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Department of Biology : Faculty Profile

Ann M. Fraser

Associate Professor of Biology
PhD Harvard University; BSc (Hons) Acadia University, Canada

Tel: 269-337-7063; FAX: 269-337-7508
Office: Dow 314; Email: afraser@kzoo.edu

    
2008-present   Associate Professor of Biology, Kalamazoo College, MI
2007   Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Assistant Professor of Biology (3 year endowed professorship)
2003-2008   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 primary research focus is 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. The study system I have been using for my research involves the Australian lycaenid butterfly Jalmenus evagoras and its Iridomyrmex ant partners.

A second arm of my research program involves biodiversity studies of insects. This has included work on ants, general insect diversity, and more recently, native bees. In summer 2008 my lab began a survey of native bees in several natural areas in southwest Michigan and plan to continue this work into the future.

 

Courses
BIOL 102 The Darwinian Revolution
BIOL 123 Form and Function with Lab
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"

 

Professional Service
 Editorial board , Annals of the Entomological Society of America (Dec 2005-present)

 

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

Fass, M. and A. Fraser. 2009. Building Global Awareness through Biology, Public Health and Study Abroad: How Science Study Can Prepare Students for Study Abroad, and How Study Abroad Can Prepare Scientists for Citizenship. In: E. Brewer and K. Cunningham (eds), Integrating Study Abroad Into the Curriculum: Theory and Practice across the Disciplines. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

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.

 

Recent Conference Presentations - Oral (* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Blazek, L.C.* and A.M. Fraser. 2009. Instinct vs learning in the initiation of a species-specific caterpillar-ant mutualism. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 13-16, 2009.

Fraser, A.M., A.P. Mutsaers*, B. Bullard*, J.S. Beckett* and J.E. Hofferberth. 2008. Butterfly olfactory responses to ant volatiles: potential cues for host ant recognition in the obligately ant-associated butterfly Jalmenus evagoras (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, Aug. 17-22, 2008.

Hofferberth, J.E., J.S. Beckett*, J.D. Beckett* and A.M. Fraser. 2008. Synthesis and GC-EAD analysis of semiochemicals putatively used by the obligate ant-associated butterfly Jalmenus evagoras in host ant selection. 25th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Chemical Ecology, State College, PA, Aug. 17-22, 2008.

 

Recent Conference Presentations - Poster (* denotes undergraduate coauthor)

Arnosky, S.E.* and A.M. Fraser. 2009. Native bee diversity of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in southwest Michigan. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 13-16, 2009.

Beckett, J.S.*, J.E. Hofferberth and A.M. Fraser. 2008. Synthesis of terpene derived natural products. 235th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-8, 2008.

Fraser, A.M., J.T. Waller*, W.R. Morrison III*, A.C. Brayshaw*, D.A. Hyman* and M.R. Johnson*. Evaluation of multiple arthropod taxa as indicators of ground-dwelling invertebrate biological diversity within open meadows. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA, Dec. 9-12, 2007.

Beckett, J.S.*, J.E. Hofferberth and A.M. Fraser. 2007. Concise synthesis of natural products iridodial and actinidine. 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-26, 2007.