Andrew Jones

Graduate Student

andrew.jones@yale.edu

As a student, I’m particularly interested in improving our understanding of how food web structure affects ecosystem function and stability. To begin to approach this larger topic I plan to use empirical studies as well as mathematical modeling to determine how variations in food web structure affect core ecosystem processes (e.g. nutrient cycling, primary productivity, respiration etc). Here at Yale I plan to work in the lakes and ponds of Connecticut to characterize how aquatic food web structure varies though time and across space. Specific questions I hope to chip away at in my time here include: Are there distinct seasonal or spatial patterns or “states” in food web structure? What are the effects of resource pulses, and do these effect change with variation in the magnitude and duration of the pulses? Who and what are the key players in the core ecosystem processes, and do they change with food web structure? As a new student I’m also quite excited to see how my questions are refined, improved or changed entirely as I gain more experience with the system and as an ecologist.

Prior to coming to Yale I worked as a technician at the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center for Drs. Bruce MacFarlane and Sean Hayes. I also worked briefly as a technician for Reed Mariculture Inc. under the supervision of Dr. Eric Henry. As an undergraduate I worked with Drs. Lars Rudstam (Cornell) and Thomas Rayner (University of New South Wales) to complete a thesis on the diet of Hippichthys heptagonus, a listed Australian syngnathid. My other research experience has included relatively brief stints with the Drs. Jonathan Moore (University of California Santa Cruz), James Harvey (Moss Landing Marine Laboratory) and David McKinnon (Australian Institute of Marine Science).

I am always interested in getting outdoors for a hike, jog or jaunt. I also enjoy baking, kayaking and photography.

Jones, Andrew, Hayes, Sean, Bond, Morgan, Collins, Alison, and MacFarlane, R. Bruce.  In Prep.  Comparison of escapement estimates for Central California Steelhead.  Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Currents Symposia, Monterey California  April 25th 2008.

Hayes, Sean, Bond, Morgan, Harding, Jeff, Jones, Andrew, Pearse, Devon, Collins, Alison, Ammann, Arnold, Garza, J. Carlos, and MacFarlane, R. Bruce.  2007. From barriers to beaches, monitoring central California coho and steelhead in Scott Creek. In American Fisheries Society 137th Annual Meeting. San Francisco, California Sept 2-6th.

Jones, Andrew, Rudstam, Lars , and Rayner, Thomas. 2006. Natural Diet of an Australian Freshwater Pipefish. Cornell University College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Senior Thesis Presentation. Ithaca, New York May 9th 2006. Available from Nature Precedings: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2007.329.1