TEACHER-SCHOLAR MODEL

     I propose that mentoring short-term student-led projects can serve as a research model for the long-term study of ecological phenomena.  For the last decade, open-access peer-reviewed journals have revolutionized traditional academic & scholarly publishing.  Principally undergraduate institutions are then in a unique position to engage the undergraduate research experience to address long-term research objectives.  As such, my undergraduate upper-division courses regularly blur the line between teaching & research.

PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY (BIOL 318)
     This is a field course that explores interactions between organisms and both their abiotic & biotic environments across population, community, and ecosystem levels.  Undergraduate student conduct independent field-projects in diverse habitats across Southern California (such as Ballona wetlands & Santa Monica mountains) and submit findings for publication.  

     Here are some of our papers:

2016

• Courtois, M., K. Cerda, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2016). Intraspecific and Interspecific Aggressive Behaviors in the American Coot (Fulica americana) at Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles, California. BIOS 88(1): 21-24.
• Rodriguez, D., G. Casagrande, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2016). Effects of Black Mustard allelopathy on the fitness and life history of Buffalo Gourd in Southern California. BIOS 87(3)98-103.

2014

• Cronrod, M., K. Gold, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2014). Differential resource allocation of black mustard plants (Brassica nigra L.) with proximity to black walnut trees (Juglans californica L.) in a Southern California riparian ecosystem.  Journal of Ecology and The Natural Environment 6(2): 87-89.
• Vilgalys, T., R. Sears, E. Hand, S. Morledge-Hampton, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2014). Exploration of climate influences on the abundance of galls on red willow (Salix laevigata) across two riparian communities in Southern California. Journal of Ecology and The Natural Environment 6(5): 164-169.
• Waters,T., D. Chirikian, and V.Carmona-Galindo (2014). Insect visitation ofpeduncular and petiolar extrafloral nectar glands on Castor Bean Plants inSouthern California. Journal ofEvolutionary Biology Research 6(2): 5-8.

2013 

• Moore, M., M. Tansuwan, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). Differential bait preference and rate of attraction by Argentine ants (Linepithema humile Mayr) at freshwater and saltwater marsh sites in southern California. BIOS 84(4): 232-236.

• Hinton-Hardin, D., J. Kagihara, M.R.Pascua, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). A preliminary study of Ricinus communis survivorship at Ballona Wetlands and Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles, California. BIOS 84(4): 237-240.
• Heslin, A., L. Liceaga, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). Relationship between elaiosome and EFN gland size in castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), an exotic mymercophyte in Southern California. BIOS 84(3): 180-183.
• Aquino, J., M. Catala, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). Anthropogenic Impacts of irrigation on the arthropod community structure of a coastal sage scrub habitat in Los Angeles. BIOS 84(2): 101-105
• Foster, K., C. Hoey, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). An examination of Opuntia littoralis fruit volume, sugar concentration, number of seeds and average seed mass in relation to fitness. BIOS 84(2): 89-91
• Line, S., K. Hong, and V. Carmona-Galindo (2013). The relationship between castor bean plant age and extrafloral nectary gland size. BIOS 84(2):98-100

2011

• Bogeberg, M., S. Vivanco, & V. Carmona-Galindo (2011). Relationship between Soil Sodium Concentration and Plant Height in Salicornia virginica in the Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles, California. BIOS 82(4): 112-116
• Simmons, P., E. Vo, E. Wight, & V. Carmona-Galindo (2011). A Preliminary Study of Heteromeles arbutifolia Fruit Morphology at Ballona Wetlands and Temescal Canyon, Los Angeles, California. BIOS 82(4): 117-119
• Goss, K., T.M. Moger, A. Nielson, & V. Carmona-Galindo (2011). Preliminary Report: Investigation of Castor Bean Investment in Extra-Floral Nectary Glands and Reproduction. BIOS 82(2): 43-45

  TROPICAL ECOLOGY (BIOL 314)

     This travel-embedded course meets regularly during the spring semester and travels to the Neotropics during spring-break to conduct field research.  In Costa Rica we visit tropical lowland rainforest at La Selva Biological Station - located 7km out of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (Heredia).  In Mexico we visit a high-elevation (2,500 m.a.s.l.) tropical thorn woodland at Peña del Gato UMA - in La Congoja, Aguascalientes. Undergraduate students conduct field-projects in selected topic areas and submit findings for publication.  

     Here are some of the research questions we explore: 

Ant-plant interactions: What role does dioecy play in how plants optimize ant-defense? 

• Rose, C., V. Carmona-Galindo, J. Doyle, and M. Cano (2013). Characterization of herbivory in Cecropia obtusifolia Bertol., a dioecious myrmecophyte in a lowlandrainforest from Costa Rica. Mesoamericana 17(1): 57-60.

Chemical Ecology: How are bract-water environments modified by changes in aquatic insect diversity? 

• Goodmansen, A., V. Carmona-Galindo, L. March, and C. Charles (2013). An evaluation of light environment in the chemical ecology of Heliconia wagneriana bract water. Mesoamericana 17(2): 9-13.

Bat morphometrics: What is the relationship between wing morphometrics and echolocation spectrograms among different guilds of bats? 

• King, J., V. Carmona-Galindo, C. Schomer,and K. Sheridan (2013). Exploratory correlations among echolocation,noseleaf, and wing morphometrics in Phillostomid bats. Mesoamericana 17(2): 31-37.

Agroecology: What are the ecological dynamics in a 15yr old native tree plantation & how do they compare to the surrounding secondary forest? 

• Hirai, T.L., Carmona-Galindo, V.D., Samuelson, S., Hale, C., and Braker, E (2014). Sub-Canopy Temperature Dynamics of a Native-Tree Plantation from a Lowland Tropical Rainforest in Costa Rica. Open Journal of Forestry 4(3): 191-196.

CHEMICAL ECOLOGY (BIOL/CHEM 398)
     Organisms ubiquitously engage in a dynamic interplay of chemical signals to attract, discourage, maintain and shape intra- and interspecific interactions.   This course links the analytical detection & quantification of organic macromolecules with the evaluation of biological interactions.  Below is a picture of my students developing an instrument methodology to detect sugar species and relative concentration from myrmecophytic extrafloral nectar (EFN) glands using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Refractive Index Detection (HPLC-RID):

 

Here is the first of our papers:

• Carmona-Galindo, V., K. Morales, R. Maser, J. Doyle, and M. Gobrial (2014). Characterization of sugar diversity in floral and extra-floral nectar from the coastal coral tree (Erythrina caffra Thunb.) in southern California. Open Journal of Ecology 4(2): 23-27.

INDEPENDENT STUDIES (BIOL X99)
     This course format is incredibly flexible; we read lots of primary literature & spend ample time in the field, greenhouse, and/or lab.  The challenge remains that this course is not counted towards my regular teaching-load (Yikes!).
     Here are some of our papers:

• Dorsey, J. H., V. Carmona-Galindo, C. Leary, J. Huh,J. Valdez (2013). An assessment of fecal indicator and other bacteria from an urbanized coastal lagoon in the city of Los Angeles, California, USA. Environmental Monitoring & Assessment185(3): 2647–2669
• Carmona-Galindo, V., J.D. Hinton-Hardin, J.Kagihara, M.R. Pascua (2013). Assessing the impact of invasive species management strategies on the population dynamics of castorbean (Ricinus communis L.,Euphorbiaceae) at two Southern California coastal habitats. Natural Areas Journal 33(2): 222-226