Ongoing Projects
Microplastic Ingestion by Birds
The Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico have some of the highest concentrations of plastic particles among aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Ingestion of microplastics can have deleterious effects on growth, reproductive success, and behavior. Yet little is known about microplastic ingestion by biota found in the Gulf of Mexico region. We are examining microplastic ingestion in ducks and other game birds donated to us by Louisiana hunters.
Microplastic fiber found in GI Tract of a Blue-winged Teal
Avian Use of a Restored Shortleaf Pine Habitat
Upland short leaf pine communities were essentially eradicated in Louisiana, but, with the cooperation of The Nature Conservancy and landowner Dr. Johnny Armstrong, a 400-acre area is being restored at Wafer Creek Ranch in Ruston, Louisiana. It will be important to monitor the presence and performance of species in the area as the restoration progresses.
Old growth Shortleaf Pine at Wafer Creek Ranch
A controlled burn at Wafer Creek Ranch
An Eastern Kingbird at Wafer Creek Ranch
Organophosphate Degrading Microbes
Organophosphates are one of the most widely used insecticides and are used in agriculture, home gardens, and veterinary practice. They can also be used as chemical nerve agents. They function by interfering with acetycholine signaling in the body. Once these compounds enter the environment they can have ill effects in non-target organisms, including humans. We are searching for soil microbes that are capable of degrading these pesticides. These microbes could be used for bioremediation of contaminated sites.
Soil Samples
Aging & Senescence
Birds are often long-lived, despite higher metabolic rates and total lifetime energy expenditures, body temperatures, and blood glucose levels, compared to mammals of equivalent mass. Under the disposable soma theory of aging, elevation of these parameters in birds should accelerate damage to cells, proteins, and DNA from the accumulation of deleterious by-products of metabolism. Study of aging processes in long-lived wild seabirds offers an important perspective on mechanisms involved in aging across taxa, including humans. With collaborators from Wake Forest University and University of Houston, we are investigating reproductive and actuarial senescence in Nazca boobies using serum samples to track biomarkers of health, stress, and immune function across lifespan.
Historic Avian Nesting Distributions in Louisiana
Ornithology classes at Louisiana Tech, from the 1960s through the 1980s, collected information about nesting birds in Louisiana. We are digitizing this information to determine the historic nesting ranges of birds in our area. This information can be used to see how the reproductive success and distribution of species has changed over time.
