Kennesaw State researcher earns NSF grant to study urban amphibians and create undergraduate research opportunities

KENNESAW, GA | November 21, 2024

A Kennesaw State University researcher recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study the evolution of salamanders’ behavioral habits in urban streams, which in turn will increase undergraduate research opportunities for KSU students finance.

Assistant professor of biology Todd Pierson has received a three-year, $380,238 grant from the NSF through a program called Building Research Capacity in Biology (BRC-BIO). The program is intended to broaden research participation at minority universities and Carnegie-designated R2 institutions such as KSU.

“At KSU we have almost 48,000 students, and a lot of them are interested in research,” said Pierson, who teaches in the College of Science and Mathematics. “This research will consist of a team research class of approximately 15 students each fall, so that they get something that is a more authentic, full research experience. That’s the goal.”

Pierson joined KSU’s Department of Ecological, Evolutionary and Organismal Biology in 2020, bringing with him expertise in salamanders. These small amphibians can be found by the thousands in Atlanta-area waterways, providing examples of genetic and behavioral variation in a relatively small geographic area.

“Even within a species, each individual looks and behaves differently, and some of the most interesting questions in evolutionary biology have to do with where that variation comes from and how it persists in a population,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to track because traits have a lot of genetic components, and a lot of environmental variables that influence them. But in other cases we have a relatively simple genetic determinant of these traits, and we can trace it and better understand how it changes over time and space.”

The research focuses on two-lined salamanders, an ecologically crucial amphibian common in Atlanta-area waterways. This species has two types of males — a male that seeks mates on land and a male that guards mates in the water — and Pierson said his researchers will examine several streams and creeks around Atlanta to determine the proportions of each type of male compared to of the total population.

The Pierson lab seeks answers to important questions, including the evolutionary history of salamanders, the reproductive behavior of salamanders, and the conservation of salamanders and their habitat. The study will take into account factors such as stream size, water temperature and the presence of pollutants. In other words, it will create a real field research experience for students.

“For these students, the entire function of their semester-long class is to conduct a research project together,” he said. “The students will have autonomy and creativity in determining the course of their studies, and that is what we are trying to do at KSU.”

– By Dave Shelles

Photos by Matt Yung

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit attract students from across the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it in an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.