Wanted: Undergraduate Researchers in Myrmecology

DNA Barcoding and the Future of Life on Earth:
A Case Study of Pheidole Ants

John S. LaPolla and Colleen S. Sinclair

Problem: Knowledge of species distributions is essential to good conservation planning (Samways 2005). However, despite the fact that most vertebrate taxa are inadequate indicators of the fine-scale patterns of species diversity and change conservationists desire (Smith et. al 2006), most biodiversity studies remain vertebrate centered.
     Ants have numerous attributes that make them valuable for conservation planning. Among those are: 1) they are ecological dominant in most terrestrial ecosystems (especially in the tropics); 2) they are easily sampled; and 3) they are sensitive to environmental change.
     One of the biggest challenges that exist in incorporating any invertebrate group into conservation plans is the difficulty that often arises in species identification, which hinders reliable comparison of different sites. One idea that has grown in popularity to overcome both the taxonomic impediment and the large scale processing of biodiversity samples has been the advent of DNA barcoding. DNA barcoding proposes using a single gene (cytochrome oxidase I) to identify species, which promises to greatly assist in more rapid species identification.

Experiments: Students will have the opportunity to work on either morphological analyses (microscopy, species identification, species description, key development) or on molecular analyses (PCR, electrophoresis, DNA sequence analysis).

Skills acquired: Students in Dr. LaPolla’s lab will learn the tools of morphological analyses from microscopy to species descriptions and the development of dichotomous keys. Students will also learn how to sort through leaf litter samples from tropical locations. Students in Dr. Sinclair’s lab will learn the basics of DNA barcoding research from PCR to DNA sequence analysis.

Expected Outcomes: It is fully expected that this project will result in at least one peer-reviewed publication, with the possibility of several other papers resulting depending on the outcome of this study. Students will be fully involved in the research process from laboratory time to preparing the results for presentations at national or international meetings and for peer-reviewed publication.

Requirements: Course in invertebrate biology (e.g., invertebrate zoology, entomology) and genetics; a class standing of Sophomore, Junior or Senior in the fall of 2007; a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Applications received by March 1, 2007 will receive full consideration. The program will run from June 4 through August 10, 2007.

See the following website for application and further information: http://wwwnew.towson.edu/biology/REU%20program%202007.htm