Haywood III, K. P., B. Miller, S. Zhang, J. J. Duda, C. Ostberg, and J. H. Graham.  Effects of Genotype and Temperature on Growth, Morphology, and Developmental Instability of Hybrid Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss and O. clarki bouvieri.  Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, University of Alabama--Tuscaloosa, March 3-5, 2006.

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and Yellowstone Cutthroat trout, O. clarki bouvieri, from Henry’s Lake, Idaho were used to generate F1, F2, and backcross hybrids.  After fertilization, fish were reared until they were approximately 90-110 mm TL.  Pit tags were inserted into 1800 fish, which were then exposed to either 8º or 19º C for 50 days (in 40 32-gallon tanks).  Fish were measured and weighed when the pit tag was inserted and again when the experiment ended.  Growth rate was related to both genotype and temperature.  All genotypic classes grew to greater lengths at 19º C.  The slowest growing genotypic classes were the F1 (rainbow trout as the maternal parent) and F2.  Shape was measured by digitizing 13 landmarks on each specimen. Developmental instability was measured by cataloging phenodeviants, as well as by measuring fluctuating asymmetry of pectoral fin rays, pelvic fin rays, branchiostegal rays, mandibular pores, and upper and lower gill rakers.

Wrinn, K. M., J. H. Graham, H. H. Hughie, D. C. Freeman, H. E. Balbach, J. J. Duda, J. M. Emlen, C. Chamberlin-Graham, A. J. Krzysik, and J. Kimball.  Military-Training Activities on Spider Communities of the Fall-Line Sandhills at Fort Benning, Georgia.  Annual Meeting of the American Society of Agronomy, Indianapolis, IN.  November 10-14, 2002.

Arthropods have short generation times and rapid population growth, making them ideal indicators of environmental disturbance.  In this study, we examined the effect of disturbance caused by military training activities at Fort Benning, GA on species diversity and community composition of spiders in the Fall Line Sandhills.  This eco-region is characterized by pines (especially longleaf pine), oaks, and sandy soils. We collected spiders from highly, moderately, and lightly disturbed sites, using pitfall traps and sweep nets. Highly disturbed sites had greatly reduced plant cover, much bare soil, gullies, and signs of active erosion, soil compaction, little leaf litter, and evidence of mechanized training.  Lightly disturbed sites had normal plant cover, little or no bare soil, and no signs of recent erosion, no obvious soil compaction, and little or no sign of usage by vehicles.  There were no differences in species diversity or abundance of spiders per sample (alpha diversity) among the three disturbance regimes.  Nevertheless, the low disturbance sites actually had lower beta (among-habitat) diversity.  The response of the spiders to disturbance contrasted with that of the ants (parallel study), which had significantly lower species diversity in the heavily disturbed areas.

Kerri Wrinn collecting ants at Fort Benning

David Fletcher with Helmholtz coil and Drosophila cultures.  This experiment was designed to study the effects of electromagnetic fields on growth and developmental stability of fruitflies.

Electromagnetic fields (60 Hz) of 1.5 and 80 uT caused a significant reduction in the weight of Drosophila melanogaster.  Moreover, fruit flies in an 80 uT field showed lower developmental stability than either those in a 0 or 1.5 uT field.  Developmental instability was measured by fluctuating asymmetry and frequency of phenodeviants.  More of the flies in the 80 uT field had fused abdominal segments, and were more asymmetrical for wing vein R4+5.  The flies in the 1.5 uT field actually showed greater developmental stability than the control flies.  Fewer of them had fused abdominal segments, and they were more symmetrical for wing vein R4+5.  Thus, at low field strengths, flies are more developmentally stable than control flies, even though they weigh less.

 
 
 
        
 
Owen Kinney and James Spellman analyze water chemistry of the Conasauga River, in the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area of northern Georgia.  This site served as a pristine control for a study of the biological integrity of Silver Creek, in Rome.  The Conasauga River has several rare and endangered species of fishes, and is perhaps the most undisturbed stream in the southern Appalachians.  Eight students worked on this project in some capacity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

John Graham and Shannon Baker collecting fish in Armuchee Creek, a tributary of the Oostanaula River in northwestern Georgia.
 

Graham, J.H., H.H. Hughie, S. Jones, K. Wrinn, A.J. Krzysik, J.J. Duda, D.C. Freeman, J.M. Emlen, J.C. Zak, D.A. Kovacic, C. Chamberlin-Graham, and H.E. Balbach.  2004.  Habitat disturbance and the diversity and abundance of ants (Formicidae) in the Southeastern Fall-Line Sandhills. Journal of Insect Science (online at http://insectscience.org/4.30/)

Glass, K. A. and J. H. Graham 2000.  Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental noise during leaf expansion in the pumpkin Cucurbita pepo.  Association of Southeastern Biologists Bulletin 47: 128.

Graham, John H., David Fletcher, James Tigue, and Malcolm McDonald.  2000.  Effects of low frequency magnetic fields on growth and developmental stability of Drosophila melanogaster. Bioelectromagnetics 21: 465-472. (abstract)

Cowart, Natalie M. and John H. Graham. 1999.  Within- and among-individual variation in developmental instability of Ficus carica L. International Journal of Plant Sciences 160: 116-121. (pdf)

Graham, John H., Katherine E. Roe, and Todd B. West. 1993.  Effects of lead and benzene on the developmental stability of Drosophila melanogaster. Ecotoxicology 2: 185-195.
 

            Haywood III, K. P., B. Miller, S. Zhang, J. J. Duda, C. Ostberg, and J. H. Graham. Effects of Genotype and Temperature on Growth, Morphology, and Developmental Instability of Hybrid Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss and O. clarki bouvier. Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 3-5 March 2006

Dolbeer, Jeff A., William Russell Long, John H. Graham, Anthony J. Krzysik, Jeffrey J. Duda, D. Carl Freeman, John M. Emlen, John C. Zak, Dave A. Kovacic, Catherine Chamberlin-Graham, and Harold Balbach.  Community and population responses of Orthoptera and Blattaria to habitat disturbance.  Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 11-13 March 2005

Nutter, Jonathan, W. Russell Long,  John H. Graham, Anthony J. Krzysik, Dave A. Kovacic, Jeffrey J. Duda, D. Carl Freeman, John M. Emlen, John C. Zak, , Michael P. Wallace, Catherine Chamberlin-Graham, and Harold Balbach.  Intermediate disturbance and ant communities in a forested ecosystem.  Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 11-13 March 2005

Long, William Russell, Jonathan Nutter, John H. Graham, A. J. Krzysik, J. J. Duda, D. C. Freeman, J. M. Emlen, J. C. Zak, and D. A. Kovacic. Effects  of habitat  disturbance on ant communities in the southeastern Fall-Line Sandhills. Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, Georgia Institute of Technonology, Atlanta, Georgia, 5-7 March 2004

.

Graham, J. H., Hoyt H. Hughie, Kerri M. Wrinn, Susan D. Roth,  Jon Kimball, C. Chamberlin-Graham, J. J. Duda, D. C. Freeman,  J. M. Emlen, A. J. Krzysik, and H. E. Balbach.  Response of Terrestrial Arthropod Communities to Physical Habitat Disturbance.  Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Tucson, AZ.  August 4-10, 2002

Glass, K. Andrew and John H. Graham. 2000.  Fluctuating asymmetry and developmental noise during leaf expansion in the pumpkin Cucurbita pepo.  Association of Southeastern Biologists.  Annual Meeting, Chattanooga, TN.
 

Graham, J. H., A. J. Krzysik, D. A. Kovacic, J. J. Duda, D. C. Freeman, J. M. Emlen, J. C. Zak, W. R. Long, M.P. Wallace, C. Chamberlin-Graham, J. Nutter, and H. Balbach.  Species diversity of ground-dwelling ants in a disturbed forest ecosystem.   To be submitted to Ecological Indicators

Last Updated 1 February 2008