Current Grad Students: P–Z

Email: aschwend@ku.edu

Advisor: Thomas Taylor

Education: Current Ph.D. candidate in botany; B.S. in biology from Truman State University.

Hometown: O'Fallon, MO

Research Interests: Paleobotany and paleoclimatology

Recent Publications:

• Schwendemann, A.B., T.N. Taylor, E.L. Taylor, and M. Krings. 2010. Organization, anatomy, and fungal endophytes of a Triassic conifer embryo. American Journal of Botany 97: 1873-1883.
• Taylor, T.N., E.L. Taylor, A.-L. Decombeix, A.B. Schwendemann, R. Serbet, I. Escapa, and M. Krings. 2010. The engimatic Devonian fossil, Prototaxites, is not a rolled-up liverwort mat-Comment on the paper by Graham et al., 2010 (AJB 97: 268-275). American Journal of Botany 97: 1074-1078.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Decombeix, A.-L., Taylor, E. L., Taylor, T. N. 2010. Collinsonites schopfii gen. et sp. nov., a herbaceous lycopsid from the Upper Permian of Antarctica. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 158: 291-297.
• Schwendemann, A.B., T.N. Taylor, E.L. Taylor, M. Krings, and J.M. Osborn. 2010. Modern traits in early Mesozoic sphenophytes: the Equisetum-like cones of Spaciinodum collinsonii with in situ spores and elaters from the Middle Triassic of Antarctica. In: Plants in Mesozoic Time: Morphological Innovations, Phylogeny, Ecosystems, 15-33 (C. Gee, ed.). Indiana University Press.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., Taylor, E. L., Krings, and Dotzler, N. 2009. Combresomyces cornifer from the Triassic of Antarctica: evolutionary stasis in the Peronosporomycetes. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. 154: 1-5.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., and Taylor, E. L. 2009. Pollen of the Triassic cycad Delemaya spinulosa and implications on cycad evolution. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 156: 98-103.
• Schwendemann, A. B. 2009. Book review: Pollen and Spores: Applications with special emphasis on aerobiology and allergy. By S. N. Agashe and E. Caulton. Quarterly Review of Biology 84: 309-310.

• Schwendemann, A. B., Wang, G., Mertz, M. L., McWilliams, R. T., Thatcher, S. L., and Osborn, J. M. 2007. Aerodynamics of saccate pollen and its implications for wind pollination. American Journal of Botany 94: 1371-1381.

Recent Presentations:

• Schwendemann, A.B. 2010.Permian photosynthetic pathways: form, function, and stable carbon isotopes of Antarctic. Botanical Society of America, Providence, Rhode Island.
• A.-L. Decombeix, I. Escapa, A. B. Schwendemann, R. Serbet, E.L. Taylor, and T.N. Taylor. 2010. Diversity and ecology of Permian floras from Antarctica. 8th European Palaeobotany-Palynology Conference, Budapest, Hungary.
• Russell, S. D., J. Jernstedt, E. Schneider, A. B. Schwendemann, J.M. Dahl, P.S. Soltis, C.H. Haufler, K.J. Niklas, W. Dahl. 2008. Updating the BSA’s bylaws to meet an ever-evolving business environment. Meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Discussion session.
• Schwendemann, A. B. 2007. Aerodynamics of saccate pollen and its implications for wind pollination. Regional Meeting of the Geological Society of America, Lawrence, Kansas.
• Mertz, M. L., A. B. Schwendemann, G. Wang, S. L. Thatcher, J. M. Osborn. 2007. Computational modeling of flight characteristics for extant and fossil saccate pollen grains. Meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Chico, California. Poster.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., Taylor, E. L. 2009. Parasitism of a Triassic conifer embryo and pteridosperm seed. Botany and Mycology 2009: A Joint Meeting of the Botanical Society of America and Mycological Society of America. Snowbird, Utah.
• Cohen, J., Schwendemann, A. B., Soltis, P. S. Job Panel Discussion. Botany and Mycology 2009: A Joint Meeting of the Botanical Society of America and Mycological Society of America. Snowbird, Utah.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., Taylor, E. L., Krings, M. 2008. Triassic symbionts: morphological and functional stasis in the Podocarpaceae. International Organisation of Palaeobotany Conference. Bonn, Germany.
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., Taylor, E. L. 2008. Fossil Root Nodules Containing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi from the Triassic of Antarctica. Botany 2008: Botany without Borders, A Joint Meeting of: Canadian Botanical Association/L’Association Botanique du Canada, American Fern Society, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and the Botanical Society of America. Vancouver, BC, Canada.   
• Taylor, M. L. and Schwendemann, A. B. Navigating a Scientific Meeting. 2008. Botany 2008: Botany without Borders, A Joint Annual Meeting of: Canadian Botanical Association/L’Association Botanique du Canada, American Fern Society, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and the Botanical Society of America. Vancouver, BC, Canada).
• Schwendemann, A. B., Taylor, T. N., Serbet, R., Taylor, E. L. 2007. Gondwanan Ferns from the Triassic of Antarctica. 2007. Botanical Society of America. Chicago, IL.

• Schwendemann, A. B., Serbet, R., Hermsen, E., Taylor, T. N., Taylor, E. L. 2007. Permineralized Plants from the Jurassic of Antarctica. 2007. Botanical Society of America. Chicago, IL.

Recent Awards:

• 2010. Graduate Student Research Fund, University of Kansas. $1565.
• 2010. Botany Summer Research Fellowship.  KU Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. $550.
• 2009. J. S. Karling Graduate Student Research Award, Botanical Society of America, $500.
• 2009. Summer Research Fellowship, KU Office of Research and Graduate Studies, $5000.
• 2008. Plant Biology Program, KU. Travel expenses, $1500.
• 2008. Paleobotanical Section of the Botanical Society of America, Travel Award, $500.
• 2008. International Organisation of Palaeobotany, Travel Award, $500.
• 2007. Plant Biology Program, KU. Travel expenses, $718

Email: choru@ku.edu

Advisor: Caroline Chaboo

Education: Current Ph.D. aspirant in entomology; M.S. in biology from Chungnam National University; B.S. in biology from Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea

Hometown: Pyongtaek, Korea

Research Interests: Phylogeny of subfamily Cassidinae (family Chrysomelidae) based on morphological, ecological, and molecular information including immature stages

Recent Publications:

• Shin, C., Chaboo, C.S. & Clark, S.M. 2010 Phylogenetic revision of the Hispaniolan endemic genus Asteriza Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Ischyrosonychini). Zootaxa. (In Review).
• Kim, T. K., Shin, C., & Ahn, K. J. 2008. The South Korean species of the genus Geodromicus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae). Canadian Entomologist 140(6): 641–648.
•  Shin, C., & Ahn, K. J. 2006. Camioleum choi, a new species in the omaliine tribe Anthophagini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) from Korea. Zootaxa 1227: 57–62.
• Shin, C. & Ahn, K. J. 2003. New record of the genus Boreaphilus C. Sahlberg in Korea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae). Insecta Koreana 20(3–4): 1–4.
• Cho, Y. B., Shin, C., & Choi, Y. G. 2003. Korean cave species of the superfamily Staphylinoidea (Coleoptera). Insecta Koreana 20(2): 139–148.

• Cho, Y. B. & Shin, C. 2003. New record of the genus Tympanophorus Nordmann (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Korea. Korean Journal of Entomology 33(1): 65–67.

Recent Presentations:

• Shin, C. 2010. Phylogenetic revision of Stoiba Spaeth 1909 and description of a new species, Elytrogona rileyi n. sp. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae, Mesomphaliini). The Annual Meeting of Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA, USA.Poster.
• Shin, C. 2010. Making a chrysomelid systematist: Year I. Bug Lunch Talk, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
• Shin, C. 2003. New record of the genus Boreaphilus C. Sahlberg in Korea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae). Entomology Society of Korea, Suwon, South Korea. Poster.

• Shin, C. 2002. A taxonomic study of the genus Geodromicus Redtenbacher in Korea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae). Entomology Society of Korea, Cheonan, South Korea. Poster.

Recent Awards:

• Shin, C. The Annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America and The collection study at Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Michener Fund. $555. 4 weeks. 10/Dec/10–7/Jan/11.
• Shin, C. The Annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America and The collection study at Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. EEB Travel Fund. $300. 4 weeks. 10/Dec/10–7/Jan/11.
• Shin, C. Museum study and field expedition during the summer 2010. Entomology Summer Scholarship. $3700.
• Shin, C. The field study in KU field station for training and research in insect collection and rearing, curating, identifications, field photography, and field-journals; and manuscript preparations on novel life history and behaviors. Small Grant program by University of Kansas Field Station. $300.
• Shin, C. the collection study in the National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian (USNM). Dr. Georgy Byers Travel. $1054.70. 12/Jun/10–21/Jun/10.
• Shin, C. The collection study in the National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian (USNM). Dr. Michener Fund. $648.59. 12/Jun/10–21/Jun/10.
• Shin, C. Museum study in San Marcos University’s Natural History Museum, Lima Peru and field expedition to Peruvian Amazon rainforests in the Madre de Dios Province. Entomology Endowment. $1170. 05/Jul/10–17/Jul/10.

Email: chaosong@ku.edu

Advisor: Ford Ballantyne and Sharon Billings

Education:

• Currently a doctoral aspirant in ecology and evolutionary biology
• M.A.in ecology and evolutionary biology from the Univerisity of Kansas, 2011
• B.S. (honors) in ecology from Peking University, 2009
• B.S. in economics from Peking University, 2009

Hometown: Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China

Research Interests: Biogeochemistry, ecological modeling, ecological stoichiometry

Recent Presentations:

• Song, C., Ballantyne, F.  2010. Steady state c-n interaction in fresh water phytoplankton assembly in response to rising atmospheric co2.  95^th esa annual meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Song, C.  2010. Altered carbon allocation pattern in fresh water ecosystem in response to elevated atmospheric co2.  KU ecosystem research group meeting, Lawrence, KS.

Recent Awards:

• Graduate Scholarly Presentation Travel Fund, University of Kansas, 2010
• University of Kansas Field Station Small Grant, University of Kansas, 2010
• National Scholarship for Undergraduates, Ministry of Education of PRC, 2009
• Chancellor’s Grant for Undergraduate Research, Peking University, 2007

Email: shsu@ku.edu

Advisor: Deborah Smith

Education:

• Currently a doctoral aspirant in ecology and evolutionary biology
• M.A. in museum studies from the University of Kansas, 2010
• M.S. in biology from Tunghai University, 1999

• B.S. in biology from Tunghai University, 1996

Hometown: Taichung, Taiwan

Research Interests: Beetle evolution and systematics

Publications:

• Lin, H.C., Su, Y.C. and Su, S.H. 2002. A comparative study of osmoregulation in four fiddler crabs (Ocypodidae: Uca). Zoological Science. 19: 643-650.

• Su, Y.C., Su, S.H. and Lin, H.C. 1996. Function of the chimney structure at burrow entrance in the fiddler crab Uca formosensis (Ocypodidae). Bulletin of Bachelor Theses, Tunghai University, Taiwan. 1996: 15-23.

Presentations:

• Su, S.H. and Lin, H.C. 2003. To monitor the environmental conditions of the seashore wetlands in mid Taiwan: using abundance/biomass comparison methods. Animal Behavior and Ecology Conference. (Abstract in Chinese)
• Su, Y.C., S.H. Su, and H.C. Lin. 2001. A comparative study of osmoregulation in four fiddler crabs (Ocypodidae: Uca). 70th Anniversary of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. International Commemorative Symposium. Yokomaha, Japan. (Poster Presentation)
• Su, Y.C., H.C. Lin and S.H. Su. 1997. A comparative study of osmoregulation in four fiddler crabs (Ocypodidae: Uca). The Biological Society of China (Abstract in Chinese), p. 44., Taiwan.

• Su, S.H., Y.C. Su and H.C. Lin. 1996. Function of the chimney structure at burrow entrance in the fiddler crab Uca formosensis. Animal Behavior and Ecology Conference. p. 7., Taiwan. (Abstract in Chinese)

Awards:

• John Deal Entomology Summer Scholarship Award, The University of Kansas, 2010.
• Raymond Beamer Award, Travel Grant for Entomology Students, The University of Kansas, 2010.
• Fellowship of Graduate Researcher, National Science Council, Taiwan (1996-1998)
• Scholarship for the 1st Prize Admissive Graduate Student, Department of Biology, Tunghai University (1996)
• Best B.S. Literature of 1996 Class Award, Department of Biology, Tunghai University

Email: ycsu@ku.edu

Advisor: Deborah Smith

Education: Current doctoral candidate in ecology and evolutionary biology; M.S. in biology from Tunghai University, Taiwan; B.S. in biology from Tunghai University, Taiwan.

Hometown: Taichung, Taiwan

Research Interests: Behavioral ecology, population genetics, and phylogenetics of spiders

Recent Publications:

• Su , Y. C., Chang, Y. H, Smith, D. R., Zhu, M. S., Kuntner, M., and Tso, I. M. 2011.  Biogeography and speciation patterns of the golden orb spider genus Nephila (Araneae: Nephilidae) in Asia. Zoological Science 28(1): 47-55.    
• Cobbold, S. M., Su, Y. C. 2010. The host becomes dinner: possible use of Cyclosa as a nuptial gift by Argyrodes in a colonial web. Journal of Arachnology 38:132-134.
• Su, Y. C., Chang, Y. H., Lee, S. C. and Tso, I. M. 2007. Phylogeography of the giant wood spider (Nephila pilipes, Araneae) from Asian–Australian regions. Journal of Biogeography 34: 177-191.
• Lee, J. W., Jiang, L., Su, Y. C. and Tso, I. M. 2004. Is Central Mountain Ridge a geographic barrier to giant wood spider Nephila pilipes (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) in Taiwan? A population genetic approach. Zoological Studies 43(1): 112-122.

Recent Presentations:

• Su, Y. C. 2009. A gang of thieves: evolution of cooperative kleptoparasitism in subfamily Argyrodinae (Araneae: Theridiidae). National University of Singapore. Seminar presentation at Department of Biology

• Su, Y. C., Tso I.M. and Smith D. 2008. Phylogeography of Macrothele taiwanesis on Taiwan and Ryukyu Island Arc. American Arachnological Society 32^nd annual meeting; Berkely, CA, June.

Recent Awards:

• GTA award. Undergraduate Biology Program. The University of Kansas. 2010.
• Summer Scholarship for Entomology students. The University of Kansas. 2010.   
• Travel grant for Entomology students. The University of Kansas. 2009.
• Summer Scholarship for Entomology students, 2009.
• American Society of Arachnology, Search grant for graduate students, 2009.
• Summer Scholarship for Entomology students. The University of Kansas. 2008.
• Summer Scholarship for Entomology students. The University of Kansas. 2007..
• American Society of Arachnology, research grant for graduate students. The Argyrodinae fauna in the Philippines. 2007.
• Hungerford’s Travel Grant, Entomology Program, University of Kansas. The inventory of kleptoparasitic spiders in North Luzon, the Philippines. 2007.
• Hungerford’s Travel Grant, Entomology Program, University of Kansas.  The inventory of kleptoparasitic spiders in Florida. Collecting trip to Florida. 2006.

Email: jeet@ku.edu

Websites:

• KU Herpetology:
  http://nhm.ku.edu/herpetology/
• Frogs of the Malay Peninsula: http://frogweb.gov/
• HerpWatch Philippines: http://www.herpwatch.org/
• Photograph Galleries: http://www.jeetworks.com/

Advisors: Rafe Brown and Mark Holder

Education: Current Ph.D. candidate in ecology and evolutionary biology; B.S. in biology from the University of Texas—Austin; M.S. in zoology from the University of Malaya

Research Interests: Biogeographical methods and simulations, phylogenetic methods, historical biogeography and phylogenetics of reptiles and amphibians of Southeast Asia

Recent Publications:

• Sukumaran, J. and M. T. Holder. 2011. Ginkgo: spatially-explicit simulator of complex phylogeographic histories. Molecular Ecology Resources. 11(2): 364-369.
• Holder, M. T., J. Sukumaran and R. M. Brown, 2010. Recent developments in Bayesian phylogenetics. In Dey, D. K., S. Ghosh and B. K. Mallick, editors, Bayesian Modeling in Bioinformatics, pp. 193-232. Chapman & Hall/CRC.
• Matsui, M., A. Tominaga, W. Liu, W. Khonsue, L. L. Grismer, A. C. Diesmos, I. Das, A. Sudin, P. Yambun, H. Yong, J. Sukumaran and R. M. Brown, 2010. Phylogenetic relationships of Ansonia from Southeast Asia inferred from mitochondrial DNA se- quences: Systematic and biogeographic implications (Anura: Bufonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 54(2): 561 – 570.
• Sukumaran, J. and M. T. Holder, 2010. DendroPy: a Python library for phylogenetic computing. Bioinformatics, 26: 1569–1571.
• Wiens,J.,J. Sukumaran,A. Pyron and R. Brown. 2009. Parallel causes of the latiudinal diversity gradient in Old World and New World frog clades (Ranidae and Hylidae). Evolution.
• Wiens, J., J. Sukumaran, A. Pyron and R. Brown. 2009. Evolutionary and biogeographic origins of high tropical diversity in Old World frogs (Ranidae). Evolution 63:1217–1231.
• Sukumaran, J. and C. W. Linkem. 2009. Choice of topology estimators in Bayesian phylogenetic analysis. Molecular Biology and Evolution 26(1): 1-3.
• Holder, M. T., J. Sukumaran and P. O. Lewis. 2008. A justification for reporting the majority-rule consensus tree in Bayesian phylogenetics. Systematic Biology 57(5): 814-821.
• Das, I., N. Yaakob and J. Sukumaran, 2007. A new species of Microhyla (Anura: Microhylidae) from the Malay Peninsula. Hamadryad 31(2): 304–314.
• Sukumaran, J., I. Das and A. Haas. 2006. A synopsis of bioacoustic studies of Anuran Amphibians of Borneo. Herpetological Review 37(3): 288-293.
• Sukumaran, J., Norsham Y., D. Yong. 2006. The herpetofauna of the Southeast Pahang peat-swamp forests. Hamadryad 30(1&2): 75-91.
• Brown, R.M., S. Richards, J. Sukumaran, and J. Foufopoulos. 2006. A new morphologically cryptic species of forest frog (genus Platymantis) from New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago. Zootaxa 1334: 45-68.
• Norsham Yaakob & J. Sukumaran. 2006. An inventory of the amphibians of Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negeri Sembilan, Peninsular Malaysia. Hamadryad 30(1&2): 102-107.
• Grismer, L., J. Sukumaran, J., Grismer, T. Youmans, P. Wood, R, Johnson. 2005. Report on the herpetofauna from the Temengor forest reserve, Perak, West Malaysia. Hamadryad 29(1): 15-32.

• Sukumaran, J. 2002. The amphibian fauna of a forested area in Temengor, Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Hamadryad 27(1): 1-10.

Recent Presentations:

• Sukumaran, J. and M. T. Holder. 2010. Performance and Robustness of Phylogeo- graphic Statistics under Complex Simulations. Joint Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB), and the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), Portland, Oregon, USA.
• Sukumaran, J. and M. T. Holder. 2010. Phylogenetic operations in Python with Den- droPy. Informatics for Phylogenetics, Evolution and Biodiversity Conference, Portland, Oregon, USA.
• Sukumaran, J., M. T. Holder and R. Brown. 2009. Evaluating the Performance of Phylogeographic Test Statistics using Complex Simulations. Joint Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB), and the American Society of Naturalists (ASN), Moscow, Idaho, USA, June 2009. Oral presentation.

• Sukumaran, J., B. Stuart, L. Grismer, and R. Brown. 2007.  Phylogeography of Microhyla : testing biogeographic hypotheses using relative divergence time estimation (preliminary results). Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, July 2007. Oral presentation.

Recent Awards:

• 2010. EEB Summer Fellowship. $4000.

Email: oscartoro@ku.edu

Advisor: Mark Mort

Education: Current Ph.D. aspirant in ecology and evolutionary biology; Bachelor's in biology from the Universidad de Concepción

Hometown: Santiago, Chile

Research Interests: Systematics of Chilean plants

Recent Publications:

• Ruiz, E., Toro, O. Crawford D.J., Stuessy T.F., Negritto, M.N., Baeza C.M. & J.Becerra. 2008. Phylogenetics relationships among Chilean species of Drymis (Winteraceae) based on ITS sequences and insertion / deletion events., Gayana Botanica 65(2): 220-228.

Awards:

• EEB Fratcher Botany Award, 2010.
• EEB Fratcher Botany Award, 2009.
• EEB Fratcher Botany Award, 2008.
• BIO Fulbright-CONICyT Scholarship, 2008-2012.
• KU Tuition Scholarship, 2008-2012.

Email: smwalker@ku.edu

Mentor: Joy Ward

Education:

• Current doctoral aspriant in ecology and evolutionary biology

• B.S. in biology from the University of Kansas, 2007

Research Interests: Effects of climate change of flower development in Arabadopsis

Email: furcifer@ku.edu

Advisor: Rafe Brown

Education: Current M.A. student in ecology and evolutionary biology; B.S. in biology from the University of Kansas, 2007

Hometown: Lawrence, KS

Research Interests: Philippine biodiversity, with primary focus on monitor lizards (genus Varanus)

Recent Publications:

• Siler, C. D., R. M. Jones, L. J. Welton, and R. M. Brown. In press. Redescription of Tentradactyl, Philippine Slender Skinks (genus Brachymeles). Herpetologica.
• Fuiten, A. M., L. J. Welton, A. C. Diesmos, A. Barley, B. Oberheide, M. V. Duya, E. L. B. Rico, and R. M. Brown. In press. New Species of Stream Frog From the Mountains of Luzon Island, Philippines. Herpetologica.
• Welton, L. J., C. D. Siler, A. C. Diesmos, C. W. Linkem, and R. M. Brown. In press. Philippine Bent-toed Geckos of the Cyrtodactylus agusanensis Complex: Phylogeny, Morphological Diversity, and Description of Three New Species. Herpetological Monographs.
• Siler, C. D., L. J. Welton, R. M. Brown, C. Infante, and A. C. Diesmos.  In press.  Natural History Notes on Diet of Ophiophagus hannah. Herpetological Review.
• Siler, C. D. and L. J. Welton.  2010.  Geographic Variation in Philippine Mimicry System: Hypothesized Widespread Coral Snake (Hemibungarus calligaster) Mimicry by Lepidopteran Larvae (Bracca sp.) on Luzon Island, Philippines. Herpetological Review 41(4):427–430
• Welton, L.J., C. D. Siler, D. Bennet, A. Diesmos, M. R. Duya, R. Dugay, E. L. B. Rico, M. Van Weerd, and R. M. Brown.  2010.  A Spectacular New Philippine Monitor Lizard Reveals a Hidden Biogeographic Boundary and a Novel Flagship Species for Conservation. Biology Letters  6: 654–658
• Welton, L.J., C.D. Siler, A. Diesmos, and R.M. Brown 2009. A new bent-toed Gekko (Genus Cyrtodactylus) from southern Palawan Island, Philippines and clarification of the taxonomic status of C. annulatus. Herpetologica 65(3) 328-343.

• Welton, L. J., C. D. Siler, A. C. Diesmos, R. M. Brown.  2010.  Phylogeny-based Species Delimitation of Southern Philippines Bent-toed Geckos and a New Species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. Zootaxa 2390:49–68.

Recent Presentations:

• Welton, L. J., C. D. Siler, and R. M. Brown.  2010. Phylogenetic Affinities and Unappreciated Diversity in Philippine Monitor Lizards (Sauria: Varanidae). University of Kansas Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute GSO Retreat. Lawrence, KS.

• Welton, L. J., C. D. Siler, A. C. Diesmos, and R. M. Brown.  2010. Species Boundaries in Philippine Bento-toed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus).  Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Providence, RI. Poster.

• Welton, Luke J., and C.D. Siler.2009. Cryptic Diversity in Widespread Species of Bent-toed Geckos. University of Kansas Natural History Museum Graduate Student Annual Retreat, Lawrence, Kansas.

Recent Awards:

• EEB Travel Funds.  $300.  July 2010.
• Biodiversity Institute Travel Funds.  $200.  1 July 2010.

Email: bw0051@ku.edu

Advisor: James Thorp

Education Current Ph.D. aspirant in ecology and evolutionary biology; M.S. in biology from the University of Central Arkansas; B.S. in biology from the University of Central Arkansas.

Hometown: Little Rock, AR

Research Interests: Ecology and management of large river ecosystems. My current research involves the use of remotely sensed data to characterize and classify the functional process zones (FPZs) of river networks. I hope to use a variety of species locality databases to explore the relationships between fish and macroinvertebrate diversity and the diversity of FPZs within river networks. I am also working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop a FPZ based approach to river management.

Recent Publications:

• Thorp, J.H., J.F. Flotemersch, M.D. Delong, A.F. Casper, M.C. Thoms, F. Ballantyne, B.S. Williams, B.J. O’Neill, and C. Haase. 2010. Linking ecosystem services, rehabilitation, and river hydrogeomorphology. Bioscience 60(1): 67-74.
• S.R. Adams, M.D. Schroeder, R.L. Clark, and B.S. Williams. In press. Fish assemblages across a riparian wetland connectivity gradient in the lower Arkansas River floodplain. Wetlands.
• Shostell, J.M. and B.S. Williams. 2007. Habitat complexity as a determinate of benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in cypress tree reservoirs. Hydrobiologia 575: 389–399.
• Shostell, J.M. and B.S. Williams. 2005. A new benthic sampling device for soft sediments in shallow habitats. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 20:595–602.

Recent Presentations:

• Williams, B.S., J.H. Thorp, J.E. Flotemersch, E. D'Amico, J.H. Kastens. 2010. Assessing the ecological significance of large hydrogeomorphic patches within two large river
• watersheds. Joint meeting of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and the North American Benthological Society. Santa Fe, NM. Poster.
• Williams, B.S.,  J.H. Thorp, J.E. Flotemersch, and J.H. Kastens. 2010. Assessing ecological differences among hydrogeomorphically distinct patches within the Kansas River Watershed. Fourth Kansas Nautral Resources Conference. Wichita, KS.
• Williams, B.S., J.H. Kastens, J.H. Thorp, Ellen D’Amico, and J.E. Flotemersch.  2009. Using a novel flood prediction model and GIS automation to measure the valley and channel morphology of large river networks. ESRI International User Conference, San Diego, CA.
• Williams, B.S., J.H. Thorp, and J.E. Flotemersch. 2009. Assessing ecological differences among hydrogeomorphically distinct patches within river networks. First Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science. St. Pete Beach, FL.
• Williams, B.S., J.H. Kastens, J.H. Thorp, Ellen D’Amico, and J.E. Flotemersch. 2009. Using a novel flood prediction model and GIS automation to measure the valley and channel morphology of large river networks. St. Pete Beach, FL.
• Kastens, J.H., K.E. Dobbs, S. L. Egbert, D.G. Huggins, B.S. Williams, and J.H. Thorp. 2009. Using digital elevation data for river valley identification and floodplain mapping. First Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science. St. Pete Beach, FL.
• J.H. Thorp, B.S. Williams, and A.F. Casper. 2009. A reach-to-basin-level framework for planning and assessment of cumulative impacts and environmental benefits. First Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science. St. Pete Beach, FL.
• Williams, B.S., J.H. Kastens, J.H. Thorp, Ellen D’Amico, and J.E. Flotemersch. 2009. Using a novel flood prediction model and GIS automation to measure the valley and channel morphology of large river networks. Kansas NSF EPSCoR Statewide Conference. Manhattan, KS.
• J.H. Thorp, B.S. Williams, and A.F. Casper. 2009. A reach-to-basin-level framework for planning and assessment of cumulative impacts and environmental benefits. USACE Research and Development Conference. Memphis, TN.
• Williams, B.S., J.H. Kastens, and J.H. Thorp. 2009. Rapid evaluation of river valley and river channel morphology using automated GIS tools and raster-based modeling. KU GIS Day 2009. Lawrence, KS.
• Williams, B.S. and S. Reid Adams. 2008. Patterns of macroinvertebrate diversity and community structure across a gradient of river-floodplain connectivity; Floodplain Ecosystem Symposium, Little Rock, AR.

Recent Awards:

• Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Travel Grant, 2009.
• Kansas Academy of Science, Student Research Grant, 2008.

Jin-Ho Yun