Galloway Lab -- the dear and departed....
(Check the Publications page to learn about the outcome of these projects!)

Influence of pollinators and abiotic stress on flower color fequency
Lindsay Dierkes M.S. 2009
Lindsay investigated whether direct pollinator-mediated selection or indirect selection via correlated traits was associated with flower color variation in Tradescantia ohiensis.  She found little evidence pollinators discriminate on the basis of flower color. However, dark colored flowers were more common at sites with low temperatures and low levels of calcium suggesting abiotic factors influence selection on flower color. Lindsay has plans to teach high school biology.

Differentiation among Campanulastrum americanum populations
Brian Barringer (post-doc 2008)
In his post-doctoral work, Brian orchestrated the Campanulastrum americanum range-wide seed collection and helped initiate the project to evaluate outbreeding depression. He also evaluated mating system and observed pollinators in diploid and tetraploid Galax aphyalla. Brian is now a Visiting Assistant Professor at Franklin & Marshall College.

Effect of maternal phenology on offspring life history
Kevin Burgess (post-doc 2004-06)
In his post-doctoral work, Kevin helped conduct a series of genetic and environmental manipulations of flowering time in C. americanum to evaluate whether maternal flowering phenology influences whether offspring become annuals or biennials. In addition, he initiated new research on C. rotundifolia, a species with diploid and tetraploid populations. Kevin is now an Assistant Professor at Columbus State University.

Cold adaptation in Lonicera japonica
Elysa Miller M.A. 2007
Elysa investigated whether range expansion in Japanese Honeysuckle, slowly moving north since the 1950's, is due to the evolution of cold tolerance. She used plants from both the margin and the core of the species range to determine physiological and morphological differences that may result in cold tolerance. Elysa received her M.A. in the Environmental and Biological Conservation program. She is currently working for Americore and plans to work for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation when she finishes.

Phenological response to growing season length in Campanulastrum americanum
Brian Haggerty M.S. 2006
Earlier spring phenology associated with global climate change has been documented across many taxa, including birds, insects, mammals, and plants. Brian investigated the changes in phenology associated with experimental warming in Campanulastrum americanum. Specifically, he asked whether response to an expanded growing season occurs via a shift in seasonal phenology, an expansion or a compression in reproduction (the later is the correct answer!) Brian is currently in a Ph.D. program at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Effects of maternal mating on offspring fitness in Drosophila melanogaster
Nicholas Priest Ph.D. 2006
In many species the act of mating reduces female survival and therefore lifetime fecundity. Nick explored the question of why females mate multiple times given these fitness costs. He found that mating enhances daughter fitness by increasing early life fecundity of daughters in D. melanogaster. He also found mating temporarily increases recombination. Nick did a post-doc Mike Wade and Curt Lively at Indiana University, and is currently a Lecturer at the University of Bath.

Phenotypic plasticity in Geranium carolinianum
Daniela Bell Ph.D. 2004
Plasticity is the ability to alter morphology or physiology in response to environmental conditions. Patterns of plasticity often vary among populations growing in different environments. Daniela investigated the relationship between environmental variation and the patterns and cost of phenotypic plasticity in Geranium carolinianum. She did a post-doc with Lynda Delph at Indiana University and now lives in Minneapolis.

Local adaptation and gene flow in Lobelia cardinalis
Linda Johnson Ph.D. 2003
Linda's dissertation research focused on the influence of non-local genes on the fitness of local populations of the same species. She worked with cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), a species native to much of the eastern US that is also planted as an ornamental in gardens. Linda found that gene movement from horticultural to wild plants is likely to be common and that these foreign genes will frequently be incorporated into natural populations. However there is little evidence that foreign genes disrupt local adaptation. She is currently an Assistant Professor position at Chatham University.

Parental environmental effects in Campanulastrum americanum
Julie Etterson (post-doc 2000-02)
In her post-doc work, Julie helped develop and conduct a study to determine environmental and genetic maternal effects on season of germination. She also initiated artificial selection on timing flowering in C. americanum with the goal of evaluating how tetraploidy influences estimates of genetic variance. Julie is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth.