Stigall Lab | Paleobiology | Ohio University

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PI


	Alycia L. Stigall, PhD
	Dr. Stigall's research focuses on two primary areas of investigation: (1) elucidating the interaction between paleobiogeography, paleoecology, and macroevolution during episodes of biotic overturn, Paleozoic brachiopods are the main taxon of interest in this line in inquiry and (2) phylogenetic and taphonomic analysis of evolutionary patterns in Crustacea, particularly Spinicaudata ("Conchostracans"). Dr. Stigall's research program emphasizes developing quantitative methods of analysis, particularly developing applications of GIS methods for use in paleobiogeography, phylogenetic reconstruction, and paleobiologic inferences based on phylogenetic hypotheses. The overarching goal of these lines of research is to better constrain the long-term effects of invasive species on biodiversity change, a topic of concern for mitigating the modern biodiversity crisis. For more on Dr. Stigall click here or her research program click here.

Graduate Students


	Jennifer Bauer	MS Candidate, expected completion Spring 2014
	Jen joined our lab in Fall 2012 after completing her BS in Biology with a minor in Geology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While at UIC, Jen fell in love with Paleontology after taking a paleo course and then conducted undergrad research with Roy Plotnick. For her MS research, Jen will be reconstructing phylogenetic and biogeographic relatioships within two genera of Ordovician brachiopods, Catazyga and Eochonetes, as a mechanism for determining dispersal pathways during the Richmondian Invasion

	Hannah-Maria Brame	MS Candidate, expected completion Spring 2013
	Hannah completed her BS in Geological Sciences from Ohio University, but her love of paleontology began while collecting fossils as a child in Virginia. Hannah joined the lab in Fall 2011 and is focusing her thesis research on niche modeling in Cincinnatian bryozoa, crinoids, and trilobites (the non-brachiopods) to examine whether niche stability patterns are constant across clades and how species niche evolution affects community stability. During her first year in the lab, Hannah earned funding from both the Geological Society of America and the Dry Dredgers to support her research. She also won the Departmental award for most oustanding TA. During the 2012-13 academic year, Hannah will lead the Cincinnatian digitization efforts as an RA.

Undergraduate Students


	Cody Contner	BS Geology, expected completion Spring 2013

	Cody works in our lab as a data entry specialist for the digitization of Cincinnatian invertebrate collections.

	Diane Estes	BS Geology, expected completion Spring 2013
	Diane's initial role in the research group was to assist Hannah as her field assistant during the summer of 2011-2012. Diane now works i the lab as a data entry specialist for the digitization of Cincinnatian invertebrate collections.

Alumni


	David Wright, MS 2012
	Davey's MS thesis, "Macroevolution and Paleobiogeography of Middle to Late Ordovician Brachiopods: A Phylogenetic Biogeographic Approach," used phylogenetic systematics and biogoegraphy to investigate dispersal patterns in Late Ordovician brachiopods, Hebertella, Plaesiomys, and Glyptorthis. Davey earned grants from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History and Cincinnati Dry Dredgers and a fellowship from the OHIO Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies to support his thesis research. Davey presented his MS research at the 2011 and 2012 Annual GSA Meetings and the 2012 North-Central regional GSA. His thesis work will result in three publicaitons. Following graduation, Davey moved down the road to the Ohio State University, where he will pursue a PhD in BIll Ausich's lab.

	Sierra Isard, BS 2012
	Sierra joined the lab as a research assistant for the 2011-2012 academic year where she will be assisted with photography, specimen analysis, and outreach related primarily to the Cincinnatian biogeography project.

	Richard Malizia, MS 2011
	Rich's thesis is titled "Analyzing niche stability in Late Ordovician articulated brachiopods during the Richmondian Invasion." His research focused on using GIS techniques to analyze changes in ecological niches of brachiopod species through time in the rocks around Cincinnati, Ohio. This research addressed the relative constancy of a species' niche in geologic time, which has implications for both evolutionary theory and understanding changes to modern species due to climate change. Rich has recieved a GSA Grant-in-Aid and an OHIO Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies Fellowship to support his research. His thesis work was published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Following graduation, Rich returned to his beloved home state of Pennsylavnia where he is employed in the environmental field at ARCADIS.

	Neha Gupta, BS 2011
	Neha worked in our lab from September 2009 to June 2011 cataloging the Kallmeyer Collection Cincinnatian fossil collection, literature research, and specimen photography. Following completion of her BS in Geological Sciences in June 2011, Neha returned to the OU Geology Department to earn her MS with Eung Seok Lee in Hydrogeology in Fall 2011.

	Nicole Dudei, MS 2009
	Nikki completed her master's thesis,"The impact of the Richmondian Invasion on paleobiogeographic distribution of taxa in the Late Ordovician C4 sequence (Richmondian Stage, Cincinnati, Ohio) including a comparison of range reconstruction methods" in June 2009. In Nikki's thesis research, she developed a GIS technique to model species ranges using the Spline tool as well as used genetic algorithm techniques to analyze the early stage of the Late Ordovician Richmondian Invasion by modeling the ecological niches of articulate brachiopods in the Oregonia Formation and equivalents in the Cincinnati, Ohio region. Nikki presented the results of her thesis research at at the 2008 Annual GSA meeting and the 2009 NAPC meeting. She earned a grant from the Geological Society of America to support her work, and part of her thesis was published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Nikki is now employed by ARCADIS in Wisconsin.

	Robert Swisher, MS 2009
	Rob completed his master's thesis,"Paleobiogeographical and evolutionary analysis of Late Ordovician C5 sequence brachiopod species with special reference to rhynchonellid taxa" in June 2009. Rob's thesis research assess how paleoenvironmental parameters affect where species lived and the quality of preservation in the Waynesville, Liberty, and Whitewater Formations of the Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky region. He also conducted a phylogenetic analysis of species within the genera Hypsiptycha, Hiscobeccus, and Lepidocyclus, in which he defined two new genera. Rob earned funding from the Geological Society of America to fund his research, and presented results at the 2008 Annual GSA meeting and the 2009 NAPC meeting. Rob moved to Oklahoma University to begin in PhD with Steve Westrop on Ordovician trilobites in August 2009.

	Bradley Walls, MS 2009
	Brad completed his master's thesis, "Quantitative Palebiogeography of Maysvillian (Late Ordovician) Brachiopod Species of the Cincinnati Arch: a Test of Niche Modeling Methods for Paleobiogeographic Reconstruction" in May 2009. His research combined sedimentology and paleontology to implement and ground truth methods of ecological niche modeling in brachiopod species of the Late Ordovician (Maysvillian) Corryville and Mount Auburn Formations and equivalents in the Cincinnati Arch region. Brad earned grants from the Geological Society of America and the Paleontological Society to support his research. He presented results at two Annual GSA meetings and the 2009 NAPC, and has published his thesis work in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology and Paleontological Contributions. Brad now works as a petroleum geologist for Weatherford Laboratories in Houston, Texas.

	Emily Callahan, BS 2009
	Emily joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant from September 2008 to May 2009. During the course of hte year, Emily helped out in various capacities including leading the efforts to catalog the newly acquired "Kallmeyer Collection" of over 7000 Cincinnatian fossils. In summer 2009, Emily completed her senior honors thesis, "Paleoecology of the Cincinnatian Series (Upper Ordovician): A study of diversity and community structures".

	Kaitlin Clare Maguire, MS 2008
	Kaitlin completed her master's thesis, "Paleobiogeography of Miocene to Pliocene Equinae of North America: A phylogenetic biogeographic and ecological niche modeling approach," in May 2008. For her research, she integrated analyses of evolutionary patterns in horses with sedimentological and paleoclimatic proxies, such as paleosol distribution to discern causes of biogeographic distribution and shifts during the Miocene radiation of the horses. Kaitlin presented her research at both national and regional GSA meetings and published her thesis results in two journal articles. Following graduation, Kaitlin joined a team of OHIO vertebrate paleontologists to conduct field work on Neogene mammals in Tanzania, and then began her PhD in vertebrate paleontology in Fall 2008 at University of California, Berkeley in Tony Barnosky's lab.

	Jacqueline Smith, BS Anthropology,2008
	Jackie worked as a critical member of our lab group during the 2007-2008 academic year. Jackie contributed to the Cincinnatian brachiopod GIS project by handling data input, uploading data to the Paleobiology Database, and began creation of a outreach website. Following graduation, Jackie worked with AmeriCorp for in the Reno, Nevada area.
	Kristen Everman, BS 2007
	Kristen completed her senior thesis, "Characterizing Jurassic Spinicaudata of Antarctica: Systematic and Paleoecological Implications," in Spring 2007. As part of her research, Kristen earned grant funding from the North Central Section of the Geological Society of America and the Ohio University Provost's Undergraduate Research Fund. She presented the results of her thesis at the North Central-South Central Joint Sectional Meeting of the Geological Society of America Meeting in Lawrence, Kansas where she was awarded the Outstanding Undergraduate Oral Presentation Award.

	Brandon Klingensmith, MS 2011
	Brandon defended his MS thesis, "GIS-based biogeography of Cincinnatian (Upper Ordovician) brachiopods with special reference to Hebertella," in June 2007. His research involved an innovative application of GIS methods and the first species-level phylogeny of a genus of Ordovician brachiopods. Brandon acquired funding from the Geological Society of America for his project and presented the results of his research at regional and national GSA meetings. Brandon currently works for Frac Tec Oilfield Services, Ltd. in Pennsylvania.


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