A. Center/Institute/Program

Ecology Research Center/Miami University

Department of Zoology

Oxford, OH 45056

Phone: 513-529-5634 or 513-529-3100

Fax: 513-529-6900

E-mail: rypstral@muohio.edu or standerf@muohio.edu

Director/Chairperson: Dr. Ann L. Rypstra (on leave)

Representative to AERC: Dr. Ann L. Rypstra (on leave)

Alternate: Dr. Thomas O. Crist

B. Major objectives of the Center/Institute/Program

1. To provide field facilities, assistance and support for multidisciplinary research in basic and applied ecology.

2. To support the teaching, research and service activities of the university by providing a focal site for field experiments, class exercises, environmental education programs, and other outdoor activities.

3. To provide a site and assistance in the collection of long-term data sets on various aspects of the natural history and ecology of southwestern Ohio.

C. Major ecosystem research emphases

1. Agroecosystem ecology, especially the population and community ecology of arthropod predators.

2. Landscape ecology, especially effects of habitat fragmentation and biodiversity.

3. Experimental aquatic ecology, especially food web interactions and nutrient cycling.

4. Ecological toxicology.

D. Staff

Permanent scientific staff: PhD: 1

Scientific support staff: Postdocs: 3, Technicians: 2

Other support staff: Clerical: 1, Administrative: 2

Graduate students: PhD: 4, MS: 4

Summer undergraduates: 12

E. Approximate annual funding (recent year)

Core funding: $58,000/yr, Source: Miami University

Grants: $345,000/yr, Major sources: NSF, EPA, USDA, USGS, NOAA, NIH

F. Areas and facilities for ecosystem research studies

Ecology Research Center, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 183 acres (74 ha).

G. Research staff directly involved in ecosystem research (names and specialty areas)

Berg, David J. – aquatic ecology, conservation genetics, and phylogegoraphy

Cady, Alan – pesticide effects on efficiency of arthropod predators

Crist, Thomas O. – landscape ecology, habitat fragmentation, spatial structure, and biodiversity

Francko, David A. – algal physiology, eutrophication

Gonzalez, Maria – aquatic ecology, predation in benthic and pelagic communities.

Gorchov, David L. – plant population biology, forest regeneration

Hagerman, Ann E. – chemical ecology, biochemistry, plant/herbivore interactions

Keane, Brian – behavior of small mammals, population genetics

Johnston, Scott A. – building sciences, climatology, precipitation chemistry

Lee, Richard E. – overwintering in insects, frogs and turtles, ice-nucleating bacteria and biological control

Medley, Kimberly E. – plant geography, landscape analysis

Oris, James T. – aquatic environmental toxicology, effects of trace organic contaminants in freshwater ecosystems

Renwick, William H. – geography, water resources

Rypstra, Ann L. – foraging ecology and community interactions of arthropod predators

Solomon, Nancy G. – behavior and reproductive biology of small mammals

Stevens, M. Henry H. – plant community ecology, causes and consequences of biodiversity, food web interactions

Vanni, Michael J. – aquatic ecology, nutrient recycling in food webs

H. Long-term data sets (code name, number of years of data, computer accessibility)

1. Fourteen-year data set regarding effects of nutrient enrichment (fertilizer and milorganite) and mechanisms of ecosystem recovery on old-field succession (contact Douglas H. Taylor for data or reprints).

2. MAP3S network station precipitation chemistry data since 1978 available from acid deposition system (contact Scott Johnston).

3. Automated weather station-meteorological data since 1980 available on tape (contact Scott Johnston).

4. National atmospheric deposition program/national trends network station (NADP/NTN) precipitation chemistry data since 1984 (contact Scott Johnston).

5. National Dry Deposition Network (NDDN) Station-meteorological and air-quality data since 1987 (contact Scott Johnston).