Ecology Research Center
at Miami University
Research
Undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty conduct research at the ERC throughout the year. However, most research activity is during the warmer months. It is always best to plan ahead and contact the ERC staff early so that they can help plan and implement your project efficiently.
Disciplines (and associated faculty)
[Learn more detail about faculty research interests.]
- Aquatic ecology
- González, María J.
Morgan-Kiss, Rachael
Steinly, Bruce A.
Vanni, Michael J.
Williamson, Craig E. - Architecture and building science
- Johnston, Scott A.
- Behavioral ecology
- Keane, Brian
Meikle, Douglas B.
Rypstra, Ann L.
Solomon, Nancy G. - Climatology
- Johnston, Scott A.
- Community ecology
- Cady, Alan B.
Crist, Thomas O.
González, María J.
Rypstra, Ann L.
Stevens, M. Henry H.
Vanni, Michael J. - Conservation ecology
- Crist, Thomas O.
Keiffer, Carolyn Howes
Rypstra, Ann L. - Ecosystem ecology
- Vanni, Michael J.
Williamson, Craig E. - Invertebrate ecology
- Cady, Alan B.
Crist, Thomas O.
González, María J.
Lee, Richard E., Jr.
Rypstra, Ann L.
Steinly, Bruce A. - Landscape ecology
- Crist, Thomas O.
Keiffer, Carolyn Howes
Medley, Kimberly E.
Rypstra, Ann L. - Microbial Ecology
- Bollmann, Annette
Fisk, Melany
Morgan-Kiss, Rachael - Physiological ecology
- Costanzo, Jon P.
Gladish, Daniel K.
Lee, Richard E., Jr.
Schaefer, Paul - Plant ecology
- Gorchov, David L.
Keiffer, Carolyn Howes
Medley, Kimberly E.
Stevens, M. Henry H. - Terrestrial ecology
- Cady, Alan B.
Crist, Thomas O.
Fisk, Melany
Gladish, Daniel K.
Gorchov, David L.
Keane, Brian
Keiffer, Carolyn Howes
Meikle, Douglas B.
Russell, David
Rypstra, Ann L.
Solomon, Nancy G.
Stevens, M. Henry H.
Starting a Project
To find out how you might use the ERC for your research or teaching activity, schedule a visit with the ERC manager and tour the ERC grounds. If you decide to proceed with an event or project, meet with the manager to discuss your ideas, generate a timetable and work out any logistics. Ultimately, a formal request to use the ERC should be submitted to the ERC Director, which will include a short description of the project, the specific resources of the ERC that will be required, the timeframe of the project and a plan for mitigating any effects on the land or facilities.
[Learn more about funding sources and opportunities.]
Logistical Support
The ERC owns a variety of field equipment to support research projects. Researchers are welcome to use field vehicles, boats, mowers, sampling devices, and a full array of tools from the workshop. Please check with the ERC Manager for any use restrictions and/or required training.
The ERC can also supply the expertise, materials and most of the tools needed to assemble specialty items. The ERC manager can provide expertise in designing experimental devices and assist in locating vendors for unusual items. A variety of traps and other items that have been used in past experiments are stored at the ERC and frequently these items can be adapted to current research projects.
Facilities
Terrestrial Facilities
Agroecosystem plots: The agroecosystem area includes 12 replicate plots, each approximately 0.4 hectare in size, in addition to several other larger fields. These plots typically planted with corn or soybeans in accordance with current research projects. The ERC manager is in charge of planting and harvesting the crops and the money from crop sales is used to maintain agricultural equipment and purchase seeds, herbicide and fertilizer for succeeding years.
Prairie: A 1-hectare prairie was established in 1974 with regional genotypes of prairie plants, primarily big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman). Management techniques that have been used to restore this extraordinary prairie include burning treatments, routine mowing, and application of herbicides. The effectiveness of these techniques has been a focus of a comparative restoration study at the ERC.
Small mammal enclosures: An array of 0.1-hectare terrestrial enclosures at the ERC is primarily used for research on small mammal behavior and population ecology. These 16 enclosures are used to study the social behavior, population structure and life history of various species of rodents, primarily voles (Microtus spp).
Other terrestrial facilities: The ERC also has numerous fields and some forested areas that are available for research. Projects have manipulated patch size to explore the effects on insect diversity and dispersal, light input on terrestrial stages of amphibians, herbicide effects on spider emigration, cold tolerance in amphibians and reptiles, and explored the role of biodiversity on carbon sequestration.
Aquatic Facilities
Experimental ponds: Our pond facility consists of a large supply pond that can fill 6 experimental ponds (~15 x 46 meters in size) all of which drain into a single recovery pond. The experimental ponds can be divided with curtains to create 12 replicates. Most of the experimentation in these ponds has focused on the role of nutrient cycling in the aquatic food web to better understand the ecology of Ohio's reservoirs.
Mesocosms: An array of 24 aquatic mesocosms, each with a 5000-liter capacity, complements the pond facility. These mesocosms allow for better control of outdoor manipulation at a smaller scale that the ponds but at a larger scale than possible in the laboratory.
Aquatic amphibian habitat: An array of tanks is used to simulate shallow aquatic habitat that is used by tadpoles and salamanders. Research in these tanks allows an exploration of such factors as pesticides, habitat complexity and competition on the ability of these animals reach adulthood.
[View a schematic map of the Ecology Research Center facilities.]
