Recent Research of Lee Undergraduates and John Hisey

 

 

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

 

The southern Appalachian region around Lee is an ideal location within the U. S. for work in the areas of biodiversity, population ecology, and human influences on biological systems.   This region had one of the highest species diversities globally before European settlement, but currently is experiencing tremendous rates of environmental destruction and species extinction due to human impacts. I expect to use research results to contribute to management strategies for protecting the native biota of this region and other locales globally while meeting human needs.  My projects, which include Lee students in research, application, and publication, emphasize the illumination and restoration of the creation by which God intended to reveal His own nature (Romans 1:20), monitoring and regulating land use impacts, and technology and resource production appropriate for these regions.

This approach includes development of mathematical modeling and application of DNA fingerprinting and demographic fieldwork techniques to determine patterns of movements, genetics, and adaptation of native species including raccoons, opossums, and microtine rodents.  These species thrive in human-altered environments and have become overabundant pests which have great impacts on ecosystems. Currently, this Lee research group is concentrating analysis on the raccoon, a long-lived species with a low birth rate.  After completion of this work, they hope to perform similar analyses on the large collection of data and samples concurrently collected on populations of the opossum, a short-lived species with a high birth rate, and possibly of the striped skunk. Together, these three species comprise the bulk of the overabundant native North American mammalian mesopredators driving prey species to dangerously low levels.  Additionally Lee students and Mr. Hisey are characterizing a 2nd population of the prairie vole that they recently found in eastern Tennessee, bolstering their discovery of the 1st in 1999. This confirms a significant range expansion eastward for the species, which is used extensively in research and is an important agricultural pest--information they hope to publish. Extensive analysis of the data should afford unprecedented insights into comparative ecology, adaptation, and management strategies for a prominent class of animals of major conservation concern.

The research on raccoons is among the most extensive of its kind in the world, involving students and faculty members from 4 universities, some 35,000 km of trapline monitoring comprising more than 130,000 trap-nights (one trap-night is one trap set for one night) and samples taken from the whole span of the U.S. as well as Canada including data for as many as 16 consecutive years in some locales. DNA protocols have been developed at Lee with the potential for distinguishing genetic patterns in raccoons at higher resolution than previous studies.

Other potential research for which pilot studies have been conducted includes aquaculture, appropriate agriculture, and reforestation in Haiti, and restoration of native prairies in Eastern Tennessee.

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

In the past nine years, my Lee students and I have been lead authors or co-authors of 20 abstracts that have been published or accepted for publication.

 

Lee faculty and student names bolded

 

Atairu, Popoh A., John R. Hisey, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver, in press. Lineage effects on inbreeding coefficients of a solitary carnivore.  Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science.

Nasir, Amjad M., Florence A. Okenkpu, John R. Hisey, Popoh A. Atairu, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver, in press. A novel use of lineages in the analysis of effective population sizes of a solitary carnivore.  Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science.

Atairu, Popoh, John Hisey, Michael Kennedy, and Brian Carver.  Breeding patterns and genetic group structure of a solitary carnivore. Southeastern Biology 55(3):368.

Nasir, Amjad., Florence Okenkpu, John Hisey, Popoh Atairu, Michael Kennedy, and Brian Carver, 2008. Raccoon movements, mating tactics, and effective population size. Southeastern Biology 55(3):368.

Atairu, Popoh, Amjad Nasir, John Hisey, Jacqueline Famuyide, Uchechi Nwosu-Abanum, and Michael Kennedy, 2007. Group-Structured Genetics in a Solitary Carnivore. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 82(3-4):90.

Nwosu-Abanum, Uchechi, Amjad Nasir, Popoh Atairu, and John Hisey, 2007. Group structured genetics in a solitary carnivore. Southeastern Biology 54(3):340.

Sharma, Karan and John R. Hisey, 2006. Correlation of opossum litter size to maternal body condition and environmental variation. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 81(3-4):84. My name was incorrectly omitted from the published account but a correction was sent to the editor.

Sharma, Karan, and John R. Hisey, 2006. Variation in opossum litter size in Southwestern Tennessee. Southeastern Biology 53(3):447.

Sharma, Karan, and John R. Hisey, 2006. Variation in opossum litter size in western Tennessee. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 81(1-2):34.

Vecchio, E. H., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, T. A. Ladine, and M. L. Kennedy, 2006.  Spatial and temporal variation in sex bias response of raccoons, Procyon lotor, to live traps.  Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 81(1-2):34.

Sharma, Karan, and John R Hisey, 2005. Relationship between female body size, temporal and spatial environmental factors, and reproductive success as indicated by increased litter size. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 80(3-4):71.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, and S. A. Maris-Danley, 2005.  Age and sex-specific demography of raccoons, Procyon lotor, on a southwestern Tennessee site. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 80(2):50.

Hessen, E., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, and M. L. Kennedy, 2005.  Temporal variation in sex bias response of raccoons, Procyon lotor, to live traps.  J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 80(2):51

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk, 2004.  Movement patterns in the raccoon, Procyon lotor, in southwestern Tennessee. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 79(2):55-6.

Hessen, E., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, and M. L. Kennedy, 2004.  An assessment of sex bias response of raccoons, Procyon lotor, to live traps in western Tennessee.  J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 79(2):57

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2003.  Long-term dynamics in a population of raccoons, Procyon lotor, in southwestern Tennessee. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 78(1):37.

Hisey, J. R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2002. An assessment of selected demographic features of a population of raccoons (Procyon lotor). J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 77(1):37.

Kemp, E. K., J. R. Hisey, D. King, E. Wilson, S. Mendiratta, and E. Brezina, 2000.  Relative fitnesses of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in disturbed habitats in southeastern Tennessee. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 75(3-4):87.

Wilson,  E., D. King, J. Hisey, E. Kemp, S. Mendiratta, and E. Brezina, 2000.  A population of the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster (Rodentia: Muridae) in the Ridge and Valley Province of Eastern Tennessee.  J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 75(3-4):86.

Xu, Baogang, J. R. Hisey, M. W. Riley, and K. D. Shepard, 1999.  Relative fitness of dispersing and resident pine voles, Microtus pinetorum, in disturbed habitats. J. Tenn. Acad. Sci. 74(3-4):99.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

In the past nine years, 15 of my Lee students and I have completed and published research. We have been lead authors or co-authors of 48 professional presentations. Five of these have been at national or international meetings and 20 at regional-level meetings. Seven of the students have been co-authors on presentations voted best-of-meeting for multiple authors.

 

Lee student and faculty names are bolded.

 

Nasir, Amjad M., Florence A. Okenkpu, John R. Hisey, Popoh A. Atairu, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver. Genetic substructuring and effective population size in raccoons. Southwestern Association of Naturalists (SWAN) 2008 Annual Meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, 10-12 April, 2008. 

Atairu, Popoh A., John R. Hisey, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver. Genetic structuring of lineages in a solitary carnivore. SWAN 2008 Annual Meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, 10-12 April, 2008. 

Atairu, Popoh A., John R. Hisey, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver.  Breeding patterns and genetic group structure of a solitary carnivore. Joint Sixty Eighth Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB) and Fiftieth Annual Meeting of Tri-Beta National Biological Honor Society Southeastern Region, Furman University, Greenville, SC. April 16-19, 2008.

Nasir, Amjad M., Florence A. Okenkpu, John R. Hisey, Popoh A. Atairu, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver. Raccoon movements, mating tactics, and effective population size. Joint Sixty Eighth Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists (ASB) and Fiftieth Annual Meeting of Tri-Beta National Biological Honor Society Southeastern Region, Furman University, Greenville, SC., April 16-19, 2008.

Atairu, Popoh A., John R. Hisey, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver. Lineage effects on inbreeding coefficients of a solitary carnivore.  Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS) Eastern Collegiate Division annual meeting. April 12, 2008 Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN.

Nasir, Amjad M., Florence A. Okenkpu, John R. Hisey, Popoh A. Atairu, Michael L. Kennedy, and Brian D. Carver. A novel use of lineages in the analysis of effective population sizes of a solitary carnivore.  TAS Eastern Collegiate Division annual meeting. April 12, 2008 Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN.

Popoh Atairu, Amjad Nasir, John Hisey, Jacqueline Famuyide, Uchechi Nwosu-Abanum, and Michael Kennedy, Group-Structured Genetics in a Solitary Carnivore. Tennessee Academy of Science Eastern Collegiate Division Annual Meeting, Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN, April 9, 2007.

Uchechi Nwosu-Abanum, Amjad Nasir, Popoh Atairu, and John Hisey. Group structured genetics in a solitary carnivore. Joint Fiftieth Annual Meeting of Tri-Beta National Biological Honor Society Southeastern Region and Sixty Eighth Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists, hosted by University of South Carolina at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, April 20, 2007, Columbia, SC.

Sharma, Karan and John R. Hisey. Correlation of opossum litter size to maternal body condition and environmental variation. Tennessee Academy of Science Eastern Collegiate Division meeting, April 10, 2006 at Pellissippi State Technical Community College, Pellissippi, Tennessee.

Sharma, Karan and John R. Hisey. Variation in Opossum Litter Size in Southwestern Tennessee. Joint Tri-Beta National Biological Honor Society Southeastern Regional Convention and Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting, March 29-31, 2006, hosted by The University of Tennessee, at Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Sharma, Karan and John R. Hisey. Variation in Opossum Litter Size in Western Tennessee. Third Annual Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, March 3-5, 2006, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Sharma, Karan, and John R Hisey. Variability of opossum litter size in western Tennessee. 16th Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States and 11th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, February 16-17, 2006. Hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and held at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Holiday Inn, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Sharma, Karan, and John R Hisey. Variability of opossum litter size in western Tennessee. 115th Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, November 18, 2005, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee.

Vecchio, E. H., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, T. A. Ladine, and M. L. Kennedy.  Spatial and temporal variation in sex bias response of raccoons, Procyon lotor, to live traps.  115th Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, November 18, 2005, University of Tennessee at Martin, Martin, Tennessee.

Hisey, John R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley.  Long-term relationships in movements of raccoons (Procyon lotor) of specific sex and age classes.  85th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, Springfield, Missouri 15-19 June, 2005

Sharma, Karan.  Relationship between female body weight and reproductive success as indicated by litter size.  Blue Ridge Undergraduate Research Conference, 15 April, 2005, King College, Bristol, Tennessee.

Sharma, Karan, and John R. Hisey. Relationship between female body size, temporal and spatial environmental factors, and reproductive success as indicated by increased litter size. Tennessee Academy of Science Eastern Collegiate Division Meetings, 13 April, 2005, Southern Adventist College, Collegedale, Tennessee

Hisey, John R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley.  Now you see me, now you don't: Long-term variability in appearance and disappearance rates of raccoons on a southwestern Tennessee site.  2nd Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, March 11-12, 2005, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.

Hisey, John R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley.  Long-term Population Dynamics Specific to Sex And Age in Raccoons, Procyon lotor, in Southwestern Tennessee.  15th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States, 17-18 February 2005, Paris Landing State Park Inn, Paris Landing, Tennessee

Hessen, Erica, Brian D. Carver, John R. Hisey, and Michael L. Kennedy.  Temporal Variation in Sex-bias Response of Raccoons (Procyon lotor) to Live Traps.  15th Annual Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States, 17-18 February 2005, Paris Landing State Park Inn, Paris Landing, Tennessee.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley.  Age and sex-specific demography of raccoons, Procyon lotor, on a southwestern Tennessee site. Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, November 19, 2004, Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN.

Hessen, E., M. L. Kennedy, B. D. Carver, and J. R. Hisey. Temporal variation in sex bias response of raccoons, Procyon lotor, to live traps.  Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, November 19, 2004, Columbia State Community College, Columbia, TN.

Hisey, J. R.  Spatial scaling of genetic structure in populations of a solitary mammalian carnivore.  Biology Department Seminar, March 9, 2004, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk.  Movement patterns relative to age and sex in raccoons (Procyon lotor) in southwestern Tennessee.  Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, March 5-7, 2004, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

Hessen, E., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, and M. L. Kennedy.  An assessment of sex-biased response of raccoons (Procyon lotor) to live traps in western Tennessee.  Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern U. S., Unicoi State Park, Helen, Georgia, 2004.

Hessen, E., B. D. Carver, J. R. Hisey, and M. L. Kennedy.  An assessment of sex-biased response of raccoons (Procyon lotor) to live traps in western Tennessee.  Joint Annual Meetings of the Tennessee Academy of Science and the Tennessee Science Teachers Association. November 13-15, 2003, Franklin, TN.  Awarded 1st Place Poster Presentation

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk.  Movement patterns in the raccoon, Procyon lotor, in southwestern Tennessee.  2003 Joint Meeting and Professional Development Conference of the Tennessee Science Teacher’s Association and 113th Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, November 13-15, 2003, Franklin, TN.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk.  Raccoon strategies in spacing and movements in southwestern Tennessee. Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society, Burlington, Vermont, September 6-10, 2003.

Kemp, E., D. King, E. Wilson, S. Mendiratta, and E. Brezina, 2003. Relative fitnesses of dispersing prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in early successional stages in southeastern Tennessee.  Blue Ridge Undergraduate Research Conference, Milligan College, Johnson City, Tennessee.

King, D, E. Kemp, S. Mendiratta, E. Brezina, and E. Wilson, 2003.  First prairie voles recorded in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province of eastern Tennessee: Demography.  Blue Ridge Undergraduate Research Conference, Milligan College, Johnson City, Tennessee. Dianne King presented; I served as principal investigator for the research.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk, 2003. Spacing strategies and movements in southwestern Tennessee raccoons.  Annual meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Kemp, E., J. Hisey, S. Mendiratta, D. King, E. Brezina, and E. Wilson, 2003. Survival and reproduction of emigrating prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in suboptimal habitat in southeastern Tennessee. Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society Tennessee Chapter, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee.

King, D., J. Hisey, E. Kemp, S. Mendiratta, E. Brezina, and E. Wilson, 2003. Eastern range extension of the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) by a population in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province of the Appalachian region.  Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society Tennessee Chapter, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee. Dianne King presented; I assisted students in the research.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk, 2003.  Movements and spacing strategies in raccoons, Procyon lotor, in southwestern Tennessee. Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society Tennessee Chapter, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, and L. D. Loudermilk, 2003. Disappearance and appearance trends for raccoons at a southwestern Tennessee site. Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi.

Hisey, J. and M Lassiter, 2002.  Potential for amplified DNA fingerprinting facilities and research at Appalachian College Association institutions.  Appalachian College Association Technology Summit, Eastern Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee.

Hisey, J. R., M. L. Kennedy, T. A. Ladine, S. A. Maris-Danley, 2002. Long-term dynamics in a population of raccoons, Procyon lotor, in southwestern Tennessee. Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, Eastern Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee.  Received Third Place Oral Presentation in Zoology Award.

Hisey, J. R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2002. Temporal changes in turn-over of a population of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in southwestern Tennessee.  American Society of Mammalogists Annual Meeting, McNeese State University, Lake James, Louisiana.

Hisey, J. R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2002. Temporal changes in turn-over of a population of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in southwestern Tennessee.  The Wildlife Society Tennessee Chapter Annual Meeting.

Hisey, J. R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2002.  Temporal changes in turn-over of a population of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in southwestern Tennessee. Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States.

Hisey, J. R., 2002.  Roamers or residents?  A molecular assessment of spacing and mating tactics in solitary mammalian carnivores.  Appalachian College Association Fellowship Colloquium.

Hisey, J. R., Michael L. Kennedy, Troy A. Ladine, and Shannon A. Maris-Danley, 2001. An assessment of selected demographic features of a population of raccoons (Procyon lotor). Kentucky Academy of Science and Tennessee Academy of Science joint meeting.

Hisey, J. R., and W. Wang, 2000.  Do connected islands have higher proportions of mammal-dispersed plants than unconnected islands? Presentation before University of Memphis faculty and students.

Hisey, J. R., 2000.  Theoretical and practical implications of dispersal in eastern Tennessee voles.  Lee University Faculty Forum.

Kemp, E. K., J. R. Hisey, D. King, E. Wilson, S. Mendiratta, and E. Brezina, 2000.  Relative fitnesses of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) in disturbed habitats in southeastern Tennessee. Tennessee Academy of Science Eastern Collegiate Division Meetings.

Wilson, E., D. King, J. Hisey, E. Kemp, S. Mendiratta, and E. Brezina, 2000. A population of the prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster (Rodentia: Muridae) in the Ridge and Valley Province of Eastern Tennessee.  Tennessee Academy of Science Eastern Collegiate Division Meetings. Voted best multiple-author paper of the meeting. 

Xu, B., J. R. Hisey, M. W. Riley, and K. D. Shepard, 1999.  Relative fitness of dispersing and resident pine voles, Microtus pinetorum, in disturbed habitats.  Tennessee Academy of Sciences Eastern Collegiate Division Meeting.  Voted best multiple-author paper of the meeting.  I was principal investigator; Xu Baogang presented.

Xu, Baogang, and Kendra D. Shepard, 1999.  Pine vole demography in Eastern Tennessee early successional stages. Blue Ridge Undergraduate Research Conference.

Hisey, J.R., 1997.  “Environmental Stewards”.  Presentation before Lee University Faculty Meeting, Cleveland, Tennessee.

 

 

Revised 7/1/08