Bats go where the food is

A recent paper in PLOS ONE by dept. head Gary McCracken and colleagues, including former UTK EEB grad students Veronica Brown and Paula Federico, as well as UTK postdoc Melanie Eldridge, analyzed insect DNA in bat feces. Their work suggests that bats change foraging locations to match prey abundance. It also supports previous researchers' findings that bats contribute substantially to agriculture, providing services that can amount to 12% of the value of a crop.

Abstract: 
The role of bats or any generalist predator in suppressing prey populations depends on the predator's ability to track and exploit available prey. Using a qPCR fecal DNA assay, we document significant association between numbers of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) consuming corn earworm (CEW) moths (Helicoverpa zea) and seasonal fluctuations in CEW populations. This result is consistent with earlier research linking the bats' diet to patterns of migration, abundance, and crop infestation by important insect pests. Here we confirm opportunistic feeding on one of the world's most destructive insects and support model estimates of the bats' ecosystem services. Regression analysis of CEW consumption versus the moth's abundance at four insect trapping sites further indicates that bats track local abundance of CEW within the regional landscape. Estimates of CEW gene copies in the feces of bats are not associated with seasonal or local patterns of CEW abundance, and results of captive feeding experiments indicate that our qPCR assay does not provide a direct measure of numbers or biomass of prey consumed. Our results support growing evidence for the role of generalist predators, and bats specifically, as agents for biological control and speak to the value of conserving indigenous generalist predators.

Nature paper on White Nose Syndrome

Photo from Indiana State University press release

UTK EEB postdoc Justin Boyles recently coauthored a Nature article establishing Geomyces destructans as the infectious agent causing White Nose Syndrome, a disease that destroy entire colonies of bats.

Postdoc in biodiversity conservation with Armsworth

A postdoctoral position is available in Paul Armsworth’s research group at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (web.utk.edu/~parmswor).

The post-doc will participate in an ongoing, interdisciplinary research project that aims to determine the relative effectiveness of different conservation investment strategies in contrasting ecological and socioeconomic contexts. The post-doc will help collate and analyze spatial data on conservation investment patterns in the US. This work involves extensive interactions with conservation practitioners and will provide the individual with experience of a range of interdisciplinary techniques and approaches relevant to conservation science.

Our research group is part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at UT-Knoxville that is a highly interactive and integrative group of faculty, post-docs and fellows and students (http://eeb.bio.utk.edu). UT-Knoxville is a vibrant campus located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains and has recently become the home to the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (http://www.nimbios.org) with which our research group has a close association.

Applicants for the position should have a PhD in a relevant discipline, strong quantitative skills, and proficiency in English. In addition, experience with GIS and analysis of spatial ecological data would be advantageous. Funds are available to support this position for one year. The position is immediately available and the search will continue until the position is filled. To apply, please submit by email a CV, a brief covering letter, one or two exemplars of your research (e.g. papers, manuscripts or thesis chapters), and the names and contact information for two references to Paul Armsworth (p.armsworth@utk.edu).

NIMBioS postdocs

Call for Postdoctoral Fellowship Applications at NIMBioS

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS), located at the Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, is currently accepting applications for postdoctoral scholarship at the interface between mathematics and biology. Highest priority will be given to those with explicit plans to develop their ability to effectively carry on research across these fields. We are particularly interested in requests to support research that integrates diverse fields, requires synthesis at multiple scales, and/or makes use of or requires development of new mathematical/computational approaches. NIMBioS Postdoctoral Fellows are chosen based upon indications that the applicant's research plans are consistent with the mission of NIMBioS, the applicant has the demonstrated ability to carry out the proposed research, and the opportunities provided through NIMBioS will enhance the capacity for the research to be completed in an efficient and timely manner. For additional information on NIMBioS, visit www.nimbios.org. Support: annual stipend of $51,000, full University of Tennessee employee fringe benefits, and an annual travel allowance of $2,000. Requests for Support: Submit a brief project description, references, and CV following the guidelines available at http://www.nimbios.org/postdocs/ to Dr. Chris Welsh at cwelsh@utk.edu. Deadline: NIMBioS postdoctoral requests for support are reviewed three times per year, and the selected researchers are offered positions at NIMBioS where they conduct research that is mostly self-directed. The deadline for activities beginning in early 2012 is Sept. 1, 2011. All letters of recommendation should be submitted before the request deadline.

American Association of University Women postdoc fellowship to Lara Souza

Classen lab postdoc Lara Souza was recently awarded an American Association of University Women (AAUW) post doc fellowship.