Description
在我的实验室里，我研究了广泛的主题，主要集中在理解
生态和进化因素如何相互作用导致基因型和表型
expression of a wide variety of traits within a population. I am also interested
了解种群丰富背后的生态和进化机制
and distribution. 虽然我的大部分工作是在我的博士论文和博士后期间进行的
这次会面的重点是来自新西兰的淡水蜗牛， Potamopyrgus antipodarum, 最近，我将我的研究重点大大扩展到海洋环境.
我的实验室现在有两种问题一种存在于人口水平，另一种
the other at the organismal level.
If you are a current UD undergraduate student* 如有兴趣加入本实验室，请填写此申请表(http://tinyurl.com/SoperResearchApp) and send me an interest statement via email (dsoper@softlawinternationale.net).
*请注意:我不与高中水平的学生进行研究. I am open 与其他学术机构的本科生合作. 如果你属于这一类，请通过电子邮件给我发一封问询信.
Abundance and Distribution - Population Level
为什么在一个栖息地的某些区域，种群数量更丰富? Why are species distributed in a particular geographic pattern? These questions have driven two major projects in my lab.
Machine Learning for Underwater Exploration
该项目与NOAA、MBARI和CVision AI合作. NOAA has collected hundreds of hours of video footage using the ship Okeanos Explorer and the accompanying Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer (D2). 我们正在协助开发软件，使研究人员能够 能够准确地观察到特定的生物(在不同的分类单元水平上) within the videos. 此工具将有助于减少视频处理时间和增加 efficiency of data collection. The students also assist with training data sets that 最终丰富在软件开发中使用的算法. This software feeds into MBARI's FathomNet, a collection of deep-sea data. The goal is to make 所有的视频片段都很容易被教育者和研究人员搜索到 and efficient at data acquisition. Our lab hopes this will enable us and others to 更有效地回答有关物种分布和生物体丰度的问题 in the benthic ocean environments.
Ecological Genetics - Organismal Level
Rapid coral growth after microfragmentation
How does gene expression lead to phenotypic differences?
为了回答这个广泛的问题，我们利用了一种濒临灭绝的珊瑚物种， Orbicella faveloata (Mountainous Star Coral). This species is a stony boulder coral that
exists in the shallow waters of the Caribbean. Stony corals are under threat of
extinction, and in collaboration with the 莫特的伊丽莎白·摩尔国际珊瑚礁研究和恢复中心
(IC2R#) and the Stenesen Lab, we are investigating O. faveolata growth after microfragmentation这是一个将较大的珊瑚按指数分解成小块的过程
increases its growth rate. This project has two aims: (1) to understand what areas
微片段经历快速生长和(2)决定什么转录
targets are activated post-fragmentation.
Orbicella faveolata colony, Florida Keys 2019 Photo credit: Deanna M. Soper
All stony corals are under significant threat to extinction. Global climate change, 由于大气中二氧化碳含量增加，pH值降低，疾病增加 prevelance (i.e. 佛罗里达群岛的石珊瑚组织损失病(stonecoral Tissue Loss Disease)都减少了 populations across the world. This fact, makes the work we do important to not only 更好地了解基本的珊瑚生物学，也为珊瑚礁提供信息 帮助减轻已经发生的损害的修复从业人员.
在第二个项目中，我们使用我们的扫描电子显微镜(由 Keck Foundation, see our SEM website here)，在温度升高及酸碱度降低的情况下，检视珊瑚骨骼的形成情况. 目标是了解这些变化的条件(预测)是如何达到的 2100) will affect coral growth and formation.
Other Projects
标题反足棘鱼生殖结构的文献记录
Potamopyrgus antipodarum 研究一只有趣的蜗牛是因为它有几个不寻常的特征吗 in other snail species. For example, this snail is dioecious, meaning that individuals are either male or female. Males can be identified through external genitalia, which they use to internally fertilize females. Females do not lay eggs, but rather undergo "pregnancy" (internal gestation) and give live birth. Baby snails can sometimes be born in their gestational sac (see video here). 在这个项目中，我们正在记录男性的生殖结构，以便更好地了解 这个器官在种群内和种群间的异质性. This project is funded by the W.M. Keck Foundation.
Gastropod and Parasite Distribution in Michigan
During Summer 2019, in collaboration with the Raffel Lab at Oakland University, Freshwater Solutions, and the Hanington Lab at the University of Alberta, we 收集蜗牛、寄生虫和水样，确定物种分布 and abundance. 我们的目标是更好地理解生命周期和动态 parasites that cause Swimmer's Itch. Swimmer's Itch 人类在含有寄生虫的水中游泳引起的皮疹是什么 have been shed by snails. We are seeking to better understand why swimmer's itch 发生在蜗牛和寄生虫的地方，游泳者的瘙痒主要是 attributed to do not occur.
Conference Talks
Michigan State: Michigan Inland Lakes Conference, 2020
Publications
Soper, D. M., Raffel, T. R., Sckrabulis, J. P., Froelich, K. L., McPhail, B. A., Ostrowski, M. D., ... & Hanington, P. C. (2023). A novel schistosome species hosted by Planorbella (Helisoma) trivolvis是密歇根州最广泛的引起游泳者瘙痒的寄生虫 inland lakes.Parasitology,150(1), 88-97.
Soper, D.M., Villafranca, N., Dieffenthaller, J.P., Dieffenthaller, M., Tompkins, H., Weglarz, M., Vaughan, D., Hamlyn, S.B., Stenesen, D. (2022) Growth and Cyclin-E Expression in the Stony Coral Species Orbicella faveolata Post Micro-fragmentation. The Biological Bulletin. 242(1): 40-47.
Soper, D. M. (2021)教育和研究:更好地了解一种新型珊瑚疾病的共生关系. Frontiers in Marine Science . doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.669472.
White, P. S., Penley, M. J., Tierney, A. R. P., Soper, D. M., & Morran, L. T. (2019) Dauer life stage of Caenorhabditis elegans induces elevated levels of defense against the parasite Serratia marcescens. Scientific reports. 9(1): 1-9.
Soper, D.M., Hatcher, K.M., and Neiman, M. (2015) Documentation of Copulatory Behaviour in Triploid Male Freshwater Snails. Ethology, Ecology, & Evolution. doi:10.1080/03949370.2015.1030781.
Soper, D.M., King, K.C., Vergara, D., and Lively, C.M. (2014) Exposure to parasites increases promiscuity in a freshwater snail. Biology Letters. 10(4): 20131091.
Soper, D.M., Savytskyy, O.P., Neiman, M., Zolan, M.E., and Lively, C.M. (2013) Spermatozoa production by triploid males in the New Zealand freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 110(1): 227-234.
Soper, D.M., Delph, L.F., and Lively C.M. (2012) Multiple paternity in Potamopyrgus antipodarum. Ecology & Evolution. 2(12): 3179-3185.
Soper, D.M. (2012) The reproductive biology of Potamopyrgus antipodarum at the organismal and cellular level. Dissertation, Indiana University.
Neiman, M., Paczesniak, D., Soper, D.M., Baldwin, A.T., and Hehman, G. (2011) Wide variation in ploidy level and genome 新西兰淡水蜗牛的大小，有性和无性共存. Evolution. 65(11): 3202-3216.
Montgomery, B., Soper, D.M., and Delph, L.F. (2010) Asymmetrical conspecific seed-siring advantage in Silene. Annuals of Botany. 105(4): 595-605.
Other Media
Unless Podcast - "Supermicrofragmentationpolyprestoration"
Can be found here.
Potamopyrgus antipodarum article for The Metropolitan Society of Natural Historians
http://www.
Invited Speaker Talks
Dr. Maurine Neiman: Sex in the Wild Talk, April 2018 can be found here.
Dr. Laurie Marker: Cheetahs & Humans Sharing a Landscape Talk, October 2018 can be found here.
Mainstream Media Coverage
-Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140520184638.htm
-Iowa Now
http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/05/researchers-test-whether-red-queen-hypothesis-makes-species-resilient
Snail Care Videos
Snail feeding: http://youtu.be/FFobwS1bzfE
Water changing: http://youtu.be/4ld1j5oW_78
Lab Members
Present
Nora Aigberadion，本科生研究员，2023年夏季至今
Monique Bedolla, Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2021-present
Maria Cordero, Undergraduate Researcher, Fall 2023-present
Abigail Fritz, Undergraduate Researcher, Spring 2021-present
伊莎贝拉·伍兹，本科生访问研究员，2023年夏季至今(来自西北大学) University)
Past
Emma Bergman, Undergraduate Researcher, B.S. '23, Spring 2022-present
Gerardo Canedo, Undergraduate Researcher, B.S. '23, Summer 2022-Spring 2023
Jana Rocha, Undergraduate Researcher, B.S. '23, Summer 2021-Spring 2023
Maura Van Bogaert, Undergraduate Researcher, B.S. '22, Fall 2020-Fall 2022
塔玛拉艾略特，访问本科生研究员，夏季2022(从达拉斯社区 College)
Bryan Muckensturm，本科生研究员，2021年夏季- 2021年秋季
Versana Roch-Diaz, B.S. '22, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2020
Carolann Stone, B.S. '21, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2020 - Spring 2021; currently: Doctor of Physical Therapy at University of Delaware
Natalie Villafranca, B.S. '21, M.A. '23 (Texas State University), Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2019 - Fall 2020; currently: Ph.D. student at University of Southern California
Maria Zambrana, B.S. '21, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2020 - Fall 2020; currently: Educator at Great Hearts, Dallas
Allison Driskill, B.S. '20, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2019 - Spring 2020; currently: Physical Therapy student at UNTHSC in Fort Worth
Devon Romano, BS. '20, M.S. (Marine Resource Management) from Texas A & M, Galveston '22, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2019-Spring 2020; currently: Environmental Scientist at Lloyd Engineering; Bellaire, TX
Lydia Jones, B.S. '20, Undergraduate Resarcher Fall 2019-Spring 2020, currently: 荒地国家公园自然资源解说助理
Molly Weglarz, B.S. '20, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2019
海登·汤普金斯，访问研究学者，2018年秋季至2019年春季，硕士.S. from Miami University '21
Meghan (Rearden) Dieffenthaller, B.S. '19, M.S. '21 from Colorado State University, Visiting Research Scholar, Spring 2019, currently: H辐射紧急援助中心/训练场(REAC/TS)健康物理学家
Abigail Sequeira, B.S. '19; M.S. from Texas A & M '22, Undergraduate Researcher Spring 2017-Spring 2019, currently: Ph.D. student at Penn State University
John Paul Dieffenthaller, B.S. '19, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2018-Spring 2019, 目前:科罗拉多州早期学院科学教育家(在线)和硕士生 in Medical Physics at University of Tennessee
Virginia Green, B.S. '19, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2018, currently: Ph.D. student at Indiana University
Colette Ohotnicky, B.S. '18, Undergraduate Researcher Spring 2017-Spring 2018, Obtained 硕士学位俄勒冈州立大学'20，目前:科学教师在切斯特顿 Academy of John Paul II
Angela Moore, B.S. '18, Undergraduate Researcher Summer 2017, currently: P.A. student at the 德克萨斯大学加尔维斯顿分校医师助理项目