Potential Research Organisms/Systems

This is not intended as an exhaustive list of what is out there to work with but rather a list of things that we have found works well in the past.

If you are interested in questions at the molecular level contact the appropriate instructor to select a system.

Yeast and Bacteria - can be used to study the effects of ultraviolet light, nutrition, antibiotic resistance, pH tolerance and population growth

Protists - can be used to study predator prey associations, toxicology, cell function, locomotion.

Fungi and Cellular Slime Molds - can be used to explore a variety of developmental questions

Lemna sp. can be used to look at questions related to toxicology, nutritional studies, competition and population growth

Lumbriculus sp. an aquatic worm is also a good subject for toxicological, behavioral and regeneration studies.

Arabidopsis - used for questions related to plant genetics, growth, and development.
Lettuce or Radish seeds are often used for studies involving chemical competition (allelopathy) between plants.
Moss, Corn Embryos or Seed plants can be used to study the effects of various plant hormones, nutrients, light, competition, herbicides, salt stress etc. on growth.
Alliaria petiolata - is an introduced invasive weed. Both field and lab studies can be done using this plant. The chemical properties of this plant may alter the micorrhizal associations between forest plants and their hosts, prevent herbivores from feeding on it, or inhibit the growth and germination of potential competitors.
Trees, Shrubs, Vines can be used for field studies related to species diversity and richness as well as questions related to the impact of deer on forest regeneration.
Daphnia sp. can be used as the prey for a variety of foraging studies. They also respond to chemical cues from fish and can be used for toxicological studies.
Planaria - a type of aquatic flatworm used for studies involving regeneration, chemical cues, and neurobiology.
Crayfish and/or Snails make good subjects for behavioral and foraging theory studies. Crayfish can also be used in a variety of physiological studies. Field studies on both groups are also feasible.
Isopods - these organisms can be used in a variety of behavioral studies. Field studies on distribution are also possible.
Chickadees and other birds make good subjects for food choice, habitat use, vigilance and foraging studies.

Chicken eggs can be used for studies of nest predation.
Ants - are good subjects for studies on foraging behavior and food choice. Good for lab or field projects
Uca pugilator are good subjects for a wide variety of physiological and behavioral studies.
Soil and stream invertebrates can be used in studies on species diversity and the impact of different environmental conditions on these organisms. In streams they provide an index of water quality. This type of study has both field and lab components.
Amphibian tadpoles can be used for a variety of developmental projects. They can also be used to explore predator avoidance and response to chemical cues from fish or dragonflies. Growth studies are also possible
Global Information System technology can be used for a variety of field projects. Here it is use to map the distribution of 13-lined ground squirrel nests. It can be useful in a wide variety of field studies.
Manduca sexta can be used for behavioral

physiological, developmental or neurological studies.

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