Southern Appalachian Biodiversity and Ecology Center (SABEC)

• Eric Dodson (J. Bugden-Storie, advisor) – development of a primer for on-line mapping
• Jody Harkey (K. Catley, advisor) – web location effects on a social spider
• Joe Huguelet (K. Mathews, advisor) – clonal diversity of rivercane stands
• Andrew Lawson (J. Bugden-Storie, advisor) – mapping NC coastal wetlands using polarimetric radar data
• Mark Roloff (P. Bates, advisor) – fire effects on forest regeneration
• Jamie Tidmore (S. O’Connell, advisor) – soil bacterial diversity
• P. Azamghavami, Jacob Bolick, Michael Foster, Laura MacCall, and Leslie Waldrun (J. Pechmann, advisor) - ecology of herpetofauna
• Bill Donaldson and Emily Willard (R. Davis, advisor) – eastern box turtle habitat use

• N. Allman (B. Collins, advisor) - foraging habitat of the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus)
• Jenny Browder (G. Adkison, advisor) - oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) effects on understory species and vegetation structure in a floodplain community.
• Sarah Corkern (K. Catley, advisor) - reproductive biology of the lampshade spider
• S. Grant (L. DeWald, advisor) - changes in red oak (Quercus rubra) population genetic diversity associated with different management regimes and following the loss of chestnut (Castanea dentata)
• Keith Hoffman (L. DeWald, advisor) - structure of rivercane (Arundinaria gigantea) stands
• J. Jaynes (B. Collins, advisor) - phytoremediation of an arsenic contaminated stream using native ferns.
• M. Lanning (K. Mathews, advisor) - taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships of southern Appalachian saxifrages (Micranthes).
• Charles Lawson (J. Pechmann, advisor) - landuse effects on eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)
• Michael Lomuscio (E. McNelis, advisor) - mathematical modeling of the spread of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
• Carol Petricevic (B. Collins, advisor) - role of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in spread of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
• Kyle Pursel (J. Pechmann, advisor) - rhododendron effects on salamander populations
• Caroline Rooney (T. Martin, advisor) - recovery of mussels in the Pigeon river
• Chris Stoehrel (K. Mathews, advisor) - phylogeny and biogeography within the Trillium erectum species complex
• John Tupy (J. Pechmann, advisor) - habitat preferences of the dusky gopher frog (Rana sevosa)

Undergraduate and graduate students, including Ben Jeuck, Carter Dillow, and Bridget Nelson, (S. O’Connell, advisor) are exploring bacterial and archaeal diversity in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including microbial diversity in the hemlock rhizosphere

Max Lanning  - 17th annual WCU Graduate Research Symposium Science award and Southeast Section of Botanical Society of America Student poster award for his presentations “Clarifying the status of Micranthes caryeana and M. caroliniana as distinct species based on morphological and molecular differences”

Nicole Allman – 17th annual WCU Graduate Research Symposium North Carolina Research award for her presentation “Connectivity of Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus) foraging habitat”

K-12 Activities

• The Foraging Game —a classroom activity to learn about predator-prey interactions.  Prepared by B. Collins in collaboration with Michelle Bell, 5th grade science, Cartoogechaye Elementary School.

Service

• Biodiversity and Ecological Evaluations—SABEC faculty and students can help landowners assess and manage property
• Presentations and Seminars—SABEC faculty and students will talk to your group or organization about SABEC and issues related to biodiversity and ecology of the Southern Appalachians