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Department of Biology : Faculty Profile

Ann Fraser

Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Assistant Professor of Biology
PhD Harvard University; BSc (Hons) Acadia University, Canada

Tel: 269-337-7063; FAX: 269-337-7251
Office: Dow 314; Email: afraser@kzoo.edu

    
2003-present   Assistant Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
2001-2003   Visiting Assistant Professor, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN
1998-2001   Postdoctoral Research Associate, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

 

Research Interests
My research focuses on the evolutionary ecology of interactions between species, particularly insects and plants. I use chemical, behavioral, physiological and ecological approaches to elucidate factors that influence the establishment and maintenance of these interactions. I am especially interested in understanding how species-specific interactions evolve and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of specialization. It is thought that specialization may enhance rates of speciation, and thus be an important factor contributing to the origin and maintenance of biological diversity.

 

Courses
BIOL 102 The Darwinian Revolution
BIOL 220 Organism Diversity with Lab
BIOL/PSYC 290 Animal Behavior with Lab
BIOL 396 Entomology with Lab

 

Grants and Awards
 National Science Foundation RUI Collaborative Grant #0522178; $175849; 7/05-6/08
"Chemosensory Basis of Host Selection by Ant-associated Butterflies"

 

Selected Publications | [Abstracts and reprints]
(* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Martelli, M.G*., M.M. Ward* and A.M. Fraser. 2004. Ant diversity sampling on the southern Cumberland Plateau: a comparison of litter sifting and pitfall trapping. Southeastern Naturalist 3:113-126.

Fraser, A.M., W.L. Mechaber and J.G. Hildebrand. 2003. Electroantennographic and behavioral responses of the sphinx moth Manduca sexta to host plant headspace volatiles. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 29:1813-1833.

Fraser, A.M., T. Tregenza, N. Wedell, M.A. Elgar and N.E. Pierce. 2002. Oviposition tests of ant preference in a myrmecophilous butterfly. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 15:861-870.

Fraser, A.M., A.H. Axen and N.E. Pierce. 2001. Assessing the quality of different ant species as partners of a myrmecophilous butterfly. Oecologia 129:452-460.

Eastwood, R. and A.M. Fraser. 1999. Associations between lycaenid butterflies and ants in Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 24: 503-537.

Fraser, A.M. and T.B. Herman. 1993. Territorial and reproductive behaviour in a sympatric species complex of the neotropical damselfly Cora Selys (Zygoptera: Polythoridae). Odonatologica 22:411-429.