Search Research Symposium Abstracts

An Integrated Approach to the Design of Compact and Connected Reserve Systems

Protected areas for biological conservation depend on large, connected, and compact regions encompassing diverse species. Optimization models have been developed to allocate limited resources efficiently. Initial models focused on protecting most species but resulted in small, scattered areas. Later models aimed to create extensive, compact areas and connect [Read More...]

Presenter: Lakmali Weerasena, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Authors: Lakmali Weerasena, Douglas Shier, David Tonkyn, Mark McFeaters, Christopher Collins
Symposium Year: 2023
Session: Exploring the Intersection of Mathematics and Ecology: Research Applications and Findings [Organized by Lakmali Weerasena and Maeve McCarthy]
Presentation Time: September 30, 2023; 9:45 am

A mathematical model of phenotypic plasticity for Arizona Tiger Salamanders

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to changes in the environment. General mathematical descriptions of the phenomenon rely on an abstract measure of “viability”. In the case of the Arizona Tiger Salamander, the organism has a point in its development when, upon maturing, it may take two very different [Read More...]

Presenter: Maeve Lewis McCarthy, Murray State University
Authors: Maeve L. McCarthy, Dorothy I. Wallace
Symposium Year: 2023
Session: Exploring the Intersection of Mathematics and Ecology: Research Applications and Findings [Organized by Lakmali Weerasena and Maeve McCarthy]
Presentation Time: September 30, 2023; 10:10 am

Modeling the impact of temperature during nesting seasons on Loggerhead sea turtles

Loggerhead sea turtles are a threatened species that nests on beaches along the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Using data from Boca Raton nests, we investigated the relationship between air temperature and emergence success of hatchlings across multiple nesting seasons to better understand the potential impact of climate change on Loggerhead sea turtle [Read More...]

Presenter: Suzanne Lenhart, University of Tennesssee, Knoxville
Symposium Year: 2023
Session: Exploring the Intersection of Mathematics and Ecology: Research Applications and Findings [Organized by Lakmali Weerasena and Maeve McCarthy]
Presentation Time: September 30, 2023; 10:35 am

Understanding Tick-borne Disease Ecology through Agent-based Modeling

Tick-borne diseases are on the rise worldwide, and there is a lot of interest to reduce the burden of these diseases. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens are not well studied partly owing to their challenging biology. The dynamics of tick-borne pathogens includes multi-year systems of weather, habitat, and environmental factors plus the availability of hosts [Read More...]

Presenter: Holly Gaff, Old Dominion University
Authors: Holly Gaff, Robyn Nadolny, Alexis White, Sara Benham
Symposium Year: 2023
Session: Exploring the Intersection of Mathematics and Ecology: Research Applications and Findings [Organized by Lakmali Weerasena and Maeve McCarthy]
Presentation Time: September 30, 2023; 11:00 am