Research Interests
PAST + PRESENT
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Umwelt roughly translates from German to mean "self-centered world". In biology, the Umwelt-concept states that different organisms live in unique perceptual worlds dealing with specific subsamples of the environment due to their evolutionary and developmental history. My broad research interests include sensory biology, neurobiology, and animal behavior. My primary research utilizes physiological, neurobiological, and behavioral techniques to understand how animals experience the world around them.
Magnetoreception
Many amazing creatures such as birds, fishes, reptiles, and amphibians can sense Earth's magnetic field and use it as a cue to aid in navigation and migration; this extraordinary ability is called magnetoreception. Unlike many other sensory systems (e.g. visual and auditory), how animals detect and process magnetic stimuli is unknown. My current research projects are focused on understanding the mechanisms and neural processing of magnetic sensing in vertebrates.
Behavioral Investigations into the Mechanisms of Magnetoreception
Diagnostic tools have been created to parse out the potential mechanisms of magnetoreception. We utilized variation behavioral techniques to investigate how Gulf flounder (Paralichthys albiguttata) and Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) may detect magnetic stimuli.
Physiology of Invasive Fish Species
Silver (H. molitrix) and bigheaded (H. nobilis) carp are invasive in the Midwest area. These species are making their way up the Mississipi river and are a major threat to the lake ecosystems. We conducted behavioral and physiology (electroretinograms and auditory evoked potentials) experiments to provide more information for the use of an acoustic deterrent to prevent the movement of these species into the Great Lakes.
Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Fish Behavior
Anthropogenic sound (e.g., boats, pile driving, sonar) is increasing throughout the world's oceans and can negatively impact marine organisms. Many fish species rely on sound signaling and reception for navigation, prey location, and intraspecific communication. The oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) depends on acoustic communication for reproductive success. We conducted various studies to determine how anthropogenic boat sound effects the calling behavior of toadfish.
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“Sound pollution decreases the chances of love for oyster toadfish” – Rosalyn Putland
Neural Detection and Processing of Magetic Stimuli
The anatomical areas where magnetic information is detected and processed can be investigated using various neurobiological techniques such as electrophysiology and neural activation. Electrophysiology studies involve recording changes in neuronal activity in direct response to a stimulus provided. The second technique utilized within the field is neural activation. This technique involves exposing animals to a magnetic field stimulus (i.e., a rotating magnetic field), followed by an immediate sacrifice, and then sectioning and staining the brain to tag and visualize recently activated neurons. These neurobiological techniques were used in Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) and poison frogs (Dendrobates auratus).