PYI: Benthic Community Structure of Freshwater Ponds

为了支持他为期五年的研究活动，宾夕法尼亚州阿勒格尼学院生物和环境科学系的Scott a . Wissinger博士将获得总统青年研究员奖的资助。这项工作涉及在种群生态学和群落生态学的界面复杂的生物相互作用。具体而言，调查的重点是北美池塘中鱼类和蜻蜓（Odonata）幼虫的多物种竞争，捕食和栖息地选择过程。通过模拟人工池塘，研究入侵、迁徙的大型蜻蜓对栖息的小型蜻蜓的影响。选择本科生，特别是大四学生，在阿勒格尼学院将有机会参与这项研究。研究的第二个重点是酸雨对池塘群落结构的影响；研究地点是一系列原始的高海拔（3500米）池塘，位于落基山生物实验室（科罗拉多州甘尼森）附近的大自然保护协会墨西哥切自然保护区。最初，调查将评估碱度与蝾螈（顶级脊椎动物捕食者）和无脊椎动物丰度之间的关系。结果将用于设计实验，以区分对猎物的影响和对捕食者的影响。这笔资金将使研究者能够完成实验池塘设施的开发，购买维护和采样设备，并为人员前往远程研究地点提供便利。

In support of his research activities over a five-year period, Dr. Scott A. Wissinger of the Departments of Biology and Environmental Sciences at Allegheny College (Pennsylvania) will receive Presidential Young Investigator Award funding. This work concerns complex biotic interactions at the interface of population ecology and community ecology. Specifically, the focus of the investigations is on multi-species competition, predation, and habitat selection processes among fish and dragonfly (Odonata) larvae in North American ponds. By manipulating replicate artificial ponds, effects of invading, migratory, large dragonflies on the resident smaller dragonfly species will be studied. Select undergraduate students, particularly seniors, at Allegheny College will have the opportunity to participate in this research. The second focus of the research addresses effects of acid precipitation on pond community structure; the study sites are a series of pristine high altitude (at 3500 meters) ponds located within the Nature Conservancy's Mexican Cut Nature Reserve near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (Gunnison, Colorado). Initially, surveys will be made to assess the relationship between alkalinity, and salamander (the top vertebrate predator) and invertebrate abundance. Results will then be used to design experiments for separating effects on prey from effects on predators. This award of funding will enable the investigator to complete development of an experimental pond facility, purchase maintenance and sampling equipment, and facilitate travel by personnel to remote study sites.