BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Welcome to Faculty Spotlights! BIONEWS! Phyllis Griffard received the Dr. Leon Lahaye Endowed Faculty Development th Welcome to the 6 award. edition of Bionews, the annual newsletter of the Pegge Alciatore, Penny Antley, and Bruce biology department of Felgenhauer won awards from the University of Louisiana University as Outstanding Advisors. at Lafayette. This is our attempt to help alumni and friends of the Board of Regent Professorships department stay informed about the activities awarded to five faculty members of our faculty and students. in recognition of their outstanding As you will see in the following pages, the department’s faculty had a productive year contributions in research accomplishments, with several large This year, faculty awarded these three-year funding awards. Furthermore, our professorships included: undergraduate and graduate programs continue to serve a large number of excellent students. Suzanne Fredericq—Freeport For instance, there were a record 100 BS McMoRan/BoRSF Professorship for Coastal degrees awarded in 2017! The department also Biodiversity Research Development experienced the retirements of several key faculty. In next year’s newsletter, I hope to Bruce Felgenhauer—Dr. Glynn provide you with the outcomes of searches to Granger/BoRSF Professorship in Pre- fill the vacancies created by these retirements, Medicine but here we recognize Drs. Mopper, Neigel, and Karl Hasenstein—SLEMCO/BoRSF Chlan, whose efforts did much to shape the current department. Professorship in Science We hope you will find this newsletter Paul Klerks—Harold & Adele informative. If you have any questions or Comeaux/BoRSF Professorship in Biology comments on its contents, please direct them to me ([email protected]). For more news on Brad Moon—South Louisiana Mid-Winter departmental events follow us on Facebook Fair/BORSF Professorship (www.facebook.com/ullafayettebiology/). Thank you for your interest and support of biology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. News and Nuggets

Sincerely, from Inside the Department Unpacking the Effects of the BP Oil Spill Paul Leberg Professor and Head A University of Louisiana at Lafayette biologist is among researchers asking if the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affected what’s on the menu in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Kelly Robinson and oceanographers from the University of Southern Mississippi and Oregon

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

State University will share a $900,819 grant dissertation research on how kingsnakes eat from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, or other snakes that are well matched in size, GoMRI. strength, and ability to constrict. The paper received positive media coverage in more than Robinson and her colleagues want to uncover 10 countries around the world from top whether the 2010 oil spill diminished plankton scientific journals such as Nature and Science, as and fish populations in the open waters of the well as many non-technical publications such as Gulf. If so, that could affect its food web and the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, oceanic fisheries, since larval fish eat plankton. National Geographic, Smithsonian, BBC, U.K. Without plankton to eat, fish populations might Daily Mail, Discover Magazine, Huffington Post, decline. Then mammals higher on the food Live Science, Science News, and others. The chain, like dolphins and humans, won’t have fish paper scored in the top 0.5% of media attention and other seafood for diner, either. out of over 8 million papers tracked up to that time, and reached potentially 1.2 billion viewers Robinson’s share of the grant is $264,000. She’ll globally, based on media subscriptions, unique use a portion of the money to support a monthly website traffic, and other available doctoral student in her lab. Robinson will also statistics. This extensive coverage served both train undergraduate researchers to identify local and much broader communities that images of plankton collected during earlier included scientists, students, parents, and the GoMRI-funded expeditions. general public. It highlighted an example of our The researchers will use plankton-imaging research and helped raise the profiles of the technology and classification software to university and our faculty and students. accelerate identifying and counting the plankton to determine if the oil spill reduced the organisms’ numbers. “Instead of someone sitting down and handpicking through a sample Undergraduate News to identify and count the number of organisms that are there, which is time-consuming and Pre-Veterinary Society labor-intensive, you can take a picture of 2017–2018 animals by scanning the sample, like you would was another a piece of paper, with an imaging machine. The big year for machine will then take the picture, and count our Pre- and identify the different types of animals by Veterinary using a computer algorithm,” Robinson said. Society. The GoMRI is a 10-year, $500 million research society’s goal program established by BP after the Deepwater going into Horizon oil spill. A wellhead on the rig exploded each year is to on April 20, 2010. Eleven crew members died. provide pre- Millions of barrels of crude oil spewed into the vet students Gulf before the well was capped 87 days later. with opportunities The King of Snakes to enrich their In March of careers at the 2017, recent pre-professional level through participation in biology Ph.D. meetings, community service activities, society graduate Dr. sponsored events, and networking with the David Penning veterinary community. and his This year, several veterinarians came and spoke advisor Dr. with students, gave presentations, and Brad Moon, a answered questions about the profession. Dr. Professor of Biology, published a paper in the Ryan Dhuet of the Zoo of Acadiana spoke about Journal of Experimental Biology from David’s his experiences as the head vet for the zoo, and

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences offered students opportunities to go behind the undergraduate researchers included Dr. Scott scenes with him. We were also able to tour France, Dr. Suzanne Fredericq, Ms. Samantha Lafayette Veterinary Care Center with Dr. Marc Hauser, Dr. Paul Leberg, Dr. Patricia Mire, Dr. Bordelon, one of the center’s owners and Joe Richards, Dr. William Schmidt, Dr. Sherry veterinarians. Many members received job Self-Krayesky, Dr. Karen Smith, and Dr. Beth opportunities to work in the veterinary field. In Stauffer. Congratulations to all presenters and addition, Dr. Joseph Taboada, Associate Dean of mentors on a job well done! Students and Academic Affairs at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, visited in the spring to Undergraduates Take On meet individually with society members, giving Cognitive Ethology them opportunities to ask questions about the application and admissions process; he also visited again the fall to give an overview and update about applications and admissions. For the second year, our members came together to donate supplies to our local animal shelters that are always in need of them. And finally, five students applied for admission to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. All five were admitted, with several offered early admission, which bypasses the interview After taking a class in animal behavior in the fall process—a first for UL Lafayette students! of 2017, biology majors Constance Fontenot and Biology Undergraduate Research Grant Lafleur launched a website dedicated to asking the important critical questions regarding Symposium 2017 recent publications related to animal cognition. The website (monkeyprize.org) examines both the scientific and popular press coverage of the seemingly groundbreaking scientific discoveries in this field. Each blog entry gives a “monkey prize” to a study that has garnered attention. Constance and Grant recruited three faculty members with distinct areas of expertise to help guide them in this endeavor, including Dr. Daniel Povinelli (Biology, University of Louisiana The 3rd Annual Biology Undergraduate at Lafayette), Dr. Caroline Arruda (Philosophy, Research Symposium, held in Billeaud Hall on University of Texas at El Paso), and Dr. Brandon April 7, 2017, featured 19 presentations from 22 Barker (Folklore, University of Indiana, undergraduate researchers—the largest Bloomington). These professors provided insight participation yet! For the first time, the into how these publications are written and the symposium included a poster session in addition philosophy behind the writing, and allowed to an oral session. Oral presentations were given Grant and Constance to become aware of the by Lauren Broussard, Allison Campbell, Fatima common sense folk notions that can easily bias Fazal-ur-Rehman, Michelle Hendrick, Nina both other scientists and the public alike. This Hoffpauir, Dahlia Khalifa, Amber Lauchner, Ally past semester was dedicated to getting the Nguyen, Delena Phung, April Pruitt, Betty website up and running and beginning the Robillard, Hayden Torres, and Lauren Wise. process of posting critiques of these scientific Poster presentations were given by Dallata Dinh, articles in a humorous manner that allows those Ashlyn Dykes, Caroline Henry, Alyssa Marcel, without a PhD in comparative psychology to Alyce Puckett, Sarah Saunier, Cayman Stephen, understand the complexities and foibles of the Ada Tusa, and Alexandra Zeringue. Faculty and latest claims about animal intelligence. They graduate students who mentored these

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences look forward to continuing their work over the for students in several different biology courses: summer and into next year. Fundamentals of Biology I and II, Applied Anatomy, Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology, Pre-Professional Society Genetics and Microbiology. The exciting news is that “MM” is spreading to other departments; Computer Science and Informatics and Electrical Engineering now have MM-programs. The group hopes to join the University’s “Get on Board Day.” This will help inform the student body about our mission of peers helping each other improve academic success. We have also elected/appointed student leaders who will help guide new academic mentors (group volunteers) and the group as a whole. Finally we are using survey information to better meet the needs of The UL Lafayette Pre-Professional Society was our student peers. extremely active in 2017–2018, with a host of interesting and very informative speakers from deans of professional schools and a wide range of health care providers. The PPS is a group of Newly Funded Projects! over 350 active members that are interested Duke-Sylvester, Scott primarily in careers in health care. In the Fall NSF/NIH. Eco-epidemiology of tick-borne Semester, PPS faculty advisor Dr. Bruce rickettsial pathogens. H. Gaff (ODU PI), S.M. Felgenhauer gave his yearly “State of the Union Duke-Sylvester (coPI, UL Lafayette lead). 2017– Address,” providing students with much new 2022. $1,000,000 total, with $254,804 to UL information needed to be successful in Lafayette. attending the health care school of their choice. In addition, in the second semester, talks were France, Scott given by diverse health care providers from NOAA-OER/UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR dentists to physician assistants. ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH. Central Pacific Exploration: EX1705: Cook Islands, Jarvis, and In addition to helping prepare students for their Kingman/Palmyra. PI, 2017, $59,230. future careers, the PPS was able to raise and donate funds to the Muscular Dystrophy Hasenstein, Karl Association, D.R.E.A.M.S, St. Jude Children’s NASA. Assessment of nutritional value and Research Hospital, NAMI (a UL Lafayette Mental growth parameters of space-grown plants. PI, Health Awareness group), Down Syndrome 2017–2020, $573,840 Association of Acadiana, Acadiana Autism Hester, Mark Society, and the Beacon Club (a UL Lafayette NSF DEB. RUI-COLLABORATIVE. The Influence of Disability Organization). Their hard work Mangrove Invasion and Rising Temperatures on contributed almost $10,000 to these Belowground Processes in Coastal Ecosystems. organizations. To remain active members of the Co-PI; S. Chapman (PI), A. Langley, I. Fellar, J. society, the members must volunteer each Morris and G. Verutes. 2018–2021. UL Lafayette month at a number of local organizations that Collaborative Award, $341,469; Total Award are helping those less fortunate. $890,396.

Klerks, Paul Mentoring Matters: Biology LOUISIANA BOARD OF REGENTS. Recruitment of The Department of Biology’s “Mentoring superior graduate students in environmental Matters” (MM) program continues to average and evolutionary biology for 2018. PI, Brad around 35-40 student volunteers each semester. Moon (CoPI), 2018–2023, $120,000. These student-academic mentors provide supplemental peer instruction and assistance

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Edited Volumes 2017 Leberg, Paul LOUISIANA RESTORE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE. Van der Sleen, P., & Assessment of coastal island restoration J. S. Albert. (eds practices for the creation of brown pelican Field Guide to the nesting habitat. PI, 2017–2019, $299,733. Fishes of the Amazon, Orinoco, Mopper, Susan (retired 2017, Emerita) and Guianas. COYPU FOUNDATION. The role of native plants University Press. in preserving pollinator abundance and diversity. PI, 2017–2018, $79,819. Nelson, James LOUISIANA SEAGRANT Core submission. Development of Restoration Assessment Tools and Educational Products with Drones. PI, 2018– 2020, $186,000. Selected Publications 2017 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, National Parks Service. Everglades ecosystem restoration and Arruda, C.T. & D.J. Povinelli. Two ways of management effects of freshwater inflows and relating to (and acting for) reasons. Mind & seagrass die-off on recreational fisheries: A Language. 19, 1–28. trophic & movement ecology approach. Co-PI, Bernt, M.J. & J.S. Albert. A new species of deep- 2018–2020, $112,000 ($747,300 total). channel electric knife fish of the genus CITY OF BROUSSARD, LOUISIANA. Assimilation Compsaraia (Apteronotidae, Wetland Ecological Monitoring Services. Co-PI Gymnotiformes) from the Amazon River. (Taylor Sloey, PI), 2018–2021, $223,003. Copeia 105:211–219. Blankson, E., N. Deb Adhikary & P.L. Klerks. The Robinson, Kelly effect of lead contamination on bioturbation NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, Biological by Lumbriculus variegatus in a freshwater Oceanography Program. Collaborative: RAPID: microcosm. Chemosphere 167:19–27. Response of plankton assemblages and Blankson, E. & P.L. Klerks. The effect of trophodynamics to a historic, hurricane-induced sediment characteristics on bioturbation- floodwater plume in a subtropical, pelagic mediated transfer of lead in freshwater environment. PI (Beth Stauffer co-PI), 2017– laboratory microcosms with Lumbriculus 2018, $94,446 ($199,978 total). variegatus. Ecotoxicology 26: 227-237. GULF OF MEXICO RESEARCH INITIATIVE. Deep- Chakrabarty, P., B.C. Faircloth, W.B. Ludt, C.D. pelagic plankton dynamics: trophic ecology, McMahan, T.J. Near, A. Dornberg, J. S. community structure, and connectivity with the Albert, J. Arroyave, M.L.J. Stiassny, L. upper ocean, Co-PI, 2018–2020, $264,413. Sorenson, and M. E. Alfaro. Phylogenomic Stauffer, Beth systematics of ostariophysan fishes: NSF, Research Experience for Undergraduates. Ultraconserved elements support the REU Site: Healthy Streams, Healthy Coasts: An surprising non-monophyly of Characiformes. Interdisciplinary Approach to Watershed Science Systematic Biology 66:881–895. and Education. CoPI, 2017–2020, $287,985. Choubey L., J. Collette, & K.M. Smith. Quantitative assessment of Fibroblast Wang, Yi-Hong Growth Factor Receptor 1 expression in The McIlhenny Company. Development of DNA Neurons and Glia of the Developing Mouse Markers to Detect Genetic Impurities in Brain. PeerJ 2017 Apr 18 5:e3173. Tabasco® Products. PI, 2017–2018, $29,984. Collette J., L. Choubey, & K.M. Smith. Glial and

stem cell expression of Fibroblast Growth

Factor Receptor 1 in the embryonic and

perinatal nervous system. PeerJ 2017 June 29 5:e3519.

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Craig, J. M., W.G.R. Crampton, & J.S. Albert. John S.P., & K.H. Hasenstein. The role of peltate Revision of the polytypic electric fish scales in desiccation tolerance of Pleopeltis Gymnotus carapo (Gymnotiformes, polypodioides. Planta 245:207–220. With Teleostei), with descriptions of seven cover picture. subspecies. Zootaxa 4318:401–438. Jones, L., D.M. Johnson, S.M. Duke-Sylvester, & Decker M.B., K. Robinson, S. Dorji , K. Cieciel, C. P.L. Leberg. Closing the gaps for animal seed Barcelo, J. Ruzicka, & R. Brodeur. Jellyfish dispersal: separating the effects of habitat and forage fish spatial overlap on the eastern loss on dispersal distances and seed Bering Sea shelf. Marine Ecology Progress aggregation. Ecology and Evolution 7:5410– Series. 5425. Evans, K.M., B.T. Waltz, V.A. Tagliacollo, B.L. Krayesky-Self S., W.E. Schmidt, D. Phung, C. Sidlauskas, & J.S. Albert. Evolutionary Henry, T. Sauvage, O. Camacho, B.E. modularity allows for big brains & strange Felgenhauer & S. Fredericq. Eukaryotic life faces. Scientific Reports 7:1–11. inhabits rhodolith-forming coralline algae Evans, K.M., B.T. Waltz, V.A. Tagliacollo, P. (Hapalidiales, Rhodophyta), remarkable Chakrabarty, & J.S. Albert. Why the short marine benthic microhabitats. Scientific face: Developmental covariation between Reports 45850 (2017). face & braincase skull regions drives Kulkarni R., & S. Jeyaseelan. Aiding and abetting convergent evolution in Neotropical electric the enemy: Nicotine impairs the macrophage fishes. Ecology & Evolution 15:1783–1801. defense against Mtb. Invited editorial in Am. Evans, K. M., W. G. R. Crampton, & J. S. Albert. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol. 57:263–264. Taxonomic revision of the deep channel Lemaitre, R., J. Poupin, & D. L. Felder. Discovery apteronotid genus Sternarchella of a new micro-pagurid fauna (Crustacea: (Apteronotidae: Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) Decapoda: Paguridae) in the Lesser Antilles, with descriptions of two new species. Caribbean Sea. Zoosystema 39:151–195. Neotropical Ichthyology 7:1783–1801. Menard S.S., & G.M. Watson. Evidence for two Gabriel D., S.G.A. Draisma. W.E. Schmidt. T. populations of hair bundles in the sea Schils, T. Sauvage, C. Maridakis, C.F.D. anemone Nematostella vectensis. Gurgel, D.J. Harris & S. Fredericq. Beneath Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, the hairy look: the hidden diversity of the 208A:14–23. Gibsmithia hawaiiensis complex Moore, K. Rajasekaran, J. Cary & C. Chlan. (Dumontiaceae, Rhodophyta). Journal of Identification of resistance to Aspergillus Phycology 53:1171–1192. Cover article. flavus infection in cotton germplasm. Journal Geary, B., S.M. Longest, K. Ottewell, S. M. Lantz, of Crop Improvement 31:727–741. S.T. Walter, J. Karubian, & P.L. Leberg. Negri, M, T. Magalhães, N. Rossi, D. L. Felder, & Genetic structure of brown pelicans F.L. Mantelatto. Reproductive aspects of the (Pelecanus occidentalis) in the northern Gulf shrimp Cuapetes americanus (Caridea, of Mexico in the context of human Palaemonidae) from Bocas del Toro, management and disturbance. PLOS ONE Panama. Crustaceana 90:1061–107. 12:e0185309. Nestorova G.G., K.H. Hasenstein, N. Nguyen, Grusz*, A. L., E.M. Sigel*, & C. Witherup. Invited M.A. DeCoster, & N.D. Crews. Lab-on-a-chip article for 25th anniversary edition: mRNA purification and reverse transcription Homoeologous chromosome pairing across via a solid-phase gene extraction technique. the eukaryote phylogeny. Molecular Lab Chip 17:1128–1136. Phylogenetics and Evolution 117:83–94. *co- Oguma, A.Y., & P.L. Klerks. Pollution-induced first authors community tolerance in benthic Heestand Saucier, E., A. Sajjadi, & S.C. France. A macroinvertebrates of a mildly lead- taxonomic review of the genus Acanella contaminated lake. Environmental Science (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Isididae) in the North and Pollution Research 24:19076–19085. Atlantic Ocean, with descriptions of two new Osland, M., K. Griffith, J. Larriviere, L. Feher, D. species. Zootaxa 4323:359–390. Cahoon, N. Enwright, D. Oster, J. Tirpak, M. Woodrey, R. Collini, J. Baustian, J. Breithaupt, J. Cherry, J. Conrad, N. Cormier, C. Coronado-

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Molina, J. Donoghue, S. Graham, J. Harper, engagement in plankton classification. M. Hester, R. Howard, K. Krauss, D. Kroes, R. Frontiers in Marine Science 4. Lane, K. McKee, I. Mendelssohn, B. Roxo, F.F., N. Lujan, V.A. Tagliacollo, B.T. Waltz., Middleton, J. Moon, S. Piazza, N. Rankin, F. C. de Souza, C. Oliveira, & J.S. Albert. Shift Sklar, G. Steyer, K. Swanson, C. Swarzenski, from slow- to fast-water habitats accelerates W. Vervaeke, J. Willis,& K. Wilson. Assessing lineage/phenotype evolution in a clade of coastal wetland vulnerability to sea-level rise Neotropical suckermouth catfishes along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast: (Loricariidae: Hypoptopomatinae). PLOS One Gaps and opportunities for developing a 12:e0178240. coordinated regional sampling network. Ruan C-J, R Yan, B-X Wang, S. Mopper, W-K PLOS One. 12:e0183431. Guan, J Zhang. The importance of yellow Penning, D.A., & B.R. Moon. The King of Snakes: horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolia) for restoration Performance and Morphology of Intraguild of arid habitats and production of bioactive Predators (Lampropeltis) and their Prey seed oils. Ecological Engineering Ecological (Pantherophis). Journal of Experimental 99:504–512. Biology 220:1154–1161. Ruan C.J., & S. Mopper. High-crown grafting to Pescinelli,R.A., T.M. Davanso, J.A.F. Pantaleão; increase low yields in Camellia oleifera. J. A.C. Batista, R.T. Bauer, & Rogério C. Costa. Horticultural Science & Biotechnology. Population dynamics, relative growth and 92:439–444. sex change of the protandric simultaneous Satbhai, K.S., F.R. Louka & P.L. Klerks. Individual hermaphrodite Exhippolysmata and combined effects of petroleum oplophoroides (Caridea: Lysmatidae) close hydrocarbons phenanthrene and to an upwelling area. Journal of the Marine dibenzothiophene on reproductive behavior Biological Association of the in the amphipod Hyalella azteca. Water Air United Kingdom. Soil Pollution 228:91. Powers, S.P., S. Rouhani, S., B.C. Baker, H. Schmidt W.E., C. Lozada-Troche, D.L. Ballantine, Roman, J. Grabowski, S.B. Scyphers, J.M. N. Arakaki, J.N. Norris, D. Gabriel & S. Willis, & M.W. Hester. Ecosystem services Fredericq. Taxonomic transfer of lost when facilitation between two Chrysymenia enteromorpha and C. wrightii to ecosystem engineers is compromised by oil. Botryocladia (Rhodymeniaceae, Marine Ecology Progress Series 576:189– Rhodymeniales, Rhodophyta). Phytotaxa 202. 324:122–138. Quinn, R.A., S. Hazra, R. Smolowitz & A.Y. Shaw, J.A., L.K. Bryant, F.M. Malle, D.J. Povinelli, Chistoserdov. Real-time PCR assay for & J.R. Pruett. The relationship between joint Aquimarina macrocephali subsp. homaria attention and theory of mind in neurotypical and its distribution in shell disease lesions of adults. Consciousness and Cognition 51:268– Homarus americanus, Milne-Edwards, 1837, 278. and environmental samples. J. Microbiol. Sloey, T., & M.W. Hester. Impact of nitrogen Meth. 139:61–67. and silicon on increasing mechanical stem Reis, R. E., J.S. Albert, F. Di Dario, M.M. strength in Schoenoplectus acutus and Mincarone, P. Petry, & L.A. Rocha. A reply to Schoenoplectus californicus: Applications for Vitule et al. (2016): Current vs. future threats restoration. Wetland Ecology and to the freshwater fish biodiversity in South Management. America. J. Fish Biol. 90:1191–1195. Stauffer, B.A., A.G. Gellene, D. Rico, C. Sur, & Richards J.L., T. Sauvage, W.E. Schmidt, S. D.A. Caron. Grazing of the heterotrophic Fredericq, J. Hughey, & P.W. Gabrielson. dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans on Sporolithon ptychoides (Sporolithales): the dinoflagellate and raphidophyte prey. generitype species of the type genus of the Aquatic Microbial Ecology 80:193–207. order assessed by sequencing type and Sullivan, T.J., & J. Neigel. Differential host topotype material. Journal of Phycology mortality explains the effect of high 53:1044–1059. temperature on the prevalence of a marine Robinson K.L., J. Luo, S Sponaugle, C. Guigand, pathogen. PLOS One 12(10). & R.K. Cowen. A tale of two crowds: public

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Sullivan, T.J., & J.E. Neigel. Effects of temperature and salinity on prevalence and In Memoriam intensity of infection of blue crabs, It is with great Callinectes sapidus, by Vibrio cholerae, V. sadness that we parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus in report the passing Louisiana. J. Invertebrate Pathology. of Dr. Jeffery Tagliacollo, V. A., S. M. Duke-Sylvester, W. A. Spring. With 35 Matamoros, P. A. Chakrabarty, and J. S. years of Albert. Coordinated Dispersal & the Pre- outstanding Isthmian Assembly of the Central American service to the Ichthyofauna. Systematic Biology 66:183– University and its 196. students, Jeff has Ukey, R., W. Holmes, R. Bajpai, & A.Y. touched many Chistoserdov. Evaluation of thioesterases lives. Through his from Acinetobacter baylyi for production of research, he made free fatty acids. Can. J. Microbiol. 63:321– many contributions to our understanding of 329. insect physiology. A thoughtful and dedicated

Vieira C., O. Camacho, Z. Sun, S. Fredericq, F. colleague with a great sense of humor, Jeff will Leliaert, C. Payri, & O. De Clerck. Historical be sorely missed. Dr. Spring’s obituary can be biogeography of the highly diverse brown found here. seaweed Lobophora (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 110:81–92. Visser, J.M., & S.M. Duke-Sylvester. LAVegMod v2: Modeling Coastal Vegetation Dynamics in Awards and Honors Response to Proposed Coastal Restoration and Protection Projects in Louisiana, USA. Graduate Student Awards & Sustainability 9 1625. Wicksten M., S. De Grave, S.C. France, & C. Accomplishments Kelley. Filter-feeding in a Deep-Sea Benthic In 2017, continuing graduate students were Shrimp (Decapoda: Caridea: Stylodactylidae), authors on 23 peer-reviewed publications, with Records of the Deepest Carideans. presented 16 off-campus seminars, and gave 59 ZooKeys 646:17–23. conference presentations. Below are some Wilson, R.M., R.B. Tyson, J.A. Nelson, B.C. examples of awards made to students in our Balmer, J.P. Chanton, & D.P. Nowacek. Niche graduate programs. Differentiation and Prey Selectivity among Babitch, Jaylyn. Untangling phytoplankton from Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops the estuarine food web. Coastal Connections truncatus) Sighted in St. George Sound, Gulf Winner of 3-Minute Thesis competition. of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science. Wu, X., S. Wang, H. Chen, Z. Jiang, H. Chen, M. Costa, Ana Paula. Cetacean Society Gao, R. Bi, P.L. Klerks, H. Wang, Y. Luo, & L. International, 22nd Biennial Society for Marine Xie. Assessment of metal contamination in Mammalogy Conference in Halifax (NS), Canada. the Hun River, China and evaluation of the Travel grant, $500.00. fish Zacco platypus and the snail Radix Fulbright, Michael C., Penning, D.A., and Hillard, swinhoei as potential biomonitors. C.J. Going Out on a Limb: Scaling of Terrestrial Environmental Science and Pollution and Arboreal Defensive Strikes by Ratsnakes. Research 24:6512–6522. Graduate Student Research Showcase,

University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Awarded 1st Place in the STEM Poster Competition. Hauser, Samantha. United States International Association of Landscape Ecologist, Honorable Mention for Best Student Presentation, $150.

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

James, W. Ryan. Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Michael Fulbright won 3rd Place in the Connections 3-Minute Thesis Competition university-wide 3-Minute Thesis Competition. Winner, $500.

Jones, Scott F. Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, Ted Beaulieu, Sr. Scholarship, New Faces in 2017 $5,000. Kim, Leslie Y. 1st place award for best oral Our newest faculty presentation at the II International Symposium member, Dr. Erin on Phylogeny and Classification of Neotropical Sigel, joined the Fishes, Londrina, Brazil. faculty in January 2015. She obtained a Rogers, Deborah. Richard G. Neiheisel and Mary Ph.D. in biology from B. Neiheisel Endowed Graduate Dissertation Duke University and Award, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. had a post-doctoral fellowship with the Rupp, Ariana, Jay Huner Travel Award to Smithsonian Institution. Her research interests present a paper at the Louisiana Academy of include the patterns and processes that underlie Science plant diversification. Her main research focus includes ferns, a plant lineage with an extensive Rupp, Ariana, H. Dickson Hoese and Richard history of both ancient and recent chromosomal Moore Award from the UL Lafayette duplications. During the coming years, she will Department of Biology for Best Graduate be setting up her research program and Student Publication in Biology for 2017. developing courses. She is also working to Scioli, Justin. Smithsonian Tropical Research upgrade our herbarium. Welcome Erin! Institution, Ernst Mayr Fellowship, $5,000.

Yando, Erik. Society of Wetland Scientists, Student Research Grant, $1000 Retirements in 2017

Graduate Student Research Three long-time members of the Department Showcase retired in 2017. The Graduate Student Research Showcase is a Dr. Caryl Chlan joined the campus-wide event organized by the Graduate faculty in 1989. Caryl’s School that strives to acknowledge and degrees were from Clemson celebrate the contributions of graduate students University (BS) and the to the UL Lafayette by providing graduate University of Georgia (MS, students the opportunity to showcase their PhD); she had postdoctoral research, projects, and original works. Biology positions at both UCLA and graduate students excelled at the showcase LSU. Her research in plant molecular biology is events and earned multiple awards in 2017. well respected by her colleagues. She provided considerable service to the department and st Ariana Rupp won 1 place in the STEM Paper university and was considered to be an (Oral Presentation) Competition. outstanding instructor by the students. Michael Fulbright won 1st Place in the STEM Professionally, she was heavily involved in both Poster Competition. the regional and national sections of the American Society of Plant Biologists. Brittany Foret and Marques Jackson won 2nd Place in the STEM Poster Competition. Erik Yando won 3rd Place in the STEM Poster Competition. Scott Jones won 2nd Place in the university- wide 3-Minute Thesis Competition.

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Dr. Susan Mopper joined fishes (Gymnotiformes: Teleostei). Advisor: Dr. the faculty in 1993. She had James Albert degrees from Florida State University (BS, MS) and Jones, Landon. Dissertation: Modeling the Northern Arizona University Effects of Animal Movements and Behavior on (PhD), as well as Spatial Patterns of Seed Dispersal in Fragmented postdoctoral positions at Landscapes. Advisor: Dr. Paul Leberg both her alma matters. Susan studied the ecology of plant–animal Mueck, Kristy. Dissertation: Physiology of the interactions, and her research contributions Invasive Apple Snail, Pomacea maculata (Perry, have been recognized by the Ecological Society 1810), in Louisiana. Advisor: Dr. Lewis Deaton of America. In 2003, she was named a Foundation Distinguished Professor. In addition John, Susan. Dissertation: Drying Without Dying: to outstanding service as a faculty member, The Resurrection Fern Pleopeltis polypodiodes. Susan was director the University’s Ecology Advisor: Dr. Karl Hasenstein Center, where she implemented several major Sullivan, Timothy. Dissertation: Molecular improvements. ecology of blue crab diseases. Advisor: Dr. Dr. Joseph Neigel earned Joseph Neigel degrees from Johns Hopkin University (BS), and the Master of Science in Biology University of Georgia Collette, Jantzen. Thesis: Validation of the (PhD). Following a post- tgFGFR1-EGFP Mouse Line as a Tool to Study doc at UCLA, he joined the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 Cellular biology faculty in 1987. Joe Localization and Expression After Experimental was a gifted teacher, and his research papers Manipulations. Advisor: Dr. Karen Smith where among the most cited of any of our faculty. He has made many contributions to the Fontenot, Christopher. Non-thesis track. understanding of population genetics and Advisor: Dr. Scott Duke-Sylvester evolution of marine organisms. For this work, he Foret, Brittany. Thesis: Examination of Opioid was named Distinguished Research Fellow at the and Glucocorticoid Receptor Pathways in Rhesus Bodega Marine Laboratory of UC Davis. In 2004, Macaques (Macaca mulatta) Exhibiting Self- he was named a Foundation Distinguished Injurious Behaviors. Advisor: Dr. Karen Smith Professor. Franco, Marco. Thesis: A Mesocosm Assessment With 82 years of combined distinguished of the Ecotoxicological Effects of Crude Oil in service to the University as educators and Two Species of Fiddler Crabs (Uca spp.) from the researchers, these retirements are well Northern Gulf of Mexico. Advisor: Dr. Paul deserved! Klerks

Hucks, Katrina. Thesis: Evaluation of maximum entropy models for assessing the influence of 11 Graduate Degrees restoration scenarios on coastal wildlife populations. Advisor: Dr. Paul Leberg Conferred Stein, Alexis. Non-thesis track. Advisor: Dr. Bruce Felgenhauer Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology Evans-Jackson, Kory. Dissertation: Evolution of craniofacial diversity in Neotropical electric

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Your Gifts Make A Gifts can be made online by visiting: https://www.ullafayettefoundation.org/gi Difference! ving/sciences Under Designation, choose “Other” and enter New Undergraduate Research “BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT” in the “Other” box. Facilities Contributions to our foundation fund can also be made by sending a check, made out to Biology Department Fund UL Lafayette Foundation, to the foundation. Their address is: UL Lafayette Foundation P.O. Box 44290 Lafayette, LA 70504-4290 Thank you for any gift you provide to help support the department’s activities. We have recently opened our new Undergraduate Research Laboratory. Several groups and individuals contributed funding, time or talent to the task of creating this Alumni Updates resource from what was a storage space: Student Technology Enhancement Program We love to hear from our graduates. If you have (STEP), Pre-Professional Society (PPS), UL information you would like to share involving Honors, , Dean of Science, Physical Plant, Pegge your professional or personal life, please send it Sondra Meyers ([email protected]). Alciatore, Bruce Felgenhauer, William Schmidt and Sherry Krayesky-Self. Funds for equipping Please be sure to include information on your this space also came from donations from year of graduation and degree. We welcome alumni. Currently, there is an inverted participation by alumni of both our epifluorescent microscope, compound and undergraduate and graduate programs! sterio-microscopes, thermocycler, bacterial Hiring? growth chamber, freezer and refrigerator, microwave, ice maker, refrigerated centrifuge, We maintain an email list of recent grads micropipettes and several electrophoresis rigs. searching for positions, and have contact with current students. If you have a position or How to Donate internship announcement appropriate for Donations to the Biology Department’s biology majors that you would like us to University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation distribute to these groups, please send it to me fund allow us to make investments in new ([email protected]) as an email attachment. research directions and student education Likewise, if you are a recent graduate, let me programs that are difficult to fund through our know if you would like to be added to our email modest operating budget. list.

BIONEWS – Newsletter of the biology department ⎯ University of Louisiana, Lafayette ⎯ Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

Record Number of 100 Undergraduates Earn Biology Degrees

Aithal, Vikas Arehole Griffard, Gabriel Phung, Delena Hien Ardoin, Alexis Griffin, Lauren Pomerenke, Kramer Badon, Jack Hall, Tiffany Nicole Putnam, Gregg Baker, Autumn Kate Hartmann, Arik Redrick, Hayley Juliana Barry, Preston Robert Hebert, Caitlin Rees, George Bergeron, Logan Michael Hillard, Cory Reggie, Adam Broussard, Jency Huffman, Gerald Resendez, Alexis Bruce, Meghan Huynh, Bao Thai Romero, Sarah Cassidy, James Patrick Istre, Jamie Roy, Ashley Elizabeth Castelblanco-Esteban, Jasabe Johnson, Dana Mishel Saucier, Leslie Catherine Sarai King, Taylor Denise Schexnayder, Marae Lisa Champagne, Kristin Ann Kitchen, Blake Scroggs, Jacob Dylan Charles-Jones, Yolanda Laborde, Morgan Elaine Semien, Gabrielle Clark, Cassie Marie Lauchner, Amber Rose Soileau, Kelsey Elizabeth Coker, Caitlyn Lee, Miranda Adelene Stephen, Cayman Cook, Eleanor Anne Leonpacher, Lauren Angelle Storey, Brandy Courville, Skylar Lestelle, Lillian Dupont Strauss, Fabian Darby, Claire Ling, Chai Hui Ta, Tan Dauphinet, Lexi Nicole Louis, Nicholas Joseph Tarzetti, Cole Davidson, Brooke Elizabeth Loomis, Kathryn Thompson, Matthew Scott Deblieux, Paige Jordan Lugo, Maria Torres, Hayden Delaughter, Hannah Marcel, Alyssa Catherine Tran, Diana Derouen, Dylan Paul McKee, Gregory Kyler Dean Tromblay, Alix Laya Ducote, Claire Hebert McLeod, Jennie Victorian, Rakeitta Andrea Dupuis, Mackenzi Clifford Miller, Erin Cinderella Walker, Quincy Fazal-ur-Rehman, Fatima Moeller, Cambri Elizabeth Warren, Kaitlyn Finger, Nicole Mostrom, Matilda Jonna Watson, Antoinette Flores, Marcela Murray, Kaleb Jordan Whiteside, Shaunda Leshea Fox, Kelsey Musso, Emily Williams, Catherine Julanne Franco, Celeny Oudomrath, Adrian Wimmer, Miranda Frederick, Kaitly Pacetti, Derien Woods, Gina Marie Frith, Katie Marie Paul, Delilah Zeringue, Alexandra Frugé, Matthew Perkins, Wil Fulmer, Rachel Marie Phearse, Andre

Congratulations and best wishes to all of our 2017 graduates!