The effects of nutrient inputs on leaf litter decomposition and arthropods

Project Description:

Project Description: Nutrient subsidies (nutrients moving one-directionally from a source habitat to a recipient habitat) are ubiquitous in nature - whether it is leaves falling into a pond, tadpoles metamorphosizing into frogs and venturing landward, or Sahara Desert dust particles being carried thousands of miles to neotropical forests. Existing studies primarily focus on nutrient subsidies that occur across habitat boundaries, and seldomly within a habitat (i.e., forest canopy to leaf litter). This project investigates how varying nutrient additions, mimicking ‘arthropod rain’ from trees, impacts leaf litter decomposition and arthropod communities over time.

Responsibilities for Undergraduates:

• · Sorting arthropods from leaf litter samples

• · Identifying and categorizing arthropod taxa

• · Preservation of arthropods into a museum-grade reference collection

Required Skills/ Qualifications:

Required Skills/ Qualifications: Organizational, time management, and communication skills; an eye for detail; willingness to learn. Prior familiarity with arthropods is highly valued, but not necessary. Prior familiarity with microscopes or stereoscopes (dissecting scopes) is valued, but not necessary. 

Time Commitment:

Ideally, at least 4 hours per week, but hours are flexible.

Benefits for Undergraduates:

This project is primed with the potential to become a poster and/or presentation for the undergraduate researcher by the time of spring semester conferences/meetings. This will require steady effort by both the undergraduate researcher and the graduate researcher, but the largest obstacle is time. Undergraduates will receive hand-on experience with a diverse variety of arthropod taxa; learn how to create a museum-grade reference collection; regular practice with scopes; experience with sampling protocols and data sheets; access to lab resources; and regular mentorship.

Additional Notes:

Membership in the Yanoviak Lab will also include access to the lab as a shared workspace as well as weekly lab meetings, where additional insights into research, graduate school, behind-the-scenes of science, etc. can be learned and discussed.

Disclaimer: This research project is subject to availability and may be updated or modified.