FAU ECOS Team Joins, Sponsors 111th Ecological Society of America Meeting

A team of 19 members from Florida Atlantic University’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS) recently attended the 111^th Ecological Society of America’s (ESA) annual meeting in Salt Lake City. In July , more than 2,600 ecologists, researchers and conservation professionals came together under the theme, “Ecology in an Era of Uncertainty,” to explore how ecological science navigates predictions, global data shifts and modern professional challenges.

Throughout the week, the ESA community shared recent ecological research and collectively examined strategies to address emerging challenges and opportunities such as artificial intelligence, as well as exchanged multidisciplinary, creative solutions to maintain resilience within the field. This was the first time ECOS faculty, staff and students joined the annual meeting, and ECOS was proud to serve as a platinum sponsor of the event.

“Sponsoring the longstanding annual ESA meeting directly aligns with ECOS’s mission,” stated Sydney Harrison, ECOS outreach coordinator. “By supporting this prominent gathering of ecological researchers and educators, ECOS demonstrated its commitment to innovative environmental education and scientific leadership.”

Florida Atlantic biological sciences master’s degree candidate Angelina Zitelli shared that a memorable highlight for her was the gathering’s strong sense of community.

“Having the opportunity to interact with people from diverse backgrounds in science – who are all connected by our love for ecology and the natural world – was truly heartwarming,” shared Zitelli.

For Paige Aldred, a biological sciences master’s student, the chance to attend a wide range of career sessions helped her discover new professional opportunities, as well as recognize the transferability of her research skills.

“I left the conference feeling more confident in my next steps as I prepare for life after graduation,” said Aldred. “Attending national conferences like the ESA are important because they expose students to career paths, research and professional development opportunities that they may not otherwise encounter. They also provide a chance to connect with professionals, ask questions and better understand how the skills they are building in graduate school can translate to a wide range of careers.”

Lectures

• Paige Aldred, biological sciences master’s student: “Evaluating the ecology of Dinoflagellate blooms in a changing estuary, the Indian River Lagoon”
• O. Alejandro Aleuy, assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences: “Thermal mismatch increases disease risk in the peripheries of ectothermic host distributions”
• Daniel Barker, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biological Sciences: “Dietary glutamic acid in artificial nectar improves bee memory”
• Fiona Benzi, doctoral student, Department of Geosciences: “Advancing wetland vegetation monitoring in central Florida using a high-resolution foundational CNN framework”
• Olivia Fletcher, biological sciences master’s student: “Investigating the seagrass rhizosphere and sediment microbiome in a fragmented meadow: do microbial influences dictate seagrass colonization?”
• Jacob Francis, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences: “A new microbial phenotyping assay reveals differences in microbial dispersal within and among genera”
• Evelyn Frazier, Ph.D., instructor, Department of Biological Sciences: “Conservation of small-fragmented gopher tortoise populations is urban habitats in Southeastern Florida. Should they be extirpated?”
• Antonia Millet, NSF Graduate Research Fellow, WLW-ECOS Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences: “A missing dimension of restoration: Linking above- and belowground microbiomes in an endangered Florida scrub endemic”
• Vanessa Moreira C. Fernandes, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences: “Bioturbation by fighting conch does not drive short-term shifts in seagrass sediment microbial composition”
• Daniel Wieczynski, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Biological Sciences: “The influence of eco-phenotypic feedbacks on interspecific competition”
• Jessica Williams, doctoral student, Department of Biological Sciences: “Floral light transmission shapes microclimate and microbiome assembly”
• Benjamin Zeitler, biological sciences master’s student: “Active spatial response and foraging proximity: The relationship between wading bird colonies and statistically defined prey clusters amidst environmental uncertainty”

Poster Presenters

• Emily Panton, junior, biology major: “Seed morph ratios and germination patterns in a sunflower species”
• Angelina Zitelli, biological sciences master’s student: “Examination of the reproductive ecology of Pistia stratiotes L. in Florida”

This year’s Florida Atlantic ECOS team attended ESA with support from a WLW-ECOS Travel Grant. The grant is part of a generous gift from Wayne and Lucretia Weiner who established the WLW-ECOS Fund in 2024, creating invaluable opportunities for students and early-career scientists dedicated to developing solutions for a more sustainable future.