KBS faculty have received grants from several different federal agencies to involve undergraduates in their research. These positions give you a chance to conduct full-time research under the supervision of faculty.

This program is 10 weeks long (Mid-May to Early August).

Funding for 2013 REU projects is provided by BEACON (Bio/computational Evolution in Action CONsortium), GLBRC (Great Lakes Biodiversity Research Consortium), or supplemental funding from NSF grants.

We invite applications from highly motivated individuals, and encourage applications from underrepresented groups in the sciences. You must be a currently enrolled U.S. citizen with undergraduate status to participate in these programs.

We are no longer accepting REU applications for 2013

Deadline: February 1, 2013

• Climate change and rapid evolution
• Effects of climate change on Damselflies
• Invasive species ecology
• Plant eco-physiology
• Restoration ecology
• Biological invasions
• Ecological genetics

Title: Climate change and rapid evolution
Mentors: Dr. Jen Lau

Mutualisms are predicted to be especially susceptible to global change. However, rapid evolution may minimize some of the negative consequences of global change for mutualists. The Lau Lab investigates how global change affects the evolution of mutualisms in a variety of plant-microbe systems. In collaboration with his/her mentors, the funded REU will develop an independent research investigating rapid evolution of microbial mutualists under a global change threat. Potential projects include: 1) how invasive species form novel interactions with species in their introduced communities, 2) how climate change (altered precipitation) affects plant-microbe interactions and 3) How nitrogen deposition causes the evolution of less cooperative rhizobia.

Requirments: The student should have completed/be in enrolled in courses in biology, ecology, and/or evolution and have a strong interest in pursuing independent research in ecology and evolution.

Title: Effects of climate change on Damselflies
Mentors: Dr. Tom Getty and Dr. Idelle Cooper

Climate change has been shown to influence the distribution and abundance of species. We are studying the implications of climate change on range shifts in the Jewelwing damselflies Calopteryx aequabilis and C. maculata. This research involves surveying the species ranges, and conducting mating experiments to determine how these species recognize conspecifics and what traits are under sexual selection. We are also interested in how changes in water temperature impact the development and survival of damselfly aquatic larvae. The REU student will develop an independent project related to this research.

Requirements: A successful applicant will need to be independent, responsible, resourceful, and impervious to mud, mosquitos, and leaches (not literally impervious, of course).

Invasive species can negatively impact communities they invade by outcompeting native species and changing ecosystem processes. For this reason, it is important to understand how the relationships between the invader and native community influence the invasion process. This research addresses how release from natural enemies (such as herbivores and disease) may be a major determinant of invasive ability. The REU student will develop an independent project in association with either a long-term enemy removal experiment to determine the importance of natural enemies for species co-existence, or a common garden heating ring experiment exploring the effects of climate change on the relationship between invasive and native plant and their natural enemies.

Requirements: The student should have completed/be in enrolled in courses in biology, ecology, and/or evolution and have a strong interest in pursuing independent research in ecology and evolution.

As part of our effort to understand ecological implications of soil trace gas emissions we are are testing the interaction between soil NOx emissions and plant functioning. The hypothesis underlying the research is that soil NOx emissions have direct effects on stomatal conductance (i.e. gases exchange by plants). NO is one of the key regulators of stomatal closure. Emitted NOx can potentially serve as a signal for stomatal closure. This can initiate “drought” like response by plants, especially in soils subject to frequent droughts. Additionally, NOx may play significant role as an N source for plants. Within this framework, the REU student will develop an independent project to examine the role of NOx on plant productivity

Requirements: Willingness to perform field work, and be familiar with N cycle and basic plant physiology. However, if needed additional training will be provided.

Biodiversity has been argued to be important in sustaining ecosystems that provide services which humans depend on. This relationship has been explored in both natural and experimental systems. Restoration of native grasslands may provide opportunities to manipulate the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The REU student will develop a project to explore this relationship in grasslands, providing insights to guide the restoration of grasslands while also testing ecological theory.

Requirements: The student should have completed/be in enrolled in courses in biology, ecology, and/or evolution and have a strong interest in pursuing independent research in ecology.

Invasive species can have negative effects on native communities, but predicting what makes certain species problematic, while others are benign, is notoriously difficult. The REU working on this project will develop a project that investigates one of the following topics: 1) How particular traits of invasive plants contribute to the success of invasions in different habitats (e.g., California vs. Michigan), 2) How post-invasion evolution of plant traits, as the result of escape from enemies, contributes to further effects on native communities, or 3) How plant-microbe interactions influence invasion success. The REU student will gain experience in experimental design, greenhouse and field experiments, data collection and analysis as they work on an independent research project. In addition, the REU student will present a summary of their research at the Kellogg Biological Station undergraduate research symposium in August 2013 and potentially at the Ecological Society of America annual meeting in California (August 2014). As part of the Lau Lab, the student will become part of an active research group studying ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant species. Weekly lab meetings focus on designing and implementing research projects and career development.

Requirments: The student should have completed/be in enrolled in courses in biology, ecology, and/or evolution and have a strong interest in pursuing independent research in ecology and evolution.

Current research in the Conner lab focuses on the evolution of floral traits, weediness and crop domestication in radish. The studies involve field, greenhouse, and lab work, and include molecular genetic studies of paternity and floral traits, measurements of natural selection in the field, and research on plant-pollinator interactions. The REU student will develop an independent project related to the areas of research interest listed above. Examples include molecular genetic paternity analysis in milkweeds, and cues determining seed germination and flowering in native, crop, and agricultural weed radishes.

Requirements: A strong interest in biology, especially evolution and genetics.  The student will attend weekly lab meetings and discuss current literature, meet with mentor regularly, and participate in KBS wide activities.

• More details about the KBS REU program
• More info about KBS