MSU colleges of Natural Science and Agriculture and Natural Resources, KBS students present at ESA’s annual meeting

Numerous students from Michigan State University’s colleges of Natural Science and Agriculture and Natural Resources were selected to present their research at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, or ESA. Several students represented the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, specifically.

ESA, a Washington, D.C.-based association of professional ecologists, held their 2025 annual meeting Aug. 10-15 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The presenters

The presenters’ names, college affiliations, and presentation titles are:

Andrew Bleich, graduate student, College of Natural Science
Genotypic variation in gene expression inducing cold acclimation in Panicum virgatum, switchgrass

Stephanie Bristow, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Evolution, ecology, and oxygen availability drive upper thermal limits in freshwater insects

Morgan Clark, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
When simple isn’t sweet: Plastral pattern complexity predicts predation in a freshwater turtle

Josefa Corpuz, graduate student, College of Natural Science
Soil microbial community’s impact on prairie plant germination and productivity

Katrina Culbertson, graduate student, College of Natural Science
Virus infection unexpectedly results in switchgrass surviving at least as well as uninfected switchgrass during establishment with dominant competitors

Ashley Darst, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Salty nectar affects floral visitation in a sodium-addition experiment

Rachel Drobnak, graduate student, KBS and College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Does plant species richness matter for below-ground biodiversity and soil health in edge-of-field conservation practices?

Thomas Hennessey, graduate student, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Covert competition: Cytisus scoparius legacy effects on native tree species in western Washington, USA

Katherine Hulting, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Habitat connectivity effects on plant-pollinator networks

Brandon Kristy, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Long-term nitrogen additions alter mycorrhizal-diazotroph interactions in switchgrass

Abigail Lippert, undergraduate student, College of Natural Science
Environmental justice at the water’s edge: How boat launches shape lake monitoring and equity

Annabelle McCarthy, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Prairie plantings in agricultural fields provide refugia, not traps, for butterflies

Sara Moledor, graduate student, College of Natural Science
How do elevation and tree age influence the dependence of oak trees upon their ectomycorrhizal symbionts in a tropical montane cloud forest?

Riley Pizza, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Sourcing for the future: Evaluating alternative seed sourcing strategies for prairie restoration under experimental warming

Bruna Rodrigues Do Amaral, graduate student, College of Natural Science
Protecting birds in protected areas: a multi-scale analysis of forest structure impacts on avian occurrence

Ethan Rose, graduate student, KBS and College of Natural Science
Differential bison reintroduction outcomes across the tallgrass prairie productivity gradient

Narda Trivino-Silva, graduate student, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Leaf litter effects on oak and pine regeneration in the Great Lakes Region

Lana Wheatley, undergraduate student, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Long-term N-fertilization mediates mycorrhizal traits in switchgrass roots

Marissa Zaricor, graduate student, College of Natural Science
Reintroduced bison, small herbivores, and management: Implications for plant diversity and ecosystem services during grassland restoration

About the ESA

The Ecological Society of America was founded in 1915 and has a membership of more than 9,000. ESA produces a number of publications, including peer-reviewed journals, newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources, and their annual meeting is one of the most prominent yearly conferences that focus on ecology.