Barbara L. Peckarsky Professor Emeritus 3134 Comstock Hall Office Ph: 607-255-7728 Lab Ph: 607-255-8723 FAX: 607-255-0939 BLP1@cornell.edu

Training

BS: 1969, Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison
MS. 1971, Zoology-Education, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Ph.D.: 1979, Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison

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Research

Field studies of behavior, life histories and biological interactions among stream-dwelling invertebrates; mechanisms, consequences and evolution of predator-prey and competitive interactions; invertebrates as indicators of stream water quality; systematics of aquatic insects.

Ongoing studies in Rocky Mountain Streams:

Consequences of larval interactions to mayfly survival, fecundity and population growth:

• mortaility of larval mayflies due to predation by stoneflies and trout, mermithid nematode parasites, and competition
• sublethal consequences (costs to fecundity and male reproductive success) of predator avoidance, parasitism and competitive interactions
• modeling population growth to determine the relative impacts of predation, parasitism and competition on mayfly fitness
  

Effects of predator avoidance on heterogeneity of grazer resources: a behavioral trophic cascade:

• effects of avoidance of trout and stonefly predators on mayfly response to algal distribution
• effects of mayflies on algal heterogeneity under different predation regimes
• modeling patch dynamics to simulate the impact of predator and anti-predator behaviors on prey and resource heterogeneity at multiple scales.

Effects of recruitment and post-recruitment process on abundance of stream insects:

• simulation modeling to predict effects of variation in recruitment, predation and resources on mayfly abundance
• effects of recruitment on mayfly larval abundance
• effects of predators and food on mayfly larval abundance

Ongoing studies in upstate New York Streams

Macroinvertebrates aas indicators of impacts on stream habitat quality: integrating research, education and outreach:

• educating target groups about the theory and practice of biomonitoring streams
• assess th impacts of disturbances on local streams
• baseline biomonitoring of invertebrates in local streams vulnerable to degradation due to human activities
• developing a long term database on local stream invertebrate communities as a basis for understanding the relative importance of natural and human-induced disturbances in explaining population and community flucturations

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Research Publications (last 5 years)

Peckarsky, B. L. and A. R. McIntosh.  1998.  Fitness and community consequences of avoiding multiple predators.  Oecologia 113:565- 576. (pdf)

McPeek, M. A. and B. L. Peckarsky.  1998.  Life histories and the strengths of species interactions: combining mortality, growth and fecundity effects.  Ecology 79:235-247.

Taylor, B. W, C. R. Anderson, and B.L. Peckarsky.   1998 Effect of size at metamorphosis on stonefly fecundity, longevity, and reproductive success.  Oecologia. 114:494-502.

McIntosh, A. R. and B. L. Peckarsky.  1999.  Criteria determining behavioural responses to multiple predators by a stream mayfly.  Oikos 85:554-564.

McIntosh, A. R., B. L. Peckarsky and Brad W. Taylor.  1999.  Rapid size-specific changes in mayfly  drift caused by alterations in fish odour .  Oecologia 118:256-264.

Taylor, B. W, C. R. Anderson, and B.L. Peckarsky.  1999.  Egg diapause and semivoltinism in the Nearctic stonefly Megarcys signata (Plecoptera: Perlodidae).  Aquatic Insects 21:179-185.

Peckarsky, B. L, B. W. Taylor, and C. C. Caudill.  2000. Hydrologic and behavioral constraints on oviposition of stream insects: implications for adult dispersal.  Oecologia 125:186-200. (pdf)

Peckarsky, B. L., B. W. Taylor, A. R. McIntosh, M. A. McPeek and D. A. Lytle.  2001. Variation in mayfly size at metamorphosis as a developmental response to risk of predation.  Ecology 82:740-757. (pdf)

Taylor, B. W, A. R. McIntosh and B. L. Peckarsky.  2001.  Sampling stream invertebrates using electroshocking techniques: implications for basic and applied research. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 58:1-9. (pdf)

Peckarsky, B. L., A. R. McIntosh, B. R. Taylor and J. Dahl.  2002.  Predator chemicals induce changes in mayfly life history traits:  a whole-stream manipulation.  Ecology 83:612-618. (pdf)

Macneale, KH, GE Likens and BL Peckarsky. 2002.  Feeding strategies of an adult stonefly (Plecoptera): implications for egg production and dispersal. Verhandlungun Internationale Verein Limnologie 28(2):1140-1146.

Dahl, J and B. L. Peckarsky.  2002.  Induced morphological defenses in the wild: predator effects on a mayfly, Drunella coloradensis.  Ecology 83:1620-1634. (pdf)

Peckarsky, B. L., A. R. McIntosh, C. C. Caudill and J. Dahl. 2002 Stabilizing selection on male body size of high altitude populations of Baetis bicaudatus  (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae).  Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 51:530-537.  (pdf)

Taylor, B. W., A. R. McIntosh, and B. L. Peckarsky.  2002. Large-scale invertebrate manipulations in stream ecosystems: invertebrate removal, algal response, and opportunities for innovation. Limnology and Oceanography 47:893-899. (pdf)

McIntosh, A. R., B. L. Peckarsky, and B. W. Taylor.  2002. The influence of predatory fish on mayfly drift: extrapolating from experiments to nature.  Freshwater Biology 47 (8):1497-1513. (pdf)

Caudill, C. C. and B. L. Peckarsky.  2003.  Lack of appropriate behavioral or developmental responses by mayfly larvae to trout predators. Ecology 84:2133-2144. (pdf)

Dahl, J and B. L. Peckarsky. 2003.  Developmental responses to predation risk in morphologically defended mayflies.  Oecologia 137:188-194.

Hughes, J. M., P. B. Mather, M. Hillyer, C. Cleary and B. L. Peckarsky. 2003. Genetic structure in a montane mayfly Baetis bicaudatus (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae), from the Rocky Mountains, Colorado.  Freshwater Biology 12:2149-2162.(pdf)

Dahl, J. and B. L. Peckarsky.  2003.  Does living in fish streams involve a cost of induced morphological defenses?  Canadian Journal of Zoology (in press).

McIntosh, A. R, B. L. Peckarsky, and B. W. Taylor.  2004. Predator-induced resource heterogeneity in a stream food web.  Ecology (in press).

McIntosh, A. R. and B. L. Peckarsky. 2004. Are mayfly anti-predator responses to fish odor proportional to risk?  Archiv fur Hydrobiologie (in press).

Laboratories (1 per week) teach students methods of measuring a variety of components of stream ecosystems, and involve students in a field project including descriptive and experimental techniques and hypothesis testing related to environmental assessment. Requrements include a final paper written in the publication format, and presentation of results of the project in a symposium.

Aquatic Ecology Seminar (ENTOM 672)
1 credit, offered alternate years (even spring semesters)

Discussion and analysis of current topics in the ecology of streams, lakes and marine ecosystems, including student-generated synthesis of key papers in the literature. Appropriate for graduate students and advanced undergraduates only.

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