2011 Vol. 2, No. 1 www...edu Ecology Responds Ecology Small Grants Fund Grad To Gulf Oil Spill Student Research Laurie Fowler

hanks to funding from the William Undergraduate and Eugene Odum Endowment ecology major and the IDEA Board (see page 5), Chassidy Mann Tthe Odum School will provide competi- helped conduct tive graduate student research and travel research in the grants totaling $20,000 this academic year. Gulf of Mexico Students submit applications which faculty after the spill. review, critique, and rank for funding. Awards were made in fall 2010 to Athena Photo courtesy Anderson, Peter Baas, Sarah Bowden, of Samantha Joye, gulfblog.uga.edu Katy Bridges, Rebecca de Jesús, Fern Lehman, Cindy Tant, and Marcus Zokan. These students are researching many issues from bumble bees and pollina- tor conservation to the effects of climate ssociate Dean Jim Porter and response to the Gulf oil spill. Undergrad- warming on insect herbivory in the trop- Public Relations Coordinator Beth uate ecology major Chassidy Mann, an as- ics to the role of aquatic fungi in breaking Gavrilles helped to organize the sistant in the laboratory of marine sciences down organic matter with high nutrient AUniversity of -Georgia Sea Grant Samantha Joye, participated in concentrations. Gulf Oil Spill Symposium: Building Bridges Joye’s research cruise in the Gulf imme- As just one example, Rebecca de Jesús in Crisis, which took place over three days diately following the spill. Mann, quoted was awarded funds to travel to Costa Rica in January 2011. The symposium convened in an article on the NSF’s Science Nation to research the effectiveness of the Rain- scientists, government officials, industry, the online journal, said it was “unparalleled to forest Alliance Certification Program in news media, and representatives of sectors anything I have ever experienced.” preserving freshwater adjacent affected by the spill to discuss how these A study of oyster reefs by Associate to coffee farms. She is collecting and assess- groups collaborated in research and response Professor Jeb Byers provided baseline ing stream integrity data (habitat quality, efforts, the coordination of information flow, documentation in the event that oil from macroinvertebrate assemblages, and water and opportunities to maximize cooperation the spill reached the Georgia coast. He quality) on 30 stream reaches within Rain- following the nation’s worst maritime oil spill. and his colleagues will also assess effects forest Alliance certified farms and another Panel sessions brought leaders together of the spill on the marine . 30 within noncertified farms. She to discuss how they and their organizations Tom Shannon, Ph.D. ’07, a postdoc- also expects to assess the specific responded to the spill and to suggest ways to toral researcher at Tulane University, was environmental services facilitate information flow among stakehold- interviewed by NBC. A clip of Shannon provided by riparian ers. Associate Dean Laurie Fowler served pointing out the reaction of hermit crabs buffers on certi- as moderator of a panel that included Ray to the oil was subsequently satirized fied farms. Jakubczak, Ph.D. ’89, senior consultant for by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. “He Spring Cardno-Entrix, who was contracted by BP to made a parody of it, but in doing that he grants provide scientific services on coral reefs dur- illuminated the perils facing the wildlife,” will be ing the spill response. Shannon said. “And he spent more than awarded Odum School faculty, students, and just a couple of minutes on it, and a lot of in April. alumni were also involved in the immediate people saw it.” 2

A World Premiere, U.S. Premiere, and fromNotes Dean John Gittleman Inspiring Environmental Films from Around the World

Whatever one’s pursuits, excellence is measured by combined creativity, productivity, and recognition. The Odum School of Ecology is hitting remarkable strides of excellence. The faculty may have accomplished something found in no other institution in the world: in the past fifteen months, publishing over a half dozen papers in Science, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. One or two papers in these journals is amazing; the fact that we have had so many is phenomenal. As in business or baseball, excellence breeds excellence. We have one of the fastest growing majors at UGA—and, more impressively, the highest percentage (over 35%) of honors students at UGA. The graduate program is known worldwide, and the level of competition for admission is extremely keen. Last year we only accepted about 10% of our applicants, with many winning University-wide fellowships and federal grants such as from the National Science Foundation. Our service and outreach initiatives bring our expertise beyond the world of academia. The EcoFocus Film Festival raises public awareness of environmental issues and the Environmental Practicum helps communities solve real he new film, Chattahoochee: From environmental problems. Water War to Water Vision, by Rhett Despite a tough economy, we have succeeded in Turner and Jonathan Wickham, chronicling the tri-state increasing donations to the Odum School, which now are Twater dispute, received its world premiere at the third annual double where they were this time last year. Having hired EcoFocus Film Festival. The sold-out screening was followed a new development director, Lee Snelling, we’re looking by a discussion with the filmmakers and panelists Sally Bethea forward to launching new efforts to raise funds for student of the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and April Ingle of Georgia fellowships, travel awards, and to endow faculty chairs. River Network, and a gala reception. Chattahoochee has since As you can tell, we are very excited about where we been featured on Georgia Public Broadcasting. are, especially only four years into being a new School. The EcoFocus also hosted the U.S. premiere of the inspiring film Odum School of Ecology aspires to create a positive ecology Vienen por el oro, vienen por todo (They come for the gold, they for the future: an institution in which there is the highest come for it all), a multiple award-winning documentary that caliber of scientific activity that reshapes key ecological tells the story of the residents of a small town in Patagonia questions, and a science that explicitly recognizes and who stood up to an international mining corporation. incorporates the dominant influence of humans on a EcoFocus Film Festival, directed by Sara Beresford, MS sustainable planet. CESD ’00, is an initiative of the Odum School of Ecology in A final thought—we deeply feel the loss of Thelma cooperation with Ciné. The 2010 festival explored a broad Richardson, who died on March 4th. Over the years, Ecology spectrum of environmental topics, covering issues such as as a science and as an academic unit has gone through energy production and climate change, local food and schools, many changes. Thelma’s passion, dedication, helpfulness, waste, and and species loss. and boundless pursuit to understand was a reassuring One locally made film, Slow Coffee, had close ties to the constant throughout these changes. We miss Thelma and School of Ecology. Slow Coffee highlights the efforts of local carry on her love for Ecology. coffee roaster Ben Myers and his colleagues in rainforest con- servation at the Maquipucuna Reserve in Ecuador, which is led by Rebeca Justicia, Ph.D. ’07 and Rodrigo Ontaneda, Odum School senior visiting fellow.  ecofocusfilmfest.org 3

Environmental Practicum law student Becky Gabelman uses a probe to test water temperature and bacterial levels of Calls Creek in Watkinsville. The practicum is assisting the community in identifying and eliminating sources of fecal coliform to the stream.

Photo by Kelly Wegel Athens Banner Herald October 12, 2010

Odum School Outreach: River Basin Center and the Environmental Practicum

Laurie Fowler

he Odum School of Ecology’s features case studies of successful programs learning course that provides students outreach programs, including from across the country, ranging from the opportunity to work on real-world the EcoFocus Film Festival (see homeowner education to the establishment environmental problems. In addition to Tpage 2), the River Basin Center, and the of septic utilities, whereby the homeowner assisting Katie with the guidebooks men- Environmental Practicum, ensure that pays a monthly charge for the maintenance tioned above, students in the spring ’11 our cutting-edge science reaches policy- (and ultimate replacement) of their onsite Environmental Practicum are develop- makers and the general public. system. The guidebook will be completed ing a restoration plan for “Stinky Creek,” The River Basin Center, directed by this summer. which runs behind the UGA baseball Ron Carroll and Laurie Fowler, works to Katie is also about to start work on a field and enters the Oconee River near increase the capacity of communities to guidebook for local government on strate- the Ramsey Center on campus. The plan manage land use to protect water qual- gies to protect wetlands. Local govern- will include strategies for managing ity and biodiversity. Much of the RBC’s ment protection is increasingly important stormwater from the Five Points neigh- recent work has been focused on the in light of U.S. Supreme Court decisions borhood and the UGA campus, gasoline management of human waste. Approxi- declaring isolated wetlands as beyond the from abandoned storage tanks, and high mately 40% of Georgians rely on onsite protection of Section 404 of the federal levels of fecal coliform. The goal is to septic systems to treat their waste, yet our Clean Water Act. The guidebook will restore the creek so it is worthy of its new septic infrastructure is aging and there is describe land acquisition, incentive-based, moniker, Lily Branch! no state program in place to assure that and regulatory programs. We’ll have more about other RBC these systems are monitored, pumped, or The Environmental Practicum is an projects and additional Odum School otherwise maintained. Malfunctioning interdisciplinary, graduate-level service outreach in the next issue. septic systems are a suspected source of pollutants in many of the state’s impaired streams and lakes. www.ecology.uga.edu RBC Staff Attorney Katie Sheehan, a Visit our website to keep up-to-date with the latest Ecology news and events. 2008 graduate of the UGA School of Law, is drafting a guidebook for local governments Please send your news, suggestions for stories, or any thoughts about what on post-installation management programs you’d like to see in the newsletter to EcoVoice editor Beth Gavrilles at to protect public health and environmen- [email protected] tally sensitive resources. The guidebook 4

Odum School Lives Up Odum School Sustainability Initiative to the Legacy n 2009, the Odum School developed an initiative that incorporates the concept of sustainability into all as- Dr. Eugene Odum is Celebrated Ipects of the college—teaching, research, through the School’s Green Initiatives service and outreach, and operations and maintenance. Our goal is to become Laurie Fowler not only a benchmark for the but for institutions of higher learning across the country. The initiative An artistic is carried out under the direction of Sus- rendering of the tainability Coordinator Tyra Byers and a Odum School of Ecology committee of faculty, staff, and students. Green Building At the same time, ecology students complete with were spearheading efforts to institute a green walls and $3 per term “green fee” to fund a UGA roofs, streams, Office of Sustainability; the student body a courtyard, a voted overwhelmingly to adopt the fee. green house, and In announcing the creation of the UGA photovoltaic cells. Office of Sustainability in his 2010 State of the University Address, UGA Presi- dent Michael Adams credited two ecol- ogy undergraduates, Emily Karol and Ecology’s Green Building Mark Milby BS ’10, for the initiative’s Will Be a Living Laboratory Ecology Club Leading success. Campus-Wide In 2010, inspired by an Honors project ith generous funding from the by undergraduates Ashlee Nicole Sharer R. Howard Dobbs Jr. Founda- Sustainability and Emily Harris, we became the first tion, the architectural firm Activities school on campus to install water bottle WBNIM of Kansas City has helped the refilling stations to reduce waste from Odum School develop conceptual plans ne of the most exciting things to plastic water bottles. An initial contri- for the world’s most sustainable “living” happen at the Odum School in bution by IDEA Board member Bertis academic and lab building. It will bring all recent years is the rebirth of the Downs, followed by some creative fund- of us, now housed in five buildings across OEcology Club. The club, made up of the raising by the Ecology Club and Ecology campus, together under one roof. brightest and most enthusiastic under- faculty and staff—an auction of “only in Our understanding of emerging global grads ever, is behind most things green Ecology” items such as belly-dancing economic and environmental issues leads in our building and across campus. They lessons by undergraduate Rosemary us to forge a sustainable building ethic initiated the Gameday Recycling Pro- Gay and an eco-themed murder mystery for the world’s first college-level ecology gram that is responsible for collecting dinner for eight—raised over $800. The program. Our goal is a building that is and recycling approximately 1.5 tons of UGA Physical Plant pitched in with a do- ecologically resilient, socially just, and waste during each home football game, nation and installed three of the systems economically sound. See our website for example. over the holiday break. A digital coun- to learn more about the stunning plans The organization had lain dormant ter that indicates how many disposable which feature biomimicry—including a for several years but was reinvigorated bottles have been avoided showed over biological “eco-machine” to treat waste- under the leadership of Dale Broder, 4,600 in just over two months of use! water, green roofs and walls, and the latest BS ’08, in 2007. It has expanded to in- And in January 2011 we became the energy systems. The building and site will clude students from every major across first college on campus to adopt the UGA serve as a transparent living laboratory campus as well as ecology undergrads. A Sustainable Office Program, agreeing to available to everyone. We’ll talk more biweekly forum raises ecological aware- practice specific waste-, water-, and en- about the building in the next issue of ness. Kelly Robinson from Cumming ergy-reducing measures. This spring we EcoVoice; in the meantime we’re conduct- and Georgia Cobb from Pensacola, will pilot the University’s first bike fleet ing a study to determine the feasibility of Florida, head up the club this year. Un- program, with three bikes (plus locks and raising funds for the building. If you’d like dergraduate Advisor Misha Boyd is the helmets) available for check-out, thanks to be part of this effort, please let us know! club’s advisor. to a generous donation by Rutherford  ecology.uga.edu  ugaecologyclub.wordpress.com and Laura Seydel. ALUMnI nEWS 5

Meet the Odum School 1982 2004  Joe Meyers, Ph.D. ’82, is a research  Erin Dreelin, Ph.D. ’04, is associate IDEA Board wildlife biologist with the U.S.G.S. director of the Michigan State University Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, based Center for Water Sciences. ow can we ensure that the in Athens, Georgia. Odum School is responding 2005 to the pressing environmental 1985  Charlene Long Bohanon, BS ’05,  Robert Buschbacher, Ph.D. ’85, is the Hneeds of our own state? How can we received an MS in Water Resource coordinator of the Amazon Conservation Management at Ben Gurion University stay abreast of the most current means Leadership Initiative at the University of of the Negev in Sde Boker, Israel. She is a of communicating our work through Florida. consultant for Conservation Enterprises emerging technologies? How can we 1988 Unlimited in North Carolina. find the folks who would likely support Chris McKenzie, BS ’88, has been  John Schramski, Ph.D. ’05, is assistant our research and outreach if they just selected as the new general counsel of professor in the UGA Department of knew about us? the Wildlife Conservation Society. Biological and Agricultural Engineering. To answer these questions and more, 1990 2006 the Odum School recruited some of the  Jeff Lovich, Ph.D. ’90, is a research Sarah Gaines Barmeyer, MS CESD ’06, state’s (and nation’s) best thinkers to ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, is Great Waters program manager at the serve on our IDEA Board. IDEA stands Southwest Biological Science Center. National Parks Conservation Association. for Innovation, Development, Educa- In 2008 he received a Fulbright Senior Timothy Carter, Ph.D. ’06, is director Specialist Award to teach graduate tion, and Access. The group meets twice of the Center for Urban Ecology at Butler ecology at Cadi Ayyad University, University. a year; we also call on them individually Marrakesh. throughout the year for many kinds of 2007 assistance. 1997  Tom Shannon, Ph.D. ’07, postdoctoral  Patrick Brian Garrett, BS ’97, is a To give you an example of how the researcher at Tulane University, was wildlife coordinator with the South involved in the response to the Gulf oil IDEA Board works, let’s look at the is- Florida Water Management District. spill (see "Ecology Responds to Gulf Oil sue of sustainability. At their very first He received his MS in Environmental Spill," p. 1). meeting the board asked us if the Odum Sciences from Florida Atlantic University School had a sustainability plan. Well, in 2007. 2008  Noelle Gunst, Ph.D. ’08, published we sheepishly admitted, we know we 1998 a paper, “The ontogeny of handling should but we don’t. They challenged  Susan Andrews, Ph.D. ’98, is the hard-to-process food in wild brown us to develop one and gave us pointers national leader for soil ecology at the capuchins (Cebus apella apella): evidence about what we might include and where National Soil Survey Center. from foraging on the fruit of Maximiliana to go for guidance—INNOVATION and 1999 maripa” in the American Journal of EDUCATION. We recruited a group  Beth A. Shapiro, BS ’99/MS ’99, was Primatology DOI: 10.1002/ajp.20856. of interested faculty and students and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation  Randy Singer, BS ’08, is assistant “genius” grant in 2009. She received the collections manager at the Florida promptly drafted a plan which included 2010 UGA Young Alumnus Award for Museum of Natural History. He has hiring a part-time staff member to professional and civic contributions as identified several dozen fish species from develop and coordinate sustainability in well as her continuing engagement with deep sea marine vents that had not been our building and maintenance practices, UGA. previously known to science. in our labs, and in our course offerings. 2000 2009 The IDEA Board generated the funds  Katherine Dowell Kearns, Ph.D. ’00, is  Andrew Durso, BS ’09, is a graduate for that position and for specific projects an instructional consultant at the Center student at Eastern Illinois University. such as our bike share pilot program— for Innovative Teaching and Learning at  Christina Faust, BS ’09/MS ’09, DEVELOPMENT. And finally, the IDEA Indiana University, and the mother of is working toward her doctorate at eight-month old Collin. Board went directly to UGA President . She received her  Doug Parsons, MS CESD ’00, is the Adams to provide input as he was de- M.Sc. in global health and immunology climate change coordinator for the from the National University of Ireland veloping his plans to make UGA a more Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Maynooth in 2010. She has received sustainable campus—ACCESS. Commission. He and his wife Lindsey a full graduate research fellowship Current members of the IDEA Board have two sons, Max and Jett. from Princeton, the George J. Mitchell are: J. Rutherford Seydel (chair), Laurie 2001 Fellowship in 2009, Harry S. Truman and Fowler, Rebecca Bell, Bob Berkebile,  Sarah Ksiazek, BS ’01, is mammal Morris K. Udall scholarships in 2008, C. Gray Bethea Jr. (fundraising chair), keeper at the Dallas Zoo. among many other honors. Harmon W. Caldwell, Bertis Downs,  Nicole Gottdenker, Ph.D. ’09, is an 2002 assistant professor in the UGA College Skelly Holmbeck, Felton Jenkins III,  Jessica Ross, BS ’02, is a fuel assistant of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Wayne King, Jerry McCollum, Chris with the United Nations. Pathology. Sawyer, John Sibley, and Steve Weber. 2003  Mike Strickland, Ph.D. ’09, received Watch for future editions of Eco-  Neal McIntosh, BS ’03, is pursuing the 2010 UGA Graduate Student Voice for profiles of our IDEA Board a master’s degree at Oregon State Excellence in Research Award in the Life members! University. Sciences in March. 6 UPCOMInG JoIN uS Dave Coleman Publishes Big Ecology: IN PRovIDENCE AND AuSTIN! North American Benthological Society The Emergence of Science Annual Meeting 2011 Providence, Rhode Island n his new textbook published by the University of Cali- May 22–26, 2011 fornia Press, David C. Coleman, distinguished research professor emeritus in the Odum School of Ecology, nar- Join the Odum School of Ecology and the Irates the development of ecosystem science, from the 1957 UGA Department of Entomology at a special International Geophysical Year through the present. The session and celebratory reception honor- ing J. Bruce Wallace, professor emeritus of publication describes the major research institutions and ecology, at the 2011 NABS Annual Meeting. programs created along the way, as well as the science’s A Bug’s Life. Stream Macroinvertebrates as pioneering figures. “Dave’s book is an important synthesis Mediators of Stream Ecosystem Processes: for ecology,” said Odum School Dean John Gittleman. Insights Gained from the Work of J. Bruce “It summarizes many of the key ideas that were born Wallace will explore the impact of Wallace’s out of the Institute and now are being expanded in the pioneering work in aquatic ecology through Odum School.” the detailed analysis of life history and func- Coleman, coauthor of Fundamentals of Soil Ecology tional traits of aquatic macroinvertebrates, and over 250 other books and peer-reviewed articles, coupled with experiments to determine their was impelled to write this book for several reasons. “I want- roles in ecosystem processes. ed to impart some of the excitement of the early years to current students,” Besides Wallace, speakers will include Alex Huryn (Ph.D. UGA Entomology), University of he said. “I also wanted to show how foundational the efforts of the Institute of Alabama; Jack Webster ( Ph.D. Ecology ’75), Ecology (now the Odum School) were in the development of ecosystem science.” Virginia Tech; Susan Eggert ( Ph.D. UGA Ento- mology), USFS; Emma Rosi-Marshall ( Ph.D. Ecology ’02), Cary Institute for Ecosystem Graduate Student Symposium 2011 Studies; Matt Whiles ( Ph.D. UGA Entomol- ogy), Southern Illinois University; Amy Rose- Megan Machmuller mond, associate professor, UGA Ecology; Ph.D. Student and GSS Co-coordinator John Davis ( Ph.D. Ecology ’09), Idaho State University; Wyatt Cross ( Ph.D. Ecology ’04), he OSE annual Graduate Student Symposium is an opportunity to show- Montana State University; Arthur Benke, case all of the important work done by Ecology students and allows us to (Ph.D. UGA ), University of Alabama; and Judy Meyer, professor emerita, UGA receive helpful comments about our research and presentation styles in a Tprofessional yet collegial atmosphere. This year’s symposium, held January 28-29, Ecology. The session will take place on Tues- day, May 24 from 1:30–5:00 p.m. included 42 graduate student presentations and 10 undergraduate poster presen- The preliminary schedule and other meet- tations, encompassing a broad spectrum of ecological science. ing details can be found on the NABS website, Our invited alumnus and keynote speaker was Ned Gardiner, Ph.D. ’02. For www..org/Annual-Meeting/2011- his keynote address he related his recent adventures on the Congo River, where he Providence.aspx. For more information, con- used remote sensing, GIS, and sonar surveys to quantify hydraulic barriers to dis- tact Amy Rosemond at [email protected]. persal among cichlids. This work was featured in a National Geographic Special “Explorer: Monster Fish of the Congo,” which was shown during GSS. Ned, now 96th Ecological Society of America at NOAA in Asheville, North Carolina, has made substantial progress in commu- Annual Meeting Austin, Texas nicating conservation , ecosystem processes, and Earth system science to August 7–12, 2011 nonscientists using interac- tive and high-definition GSS 2011 BEST STuDENT PRESENTATIoN AWARDS Join us for the visualizations from scientific odum School of Ecology Alumni Mixer Ph.D. Research: Julie Rushmore Wednesday, August 10, 6:30–8 p.m. data, which he demonstrated MS Research: Jessica Sterling to kick off the GSS weekend. Proposed Research: Alexa Fritzsche Details will be posted on the ESA website: Ned was an inspiration and Undergraduate Research: Malavika Rajeev www.esa.org/austin. For more information, we are thankful to have had contact Lee Snelling at [email protected]. him back at OSE. Be sure to check out these oral sessions by It is our goal each year to make GSS a sustainable event. This year we worked uGA Ecology faculty and postdocs: with Tyra Byers, sustainability coordinator, to make GSS as green as possible. Infectious Disease Dynamics in Migratory Our efforts included buying local food, composting, reusable utensils, minimum Species, organized by Assistant Research Sci- paper usage, and recycling. entist Richard Hall and postdoc Becky Bartel. As many of you know, GSS is not possible without the help of our volunteers. I Ecological Applications of Machine Learn- want to thank the graduate students who work tirelessly on organizing this event. ing, organized by Associate Professor John I also want to thank all of the faculty and staff of the Odum School who gener- Drake and postdoc Barbara Han. ously contribute to GSS, and without whom this event would not be possible. InSIDE ThE SChOOL 7

ALLGEIER RUSHMORE STREICKER SMALL ZHANG

three-year NOAA National Estuarine Re- ment of rabies virus in bats,” published Student news search Reserve Graduate Research Fellow- in Science in August 2010. He received ship, and a NSF East Australia and Pacific a UGA Graduate School Dissertation ■ Ph.D. student Jake Allgeier won a Summer Institutes Research Grant. Completion Award in 2010. three-year U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowship in ■ Chip Small, Ph.D. ‘10, and Distin- ■ Ph.D. student Jamie Winternitz re- 2010. Allgeier is the ninth student from guished Research Professor Catherine ceived a Snyder Graduate Research Fellow- Ecology, and the twentieth from UGA, to Pringle organized a workshop, “Carbon ship from the Rocky Mountain Biological be awarded a STAR fellowship since the cycling in tropical streams,” at the Orga- Laboratory and a Young Explorers Grant program began in 1995. nization for Tropical Studies La Selva Bio- from the National Geographic Society. logical Station, Costa Rica in April 2010. ■ John Davis, Ph.D. ’09, was lead au- ■ Sheena Zhang, undergraduate ecology thor on “Long-term nutrient enrichment ■ Daniel Streicker, Ph.D. student, was and biology major, was inducted into the decouples predator and prey production,” lead author on “Host phylogeny constrains UGA chapter of the national Blue Key published in Proceedings of the National cross-species emergence and establish- Honor Society. Academy of Sciences in December 2009. Coauthors were Associate Professor Amy D. Rosemond; Susan L. Eggert, Ph.D. ’03; Wyatt F. Cross, Ph.D. ’04; and professor emeritus J. Bruce Wallace. ■ Ph.D. student Alexa Fritzsche received ECOLOGy a 2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. ■ Ph.D. student Jessica Joyner received a AW ARDS 2010 NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship. ■ Ph.D. student Carolyn Keogh received 2009-2010 a 2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. ■ Undergraduate ecology major Calley Mersmann won the 2010 Rotaract Student Student a cappella group, the EcoTones, gave Service Award, sponsored by the Rotary a spirited performance following the awards International service organization. presentation at the Spring Fling Ecotillion in ■ Elizabeth Nixon, undergraduate ecolo- April 2010. BEST STUDENT PAPER AWARD: gy and scientific illustration double major, John Davis, Ph.D. ’09, for “Long- won the Lloyd Logan Award of Excellence term nutrient enrichment decouples INSTRUCTOR OF ThE yEAR AWARD: and the Joshua Laerm Award of Excellence predator and prey production” Jim Richardson, undergraduate coordinator at the 2010 Science and Medical Illustra- DEAN’S AWARD: and faculty instructor tion Exhibition. Mark Milby, BS ’10, for his leadership JOSh LAERM MEMORIAL OUTSTANDING in successfully promoting campus- ECOLOGy UNDERGRADUATE AWARD: ■ Ph.D./DVM student Julie Rushmore wide sustainability at UGA Sarah E. Bowden received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2009. DISTINGUIShED GRADUATE RIChARDSON-GOLLEy UNDERGRADUATE In 2010 she won an ARCS Scholarship and STUDENT TEAChING AWARD: CITIzENShIP AWARD: Global Impact Award, and received a two- Amy Trice, MS CESD student Rebecca R. Risser, Calley A. Mersmann, year training fellowship from the Morris ROBERT A. ShELDON MEMORIAL and Alexander D. Wright Animal Foundation. AWARD: PURPLE hEART AWARD: Tom Barnum, Ph.D. student Brian Perkins, principal systems administrator ■ Ph.D. student Virginia Schutte received SOLITARy GLOVE SERVICE AWARD: EMPLOyEE OF ThE yEAR AWARD: a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, a Nathan Pratt, MS ’10 Beth Gavrilles, public relations coordinator 8 InSIDE ThE SChOOL Post-Doc news

■ Becky Bartel was the lead author on a the Cadillac Desert,” published in the Pro- perimental demonstration of population paper, “Monarch butterfly migration and ceedings of the National Academy of Scienc- extinction due to a predator-driven Allee parasite transmission in eastern North es in December 2010, and coauthored an effect” in the Journal of Animal Ecology in America,” published in the journal Ecology op-ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 2010. In December, they published in February 2011, with associate professor “Entire Southeast needs a new strategy for a paper on the North American gypsy moth and others. conserving water.” invasion, “Critical patch size generated by ■ John Kominoski, Ph.D. ’08, coauthored ■ Andrew Kramer and Associate Profes- Allee effect in gypsy moth, Lymantria dis- “Reclaiming freshwater sustainability in sor John Drake published a paper, “Ex- par (L.),” in the journal Ecology Letters.

Faculty newsews

■ Associate Professor Sonia Altizer received a $580,000 grant from the National Sci- ence Foundation for a three- year study of rabies in vampire bats in Peru. In January 2011, Altizer HALL HELFMAN MEYER and postdoctoral associates Becky Bartel and Barbara Han published a paper, “Long-distance migration may help reduce infectious disease risks for many animal ■ Associate Professor John Drake ■ Assistant research scientist Richard species,” in the journal Science. published a paper, “Early warning signals Hall received a 2010 Short Term Visiting ■ Associate Professor Jeb Byers was ap- of extinction in deteriorating environ- Scholar Award from the National Institute pointed to the National Research Council’s ments,” in the journal Nature in Septem- for Mathematical and Biological Synthe- Committee on Assessing Numeric Limits ber 2010. It describes the first experi- sis. The award funded a two-week stay at for Living Organisms in Ballast Water. The mental demonstration of critical slowing NIMBioS in Knoxville, , where committee will conduct a study to inform down in a biological system. Hall worked with an interdisciplinary the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard ■ Dean John Gittleman , with Postdoc- group of researchers modeling the effects how to establish environmentally protec- toral Associate Patrick Stephens, coau- of habitat fragmentation and biotic resis- tive ballast water discharge limits in the thored “The evolution of maximum body tance on invasive species. next Vessel General Permit, which regu- size of terrestrial mammals,” published in ■ Professor Emeritus Gene Helfman lates discharges incidental to the normal the journal Science in November 2010. delivered the 2010 JLB Smith Memorial operation of vessels. Lecture at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) in August 2010. ■ Distinguished Research Professor Emerita Judy Meyer was awarded the Associate Dean 2010 Naumann-Thienemann Medal Laurie Fowler received the Ogden from the International Society of Lim- Doremus Award nology at the organization’s triennial in- for Excellence in ternational congress in Capetown, South Environmental Law Africa in August 2010. In April 2010 from the nonprofit she delivered the Abel Wolman Distin- public interest legal guished Lecture at the National Acad- group GreenLaw in emy of Sciences in Washington, DC. October 2010. She is pictured at right with ■ Associate Professor Andrew Park Justine Thompson, published “Quantifying the impact of executive director immune escape on transmission dynam- of GreenLaw. ics of influenza” in the journal Science in October 2009. 9

ment. Vanessa’s research straddles multiple fields in veterinary/health Associate Dean and Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of sciences and ecology, and likewise, her Ecology Jim Porter received a five- joint appointment builds ties between year, $2 million Ecology of Infectious departments.” Diseases grant from the NSF and NIh to study the first known case of a “reverse or Assistant Professor Nina Wurz- zoonosis” that involves the transmission burger, joining the faculty of the of a human pathogen to a marine Odum School was a homecoming invertebrate, elkhorn coral. Erin Lipp, Fof sorts. Wurzburger received her Ph.D. associate professor of environmental from the Warnell School of Forestry and health science in the College of Public health, Assistant Professor Andrew Park Natural Resources in 2007, and always of the Odum School and the College of felt a part of the Veterinary Medicine, and John Wares, greater community assistant professor of genetics in the of ecologists here Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, at UGA. Ecology are co-investigators. Professor Emeritus Dave Coleman served on her Ph.D. committee. “Nina will be a great asset to the ■ David Scott, Savannah River Ecolo- ■ Rebecca Sharitz, researcher at the Odum School,” WURZBURGER gy Lab research assistant, and Professor Savannah River Ecology Lab, received he said. “She is Emeritus Whit Gibbons, coauthored the 2010 National Wetlands Award so knowledgeable, and has a great abil- “Climate change correlates with for Science Research for her expertise ity to synthesize information from across rapid delays and advancements on southeastern floodplain disciplines.” in reproductive timing in an forests and Carolina bays Wurzburger did her postdoctoral amphibian community,” pub- and substantial contribu- research with Lars Hedin at Princeton lished in the Proceedings of the tions to wetland science. University and at the Smithsonian Tropical Royal Society B in December 2010. Research Institute in Panama. She jumped at the chance to return to UGA. “I was thrilled when a position opened up at the Odum School,” she said. “There is such a depth of expertise here, and there are so Ecology Welcomes new Faculty many opportunities for collaboration with complementary departments.” ssistant Professor Vanessa Ezenwa ploring these issues. In 2009 she received As a student, Wurzburger conducted joined the Odum School of Ecol- a five-year National Science Foundation research at the Coweeta LTER, and looks ogy with a CAREER Award, the NSF’s most presti- forward to continuing to work with her Ajoint appointment gious award for early-career scientists. collaborators there. “I’m eager to build a in the College It was UGA’s growing reputation research program that combines both a of Veterinary for strength in disease ecology and for tropical and temperate perspective to the Medicine Depart- interdisciplinary collaboration that drew study of ecosystems,” she said. ment of Infectious Ezenwa to Athens. “There’s such a high Wurzburger received the 2009 John L. Diseases in fall concentration of people working in the Harper Young Investigator’s Prize from the 2010. She teaches area I’m interested in at UGA,” she said. British Ecological Society for her paper an undergradu- “And there’s lots of cross-campus work go- “Plant litter chemistry and mycorrhizal roots promote a nitrogen feedback in a ate course in EZENWA ing on here. Having the opportunity to be behavioral ecology part of that is really exciting.” temperate forest.” The prize recognizes and an interdisciplinary disease-related Associate Professor Sonia Altizer has the best paper published in the Journal of graduate-level course. worked with Ezenwa in the past and is Ecology each year. Ezenwa’s research interests include delighted to have her on board. “Vanessa Her research interests include terrestrial the ecology and evolution of infectious brings crucial expertise in behavioral and ; diseases, behavioral ecology, and links ecology,” said Altizer. “Her work scales plant - soil relationships; and the ecology between biodiversity loss and infectious up from looking at how processes within of plant root symbioses. Wurzburger is disease. She has ongoing research projects individuals, like immunity and stress, teaching undergraduate and graduate- in Montana and sub-Saharan Africa ex- interact with components of their environ- level courses in ecosystem ecology. 10 In MEMORIAM

was crucial to the project’s success. She Thelma Richardson: played a similar role later for a summer- long workshop at Lake Texoma, Okla- homa, with the added duties of computer A Life of Dedication management. Thelma had arranged to use off-site computers in New York and Penn- sylvania to conduct the group’s computa- tions. Since the data had to be sent over phone lines, she often worked all night, taking advantage of the only time those lines were open. Such selfless devotion to her colleagues and their work—as well as the late-night hours—continued through- out her career. Thelma was a pioneer in many ways, not only as one of the first people at UGA working with computers. When Thelma and Jim began their family, Thelma chose to continue working at the job she loved. She simply brought her children along, setting a precedent that has been hap- pily followed by a number of faculty and graduate students since. In recent years, Thelma had the great joy of introducing her two young granddaughters to her Ecology family. The other defining interest of Thelma’s life was her work with sea turtles. She n Friday, March 4, 2011, we graduate studies with Eugene Odum and played a critical role in international sea lost a dear colleague and friend Thelma began her career as a computer turtle research and conservation, bring- when Thelma Richardson programmer in UGA’s computer center, ing her computer and statistical analysis Odied after suffering a massive stroke. A first located in Lumpkin House—at that skills to bear. Thelma was a founder of celebration of Thelma’s life will be held time also the home of the newly-formed the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative, and on April 23 from 2–5 p.m. at the Odum Institute of Ecology—and later in the for many years a driving force behind the School of Ecology. basement of Boyd Hall. annual Sea Turtle Symposium, an interna- It is hardly an exaggeration to say It was not long before Thelma was hired tional gathering for sea turtle researchers. that everyone who passed through the away from the computer center and began Everything Thelma did, she did with Institute and later the Odum School of working for the Institute as statistician complete dedication. It was clear to all Ecology, whether student, faculty, or staff, and computer technologist, a position she of us how deeply committed she was to knew and treasured Thelma Richardson. held for more than forty years. She proved Ecology, to her colleagues, and especially Thelma had the distinction of having the to be an invaluable resource, helping ecol- to the students. She received the Institute’s longest staff tenure in Ecology, guiding ogy researchers assemble, sort, and ana- Employee of the Year award twice, and us through the evolution of information lyze their data. Her work was so crucial in 1997 the Ecology graduate students technology from the days of punch cards that she was listed as a coauthor on dozens thanked her by presenting her the Purple to the era of iPads, with grace, knowledge, of scholarly papers and publications. Heart Award “for service above and kindness, and humor. She offered invalu- Everyone at Ecology came to depend beyond the call of duty.” In 2008 Thelma able assistance and advice to countless heavily upon Thelma’s intelligence, reli- established the Richardson-Golley Under- faculty, students, and staff, never turning ability, and resourcefulness. In the early graduate Support Fund as yet another way down a request for help; no job was too 1970s, when Bernie Patten led a workshop to help Ecology students succeed. large or too small for Thelma. in ecosystem modeling on a coral atoll Thelma is survived by her husband, Thelma Hansen was born on April 23, in the Caribbean, he asked Thelma for Undergraduate Coordinator and faculty 1943 in Teaneck, New Jersey. She attended assistance. She accompanied him and Instructor of Ecology Jim Richardson; Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsyl- helped develop and conduct the ground- their daughter Nikki and her husband vania, where she majored in mathematics, breaking two-week workshop on Glover’s John Paul Preston; son Jamie and his and where she met her husband-to-be Reef, without benefit of computers. They wife Sarah Richardson; granddaughters Jim Richardson. They graduated in 1965, developed methods, still followed today, Eileen Preston and Emma Grace were married in 1966, and came to the for organizing and capturing participants’ Richardson; and brothers Frederick University of Georgia that fall. Jim started ideas, and her accurate recordkeeping and Ronald Hansen. 11

We Remember...

arly on in my days working as a hen I think of Thelma, I think of helma constantly put her own work Eresearch scientist at SREL (1965-71), Wthe day of my oral exams when I Taside to help others. This often I consulted with Dr. John McGinnis, was standing outside the room waiting involved dealing with people who were who was our resident statistician and on my committee. Thelma walked by, panic-stricken and stressed because of also assistant professor of botany at saw me standing there anxiously and some type of technical difficulty, but she UGA. From the outset, I worked with stopped to talk with me until it was time had a great deal of patience, gave her full Thelma Richardson, an attractive young to go into the room. I felt so much bet- attention to the issue, and managed to fix technician and statistician who was su- ter after talking with her. There wasn’t the problem. She was always there when pervised by Dr. McGinnis. She was very any computer problem to fix or any IT you needed her, and now it feels strange helpful in assembling data sets, enter- issue, she was just being her usual kind, to not be able to go to her, or to simply ing data onto IBM cards, and generally calm and reassuring self and helping get that friendly reminder in the evening keeping track of what was going on. As out a stressing grad student in any way to “lock up the computer lab when you’re with others from SREL, we had a num- she could. She’ll be greatly missed. done”. Thelma will be missed, and I’m ber of extensive field experiments under Erin Dreelin, Ph.D. ’04 glad to have known her. way, and the principal means of analyz- Andrew Mehring, Ph.D. Student ing results was via various statistical helma was a holist. She had a way programs such as analyses of variance Tof engaging people with multi- helma’s unselfish dedication to the and regressions. disciplinary expertise. She was always TEcology family greatly enriched Throughout all these analyses, there—a quiet, pervasive presence to many lives. She simply gave of herself Thelma was the person who handled whom people would gravitate when and got us through many moments that data inputs and outputs, and helped to they needed something done. we will remember forever. A simple keep Dr. McGinnis and me “on track” as Bernie Patten, Regent’s Professor moment of her time left a permanent we pondered the results. The data, once impression on us through achieved dead- entered on IBM cards, were then taken helma always showed tremendous lines, successful defenses, offered along- across campus to the Computer Center, Tdedication to both her family and side a pleasant and patient smile over with its fancy IBM 7094 computer in the the Odum School of Ecology. I always her glasses. I met Thelma when I was basement of the Graduate Studies Build- admired her focus. The five years I eighteen and she has been there for me ing. Thelma impressed us always with worked alongside her helped me learn every time I needed her for the past four- her cheerful manner and no-nonsense many valuable lessons as I began my teen years, whether it was for something way of double-checking data, no mean career. I will always be grateful for her small like fixing a jammed printer, or feat in those days of many hundreds of generosity and patience. One of the needing a hug and an Athens Mom. She IBM cards, with one datum per card! most valuable lessons she exemplified was a light-hearted and dedicated friend Dave Coleman, Distinguished Research was putting others before one’s self. who would lend an ear for anything at Professor Emeritus Jeremy Sanderlin, former Systems any time. Her smiles and patience will Administrator always be treasured warm thoughts. Thelma also had far-reaching impacts on hat a blessing she was to us. How the sea turtle world through the initial many times did she help me helma did so many things so well, W organization of the international sea out —countless. And getting that paper so quietly, without recognition. She T turtle meetings and in dedicating hours put in the printers the right way! Thank was the ideal team member—careful, and her meticulous ways to data manage- you Thelma for your selfless and com- thorough, dedicated. She found many ment with the Little Cumberland Island mitted devotion to the Institute. In my critical things to do, that only she had and Antigua projects. There are a lot of mind you will always be there, smiling, the patience and dedication to follow up us who would have lost our minds time helpful, and committed to the Institute. on. She was truly a great teacher. and time again if we didn’t have a touch Mike Paul, Ph.D. ’99 Alan Covich, Professor of Thelma in our lives. Kimberly Andrews, Ph.D. ’10 ne learned not to ask Thelma to Ohelp fix something late in the after- noon because you knew she would come back to work on it in the evening. Or, if it were late on a Friday, Thelma would be in over the weekend to take care of the problem. Thelma was selfless, always putting the needs of others above hers. Ron Carroll, Professor Nonprofit Org. Odum School U.S. Postage Eco2011 V Volumeoice 2 no. 1 of Ecology PAID The University of Georgia Permit No. 1176 Stone Mountain, GA Dean John Gittleman 140 East Green Street Associate Dean for Athens, GA 30602-2202 Academic Affairs James W. Porter Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs Laurie Fowler Editor and Writer Beth Gavrilles Contributing Writers Laurie Fowler Megan Machmuller Graphic Designer Mary h. Andrews

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Dear Alumni and Friends, All of us here at the Odum School of Ecology appreciate everything our alumni and friends do to support our talented students, faculty, and staff. This past year has been another exciting year for the school. Much of this is possible because of your passion for ecology and your generous support. I invite you to renew and extend your ties with the Odum School of Ecology, whether you live in Georgia or further away. You can do this by attending an event, visiting our website, or making an online gift at www.ecology.uga.edu. LEE SNELLING Alumni —stay connected with your school and fellow alums; send us your Director of Development class notes and updates regarding career moves, memories, and other updates. We University of Georgia especially like to receive email addresses! In the near future we are looking to go Odum School of Ecology paperless for our newsletter. Having email addresses will help make this possible. [email protected] 706-542-6007 – office You can send these to [email protected]. 706-542-4819 – fax When you visit Athens the next time, please stop by and say hello.