326 Weyandt Hall
Department of Biology
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705
Professional Interests and Formal Education [ Publications ]
Field: Physiological ecology of vertebrates, evolutionary ecology of vertebrate energetics, and parasite (helminth) ecology.
My main area of interest is the physiological ecology of animals. I am primarily interested in osmoregulatory functions and energetics of various animals. I am currently studying the osmoregulatory activity, burrow composition, and community structure of marine polychaetes (we work out of the Marine Science Consortium in Virginia). These organisms build extensive burrows in tidal flats and face a wide variety of environmental conditions throughout the day as the tide changes and water moves over or off of the tidal flats. This results in a wide variety of salinities that they must adjust to and I am interested in how they make those types of adjustments. I am also completing a study on tree bats (red and hoary bats) focusing on their energetics and habitat use. I am particularly interested in how these bats acquire and utilize energy. This involves monitoring food habits and metabolic activities. My most recent graduate student is looking at the effects of acid mine drainage on the physiology and gill morphology of minnows in various streams in the area. We are looking at the adaptations of certain species in a stream that has had acid mine drainage for over 50 years and comparing them to the same species in a stream that has not had any acid mine drainage.
B.S. - 1977 Anderson College
M.S. - 1980 Virginia Poly. Inst. And State University
Ph.D. - 1983 Indiana State University