Shannon S. NixEnvironmental Microbiologist/ Microbial EcologistAssistant Professor TrainingPh.D., Ecology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources (DEENR) B.S., Environmental Forest Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) Contact(W) (814) 393-1905 Email snix@clarion.edu Office: 263 STC |
 |
Professional Associations
American Phytopathological Society
Ecological Society of America
Mycological Society of America
Pennsylvania Academy of Science
Courses Taught
NSCI 150 Intergrated Science
BIOL 165 Principles of Biology 1 Lab
BIOL 211 Enviromental Biology
BIOL 307 Mycology
BIOL 341 General Microbiology
BIOL 440 Enviromental Microbiology
Research Interests
My research interests lie in the unique and often neglected milieu of phylloplane (leaf surface) microbial ecology. I am interested in understanding the roles that interspecific interactions, anthropogenic disturbances, and climate play in producing discernable patterns of species diversity and community composition in phylloplane fungal communities. Testing existing theories in sessile, multi-species microbial communities allows me to assess and explore ecological theory in a manner that is often difficult or impossible to do with higher organisms. Additional interests include investigating the resilience of phylloplane fungi to climate change and disturbance; determining whether changes in environmental parameters increase vulnerability of plants to disease due to alteration of the phylloplane mycoflora; and uncovering how phylloplane microbes alter their environment as a result of natural and anthropogenic pressures.
Recent Publications
Nix, SS, Burpee, LL and Buck, JW (2009) The response of 2 epiphytic yeast populations to disturbance caused by mechanical wounding or infection by Rhizoctonia solani on the phylloplane of tall fescue. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 55:1160-1165.
Nix, SS, Burpee, LL, Jackson, KL and Buck, JW (2008) Short-term temporal dynamics of yeast abundance on the tall fescue phylloplane. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 54: 299-304
Nix-Stohr, S, Burpee, LL and Buck, JW (2008) The influence of exogenous nutrients on the abundance of yeasts on the phylloplane of turfgrass. Microbial Ecology 55: 15-20.
Nix-Stohr, S, Moshe, R and Dighton, J (2008) Effects of propagule density and survival strategies on establishment and growth: further investigations in the phylloplane fungal model system. Microbial Ecology 55: 38-44.
Stohr, SN and Dighton, J (2004) Effects of species diversity on establishment and coexistence: a phylloplane fungal community model system. Microbial Ecology 48: 431-438.
