[Seminar Blog] Designing and managing agricultural landscapes for insect driven ecosystem services4/2/2024
written by: Brendan Randall & Angela Saenz A brisk, foggy morning; the sun rises on a midwest farm. Corn stalks sway for as far as the eye can see, seemingly the only life around. If one looks carefully, however, one will find the farm is teeming with life. Dr. Nate Haan is fascinated by the diversity of organisms on farms and how we can understand their ecology to improve farm sustainability and conservation of native biodiversity. Now an assistant professor in the Entomology Department at the University of Kentucky (UK), he is excited to answer fundamental questions about how farm management practices affect insects. In his seminar talk, Dr. Haan presented various approaches to test his central research question–does management affect insects in agricultural landscapes? Katy Evans (Espindola Lab) has been awarded the esteemed Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship by the University of Maryland’s Graduate School! Awarded to students in the final stages of their doctorate (wow, Katy, getting close!), the Wylie Fellowship provides one semester of support during the 2024-2025 academic year. Katy's dissertation research aims to understand plant-insect interactions and their movements in rapidly changing landscapes, and consequential effects on plant reproduction. She uses experimental and observational data to investigate the effects of floral diversity on beneficial arthropods, and its repercussions on nearby plant fitness and reproductive success. Please join us in giving Katy a round of applause for this well-deserved recognition! Harriet Harris, an undergrad pursuing a minor and honors in ento w/ Dr. vanEngelsdorp, shines in Maryland Today. In addition to being an accomplished student and kick-butt roller derby player, Harriet is co-founder of BaltiSpore, a company that markets "functional" mushroom products for various health benefits.
Share Harriet's fungipreneurial spirit with your networks on facebook, X or wherever you like to excitedly holler about fun interesting things. written by: Jenan El-Hifnawi and Michael Adu-Brew Academic institutions pride themselves on principled support for evidence-based solutions. This support, however, does not always seem to apply to institutional approaches to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) argues Dr. Raul Medina, a professor and member of the Diversity Science Research Cluster at Texas A&M. written by: Angela Saenz and Eva Perry
Islands have been the backdrop of considerable scientific research and advancement for centuries, and not just because they tend to double as a nice vacation spot. What makes many islands so special to science and scientists is their isolation from other land masses, limiting the movement of species to and from them. This isolation provides a rare open-air opportunity to study how evolutionary processes shape ecological communities: think Darwin’s finches and the Anolis lizards of the Caribbean, or, in Dr. Natalie Graham’s case, arthropods on the Hawaiian archipelago. Congratulations to the recipients of the Spring 24 Ernest N. Cory Undergraduate Scholarship! Seth Caban (Gruner Lab), Kyree Day (Hamby Lab), Nicole Rieger-Erwin (Burghardt Lab), Felicia Shechtman (Lamp Lab), Michail Siokis (St. Leger Lab) and Fiona Torok (Lamp Lab) have all made extraordinary efforts in Entomology. "Read more" for a bit more about the recipients.
written by: Allison Huysman, Kathleen Evans & Taís Ribeiro As entomologists, we are often asked what mosquitoes are good for. These commonly hated insects - which are especially pesty during the summer months - are actually fascinating research subjects. Mosquitoes are extremely diverse, with around 3,500 species, and are also ecologically relevant. Several species are responsible for biological control (by eating other mosquito larvae that cause diseases) and others even pollinate! Unfortunately, some species drink human blood, and some of these are vectors of deadly diseases. Studying these vectors can help improve the prediction of diseases and help to control outbreaks. Here at the University of Maryland Entomology Department, students in the Fritz lab research different ways to predict the spread of Culex mosquitoes (Figure 1) and the viruses they can spread. In their Research in Progress talks, M.Sc student Ben Burgunder and Ph.D student Ben Gregory presented their work modeling the community composition and thermal tolerance of Culex mosquitoes. written by: Megan Ma and Eric Hartel
Scientists can propose how and why species evolve by studying the shapes of anatomical structures across animals. They can investigate what morphologies may correlate with specific functions and how the interplay between an organism’s environment and its morphology can facilitate diversification. In a well-known example, Charles Darwin observed many species of finches with varying beak shapes and sizes. A correlation was found between beak morphology and diet type: insectivorous finches had long, sharp beaks to probe and capture prey, while seed-eating finches had stronger, shorter beaks to crack open seed casings. With modern tools, continued research on these finches reveals greater information on their evolution, such as how beak shape is also correlated with altered vocalizations. It has also helped explain how different species with different beak morphologies coexist in the same habitat1. These beaks are an example of how shapes evolve to accommodate the survival and fitness of an organism, and this study system is an example of how the incorporation of modern techniques allows for the comprehensive study of shape evolution. written by: Michael Adu-Brew & Ben Burgunder
When most people think of mathematicians, scenes of squawking flocks of birds being herded into arenas, tiny ticks being carefully painted with nail polish, and an army of permethrin-soaked undergraduate researchers do not come to mind. These people do not know Dr. Holly Gaff. On Friday, October 27th, Dr. Gaff, Professor and Chair of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University (ODU), spoke to the UMD Department of Entomology about her exciting research on the ticks of southeastern Virginia. A mathematician by training, Dr. Gaff was ‘bitten’ by the tick research bug when she realized how mathematical modeling and simulation could help decipher the complex and unpredictable life histories of ticks that threaten public health across the country. Dr. Nicolas Medina and Postdoc Mentor, Dr. Anahi Espindola, partnered up with Univ of Wyoming colleague Dr. David C. Tank to create a more robust evolutionary tree for Calceolaria. Using a new bait set gene sequencing method on recent and historic specimens of Calceolariaceae they were able to recover data for a wide range of DNA qualities at multiple phylogenetic scales. The results in this study demonstrate the efficacy of this new approach, which the authors hope, will be adopted for use in other systems. Their study entitled, "Calceolariaceae809: A bait set for targeted sequencing of nuclear loci", is out this week in Applications in Plant Sciences.
Share your colleagues' latest pub on X, facebook or other networks. In a paper just published in Developmental Biology, Matthew Fischer (MOCB alum), Patricia Graham (Research Scientist) and Leslie show that a regulatory element thought to be essential for gene expression in the early Drosophila embryo is actually not required for gene expression or for wild type development. They used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to remove this DNA region from the genome. Unexpectedly, flies homozygous for this deletion are viable, fertile, and perfectly healthy in the lab. This finding demonstrates the importance of using different types of techniques to tackle research questions. It also raises new questions about the evolution of regulatory elements and their roles in extant species.
Share your colleagues work on facebook, X and/or other platforms you use. by: Alireza Shokoohi, Robert Salerno and Leo Kerner
Native pollinators are the largely unsung heroes of our ecosystems, but they face an alarming risk that we've long underestimated. New research from Dr. Vera Krischik’s lab shows that the situation may be more dire than expected. Dr. Krischik is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Minnesota investigating the impact of neonicotinoid insecticide residues on pollinators such as wild bees and butterflies. Her research is crucial for understanding and protecting the lives of these beneficial insects that we often take for granted. By Amanda Brucchieri and Helen Craig
Imagine biking down a road, along the edge of a cornfield with stalks reaching far above your head. Drifting across your path, riding the breeze, is a monarch butterfly. It flutters and then glides as butterflies do, looking for the next patch of flowers to feed and rest. Bursting from this peaceful scene comes a team of scientists with nets, scopes, and chirping walkie-talkies. They are on a mission. They are tracking the same monarch that had just coasted by using radio telemetry. Professors Mike Raupp and Paula Shrewsbury team up with U.S. Department of Agriculture and Washington State University colleagues to help put to rest long standing uncertainty on whether or not adult Magicicada cicadas eat. Spoiler Alert! They do. See publication in the Journal of Insect Science for the “full” story on cicadas' newly confirmed feeding behaviors.
For even more check out news articles interviewing lead researcher James R Hepler: https://phys.org/news/2023-10-adult-periodical-cicadas.html https://www.sciencenews.org/article/debunk-periodic-cicada-myth-guts https://www.earth.com/news/do-periodical-cicadas-eat-when-theyre-above-ground/ Share further on facebook, X and with your other networks. Dr. Magdalene Ngeve and Postdoc Mentor (Dr. Maile Neel), as well as other fellow UMD and UMCES researchers, published a study in Ecology and Evolution. They examined how tropical storms Irene and Lee affected the genetic diversity of aquatic plants in the lower Hudson River Estuary. Researchers collected samples of Vallisneria americana Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae) before and after the storms. Checking DNA markers, they were surprised to find the plants as a whole were able to sustain genetic diversity. However, they celebrate these findings with caution. These plant populations were already small and reproduced mainly asexually relying on making exact copies of themselves, which doesn't add to genetic diversity. If more severe storms and human disturbances continue along the Hudson, these plants might struggle to recover. For a more complete understanding of long-term resilience, the authors would like to see more ongoing monitoring of genetic diversity and population size.
Share your colleagues latest pub via facebook, x and your other networks. [Seminar Blog] The Battle for Blood - How Mosquito Salivary Proteins Facilitate Blood Feeding10/4/2023
written by: Jenan El-Hifnawi, Ben Gregory, and Minh Le
Imagine it’s a hot summer day and you’re slurping down a strawberry milkshake. Suddenly you’re interrupted by a pesky little ice chip clogging your straw. While this experience is all too familiar among your fellow humans, you may not have guessed that mosquitoes share a similar struggle! University of Maryland #InsectTerps wrap up summer 2023 at EntoQuest. This meeting, hosted by the Eastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America at Delmarva Bay, gave attendees a hands-on way to learn about what's going on with entomology as a profession. From fossil hunts to forensic workshops the group had a bug-last.
National Postdoc Appreciation Week was celebrated at academic institutions across the U.S. last week. For Ento postdocs, faculty and grad students events included a dept coffee-and-snacks get together and participation in the UMD Postdoctoral Research Symposium where postdocs across campus presented their research. At the symposium two members of our Department were highlighted for their contribution as postdoc researchers and mentors.
This summer Dr. Megan Fritz, Assoc Prof University of Maryland, flexed her sci-comms skills at the Capitol, joining fellow Entomological Society of America researchers to advocate for continued and increased federal investments in life-science research. https://go.umd.edu/3OV2Kgy
Congratulations to Profs Anahí Espíndola and Macarena Farcuh for being named Runners Up for The Entomological Society of America's Science Communication Award. ESA recognized the pair for their increasingly popular blog, Extension en Espanol.
From ESA's press release: The blog has published more than 100 posts since its creation, offering varied expert information that is inclusive, culturally relevant, accessible, and understandable to its target population. The blog currently reaches more than 9,000 monthly readers and has become a prime extension resource in Spanish for the state and beyond. Help spread the word about your colleagues award and blog by sharing with your networks on social ( X and facebook) and other platforms. UMD Research Scientist, Rafael Barreto de Andrade (Gruner Lab), has been collaborating with European researchers on a pretty big project - consolidating multi-taxon biodiversity databases from more than 3,500 (!) sampling units across Europe, with the aim to inform conservation and management strategies for European forests. This summer their work was published in Biological Conservation.
Thanks Rafael for sharing the results of this very exciting collaboration! To share Rafael's collab further, consider retweeting, liking the mention on FB, shouting across the hall to your colleagues, etc. Meet one of the "craziest creatures" University of Maryland Professor Emeritus Mike Raupp has ever seen, the hammerhead worm. Not only is this worm aptly named for the shape of its head, it secretes the same neurotoxin found in puffer fish & has cannibalistic tendencies. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/22/hammerhead-worms-invasive-poisonous-dc/ https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2023/7/24/hammer-time-in-the-dmv-hammerhead-worms-bipalium-spp Share this info on the "craziest creature" with friends, family and coworkers via facebook, twitter or other platforms. Postdoctoral position in Fungal-Plant-Insect Associations, St. Leger Lab
Position summary: The St. Leger laboratory, Department of Entomology at The University of Maryland (UMD), invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar – Employee position starting when a qualified applicant is found-on a USDA/NSF funded project entitled “Determining the properties required for a genetically engineered biocontrol agent to work safely”. The candidate post-doctoral associate will work on a unique experimental system involving a radiating genus of fungi (Metarhizium spp) which have rapidly diversifying lifestyles that includes associations with plants and insects. The goal is to ask fundamental questions about invasion ecology (including persistence, propagation, potential horizontal gene transfer and biogeochemical impacts), potential adaptation in the field (e.g., divergence in insect and plant associations), mutational capacity (using genomic sequencing) and transgene stability. The project will provide insights into the genetic and molecular underpinnings determining evolutionary shifts in lifestyles that will be generally applicable to pathogens and hosts. Understanding these shifts is critical, especially in light of environmental change, invasive species and the laboratories work on transgenic approaches to controlling vectors of human disease. A combination of experimental approaches will be used, and there will be many opportunities to develop new projects to explore the evolution of lifestyle shifts. Follow link to view full job announcement. It is with great enthusiasm we share that Todd Waters has received the University System of Maryland Board of Regents’ Staff Award for his “Extraordinary Public Service to the University & Greater Community.” Todd has been a leader in implementing the educational and land grant mission of our university, using insects to educate students and the public about STEM. Since 2017, Todd has maintained a blistering pace with the Insect Zoo. The zoo has been featured in approx. 100 events, reaching approx. 10,000 people. In this short time, he has had an immensely positive influence on learners from across academic environments. At UMD, Todd has been instrumental in: the Insect Petting Zoo at Maryland Day, an event that President Pines and UMD’s First Lady eagerly wait alongside community members for their chance to hold an insect; Entomology minor recruitment events on Hornbake Plaza where Todd talks up insects’ impacts on our environment; and classroom visits where Todd and Entomology professors introduce undergrads to the incredible diversity of arthropods. A few examples of the type of impact Todd’s Outreach work has had include: a classroom discussion with a Montgomery College Biology Class about insects as models across interdisciplinary studies; a presentation at Rockview Elementary School on insect anatomy and metamorphosis; and an exhibit in St. Mary's County where attendees learned about the Arizona blonde tarantula, among other fascinating arthropods. Join us in congratulating Todd on this well-deserved recognition! Undergraduates from across disciplines joined Dr. Bill Lamp & Grad Assistant Amanda Rae Brucchieri for an i-series course ripped from the headlines, “BSCI145 The Insect Apocalypse: Real or Imagined”, a new course that encouraged students to learn more about the natural world and interpret scientific information presented to them. Over the semester students applied their knowledge through hands-on experiences in the classroom, lab and even field trips. |
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