Dr. Romi Burks
Dr. Burks in the Field
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B.S.
Biology, magna cum laude, Loyola University Chicago (1995)
B.A. English, magna cum laude, Loyola University Chicago (1995)
Ph.D., Aquatic Ecology, University of Notre Dame (2000)
Research Interests: food web interactions, invasion biology, predator-avoidance behavior, chemical ecology
The Present:
Since my arrival at Southwestern,
my lab has been taken over (somewhat literally!) by an exotic, invasive applesnail, Pomacea insularum.
We have been studying this snail for about 4 years and still have much to learn! Receiving my Ph.D. in the lab of
noted exotic species authority Dr. David Lodge at the University
of Notre Dame has helped me switch my current research emphasis to questions associated with invasion biology.
In particular, I collaborate with student researchers to investigate multiple aspects of basic life history of
this new invader. In addition, the work has expanded to include an international collaboration in Uruguay
where native applesnails occur.
A Little History:
I am an aquatic ecologist interested in how organisms interact within and impact shallow lakes and ponds.
My graduate work focused on looking at predator-avoidance behaviors in an important aquatic herbivore, Daphnia. In temperate systems, this large-bodied zooplankter migrates horizontally and seeks refuge in the complexity offered by aquatic plants and my research has examined what mechanisms regulate the frequency and amplitude of this behavior. In particular, Daphnia respond to the presence of chemical signals from both predators and plants that influence the extent to which they migrate. Thus, my interests have always included a strong focus on invertebrates and I've just moved up in size!
The Questions:
In my lab, students have the opportunity to
work on any of the life stages (egg, hatchling, juvenile, adult) of this invasive applesnails that we collect from the
Houston area and maintain in the lab. Some of the work has directly involved behavioral investigations or experiments and
other work focuses more directly on basic ecological questions.
We recently welcomed "ROUND 4" researchers into the lab: Alexis Kropf '12 and Brandon O'Connor '12. They will work this summer to
develop their own line of research.
The Context:
The genus Pomacea possesses a history of global invasion. P. canaliculata made the top 100 list of the world's worst invasive species with substantial impacts on Asian rice. Very recently, colleagues at the University of Hawaii (link to Ken Hayes's website - http://www2.hawaii.edu/~khayes/) and Florida International University (link to Tim Collin's http://www.fiu.edu/~collinst/ and Tim Rawling's website http://www.fiu.edu/~rawlings/) determined that a new species, Pomacea insularum, occurs in Texas, Georgia and has recently invaded the Everglades. Very little information exists on this species, although it is closely related to the better-known global invader.
To
further add to the complexity, P. insularum may compete
with a native Florida applesnail, P. paludosa, that serves
as food for an endangered raptor. In addition, the aquarium trade
may facilitate the introduction, establishment and spread of P. insularum by
selling another applesnail species, P. diffusa, which only
eats algae but, at small sizes, closely resembles the species
that we study. These aquarium snails are sometimes called 'mystery
snails' as it is a mystery as to what you actually bring home.
Philosophy of Collaborative Research with Students:
To
maximize productivity for both students and myself, I am currently
recruiting students to work on
some aspect of applesnail ecology. Although we want to focus on efforts on
this study
organism, the diversity of questions that can be explored is endless. I
work directly with the student to develop his/her own research
question that includes
a reasonable degree of "personal ownership or investment." To get the most
out of the research process, students need to work on questions that pique
their own interests. When first embarking on a research projects, students review
primary literature and then draft a proposal that includes a rationale,
hypotheses, and proposed methods for developing experiments. We spend substantial time
developing the context of the research and determining the appropriate
methods (not many ecology project have established specific protocols). After executing the
experiments, students participate directly in data analysis and dissemination
through poster nd oral presentations and, hopefully contributions to a scientific paper.