Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Looking at bugs isn’t just for bug collectors — it can also reveal a lot about water quality.
Andrew Short, adjunct assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, said insects could help scientists predict the quality of a water source, because different insects tolerated only very specific conditions.
“Essentially, if you know what kinds of things are living in a stream,” Short said, “you can get a good idea of the quality of the water from both a human and ecological perspective.”
Andrew Short, University research scientist, will begin his position as Assistant Proffessor and Curator of Entomology this August. Short's primary area of research is aquatic beetles, displayed here in center drawer.
Short, who is also a research scientist at the Natural History Museum, will present the lecture “Behind the Waterfall: Insect Biodiversity in Latin American Streams,” at 7 tonight at the museum.
Short said he would discuss biodiversity surveys he had conducted in Latin American streams and rivers. The surveys assessed and monitored the water quality and examined the insects in those water sources. Short’s research uses a time-tested method for examining water quality.
The lecture will also feature a variety of dead insect specimens Short collected in Latin America. Of the bugs Short has collected, most are aquatic beetles, but he has also collected water scorpions, giant water bugs (Belostomatidae), true bugs (Hemiptera), dragonflies and Dobsonflies.
Zack Falin, entomology collection manager at the museum, said researchers had been examining insects in North America since the 1970s to better understand the quality of water.
“I wouldn’t call it cutting-edge blockbuster stuff,” Falin said, “but it’s very good, solid research.”
What: “Wild Science” Series of the Natural History Museum presents “Behind the Waterfall: Insect Biodiversity in Latin American Streams”
Who: Andrew Short, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Natural History Museum
Cost: Free and open to the public
Because of gold-mining companies in Venezuela, Falin said, many water sources contained cyanide and other dangerous chemicals. Researchers correlate water pollution with species of insects and can determine how polluted a stream is by surveying the insects within. Researchers hope the local population can use the information in the future to determine what water is drinkable.
“People in Venezuela will benefit from being able to use this information to predict water quality,” Falin said.
Falin said Short’s research could eventually be expanded to more parts of Latin America and other nations to provide better water quality.
“Once you figure what’s going on in Venezuela,” Falin said, “you can move on to Columbia, Ecuador and other countries.”
Kelly Miller, assistant professor of biology and museum curator at the University of New Mexico, said he had worked closely with Short. Miller said the two received a four-year, $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to fund their research.
Miller said one of the most important pieces of his research was identifying new species and studying lesser-known aquatic species.
“There’s a lot of species that are known,” Miller said, “but we don’t know much about them.”
Short said he hoped to shed light on relatively-unknown areas of study.
“The most important and fundamental thing that people should come away with — we know so little,” Short said. “I hope to convince people that filling this knowledge gap is critical.”
Tonight’s lecture is part the museum’s monthly Wild Science series and is free and open to the public.
For more information on Short’s research, visit his Web site at www.hydrophiloidea.org/lab/index.html.
— — Edited by Brandy Entsminger
Professor's research leads to new beetle species
Exploration in South America leads professor to 20 new beetles species.
Student to share experiences of trip to ...
David McLeod will give a lecture tonight about his research on frogs ...
Parched future of the plains
A warming climate is adversely affecting animals native to Kansas and the ...
Inch-long fleas dig into the history books
Professor of Entomology publishes research over inch-long fleas.
Biology of beetlejuice
KU professor will discuss her research on poisonous beetles in Africa
Krishtalka named to database executive board
Director of the Biodiversity Institute to help run the Global Biodiversity Information ...
Professor discovers marsupial frog with pouch
Campus museums getting creative
Budget cuts at KU mean finding new ways to show off holdings.
Ten Things You Didn't Know About... The ...
Bet you didn't know that.
Waterworld
Water covers about 70 percent of the earth’s surface. That should keep ...
A case of mistaken extinction
"Wild Science" discusses the coelacanth, a fish that was thought to be ...
Doctoral student discovers fanged frog
New bird-eating species discovered in Thailand measures 12 to 15 centimeters long.
Students receive grant money for research opportunities ...
The Center of Latin American Studies will distribute the money.
Natural History Museum curator dies
University researcher heads to the Sahara
David Blackburn received a $709,000 grant to research oases in the worlds ...
Students receive grant money for research opportunities ...
The Center of Latin American Studies will distribute the money
Discovery advances bird research
Fossils found by KU researches broadens knowledge of ancient bird anatomy and ...
Biodiversity Institute receives grant
The University of Kansas’ Biodiversity Institute accepted a $850,000 grant from Microsoft ...
Professor to discuss the importance of pollinators
Orley “Chip” Taylor, professor of ecology, will present the lecture “What’s Happening ...
Natural History Museum to expand and renovate
A year of renovations and expansion will allow for more popular displays ...
Researchers receive grant to study unique primate
Two researchers will travel to the Philippines this spring to research the ...
KU Museum held oldest fossilized brain
French researchers use particle accelerator to analyze fossil of fish.
Natural History Museum combines art and science
The gallery will focus on topics that will change every six months.
More than meets eye to Museum collection
The Natural History Museum specimens aren’t just for show.
Grants fund Dyche Hall upgrades
Two awards will allow the Kansas Biodiversity Institute to make renovations to ...
Museum gives tapeworm talk
Researcher Kirsten Jensen makes science wild and wiggly.
Lizards are living evidence of evolution
Grad student finds evidence of common ancestor among lizards with and without ...
Grant to further knowledge about science
Kansas and Oklahoma universities will team together to create “cybercommons” for the ...
Law students explore biodiversity in Caribbean
Five students traveled to the Virgin Islands to study the effects of ...
Monarch watch takes off
A University professor hosted a butterfly watch where visitors participated in educational ...
Barking up the evolution tree
Ancient insects go unseen
KU researcher was part of a team that recently uncovered fossilized remains ...
Dirty mouth: Water may not be clean
Traces of prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs can be found in water ...
Visitors bring in fossils for examination
The University of Kansas Natural History Museum played host to “What on ...
Biodiversity is... interpreted by artists
Two student and five area artists created representations of biodiversity for the ...
KU grad discovers new lizard in Philippines
After two months of searching, the team confirmed the fruit-eating Varanus bitatawa ...
KU gets grant to research bird flu
A KU researcher has received a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department ...
Look out mites, ladykillers on their way
Lawrence released 18,000 ladybugs in different areas in an attempt to rid ...
Fickle weather sends pests out of control
With Kansas’ temperature rising and falling, insects and pests find their way ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID