Current, ongoing, and past research:

One of the featured research projects is the ongoing Sunflower evolution experiment conducted by the Whitney lab of Rice University. This project utilizes two animal exclosures, one in the North meadow and one in the South meadow. This project is now entering its third consecutive year at Stengl Biological Research Station

A Winter bentgrass study began by a Rice graduate student in the fall of 2008 occupies eight small exclosures in the South meadow.

A researcher from Duke University is using the station to study the wildflower Phlox drummundii and its pollinators. The experiment began in January 2009 and continues to take place in both meadows. This experiment has expanded to six vegetation plots in January 2010.

Permanent ongoing wildlife monitoring using game cameras gives us a glimpse into nature activities at the station.

Dr. Ulrich Mueller and his graduate students continue their work on the ant genus Atta.

The cricket frogs of the area have been studied by Dr. Michael Ryan and his graduate students, as they pose some interesting evolutionary problems. Their forms have diverged from east Texas conspecifics, but their calls are very similar, suggesting that selection for mating calls may be due to convergence associated with the similarity in the environmental conditions to which the two populations are exposed.

Dr. James Gillaspy has collected and curated moths from this area since the late 1980's.

Surveys of plants and animals in the research area were initiated by Dr. Naomi Cappuccino and the UT Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology. Dr. Phil Schappert and his wife Pat added to the work. Steven Gibson, the current Resident Manager continues to add to and update the surveys at the station. See the Flora and Fauna (need link) lists for more specific occurrence information.

Dr. John Abbott and his students coordinated the entomological survey portion of the Biological Inventory Project. This entailed monitoring up to 4 malaise traps and sorting, curating and mounting the resultant collection. For the last few years they have been actively researching the long-lipped beetle, Teleguisis texensis (Teleguisidae), which is relatively abundant at SLP. The Teleguisdae are a rare and little known family of beetles (7 sp. worldwide, 3 sp. in North America) for which females and immatures remain unknown and undescribed. link to bfl insect collection

Dr. Phil Schappert and his students have investigated cyanogenesis and ant defense in Turnera ulmifolia (non-native), cyanogenesis and pollination biology of T. diffusa (a distylous south Texas native) and the Texas Passifloraceae, especially cyanogenesis of Passiflora incarnata and herbivores of P. lutea, particularly the flea beetles Disonycha discoidea and D. leptolineata var.texana.

SLP is also a release site for Dr. Larry Gilbert's Phorid Fly Biocontrol Project for the control of imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) in Texas. Steven Gibson currently monitors the abundance of the populations of flies and the effects they are having on the imported fire ant. link to Phorid project

Research Projects Completed

Dr. James Major's research examined differences between genetic and cultural transmission across and through an avian hybrid zone, the Black-crested and Gray-crested forms of the Tufted Titmouse.
Dr. Peng Chai began studying the flight kinematics of hummingbirds and is studying the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds at SLP.