Robert W. ThackerResearch in my laboratory focuses on the ecology and evolution of marine and freshwater organisms. Recent projects have emphasized chemical ecology, foraging behavior, plant-herbivore interactions, and the community ecology of Indo-Pacific and Caribbean coral reefs. My laboratory uses molecular systematics to place these studies into a comparative phylogenetic context. Current projects include:
Coevolution of Sponges and their Microbial Symbionts. Sponges and their symbiotic microbial communities provide rich opportunities for exploring fundamental questions in molecular systematics and evolutionary ecology. Microbial symbionts can constitute half the biomass of many sponges, while photosynthetic symbionts can supply up to 80% of a sponge's energetic needs. My research program examines the taxonomy and systematics of the Porifera, coevolution of sponge-symbiont interactions, the contribution of symbionts to host sponge metabolism, and the evolution of sponge and symbiont community structure. Since many sponges have yielded potent pharmaceutical compounds, we examine whether the production of active compounds is associated with the presence or absence of specific symbionts. These studies are funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology.
Community Ecology of Cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria dominate many coral reefs and freshwater lakes. We are conducting field and laboratory experiments that examine the effects of top-down (herbivory) and bottom-up (eutrophication) factors on cyanobacterial abundance and community structure. In addition, many cyanobacteria produce chemical defenses that can prevent herbivory or inhibit the growth of competitors. We are using molecular markers to examine the evolution of these natural products in several groups of cyanobacteria.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Return
to Graduate Faculty Listing
Graduate
Admissions Information