2008 Grant Recipients

Alma College
Jeff Stephens and his faculty mentor, Dr. Dean McCurdy, will spend the summer working to help uncover potential threats to Michigan amphibians posed by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Aquinas College
Melissa Menerey and Meghan Fish, along with their faculty advisor, Dr. Paul Bieneman, will investigate the stratification of temperatures in Microclimates and some of the variables that affect it. Microclimates are localized areas where weather conditions differ from surrounding areas.

Calvin College
Rachel Hesselink and Dr. David Dornbos, will assess ways land managers at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and other natural areas can rapidly and inexpensively measure the capacity of Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), a highly invasive shrub. Such input could be helpful in prioritizing areas for control.

Central Michigan University
Katelyn Shumacher and her faculty mentor, Dr. Bradley Swanson, will test for genetic evidence of hybridization between Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse) and P. maniculatus bairdii (prairie deer mouse) species.

Grand Valley State University
Becky Norris and her faculty advisor, Joe Jacquot, will attempt to determine the habitat use of white-footed mice and deer mice in multiple local locations and to measure physical characteristics of these species to determine which, if any, specific trait can be used to readily distinguish the two species in the area.

Valparaiso University
Alan Holderread and Dr. Zuhdi Aljobeh will develop a hydrologic model for Cedar Creek. The model will be used to develop hydrological and water quality profiles for the Cedar Creek segment within the study area.

Megan Krintz and her faculty advisor Laurie Eberhardt will investigate effects of autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) on nesting birds at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, specifically on nest predation and cover compared to a native plant.

Western Michigan University
Fahimeh Baziari and her faculty mentor Dr. David Cowan will study natural populations of the Tetrastichus johnsoni, a very poorly know parasitoid wasp that attacks the egg stage of its host, the spider wasp Dipogon sayi. They will conduct laboratory experiments to test for these life history characteristics.

Kerry McMartin and Dr. Steve Malcolm, will explore the expression of defense against natural enemies in the aphid Myzocallis asclepiadis, which is an unusual, specialist herbivore of the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca.