B. Smith: Research in Biology Fall 2012 NO Opportunities
Bruce Smith Section 1
NO fall OPENINGS due to sabbatical leave.
Research in my lab centers on organismal-level biology of invertebrates, involving ecology, behavior and evolution. Many of the projects have dealt with predator/prey or parasite/host interactions involving mites feeding on insects. These projects include searching behavior, the use of chemical cues in host or prey location, and the impact of mites on their insect prey/hosts. Potentials for research on reproductive behavior include studying mate-seeking and mate-selection behavior, and chemical communication among mites. I also may be able to suggest research projects that will address your special interests (e.g., forensic entomology, scientific illustrating, environmental / ecological projects) - if you have such an interest, please discuss it with me. Summer-based research can involve studies on host-parasite interactions in naturally-occurring populations (i.e., field studies), most academic year studies are laboratory based. However, if you are interested in field-oriented ecological research, I can suggest projects involving aquatic invertebrates during the Spring semester. Please look at my web page for additional information about research in my lab.
SUGGESTED TOPICS (note: we would meet to design the exact project).
- Photopositive response of invertebrates: spectral sensitivities, sensitivity to polarized light, use of behavioral traps for sampling aquatic communities (last-mentioned is a field-based project, only possible in the summer or fall).
- Predator / prey interactions: how environmental conditions influence predation success, how color, size, etc. influences prey choice
- Mating behavior: prezygotic isolating mechanisms, female choice and male-male competition in water mites
- Pheromone communication in water mites
- Does the level of dissolved oxygen influence rates of development in the tritonymphal resting stage?
Summer Research in Canada – we would meet to discuss the possibilities and design the project.
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