sign-up|here]]. Customize the schedule to match the speaker's availability, and add events like meals and airport arrival/departure times as necessary.<br />
<br />
Click [[EEB Department Seminar|here]] for the EEB Department Seminar page.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
<!--TO BEGIN A BLANK SCHEDULE, PASTE TEMPLATE BELOW THIS POINT--><br />
'''Seminar Speaker:''' Brian Langerhans<br><br />
'''Institution:''' University of Oklahoma<br><br />
'''Seminar Title:''' Predicting Evolution in a Genus of Livebearing Fish<br><br />
'''Web Site:''' http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/L/Randall.B.Langerhans-1<br><br />
'''Faculty or Student Contact:''' Eric Schultz: (860) 486-4692, eric.schultz@uconn.edu<br />
<br />
==Monday, 5 October 2009==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| '''Time''' || '''Name''' || '''Room'''<br />
|-<br />
| 10:30am || Arrives, Eric Schultz || BPP 205B<br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || Eric Schultz || BPP 205B<br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || Tobias Landberg || BPP 410<br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || Lunch with grad students || Bamford<br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || ||<br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || Seminar preparation || TLS 375<br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || Seminar || Bamford<br />
|-<br />
| 6:00pm || Dinner (RSVP to Eric Schultz)|| TBA<br />
|-<br />
|}</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Seminar_speaker_sign-up_Juliano&diff=12854Seminar speaker sign-up Juliano2009-09-21T13:24:57Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Seminar Speaker:''' Steve Juliano<br><br />
'''Institution:''' Illinois State University <br><br />
'''Seminar Title:''' The integration of invaders into a community: Diverse biotic interactions in small aquatic systems<br><br />
'''Faculty Contact:''' Carl Schlichting<br />
<br />
==Wednesday, 23 September==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| '''Time''' || '''Name''' || '''Room'''<br />
|-<br />
| 9:30am ||Mike Willig || CESE<br />
|-<br />
| 10:30am || Don Les || 305C BioPharm<br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || Tobias Landberg || 410 BioPharm<br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || seminar prep || TLS 363<br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || SEMINAR || TLS 171 - Bamford Room<br />
|-<br />
| 12:30pm || SEMINAR || TLS 171 - Bamford Room<br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm ||Mark Urban || BioPharm 200A<br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:30pm ||Chris Simon|| Biopharm 305d<br />
|-<br />
|}</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Seminar_speaker_sign-up_Juliano&diff=12853Seminar speaker sign-up Juliano2009-09-21T13:24:37Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Seminar Speaker:''' Steve Juliano<br><br />
'''Institution:''' Illinois State University <br><br />
'''Seminar Title:''' The integration of invaders into a community: Diverse biotic interactions in small aquatic systems<br><br />
'''Faculty Contact:''' Carl Schlichting<br />
<br />
==Wednesday, 23 September==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| '''Time''' || '''Name''' || '''Room'''<br />
|-<br />
| 9:30am ||Mike Willig || CESE<br />
|-<br />
| 10:30am || Don Les || 305C BioPharm<br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || Tobias Landberg || <br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || seminar prep || TLS 363<br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || SEMINAR || TLS 171 - Bamford Room<br />
|-<br />
| 12:30pm || SEMINAR || TLS 171 - Bamford Room<br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm ||Mark Urban || BioPharm 200A<br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:30pm ||Chris Simon|| Biopharm 305d<br />
|-<br />
|}</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Seminar_speaker_sign-up_Borowicz&diff=12852Seminar speaker sign-up Borowicz2009-09-21T13:21:13Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Seminar Speaker:''' Vickie Borowicz<br><br />
'''Institution:''' Illinois State University<br><br />
'''Seminar Title:''' Insect herbivores, mycorrhizal fungi, and the plant in between: examination of patterns of interactions<br><br />
'''Faculty:''' Carl Schlichting<br />
<br />
==Wednesday, 23 September==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| '''Time''' || '''Name''' || '''Room'''<br />
|-<br />
| 9:30am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 10:00am || Don Les || 205C BioPharm<br />
|-<br />
| 10:30am || Tobias Landberg || 410 BioPharm<br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || Juliano Seminar || 171 TLS Bamford<br />
|-<br />
| 12:30pm || Juliano Seminar || 171 TLS Bamford <br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || LUNCH|| <br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 4:30pm || || <br />
|}<br />
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==Thursday, 24 September==<br />
{|border=1 cellpadding=8<br />
| 10:30am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 11:00am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 11:30am || || <br />
|-<br />
| 12:00pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 12:30pm || LUNCH || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 1:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:00pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 2:30pm || || <br />
|-<br />
| 3:00pm || EEB 3894 || TLS 171 Bamford Rm<br />
|-<br />
| 3:30pm || Seminar preparation || TLS 363<br />
|-<br />
| 4:00pm || Seminar || BPB 130 <br />
|-<br />
|}</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Tobias_Landberg&diff=12454Tobias Landberg2009-08-30T14:52:31Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
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<div><span style="font-size: large">Doctoral Candidate</span><br><br />
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'''Office:''' [[BioPharmacy]] 410 <br><br />
'''Voice:''' (860) 486-4158<br><br />
'''E-mail:''' tobias.landberg@uconn.edu <br><br />
'''Mailing address:''' <br><br />
75 N. Eagleville Road, U-3043 <br><br />
Storrs, CT 06269 <br><br />
[[Image:Barbouribaby.jpg |center]]<br><br />
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== '''About''' ==<br />
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology & Evolutionary Biology department at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.<br><br />
Co-advisors Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kurt_Schwenk Kurt Schwenk] & [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schlichting/ Carl Schlichting] head my committee– which also includes Drs. [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/jockusch/jockuschlab/ Elizabeth Jockusch] and [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Kentwood_Wells Kentwood Wells]. <br><br />
For more information, here's my [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg_CV '''CV''']<br><br />
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I'm teaching General Ecology (EEB 2244) this semester.<br />
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== '''Research philosophy''' ==<br />
[[Image:Underwaterhellbender.jpg|left|frame|100px|Hellbender from Lycoming Creek, PA]][[Image:Ontogeny.jpg|right]]<br />
In a nutshell, it's about unraveling the mobius strip of how organisms perform their behaviors, how sources of variation affect that performance, and how that performance affects evolution. Raising related species under a set of different environments can reveal whether the deveolpmental response to the environment has evolved. Together with an understanding of the animals' natural environments and the results of a variety of performance tests, functional variation can be used to interpret evolution.<br />
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== '''Dissertation research''' ==<br />
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[[Image:BeaverDamPond.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:RavenRun.jpg|left]]<br />
The goal of my dissertation work is to study how ontogenetic and ecological sources of variation contribute to species level diversity. Salamanders of all types incorporate larval features into the adult forms. Gills and tail fins are two of the main structures that vary across adult salamanders of different species. I am exploring salamander larvae for the developmental and environmental sources of variation generating the big macroevolutionary picture. <br />
[[Image:Streamvspond.jpg|center]]<br />
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=== '''Oxygen plasticity''' ===<br />
[[Image:Newtbreathing.gif|left|]]<br />
[[Image:Streamsidesalamander.jpg|right]]<br />
Salamander larvae vary consistently between those that live in ponds which have large gills and tail fins and those that live in streams which have small gills and tail fins. I raised salamanders in high or low oxygen to see how the these respiratory organs respond to dissolved oxygen levels. Not surprisingly, the ones raised in low oxygen developed larger gills and tail fins. This type of investment could incur a cost by retarding growth or development. Surprisingly however, the low-oxygen animals that invested extra energy in respiratory organs also metamorphosed early. Low oxygen probably indicates poor water quality and pond drying. Larvae experiencing such conditions in the wild would probably be well served by getting out of the pond before they turn into "creek raisins".<br><br />
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=== '''Maternal investment''' ===<br />
[[Image:Salamander_larvae.jpg|left|frame|100px|Spotted salamander larvae: can you guess which one had yolk removed? Photo by Tobias Landberg]]<br />
[[Image:Spottedlarvadorsal.jpg|right]]<br />
Egg size is another feature that varies dramatically among amphibians living in different environments. Stream breeders typically have large eggs while pond breeders have relatively small eggs. This difference has important evolutionary consequences because females are resource limited and cannot both have large eggs and many of them. This trade-off and correlation with habitat strongly suggests that stream environments require large eggs because of the high quality offspring they produce. <br />
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My approach to this question is experimental. By surgically removing small quantities of yolk from developing embryos, yolk reserves can be artificially manipulated. The strategy is to compare siblings who have had yolk removed to the sham operated group– those who were "poked" but no yolk actually removed. Tiny quantities of yolk can affect development from hatching all the way through metamorphosis.<br />
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== '''Other salamander projects''' ==<br />
<br>During my tenure here at UConn, I've engaged in a number of other fruitful projects. They are just for fun and as such are all collaborative efforts.<br />
[[Image:Bufometamorph2.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Chorusfrogmetamorph.jpg|right]]<br />
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=== '''Predator induced plasticity''' ===<br />
One of the best-studied forms of adaptive plasticity in amphibians is their response to predators. Early hatching in response to egg predators is practically ubiquitous among amphibians, but what are the long term costs of leaving the egg early? How do predators that specialize on different life stages interact? Since metamorphosis is thought to be a particularly vulnerable life stage, is it responsive to the presence of predators? Has metamorphosis been selected to be as rapid as possible? Is it constrained physiologically by the demands of transformation?<br />
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[[Image:T_and_c-head2.jpg|right|300px]]<br />
[[Image:Leah sm.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:Laurel&babywood.jpg|right]]<br />
Leah Brown-Wilusz's honors thesis (under Carl Schlichting's supervision),was designed to address some of these questions in our local spotted salamander (''Ambystoma maculatum''). We raised embryos with and without egg predators (trichopteran larvae) and larval predators (marbled salamander larvae:''Ambystoma opacum'') to see if the early hatching response to one predator affected a future the response to larval predators. Presence of the egg predator caused early hatching regardless of the presence of the larval predator indicating that the immediate threat outweighs any future potential threat. Salamander embryos exposed to larval predators grew larger tail fins and survived longer with the predators but early hatching incurred a measurable cost. The effect of early hatching even extended to the adult life stage indicating that hatching early in response to an egg predator can make individuals smaller at metamorphosis. The early hatching response therefore looks to be maintained as a plastic strategy by costs in the larval period in terms of larval predator avoidance as well as potential fitness costs at metamorphosis.<br />
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Laurel Dwyer's honors thesis was designed to address several questions about the mysterious process of metamorphosis. We employed centrarchid sunfish (green sunfish: ''Lepomis cyanellus'' and bluegill sunfish: ''L. macrochirus'') to see if spotted salamander larvae ''Ambystoma maculatum'') can adaptively reduce their predation risk by either reducing the amount of time they spend in the vulnerable process of metamorphosis or behaviorally increasing their survival time with lethal predators. The predator exposed salamanders died in large numbers. The fish couldn't eat them, so they may have been scared to death. Behavioral trials indicated that predator exposed animals ate and weighed less. Metamorphosis is ongoing, but this experiment should conclude in the fall of 2008.<br><br />
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=== '''Algae–salamander symbiosis''' ===<br />
[[Image:OophilaKYsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaLAsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
[[Image:Ambystomalgae.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:OophilaCTsmall.jpg|right]]<br />
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With undergraduate Shawn Binns, and professor [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Louise_A._Lewis Louise Lewis], I am investigating algae-salamander mutualisms. Ambystomatid salamander eggs deposited in vernal ponds often develop a green hue. This is not just a coating of pond scum, but rather an alga that lives inside the egg capsule. Poetically named, ''Oophila'' means egg-lover. Research has previously shown that the salamander benefits from increased oxygen levels produced by the algae while the algae gets nitrogenous waste products from the embryos. Everybody wins!<br />
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Who are these little green invaders? Do all the eggs have the same strain or species of algae. Does this vary from year to year? The algae inside of Louisiana spotted salamanders looks morphologically different from Connecticut algae. Is it plasticity or the same species? We also noticed that Kentucky algae growing on a different species (Ambystoma texanum) grows in the jelly matrix rather than inside the egg capsule. They look similar to the Connecticut algae but bigger. It's fun to think of salamander embryos as a source of food for plants.<br />
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== '''Turtle research''' ==<br />
=== '''Breathing & locomotion''' ===<br />
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[[Image:Turtleanatomy.gif|250px|right]]With [http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/brainerd_lab/ Elizabeth Brainerd] and Jeff Mailhot at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, I studied turtle breathing and locomotion. Turtles can breathe using the limbs at rest... can they breathe during locomotion? Work done by [http://bms.brown.edu/mppb/faculty/facultypage.php?id=1100924384&type= Dr. Don Jackson] and colleagues showed that nesting green sea turtles (''Chelonia mydas'') don't breathe at all during terrestrial locomotion. Box turtles and red eared sliders do however. Surprisingly, there is no relationship between limb movement and when breaths occur. So they can't be using the limbs for breathing during locomotion. Both species appear to use specialized abdominal muscles for breathing during locomotion, but there is one difference. There was no measurable effect of locomotion on breathing in the box turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''- a species that has numerous adaptations for terrestriality. The red-eared slider, ''Trachemys scripta'' is much more typically semi-aquatic. When sliders pause between bouts of locomotion, they double the size of each breath indicating that locomotion interferes with breathing– by reducing the size of each breath. And the adult green sea turtle, of course, who has many highly derived features for aquatic locomotion, doesn't breathe during terrestrial locomotion. Three species–– three different life styles and three different patterns of interaction between breathing & locomotion. Makes you wonder...{{#ev:youtube|1fKBnE-_eC0}} <br />
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=== '''Snapping turtle ecology''' ===<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|right|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie], [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture], [http://www.ctwater.com/CritterCamProject.htm Connecticut Water Company] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I am working with high school students on a snapping turtle ecology. The goal is expose teenagers in Hartford, CT to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise see – and learn a thing or two about snappers.<br />
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'''Click the video below''' to see Shenipsit Lake, Connecticut from the shell of a 24 pound snapper!<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}}<br />
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Learn more about the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_turtle_research_team snapping turtle research team]<br><br />
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== '''Publications''' ==<br />
[[Image:Babywoodflipsmall.gif|right]]<br />
'''Landberg T'''., J. D. Mailhot and E. L. Brainerd (2008). Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a semi-aquatic turtle, ''Trachemys scripta''. J. Exp. Zool. 309A. In press. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:Landbergetal08.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., '''T. Landberg''' and R. J. Wassersug (2007) Vertebral function during tadpole locomotion. Zoology 110:290-297. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/TadpoleLocoAziziLanderberg07.pdf}}<br><br><br />
'''Landberg, T.''', J. Mailhot and E.L. Brainerd (2003) Lung ventilation during treadmill locomotion in a terrestrial turtle, ''Terrapene carolina''. Journal of Experimental Biology 206:3391-3404. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/LandbergEAturtleVentilation03.pdf}}<br><br><br />
Azizi, E., and '''T. Landberg''' (2002) Effects of metamorphosis on the aquatic escape response of the two-lined salamander (''Eurycea bislineata''). Journal of Experimental Biology 205:841-849. {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/people/schwenk/AziziLandbergEuryceaEscape02.pdf}}<br><br><br />
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== '''Misc''' ==<br />
=== '''Specimens:''' ===<br />
[[Image:Primatesuperherosmall.jpg|left|300px]][[Image:Macacamulattasmall.jpg|right|250px]]{{#ev:youtube|yQQKVBTVTZY}}<br />
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== '''Links''' ==<br />
The [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] is for anyone interested in undergraduate research in Biology at UConn.<br />
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My YouTube account has lots [http://www.youtube.com/Jobediah more videos] <br><br />
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My Facebook account has lots [http://uconn.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=9025023 more photos]<br />
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[[Category:EEB Graduate Students|Landberg]] [[Category:EEB People|Landberg]]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Snapping_turtle_research_team&diff=12351Snapping turtle research team2009-07-27T23:29:41Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
<hr />
<div>=== '''Behavior, Ecology and Physiology of Connecticut Snapping Turtles (''Chelydra serpentina'')''' ===<br />
[[Image:Turtle research team graduation.JPG|center]]<br><br />
[[Image:Snapperdesignsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant2.jpg|right|frame|"Jawless" gets ready to film Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut River with National Geographic's CritterCam. July 15th, 2008 Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
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== '''Science on the River''' ==<br />
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In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie] and [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I worked this summer with ten high school students on a snapping turtle ecology project. The primary goal was to allow these young teenagers growing up in urban Hartford, CT access to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise be exposed to. <br />
<br>[[Image:Babysnappingturtleyawn.jpg|center]]<br><br />
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''The first phase'' of the project included a study of nest protector devices that was designed to keep out large mammalian predators. <br />
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''The second phase'' involved trapping snappers and outfitting them with National Geographic's CritterCam. We successfully deployed (and retrieved!) the CritterCam four times. <br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|left|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
[[Image:Lafayette.jpg|right|frame|Lafayette the 16 pounder from Wethersfield Cove]]<br />
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'''July 15th 2008:''' We deployed the CritterCam on a monster snapper weighing 39 pounds in Wethersfield Cove off the Connecticut River. The local media covered the event: The Hartford Courant ran a front-page feature article and produced this [http://www.courant.com/video/?slug=hc-wn-snappingturtle video.] Channel 3 news also ran a [http://www.wfsb.com/video/16893134/index.html story.]<br />
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'''July 16th 2008:''' Jawless went out for his second trip which only lasted 20 minutes<br />
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'''July 17th 2008:''' Lafayette the 16 pound snapper took the CritterCam into the channel that connects Wethersfield cove to the CT river<br />
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'''July 21st editorial:''' [http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snapper.art.artjul21,0,4808734.story Hartford Courant editorial] <br />
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'''July 25th:''' Turtle's eye view: news report on footage from the maiden voyage of the CritterCam on a snapping turtle:<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16994116/index.html Channel 3 news video clip] and<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16991180/index.html Raw footage] from "Jawless", the monster snapper from Wethersfield Cove, CT[[Image:ColinCarlson.jpg|right|frame|[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Colin Carlson] analyzing video footage in the lab]]<br />
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[[Image:Snippyfredbird1.jpg|right|frame|Snippy the Snapper from Shenipsit. Photo credit: Fred Bird]]<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}} <br />
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'''August 5th:''' Snippy the 24 pound Shenipsit Lake snapping turtle takes the crittercam for a spin... [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8791388 Channel 8 news video clip] Several ABC news affiliates ran a piece produced by [http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=080608-892032-M001485673 Channel 30 news]<br />
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'''August 7th:''' The 2008 snapping turtle research team graduates!<br />
[http://fox61.trb.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=2780247 Channel 61 news video clip]<br />
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'''August 12th:''' Reminder News [http://www.remindernews.com/node/7/&town=vernon&url=VERN-2008-08-12-6-Ar00600# story with pictures.] <br />
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'''September 3rd''' WTNH Channel 8 news [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8944456 link] to Snippy footage. <br />
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'''September 8th''' The nest we protected hatched babies!<br />
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'''October 17th''' [http://advance.uconn.edu/2008/081020/08102013.htm UConn Advance article] on Tobias and the snapping turtle project.<br />
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'''October 21st''' UConn's President Hogan [http://blogs.uconn.edu/president/?m=200810 blogs] about the project<br />
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'''October 25th''' I spoke at the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/2008_DVM_NORTHEAST_REGIONAL_MEETING DVM meeting] at UConn about the project!<br />
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'''November 11th''' Honors students in the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Bio_2289_(formerly_295) research seminar] learned about the project <br />
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'''February 2009''' [http://www.northeastboating.net Northeast boating magazine] ran a full page article about the project [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:NEBoatingJan09.pdf (click here for pdf)]<br />
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'''February 19th'''The UConn [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] hears about the project and gets a visit from a baby snapper<br />
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'''June 12th & 13th''' We are going to try a deployment at Connecticut [http://web.uconn.edu/mnh/bioblitz/BioBlitz2009.html BioBlitz] in Keney Park in Hartford<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|DKcQ6sRHhcY}}<br />
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<br> Learn more at Colin's [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_Turtle_Research:_Analyses_and_Conclusions Analysis page]<br />
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Back to [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Tobias_Landberg Tobias' research page]</div>TobiasLandberghttp://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php?title=Snapping_turtle_research_team&diff=12219Snapping turtle research team2009-06-04T14:35:29Z<p>TobiasLandberg: </p>
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<div>=== '''Behavior, Ecology and Physiology of Connecticut Snapping Turtles (''Chelydra serpentina'')''' ===<br />
[[Image:Turtle research team graduation.JPG|center]]<br><br />
[[Image:Snapperdesignsmall.jpg|left]]<br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant2.jpg|right|frame|"Jawless" gets ready to film Wethersfield Cove, Connecticut River with National Geographic's CritterCam. July 15th, 2008 Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
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== '''Science on the River''' ==<br />
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In conjunction with many generous private volunteers, several local Connecticut organizations including [http://www.opp.org/ Our Piece of the Pie] and [http://www.riverfront.org/ Riverfront Recapture] as well as the [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ National Geographic Society], I worked this summer with ten high school students on a snapping turtle ecology project. The primary goal was to allow these young teenagers growing up in urban Hartford, CT access to nature, science and career options they might not otherwise be exposed to. <br />
<br>[[Image:Babysnappingturtleyawn.jpg|center]]<br><br />
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''The first phase'' of the project included a study of nest protector devices that was designed to keep out large mammalian predators. <br />
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''The second phase'' involved trapping snappers and outfitting them with National Geographic's CritterCam. We successfully deployed (and retrieved!) the CritterCam four times. <br />
[[Image:HartfordCourant1.jpg|left|frame|Tobias frees "Jawless" a 39 pound snapping turtle from the net. Photo credit: Hartford Courant]]<br />
[[Image:Lafayette.jpg|right|frame|Lafayette the 16 pounder from Wethersfield Cove]]<br />
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'''July 15th 2008:''' We deployed the CritterCam on a monster snapper weighing 39 pounds in Wethersfield Cove off the Connecticut River. The local media covered the event: The Hartford Courant ran a front-page feature article and produced this [http://www.courant.com/video/?slug=hc-wn-snappingturtle video.] Channel 3 news also ran a [http://www.wfsb.com/video/16893134/index.html story.]<br />
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'''July 16th 2008:''' Jawless went out for his second trip which only lasted 20 minutes<br />
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'''July 17th 2008:''' Lafayette the 16 pound snapper took the CritterCam into the channel that connects Wethersfield cove to the CT river<br />
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'''July 21st editorial:''' [http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snapper.art.artjul21,0,4808734.story Hartford Courant editorial] <br />
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'''July 25th:''' Turtle's eye view: news report on footage from the maiden voyage of the CritterCam on a snapping turtle:<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16994116/index.html Channel 3 news video clip] and<br />
[http://www.wfsb.com/video/16991180/index.html Raw footage] from "Jawless", the monster snapper from Wethersfield Cove, CT[[Image:ColinCarlson.jpg|right|frame|[http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Colin_Carlson Colin Carlson] analyzing video footage in the lab]]<br />
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[[Image:Snippyfredbird1.jpg|right|frame|Snippy the Snapper from Shenipsit. Photo credit: Fred Bird]]<br />
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{{#ev:youtube|EM2yj1_vBDE}} <br />
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'''August 5th:''' Snippy the 24 pound Shenipsit Lake snapping turtle takes the crittercam for a spin... [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8791388 Channel 8 news video clip] Several ABC news affiliates ran a piece produced by [http://media.vmsnews.com/MR.pl?id=080608-892032-M001485673 Channel 30 news]<br />
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'''August 7th:''' The 2008 snapping turtle research team graduates!<br />
[http://fox61.trb.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=2780247 Channel 61 news video clip]<br />
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'''August 12th:''' Reminder News [http://www.remindernews.com/node/7/&town=vernon&url=VERN-2008-08-12-6-Ar00600# story with pictures.] <br />
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'''September 3rd''' WTNH Channel 8 news [http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8944456 link] to Snippy footage. <br />
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'''September 8th''' The nest we protected hatched babies!<br />
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'''October 17th''' [http://advance.uconn.edu/2008/081020/08102013.htm UConn Advance article] on Tobias and the snapping turtle project.<br />
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'''October 21st''' UConn's President Hogan [http://blogs.uconn.edu/president/?m=200810 blogs] about the project<br />
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'''October 25th''' I spoke at the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/2008_DVM_NORTHEAST_REGIONAL_MEETING DVM meeting] at UConn about the project!<br />
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'''November 11th''' Honors students in the [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Bio_2289_(formerly_295) research seminar] learned about the project <br />
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'''February 2009''' [http://www.northeastboating.net Northeast boating magazine] ran a full page article about the project [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Image:NEBoatingJan09.pdf (click here for pdf)]<br />
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'''February 19th'''The UConn [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Biology_Club Biology Club] hears about the project and gets a visit from a baby snapper<br />
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'''June 12th & 13th''' We are going to try a deployment at Connecticut [http://web.uconn.edu/mnh/bioblitz/BioBlitz2009.html BioBlitz] in Keney Park in Hartford<br />
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<br> Learn more at Colin's [http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Snapping_Turtle_Research:_Analyses_and_Conclusions Analysis page]<br />
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