Ants of Tiputini

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • (2000-present) Ph.D. Candidate, Program in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215
    • Dissertation research: Ant diversity and distribution in Amazonian Ecuador
    • Academic Advisor: James FA Traniello, Boston University, Department of Biology, (617) 353-2832, jft@bu.edu
  • (1995) B.A., cum laude, Anthropology, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN 55105

Professional Positions

  • (2008-2009) Assistant Computer Programmer, Boston University, Networked Information Services (NIS), Boston, MA
    • provided support for ongoing maintenance of departmental web pages
  • (2000–2001; 2004-2005) Teaching Fellow, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA
    • lab instructor for Biology I (BI107), Biology II (BI108), and Animal Behavior (BI407)
  • (1999) Science Instructor, Newfound Harbor Marine Institute, Big Pine Key, FL
    • lead outdoor marine biology programs, created lesson plans, coordinated with incoming school groups, and supervised snorkeling and collecting expeditions for 4-8th grade students

Research Experience

  • Winter 2002, 2003 Dissertation research at Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuador
  • Summer 2001 Trinidad; collection of Atta and Acromyrmex colonies for lab research
  • Summer 1998 Research Assistant, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI; research topic: Goby mate choice in UV light
  • Spring 1997 Assistant Researcher, Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ; research topic: female coloration and mating behavior of the striped plateau lizard
  • Winter 1997 Field Assistant, Great Green Macaw Research Project, Boca Tapada, Costa Rica; field research: the ecology and behavior of the great green macaw
  • Fall 1997 Student Conservation Association Volunteer, Badlands National Park, SD; field research: black-footed ferret recovery program
  • Fall 1996 Intern, US Forest Service, Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM; field research: banding and gathering morphological data on migratory birds
  • Summer 1995 Intern, The Raptor Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN; field research: the ecology and behavior of nesting osprey
  • Fall 1994 School for International Training, Cairns, Australia; research topic: the effectiveness of koala education programs in Port Macquarie, New South Wales
  • Summer 1994 ACM Field Wilderness Station Program, Superior National Forest, MN; research topic: tree preferences of beaver

Related Coursework

  • Ant Course 2002, a one-week workshop on ant taxonomy.

Publications

  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, Traniello JFA. 2009. Diversity of ground-dwelling ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in primary and secondary forests in Amazonian Ecuador. Myrmecological News 12: 139-147 published Online Earlier 20 April 2009. PDF
  • Mertl AL, Ryder Wilkie KT, Traniello JFA. 2009. Impact of flooding on the species richness, density and composition of Amazonian litter-nesting ants. Biotropica. in press.
  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, Traniello JFA. 2007. Biodiversity below ground: probing the subterranean ant fauna of Amazonia. Naturwissenschaften 94 (9): 725-731.  Cover photograph. PDF
  • Mertl AL, Ryder Wilkie KT, Traniello JFA. Species richness, abundance and composition of twig- and litter-nesting ant communities along an Amazonian flooding gradient.  Submitted to Ecology
  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, and Traniello JFA. Diversity of ground-dwelling ant communities in primary and secondary forests in Amazonian Ecuador. In prep.
  • Ryder Wilkie KT. Ant diversity and distribution patterns in Amazonian Ecuador. In prep.
  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, Frank N, and Traniello JFA. Subterranean ant diversity in Panama. In prep.
  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, and Traniello JFA. 2006. Tropical subterranean biodiversity; A new method for studying an under-sampled ant fauna [abstract]. In XV Congress IUSSI Proceedings, 30 July - 4 August, 2006; Washington, DC, IUSSI, 2006. p.213. #508
  • Ryder Wilkie KT, Mertl AL, Breneman A, and Traniello JFA. Diversity of ground-dwelling ant communities in primary and secondary Neotropical forests [abstract]. In Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America; November 17-20, 2002; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Entomological Society of America; 2002. p.64. DO104

Professional Presentations

  • Diversity of ground-dwelling ant communities in primary and secondary neotropical forests. (poster) by Kari T. Ryder Wilkie, Amy L. Mertl, Amanda Breneman, and James FA Traniello.  Presented at the Entomological Society of America, 2002 Annual Meeting at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 17-20, 2002. 
  • Tropical subterranean biodiversity; A new method for studying an under-sampled ant fauna. (poster) by Kari T. Ryder Wilkie, Amy Mertl, and James FA Traniello.  Presented at the International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI) 2006 Congress in Washington DC, July 30 – August 5, 2006. PDF

Articles About My Work

  • Subterranean Ant Diversity at Tiputini. CECB (Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology) Update, Fall 2007 PDF
  • Understanding Amazonian Ant Diversity.  CECB (Center for Ecology and Conservation Biology) Update, Fall 2003 PDF

Awards

  • Boston University Women's Guild 2006 Book Award
  • (1991) National Merit Scholar
 

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