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John E. Fauth Ph.D., Duke University Office: BIO 401D Phone: 407-823-1661 Email: jfauth@mail.ucf.edu Link: Amphibious Ecology Lab

Research Interests

Dr. Fauth’s research emphasizes quantitative, experimental approaches to understand the intensity and relative importance of disturbance (pond drying, fire) and biotic interactions (competition, predation) in structuring freshwater wetlands. Recent experiments involved altering hydroperiod by draining manufactured ponds, and manipulating predator distributions in natural, ephemeral ponds. Together with biotechnologists and government scientists, he also tests cellular-diagnostic systems designed to assess ecosystem health. He has applied this system to examine coral bleaching in the Florida Keys, recovery of bivalves from the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill, and responses of sentinel species to various natural and anthropogenic stresses. His research is motivated by a desire to prevent - and eventually reverse - declines in freshwater and marine organisms.

Selected Publications

Fauth, J. E., C. A. Downs, J. C. Halas, P. Dustan, and C. M. Woodley. In press. Mid-range prediction of coral bleaching: a molecular diagnostic system approach. Pages 5-11 in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report on ecological forecasting, D. Scavia and N. Valette-Silver, eds. 

Schurbon, J. M., and J. E. Fauth. 2003. Effects of prescribed burning on amphibian diversity in a southeastern U. S. national forest. Conservation Biology 17: in press.

Downs, C. A., J. E. Fauth, J. Halas, P. Dustan, J. Bemiss, and C. M. Woodley. 2002. Oxidative stress and seasonal coral bleaching. Free Radical Biology & Medicine 33: 533 -543.

Eason, G. E., and J. E. Fauth. 2001. Ecological correlates of anuran species richness in temporary pools: a field study in South Carolina, USA. Israel Journal of Zoology 47:347-366.

Downs, C. A., E. Mueller, S. Phillips, J. E. Fauth, and C. M. Woodley. 2000. A molecular biomarker system for assessing the health of coral (Montastrea faveolata) during heat stress. Marine Biotechnology 2:533-544.

Fauth, J. E. 1999. Identifying potential keystone species from field data: an example from temporary ponds. Ecology Letters 2:36-43.

Fauth, J. E. 1998. Investigating geographic variation in interspecific interactions using common garden experiments. Pages 394-415 in: W. J. Resetarits, Jr., and J.

Bernardo, editors. Experimental Ecology: Issues and Perspectives. Oxford University Press, New York. 

Resetarits, W. J., Jr., and J. E. Fauth. 1998. From cattle tanks to Carolina bays: the utility of model systems for understanding natural communities. Pages 133-151 in: W. J. Resetarits, Jr., and J. Bernardo, editors. Experimental Ecology: Issues and Perspectives. Oxford University Press, New York.