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Graduate Students

Graduate Student	Major Professor	Project Rationale and Description
Kier Ancona	Dr. Loughry	The purpose of this study is to test hypotheses of kin selection causing the evolution of altruism in a polyembryonic species. Kin selection is a theory which states that a species which usually exhibits altruistic behavior will increase the probability of survival and reproduction of related kin. These kin possess some or all of the same genes as the altruistic individual. Altruistic behavior specifically directed toward kin will indirectly increase the overall fitness of ones own genes. This theory assumes that a species should evolve to be more altruistic towards kin than non-kin conspecifics. The Nine-banded Armadillo is a polyembryonic species; which is characterized by the development of more than one clonal embryo from a single egg or ovule, by repeated twinning. A female during a breeding season gives birth to four identical infant replicas, each containing the same exact genes. According to the Kin selection theory natural selection should have caused this species to show more altruism towards their kin increasing individual fitness. One problem with nine-banded armadillos that argues against kin selection is the fact that they usually live in large home ranges far from kin. This would not support the evolution of altruism since siblings and kin rarely interact. The species is also a very solitary animal, showing little social (or altruistic) interactions. By observing solitary behaviors of the individual and group behaviors in social interactions I hope to test the hypothesis that altruism has evolved via kin selection in this polyembryonic species.
Michael J. Bland	Dr. Ring	PiggyBac, a nonviral DNA transposon derived from the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni, has been efficiently transformed into a wide variety of organisms ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates and spanning several phyla. However, methods for germ-line transformation of piggyBac into fish have not yet been established. We are constructing both a piggyBac vector and transposase source for transformation into the Zebrafish, Danio rerio, by the microinjection method. The vector contains both dominant (GFP) and selectable marker (HygR) genes for identification and maintenance of transgenic fish. We also hope to establish conditions for microinjection of embryos of the mangrove killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, an androdioecious species that is the only known self-fertilizing vertebrate hermaphrodite.
Matt Cannister	Dr. Bechler
Christine Chessler	Dr. Lockhart	The gopher tortoise is listed as a threatened species in the state of Georgia, which does not allow them sufficient protection. The tagging and monitoring of 100 hatchling tortoises will allow further insight into the issues that affect tortoise survival and dispersal rates. Through injected electronic PIT tags, similar to those used in house pets, the tortoises will be able to be monitored to determine home range, movement patterns, survivability, sex structure and habitat selection. Body measurements taken will also allow for the calculation of the ‘Burke value’ which will enable us to sex the juvenile tortoises prior to reproductive maturity.
John Griner	Dr. Nienow
Katie Huitt	Dr. Turco
Dallas Ingram	Dr. Lockhart	The objective of this research is to study select areas in south Georgia which are somewhat pristine to poultry industry encroachment to determine if the construction of new poultry raising facilities will impact the health of wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo) populations. Wild turkeys are being collected with the help of hunters and are being evaluated for a variety of pathogens including Clostridium, Salmonella sp., E. coli, Mycoplasma sp., eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus, avian influenza and Newcastle disease, turkey coronavirus, hemorrhagic enteritis, Marek’s disease, fowl pox, avian encephalomyelitis virus, Bordetella avium, infectious bursal disease, infectious bronchitis virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, and various parasites.
Gerard Johnson	Dr. Elder	Thesis research centers around the detection, description and comparison of highly repetitive satellite DNA sequences in the world's only known vertebrate selfing hermaphrodite; the Mangrove Killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). Gerard's work takes advantage of a recent artificial laboratory hybridization between previously clonal hermaphroditic lineages. This work will address several questions relevant to the evolution of highly repetitive DNA sequences such as: do satellite DNAs diverge over time among naturally clonal lineages?, do satellite DNAs diverge among populations of hermaphrodites?,and, do artificially combined satellite DNA variant sequences proceed towards sequence homogenization within genomes in a manner that sheds light upon the nature of mechanisms responsible for multicopy DNA sequences?
Travis Key	Dr. Bechler	My research involves the analysis of horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) breeding depressions in marine mudflats as intertidal refuges for small fish (~5-20 mm) of the family Fundulidae. During the spring through the fall months of the year, horseshoe crabs in the Gulf of Mexico enter shallow bays reproduce. The breeding activity of these crabs involves them excavating themselves down into the sediment, creating a depression in the mudflat. During low tide water exits the area, leaving the mudflat full of depressions that contain sustainable habitat and a complete lack of predators for these small fish. The purpose of this study is to determine whether these small fish are selecting depressions based on specific parameters including depression size and location within the mudflat in addition to factors such as the quantity of vegetation, meiofauna and zooplankton present within the depressions.
Ashley Kirkley	Dr. Bechler	Population Structure and Movement Patterns the Water Moccasin, Agkistrodon piscivorous conanti—Much of South Georgia contains extensive wetlands. As the urban areas of South Georgia grow and expand, residential areas are moving closer and closer to the wetlands increasing the potential for human-water moccasin interactions or encounters to occur. So as to better understand the potential for such events, we are studying the population structure and movement patterns of Agkistrodon piscivorous conanti at the VSU Plowden Field Station, which lies on eastern edge of the City of Valdosta.
J. Ryce Martin	Dr. Elder	Harvey Lake is an inland lake on Isle Royale located in Lake Superior. Harvey Lake’s elevation is about 160ft. above the other inland lakes. The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a cyprinid minnow that has a distribution all over the central United States, stretching from Southeast California to Northeastern U.S. and from Southeast Texas to Northern Alberta in Canada. My research focuses on the population genetics of the fathead minnow in Harvey Lake on Isle Royale. This particular species of cyprinid fishes in Harvey Lake has been considered morphologically different than other populations in different inland lakes as well as the mainland because of its geographical isolation.
Tatyana Nienow	Dr. Grove
Josh Rousey	Dr. Elder	Surveying the gene flow across geographical divides of Micropterus salmoides in the Alapaha River and Santa Fe River.
Andrew Tanner	Dr. Loughry
Amy Watts	Dr. Lockhart	Project is: Remote frequency identification monitoring of gopher tortoises at Moody AFB. The purpose of the study is to examine movement patterns of gopher tortoises, Gopherus polyphemus. I will determine if gender plays a role in burrow sharing, nocturnal habits, and movement from burrow to burrow and if proximity to military activities affects gopher tortoise movement.
Lisa Wilson	Dr. Bechler