Biology graduate students engage in a diversity of research projects, ranging from molecular biology and neurobiology to plant ecology and animal behavior.Their study organisms include viruses, bacteria, salt marsh plants, birds, and mammals.
You can find a listing of our current students, along with their advisor’s name and their thesis topic.
You can browse a full list of titles of all our students’ theses below.
Graduate student publications
Masters, H. and Maher, C. R. 2021. Diet reveals potential for competition and coexistence among coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Canadian Journal of Zoology. 100: 90-97. DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0103
Lankist, Z. and Maher, C. R. 2020. Snowshoe hare feeding behavior responds to coyote and moose cues at diverse vegetation densities. Journal of Mammalogy DOI:10.1093/jmammal/gyaa025
Honeywell, A. F. and C. R. Maher. 2017. Intensity, rate, and outcome of agonistic interactions in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina concolor) vary with density on haul-out ledges. Journal of Mammalogy 98:135-142. dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyw155
Payne Wynne, M. L., K. A. Wilson, and K. E. Limburg. 2015. Retrospective examination of habitat use by blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) using otolith microchemical methods. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 72:1073-1086.
Fussell, S. B., M. L. Dionne, and T. A. Theodose. 2015. Expansion rates of Phragmites australis patches in a partially restored Maine salt marsh. Wetlands 35:557-565.
Berube, P. M., S. J. Biller, A. G. Kent, J. W. Berta-Thompson, S. E. Roggensack, K. Roache-Johnson, M. Ackerman, L. R. Moore, J. D. Meisel, D. Sher, L. R. Thompson, L. Campbell, A. C. Martiny, and S. W. Chisholm. 2014. Physiology and evolution of nitrogen acquisition in Prochlorococcus. ISME Journal | doi:10.1038/ismej.2014.211.
Biller, S., P. Berube, J. Berta-Thompson, L. Kelly, S. Roggensack, L. Awad, K. Roache-Johnson, H. Ding, S. J. Giovannoni, G. Rocap, L. R. Moore, and S. W. Chisholm. 2014. Genomes of diverse isolates of the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus. Scientific Data, 1, Article number: 140034 | doi:10.1038/sdata.2014.34.
Ahlgren, N., A. Noble, A. Patton, K. Roache-Johnson, L. Jackson, D. Robinson, C. McKay, L. R. Moore, M. Saito, and G. Rocap. 2014. The unique trace metal and mixed layer conditions of the Costa Rica upwelling dome support a distinct and dense community of Synechococcus. Limnology and Oceanography 59:2166-2184 | DOI: 10.4319/lo.2014.59.6.2166.
Cronin-Fine, L, Stockwell, JD, Whitener, ZT, Labbe, EM, Willis, TV and Wilson, KA. 2013. Application of morphometric analysis to identify alewife stock structure in the Gulf of Maine. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 5:11-20.
Reistetter, E.N., Krumhardt, K., Callnan, K., Roache-Johnson, K., Saunders, J.K., Moore, L.R., and Rocap, G. 2013. Effects of phosphorus starvation versus limitation on the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus MED4 II: gene expression. Environmental Microbiology. 15:2129-2143.
Krumhardt, K.M., Callnan, K., Roache-Johnson, K., Swett, T., Robinson, D., Reistetter, E.N., Saunders, J.K., Rocap, G., and Moore, L.R. 2013. Effects of phosphorus starvation versus limitation on the marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus MED4 I: uptake physiology. Environmental Microbiology 15:2114-2128.
Weber, K., Veilleux, E., and Harmon, J. 2012. A system for measuring longevity and fecundity in flies. Drosophila Information Service 95: 115-117.
McKay, J.L. and Maher, C.R. 2012. Relationship between blood mercury levels and components of male song in Nelson’s sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni). Ecotoxicology. 21:2391-2397.
Aschemeier, L.A. and Maher, C.R. 2011. Eavesdropping of woodchucks (Marmota monax) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) on heterospecific alarm calls. Journal of Mammalogy. 92: 493-499.
Griffin, P.J., Theodose, T., and Dionne, M. 2011. Landscape patterns of forb pannes across a northern New England salt marsh. Wetlands 31: 25-33.Hazelton, E.L.G., Knight, T.J. and Theodose, T.A. 2010. Glutamine synthetase partitioning in native and introduced salt marsh grasses. Marine Ecology Progress Series 414: 57-64.
Graduate Student Theses
| Student | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Carol Titterton (2023) | The role of selection in maintaining MHC variation in mammals: Heterozygote advantage, rare allele advantage and mate choice |
| Matthew Oberholtzer (2023) | Analysis of invasive Aedes japonicus populations and bloodmeals in rural, suburban, and urban land-use conditions |
| Meg Thurrell (2022) | Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) contributions to lake phosphorus budgets: implications for management |
| Matthew Brewer (2022) | Assessing changes in freshwater and marine food web connections following restoration on the Penobscot River, Maine, using stable isotope analysis |
| Amy Webb (2021) | Juvenile alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) feeding habits, movement and residency in a northern temperate estuary |
| Margret Welch (2021) | Effects of sublethal permethrin exposure on larval Culex pipiens response to conspecific alarm cues |
| Rachel Cray (2021) | Effects of oxidative stress on astaxanthin biosynthesis pathway of Haematococcus pluvialis |
| Megan Greenwood (2021) | Culex pipiens pipiens (form pipiens) (Diptera: Culicidae) oviposition response to low-density and high-density conspecific and heterospecific larvae water |
| Mariah Farrell (2021) | Inhibiting fatty acid binding proteins decreases multiple myeloma cell proliferation and increases efficacy of dexamethasone |
| Erin Ambrose (2020) | Drivers of zooplankton community structure in the Penobscot River estuary amid the restoration of planktivorous river herring |
| Henry Masters (2020) | Using stable isotopes and diet analysis to assess the potential for competition and coexistence among coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in Maine |
| Zachary Lankist (2019) | Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) alter feeding behavior in response to coyote (Canis latrans) and moose (Alces alces) cues at diverse vegetation densities |
| Briana Fischella (2019) | Community and landscape patterns of forb pannes on two Maine salt marshes |
| Aaron Svedlow (2019) | Changes in spring arrival times: climate change and the phenology of spring bird migration |
| Melissa Sassman (2017) | Effects of radiation on neurite morphology and cytoskeleton structure |
| Shri Verrill (2017) | Pore water salinity drives brackish vegetation change in salt marsh tidal restoration |
| Paula Drouin (2016) | Anaerobic co-digestion of Chlorella vulgaris for enhanced methane production |
| Gregory LaBonte (2016) | An investigation of juvenile alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) habitat use and growth using natural markers |
| Sean Raph (2015) | Effects of cobalt on DNA double strand break repair-deficient cells |
| Brandon Braden (2015) | Parental experience and its effects on reproductive success in common loons |
| Victor Gagne (2015) | Arsenic disrupts cell morphology and levels of α-tubulin post-translational modifications in the PC12 cell line |
| Abby Pearson (2014) | Approaches to restoration: assessing the roles of structure and function in saltmarsh restoration in light of climate change |
| Jennifer Hiltonsmith (2014) | Physiological responses of Mytilus edulis exposed to Corexit 9500A and oil |
| Anne Honeywell (2014) | Intensity, rate, and outcome of agonistic interactions in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina concolor) in relation to density on haul-out ledges |
| Molly Payne (2014) | Retrospective examination of habitat use by blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) using otolith microchemical methods |
| Peter Drake (2014) | Growth rate and fatty acid profile of Koliella antarctica in response to osmotic conditions |
| Jess Wheeler (2013) | Flying speed in Drosophila melanogaster selected for fast flight |
| Hollis Smith (2013) | Distribution and status of Maine crayfish |
| Justine Roths (2013) | The varied roles of plant responses in species interactions |
| Emily Veilleux (2013) | Life history adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster selected for flying speed |
| Timothy Divoll (2013) | Mist-netting, passive ultrasonic detection, and stable isotopes determine community structure and temporal variation in bats at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| Ellen McCann Labbe (2013) | Influence of stocking history and geography on the population genetics of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Maine Rivers |
| Erika Diffin (2012) | Nutrient-dependent steroidogenic activity of the prothoracic gland in Manduca sexta |
| Sandra Fussell (2012) | Analysis of the spatial ecology and expansion rate of Phragmites australis at Drakes Island Marsh in Wells, Maine |
| Sean Casto (2012) | Influence of weather on nocturnal avian migration in southern Maine |
| Carrie Lewis (2011) | Kin recognition in woodchucks (Marmota monax) using scent from the oral angle gland |
| Elizabeth Mitchell (2011) | Vegetation response to predicted increased tidal marsh inundation in northern New England brackish marshes |
| Erik Pietrowicz (2010) | Arsenic metabolism and developmental neurotoxicity |
| Jennifer McKay (2010) | Relationship between blood mercury levels and components of male song in Nelson’s sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni) |
| Victor Serio, Jr. (2010) | Detection and genetic analysis of inducible prophages in bacteria from late stage legions of epizootic shell disease of Americanl lobsters (Homarus americanus) |
| Heather Anne Wright (2010) | Biogeographical analysis of picoplankton populations across the Patagonian Shelf Break during austral summer |
| Karoline Perry (2010) | Culture-dependent physiology studies of bacterial Iisolates at Callahan Mine |
| Kevin Regan (2010) | Effects of wildfire on spatial organization of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) males |
| Violetta Priestley (2009) | After floral dip: seed selection and the effects of Hygromycin B on Arabidopsis thaliana |
| Kate Callnan (2009) | Phosphorus uptake comparison between marine picoplankton |
| Lisa Aschemeier (2009) | Eavesdropping of woodchucks and eastern chipmunks on heterospecific alarm calls |
| Lisa Vickers (2008) | The role of soil nutrients and arbuscular mycorrhizae in the invasion of common reed (Phragmites australis) in New England salt marshes |
| Kim Emery (2008) | Genotoxicity in the common loon |
| Taryn Turcotte (2008) | Characterization of R-spondin signaling and its role in osteogenic differentiation of mouse mesenchymal progenitor cells |
| Adam Bemis (2008) | The effects of sodium arsenite on cell division and neurite outgrowth in human and rat neuronal cell lines |
| Laura Jones (2008) | Succession in a large restored tidal marsh: first-year vegetation patterns and the role of wrack in colonization |
| Adam Baukus (2008) | Importance of internal waves for the distribution, density and trophic dynamics of euphausiids on a small offshore bank |
| Camilla Fecteau (2008) | The effects of mercury on the productivity of belted kingfishers (Ceryle alcycon) on three rivers in the Eastern United States |
| Joseph Keierleber (2008) | Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of zinc chromate on human lung cells and the role of Mre11 in the repair of chromium-induced DNA double-strand breaks |
| Samuel Frankel (2008) | The effects of arsenic on the neuronal cytoskeleton |
| Rosemarie Fitch (2008) | The relationship between salt marsh upland development, nitrogen, and plant community composition |
| Kristen Krumhardt (2007) | Phosphate and ATP uptake kinetics of Prochlorococcus MED4 grown in phosphorus-limited chemostat cultures |
| Eric Hazelton (2007) | Partitioning of glutamine synthetase in native and invasive salt marsh grasses |
| Alexis Dayton (2007) | Responses of primary production and species composition to nutrient enrichment in a perennial forb salt marsh plant community |
| Pamela Griffin (2007) | Islands of biodiversity: a landscape characterization of salt marsh forb pannes of the Little River Salt Marsh, Wells, ME, USA |
| Sarah Darhower (2006) | Effects of immunocontraception on behavior in fallow deer (Dama dama |
| Kathryn Roache-Johnson (2006) | A cell-specific detection method for rapid assessment of phosphorus stress in marine phytoplankton and bacterioplankton |
| Crystal Pietrowicz (2006) | A century of experiments using specialized apparatus to study genetic variability, learning, and speciation in Drosophila |
| Matthew Harris (2005) | Ecdysteroid regulated transcription in Drosophila melanogaster |