Dr. Tom D. Schultz Affiliation Faculty Title Tight Family Professor in the Natural Sciences, Behavioral Ecologist Office 227 Talbot Hall Email schultz@denison.edu Phone 740-587-6218 Fax 740-587-5634 Ph.D. in Zoology from University of Texas at Austin, 1983 A.B. in Biological Sciences from University of Chicago, 1977 HS diploma from University of Chicago, 1974

Memberships

• Animal Behavior Society
• Coleopterist's Society
• Dragonfly Society of America
• Ecological Society of America
• International Society of Behavioral Ecology
• Ohio Odonata Society
• Society for the Study of Evolution

Academic Positions

Teaching

I find it very satisfying and fun to explore the natural world, but my real passion is for the learning process. The challenge of being exposed to a new idea, questioning it, evaluating it, and even testing it, is very fulfilling for me. I especially enjoy making connections between seemingly disparate ideas or concepts in different disciplines (an important ability in a time when boundaries between scientific disciplines are becoming blurred). The courses I teach all involve integrating different approaches and levels of organization. Sometimes I think I have the perfect job in that I am paid to learn new things and share them with students, and to help them to develop a "Swiss Army Knife" of critical thinking skills. With these skills, they can become good leaders and thoughtful citizens in any field, and better able to face the uncertainty of the future.

Courses Taught:

Research

Interests

• Sensory Drive and the Evolution of Insect Visual Signals
• Sexual Selection on Damselfly Coloration
• The Evolution of Anti-Predator Tactics in Insects
  
• Structural Colors and Interference Reflectors in Insects
  
• Conservation and Biomonitoring of Insects
  

I am interested in the evolution of animal coloration in response to visual predators, sexual selection, thermal constraints, and the light environment. Much of my previous work has focused on the influence of habitat preference, foraging behavior, and thermoregulation on the evolution of cryptic defenses in tiger beetles and other insects. Currently, my research is focused on color polymorphisms in damselflies and their effectiveness as intraspecific signals. I am also interested in the evolution of structural colors and iridescence in insects. Finally, I am frequently engaged in biodiversity assessment and monitoring projects using insects as indicator taxa.

Click on images to enlarge.

How do structural colors provide camoflage in tiger beetles?

Does color influence mate choice in damselflies?

Are conspicuous colors of male damselflies signals of sexual and species identity?

How do structural colors provide flashing UV signals in tropical helicopter damselflies?

Publications

Senior Research

One of the best aspects of being at a small college is the opportunity for close faculty-student collaboration on independent research. I have had the pleasure of advising a number of undergraduate students who have conducted a variety of outstanding research projects, many of which have been presented at national scientific meetings. As a research advisor, I involve students in my studies of insect behavioral ecology or enlist students interested in conservation biology in conducting inventories and monitoring studies at the Bio Reserve and other sites in Licking County.  In almost all cases, these projects require a summer of field work prior to the senior year. In the past, my summer research students have been supported with Anderson Research Fellowships or stipends provided through the Denison University Research Foundation.

Research Projects Supervised

Brindle, A. 2008. Differing social environments between primate populations may generate false positive evidence of cultural variation. *

Gorsich, E. 2008. Ommochrome signaling in male Enallagma damselflies: can long wavelength coloration be correlated with territorial behavior? *

Bring, B. 2007. A study of odonate community development, habitat preferences, and colonization among ponds and artificial wetlands at Dawes Arboretum.

Horn, J. 2007. Suburban habitat fragmentation: effects on migratory and residential songbirds in Central Ohio. *

Symes, L. 2007. Polychromatism and sex identity signals in the damselfly genus Enallagma. *

Symes, L. 2006. Polychromatism in the damselfly Enallagma civile and an assessment of the Male-Mimicry Hypothesis. (Poster presented at 2006 Meeting of the Ecological Society of America).

Hughes, D. 2005. The interspecific roosting behaviors of the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) and Black Vulture (Corapgys atratus).

Dunlevy, J. 2003. Investigations of summer bird residents at five sites within Licking County.

Anderson, C. 2002. Enallagma damselfly colors as visual signals in relation to ambient light and visual backgrounds. * (Poster presented at 2002 Meeting of the Ecological Society of America).

Bucci, L. 2002. Effects of vegetation and landscape on butterfly diversity and abundance. *

Clark, E. 2002. Corellations of odonate diversity with lotic habitat characteristics.

Menninger, H. 2000. Examining the ecology of an indicator taxon: damselfly species diversity and the role of habitat heterogeneity. * (Paper presented at 2000 Meeting of Ohio Odonata Society).

Hauck, A. 1999. Correlation between male damselfly colorations and the light environments of courtship arenas. *

Menninger, H. 1999. Initiation of a long-term monitoring program for Odonata at the Denison University Biological Reserve. (Poster presented at 1999 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

Kirkton, S. 1997. Babes in the woods: age-specific dispersal in the territorial damselfly, Calopteryx maculata. * (Paper presented at 1997 Meeting of the Ecological Society of America).

Scheub, C. 1997. Diversity and abundance of the Papilionoidea at the Denison University Biological Reserve.* (Poster presented at 1996 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

Kirkton, S. 1996. Why do male ebony jeweling damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) aggregate far from territorial breeding sites? (Poster presented at 1996 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

Casey, J. 1996. The significance of interference colors and visual communication in Phidippus audax, the daring jumping spider. *

Godfrey, P. 1996. Optimal site choice and foraging posture of the ambush predator Phymata fasciatus. *

Forbes, B. 1995. Substrate matching and cryptic defenses in the toad bug Gelastocoris oculatus. *

Stocker, E. 1995. Spectral sensitivity of the visual system in the praying mantis, Sphrodomantis lineola. (Paper presented at the 1994 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

Angalich, L. 1994. Correlation between conspicuousness and escape flight behavior among species of tiger beetles. * (Poster presented at the 1993 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

Gallo, T. 1994. A review of the history and efficacy of the Endangered Species Act and prospect for its renewal. *

Price, C. 1994. A comparative study of insect colonization and decomposition of pig carrion in central Ohio. * (Paper presented at the 1994 Meeting of the Ohio Academy of Science).

Puchalski, J. 1994. Comparative chemical analysis of the defensive secretions of tiger beetles (Cicindelidae) and leave beetles (Chrysomelidae). *

Van Antwerp, A. 1994. Light gap utilization and behavioral thermoregulation by the green forest tiger beetle, Cicindela sexguttata. * (Poster presented at the 1993 Meeting of the Entomological Society of America).

* denotes Honors Project

Memberships

• Animal Behavior Society
• Coleopterist's Society
• Dragonfly Society of America
• Ecological Society of America
• International Society of Behavioral Ecology
• Ohio Odonata Society
• Society for the Study of Evolution