Dr. Jeremy Weisz
Visiting Instructor
B-117 Gottwald Science Center
Office: (804) 484-1657
Fax: (804) 289-8233
http://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~jweisz
Research:
My research focuses on understanding the ecological and evolutionary impacts of positive interactions (i.e. mutualisms) on organisms and ecological communities. I use sponge-microbial associations as a model system because of their relatively simple body structure and their place as the basal animal phylum. I employ a variety of field, biogeochemical, physiological, and molecular techniques to answer these questions.
Education:
Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Selected Publications:
Weisz JB, Martens CS, Lindquist N (2008) Evidence for symbioses between marine sponges and their associated microbial communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series (accepted)
Southwell MW, Weisz JB, Martens CS, Lindquist N (2008) In situ fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen from the sponge community on Conch Reef, Key Largo, Florida. Limnology and Oceanography 53: 986-996.
Weisz JB, Lindquist N, Martens CS (2008) Do associated microbial abundances impact marine demosponge pumping rates and tissue densities? Oecologia 155:367-376.
Schmitt S, Wehrl M, Lindquist N, Weisz JB, Hentschel U (2007) Morphological and molecular analyses of microorganisms in Caribbean reef adult sponges and in corresponding reproductive material In: Custódio MR,
Lôbo-Hajdu G, Hajdu E, Muricy G (eds). Porifera research: biodiversity, innovation and sustainability. Série Livros 28. Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro. pp. 561-568
Weisz JB, Hentschel U, Lindquist N, Martens CS (2007) Linking abundance and diversity of sponge-associated microbial communities to metabolic differences in host sponges. Marine Biology 152: 475-483.
Schmitt S, Weisz JB, Lindquist N, Hentschel U (2007) Vertical transmission of a phylogenetically complex yet highly sponge-specific microbial consortium in the viviparous sponge Ircinia felix. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, in press
Lindquist N, Barber Ph, Weisz JB (2005) Epibiotic microbes as food and defence for marine isopods: unique symbioses in a hostile environment. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 272:1209-1216.
Goodman RM, Weisz JB (2002) Plant-Microbe Symbioses: An Evolutionary Survey. In Staley JT, Reysenbach A-L (eds.) Biodiversity of Microbial Life. Wiley-Liss Inc. New York.