Zoology Faculty -- Folkerts

Debbie R. Folkerts

Assistant Professor in the department of
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1992.
Ecology and Natural History of Carnivorous Plants, Spiders, Plant/Animal Interactions

OFFICE: Cary Hall 112
LAB: Cary Hall 114
PHONE: 334-844-3930

E-MAIL: folkedr@mail.auburn.edu

Research/Interests

Pitcher plants of the genus Sarracenia (Sarraceniaceae) are insectivorous species that inhabit bogs and other wetland habitats. As many as 11 species have been described in this genus, all of which can be found in the southeastern United States. Three of these species are currently on the federal list of threatened and endangered species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has funded several projects to survey the status of the threatened species and their habitats.

My research in this area has 2 separate focuses. One is to elucidate the life histories and interactions of the several species of insect which are adapted to live in or on pitcher plants, feed on them or their prey, and avoid entrapment. In some cases the populations of these insects have reached high levels in dwindling pitcher plant populations, and have therefore aroused concern in the management of the plant populations.

A second focus is on the interaction of insects as prey for the pitcher plants. Sarracenia species are morphologically diverse and possess several distinctly different trapping mechanisms. These trapping mechanisms allow pitcher plant species to specialize on specific spectrums of the insect prey available. Resource partitioning among the species has been indicated. Continuing research investigates the importance of competition for prey in several evolutionary processes evident in the group.

I am also involved in a long term project of surveying the spiders of Alabama. I have developed a preliminary checklist of the Alabama spider fauna. I am especially interested in the behavior and ecology of burrowing mygalomorphs in the southeastern U.S.

Student Theses

T. Paige Carithers - M.S. Behavioral and Environmental Factors that Influence the Nest Success of Isodontia mexicana (Sphecidae) in Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia)

Student Theses in Progress

Karrie Ann Fadroski - M.S. Spider/Carnivorous Plant Interactions.
Melissa Brooks - M.S. Reproductive Biology of an Endangered Trillium (Trillium reliquum).
Angela Spano - M.S. Interactions of Pitcher Plant Flies with their Host Plants.
Rachel Fosteri - M.S. Pollination and Reproduction of Marshallia mohrii.

Selected Publications:

Folkerts, D.R. 1999. Pitcher Plant Wetlands of the Southeastern United States: Arthropod Associates. in Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management. Batzer, D.P., R.B. Rader and S.A. Wissinger eds. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. NY. 1100 pp.

Folkerts, D.R. 1996. A comparison of faunal communities in algal mats in two cold springs in the southeastern United States. Jour. Ala. Acad. Sci. 67(3): 158-69.

Folkerts, D.R. and G.W. Folkerts. 1996. Aids for field identification of pitcher plant moths of the genus Exyra(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Ent.News 107(3): 128-136.

Folkerts, G.W. and D.R. Folkerts. 1993. Southeastern pitcher plant bogs: a natural history sketch. Tipularia 8: 10-16.

Folkerts, D.R. and G.R. Mullen. 1987. Aquatic submergence of Acanthepeira venusta (Banks) (Araneae, Araneidae). J. Arachnol. 15:137-138.

Rymal, D.E. and G.W. Folkerts. 1982. Insects associated with pitcher plants (Sarracenia: Sarraceniaceae), and their relationship to pitcher plant conservation: a review. Jour. Ala. Acad. Sci. 53: 131-151.

Courses taught:
BI 101 Introductory Biology BI 103 Animal Biology

BI 105 Perspectives in Biology

BI 106 Human Biology

BI 107 Environmental Biology

BI 171 Honors Biology

BI 173 Honors Animal Biology

BIOL 1030 Organismal Biology

BIOL 1037 Honors Organismal Biology

BIOL 7560 Plant/Animal Interactions

ZY 303 Evolution and Systematics

ZY 306 Principles of Ecology

ZY 401 Invertebrate Zoology

BIOL 4010 Invertebrate Biodiversity

U 2710 The Human Odyssey I

U 2720 The Human Odyssey II

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