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Robert W. Thacker

Education:

• B.S., Duke University, 1990
• M.S., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 1992
• Ph.D., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 1995

Academic Positions:

• Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Guam, 1995-1996
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Hawaii, 1996-1998
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Guam, 1998-2000
• Assistant Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2000-2006
• Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2006-present

Publications (Peer-Reviewed):

Slattery, M., H. N. Kamel, S. Ankisetty, D. J. Gochfeld, C. A. Hoover, and R. W. Thacker. 2008. Hybrid vigor in a tropical Pacific soft coral community. Ecological Monographs. In press.

Erwin, P. M., and R. W. Thacker. 2008. Cryptic diversity of the symbiotic cyanobacterium Synechococcus spongiarum among sponge hosts. Molecular Ecology. In press.

Erwin, P. M., and R. W. Thacker. 2008. Phototrophic nutrition and symbiont diversity of two Caribbean sponge-cyanobacteria symbioses. Marine Ecology Progress Series. In press.

Taylor, M. W., R. W. Thacker, and U. Hentschel. 2007. Evolutionary insights from sponges. Science 316: 1854-1855.

Erwin, P. M., and R. W. Thacker. 2007. Incidence and identity of photosynthetic symbionts in Caribbean coral reef sponge communities. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87: 1683-1692.

Thacker, R. W., M. C. Diaz, K. Rützler, P. M. Erwin, S. J. A. Kimble, M. J. Pierce, and S. L. Dillard. 2007. Filamentous cyanobacterial symbionts of Caribbean sponges: phylogenetic relationships and photosynthetic production. In: Custódio, M. R., G. Lôbo-Hajdu, E. Hajdu, and G. Muricy (eds.). Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation, and Sustainability. Série Livros 28. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. pp. 621-626.

Diaz, M. C., R. W. Thacker, and K. Rützler. 2007. Haliclona (Soestella) walentinae (Chalinidae, Haplosclerida) and Xestospongia bocatorensis (Petrosiidae, Haplosclerida), two new sponge species from Caribbean Panamá with filamentous cyanobacterial symbionts. In: Custódio, M. R., G. Lôbo-Hajdu, E. Hajdu, and G. Muricy (eds.). Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation, and Sustainability. Série Livros 28. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. pp. 31-36.

Gochfeld, D. J., C. Schlöder, and R. W. Thacker. 2007. Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on sponge community structure and disease prevalence in Bocas del Toro, Panamá. In: Custódio, M. R., G. Lôbo-Hajdu, E. Hajdu, and G. Muricy (eds.). Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation, and Sustainability. Série Livros 28. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. pp. 335-343.

Erwin, P. M., and R. W. Thacker. 2007. Phylogenetic analyses of marine sponges within the order Verongida: a comparison of morphological and molecular data. Invertebrate Biology 126(3): 220-234.

Taylor, M. W., R. T. Hill, J. Piel, R. W. Thacker, and U. Hentschel. 2007. Soaking it up: the complex lives of marine sponges and their microbial associates. The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal 1(3): 187-190.

Thacker, R. W., and F. A. Camacho. 2007. Invertebrate herbivores induce saxitoxin production in Lyngbya wollei. In: Hudnell, H. K. (ed.) Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms: State of the Science and Research Needs, Advances in Experimental Medicine & Biology 619: 312-313.

Camacho, F. A., and R. W. Thacker. 2006. Amphipod herbivory on the freshwater cyanobacterium Lyngbya wollei: chemical stimulants and morphological defenses. Limnology and Oceanography 51: 1870-1875.

Thacker, R. W., A. M. McLeod, and S.W. McLeod.  2005.  Herbivore-induced saxitoxin production in the freshwater cyanobacterium Lyngbya wollei.  Algological Studies 117: 415-425.

Paul, V. J., R. W. Thacker, K. Banks, and S. Golubic. 2005. Benthic cyanobacterial bloom impacts the reefs of South Florida (Broward County, USA). Coral Reefs 24: 693-697.

Flatt, P. M, J. T. Gautschi, R. W. Thacker, M. Musafija-Girt, P. Crews, and W. H. Gerwick.  2005.  Identification of the cellular site of polychlorinated peptide biosynthesis in the sponge Dysidea (Lamellodysidea) herbacea and symbiotic cyanobacterium Oscillatoria spongeliae by CARD-FISH analysis.  Marine Biology 147: 761-774.

Thacker, R. W.  2005.  Impacts of shading on sponge-cyanobacteria symbioses: a comparison between host-specific and generalist associations.  Integrative and Comparative Biology 45: 369-376.

Sotka, E.E. and R.W. Thacker. 2005. Do some corals like it hot? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20(2):59-62.

Thacker, R.W. and V.J. Paul. 2004. Morphological, chemical, and genetic diversity of tropical marine cyanobacteria, Lyngbya spp. and Symploca spp. (Oscillatoriales). Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70(6):3305−3312.

Thacker, R.W. and S. Starnes. 2003. Host specificity of symbiotic cyanobacteria, Oscillatoria spongeliae, in marine sponges, Dysidea spp. Marine Biology 142:643-648.

Becerro, M.A., R.W. Thacker, X. Turon, M.J. Uriz and V.J. Paul. 2003. Biogeography of sponge chemical ecology: Comparisons of tropical and temperate defenses. Oecologia 135:91-101.

Thacker, R.W. and V.J. Paul. 2001. Are benthic cyanobacteria indicators of nutrient enrichment? Relationships between cyanobacterial abundance and environmental factors on the reef flats of Guam. Bulletin of Marine Science 69:497-508.

Thacker, R.W., D.W. Ginsburg and V.J. Paul. 2001. Effects of herbivore exclusion and nutrient enrichment on coral reef macroalgae and cyanobacteria. Coral Reefs 19(4): 318-329

Paul, V.J., E. Cruz-Rivera, and R.W. Thacker. 2001. Chemical mediation of seaweed-herbivore interactions: ecological and evolutionary perspectives. In: J. McClintock and B. Baker (eds). Marine Chemical Ecology. CRC Press. pp. 227-265.

Hazlett, B.A., C.E. Bach, C. McLay and R.W. Thacker. 2000. A comparative study of the defense syndromes of New Zealand marine crustacean. Crustaceana 73(8):899-912.

Thacker, R.W. and M.G. Hadfield. 2000. A mitochondrial phylogeny of extant Hawaiian tree snails. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 16: 263-270.

Giménez-Casalduero, F., R.W. Thacker and V.J. Paul. 1999. Association of color and feeding deterrence by tropical reef fishes. Chemoecology 9: 33-39.

Thacker, R.W., M.A. Becerro, W.A. Lumbang and V.J. Paul. 1998. Allelopathic interactions between sponges on a tropical reef. Ecology 79(5): 1740-1750.

Thacker, R.W. 1998. Avoidance of recently eaten foods by land hermit crabs, Coenobita compressus. Animal Behaviour 55: 485-496.

Thacker, R.W., D.G. Nagle and V.J. Paul. 1997. Effects of repeated exposures to marine cyanobacterial secondary metabolites on feeding by juvenile rabbitfish and parrotfish. Marine Ecology Progress Series 147: 21-29.

Thacker, R.W. 1996. Food choices of land hermit crabs (Coenobita compressus H. Milne Edwards) depend on past experience. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 199: 179-191.

Thacker, R.W. 1994. Volatile shell-investigation cues of land hermit crabs: effect of shell fit, detection of cues from other hermit crab species, and cue isolation. Journal of Chemical Ecology 20(7): 1457-1482.

Small, M.P. and R.W. Thacker. 1994. Land hermit crabs use odors of dead conspecifics to locate shell sources. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 182: 169-182.

Thacker, R.W., B.A. Hazlett, L.A. Esman, C.P. Stafford and T. Keller. 1993. Color morphs of the crayfish Orconectes virilis. American Midland Naturalist 129(1): 182-199.

Technical Reports (Not Peer-Reviewed):

Thacker, R.W. and M.G. Hadfield. 1998. The status of Newcomb's tree snail, Newcombia cumingi, on West Maui. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report.

Book Reviews:

Thacker, R.W. 2004. Biodiversity. Journal of Natural Products 67(9):1636.