Matthew J

Matthew J. Gray

Assistant Professor, Wetland Ecology

Ph.D., Texas Tech University, 2002
M.S., Mississippi State University, 1995
B.S., Michigan State University, 1993

Office:     247 Ellington Plant Sciences Building (UTK Agricultural Campus)
Phone:     (865) 974-2740
Fax:         (865) 974-4714

mgray11@utk.edu

Background:

Hello!

I received my Ph.D. in Wildlife Science and Mathematics from Texas Tech University under the primary direction of Loren M. Smith. We examined the effects of agricultural land use (i.e., grassland vs. cultivation) and landscape structure (i.e., patch juxtaposition, geometric complexity) on postmetamorphic body size and population demographics of amphibians using playa wetlands in the Southern High Plains (SHP). I also investigated with Linda J. S. Allen (Biomathematics Research Group) the presence of biological chaos in Southern High Plains amphibian populations. Ultimately, we discerned potential regulating mechanisms (i.e., density dependence, environmental stochasticity) in SHP amphibian populations via modeling with deterministic and stochastic nonlinear difference equations.

I received my M.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Statistics from Mississippi State University under the primary guidance of Richard M. Kaminski. We evaluated effects of natural and man-induced wetland management techniques in moist-soil wetlands and hardwood bottomlands via 3 experiments at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi. Specifically, we tested effects of autumn mowing, disking, and tilling on aquatic invertebrate and moist-soil plant responses. We also evaluated methods to predict seed yield of wetland plants using linear models. Finally, we evaluated influences of 2 winter flood regimes (periodic vs. continuous) in hardwood bottomlands on survival of oak seedlings.

During the interim (1996-98) between my M.S. and Ph.D., I worked as a Visiting Research Scientist for the Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit with Francisco J. Vilella. We conducted an ecological assessment, and wrote a comprehensive conservation and management plan for the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER). Subsequently, we consulted the Puerto Rico DNER in the development of the first moist-soil management complex in the Caribbean on the Humacao Wildlife Refuge. I also have instructed (2002-2004) Introductory Statistics and Calculus in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University, and did a short post-doc in ecology with Drs. Nancy McIntyre and Mike Willig in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech prior to starting my position at UT-Knoxville. While in biology at Texas Tech, I taught Principles of Ecology.

Wetland Research:

● University of Tennessee Wetlands Program

Instruction:

● FWF 410: Habitat Evaluation and Management

● WFS 340: Wetlands Ecology and Management (2-week Spring Camp course)

● WFS 536: Advanced Wetland Ecology

● WFS 433/533: Amphibian Ecology and Conservation NEW COURSE!

● WFS 512/FOR 512: Graduate Seminar in Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

List of Selected Publications:

Amphibian Papers

Burton, E. C., D. L. Miller, E. L. Styer, and M. J. Gray. 2008. Amphibian ocular malformation associated with frog virus 3. The Veterinary Journal 177:442-444.

Gray, M. J., D. L. Miller, A. C. Schmutzer, and C. A. Baldwin. 2007. Frog virus 3 prevalence in tadpole populations inhabiting cattle-access and non-access wetlands in Tennessee, USA. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 77:97-103.

Gray, M. J., S. Rajeev, D. L. Miller, A. C. Schmutzer, E. C. Burton, E. D. Rogers, and G. J. Hickling. 2007. Preliminary evidence that American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) are suitable hosts for Escherichia coli O157:H7. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73:4066-4088.

Gray, M. J., L. M. Smith, D. L. Miller, and C. R. Bursey. 2007. Influences of agricultural land use on Clinostomum attenuatum metacercariae prevalence in Southern Great Plains amphibians, U.S.A. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 2:23-28.

Burton, E. C., M. J. Gray, and A. C. Schmutzer. 2007. Comparison of anuran call survey durations in Tennessee wetlands. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 60:15-18.

Miller, D. L., S. Rajeev, M. J. Gray, and C. A. Baldwin. 2007. Frog virus 3 infection, cultured American bullfrogs. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13:342-343.

Gray, M. J., and L. M. Smith. 2005. Influence of land use on postmetamorphic body size of playa lake amphibians. Journal of Wildlife Management 69:515-524.

Gray, M. J., D. L. Miller, and L. M. Smith. 2005. Coelomic response and signal range of implant transmitters in Bufo cognatus. Herpetological Review 36:285-288.

Gray, M. J., L. M. Smith, and R. Brenes. 2004. Effects of agricultural cultivation on demographics of Southern High Plains amphibians. Conservation Biology 18:1368-1377.

Gray, M. J., L. M. Smith, and R. I. Leyva. 2004. Influence of agricultural landscape structure on a Southern High Plains, USA, amphibian assemblage. Landscape Ecology 19:719-729.

Smith, L. M., M. J. Gray, and A. Quarrels. 2004. Diets of newly metamorphosed amphibians in west Texas playas. Southwestern Naturalist 46:257-263.

Miller, D. L., C. R. Bursey, M. J. Gray, and L. M. Smith. 2004. Metacercaria of Clinostomum attenuatum (Digenea) in Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium, Bufo cognatus, and Spea multiplicata from west Texas. Journal of Helminthology 78:373-376.

Gonzalez, Z., D. A. Ray, L. R. McAliley, M. J. Gray, C. Perchellet, L. M. Smith, and L. D. Densmore. 2004. Five polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Great Plains toad, Bufo cognatus. Molecular Ecology Notes 4:9−10.

Wetland Ecology Papers

McCurry, J. R., M. J. Gray, J. A. Franklin, and D. C. Mercker. 2006. Relationship of oak seedling height and diameter with bottomland elevation. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 59:173-182.

Naylor, L. W., J. M. Eadie, W. D. Smith, M. Eichholz, and M. J. Gray. 2005. A simple method to predict seed yield in moist-soil habitats. Wildlife Society Bulletin 33:1335-1341.

Gray, M. J., and R. M. Kaminski. 2005. Effect of continuous vs. periodic winter flooding on bottomland hardwood seedlings in Mississippi greentree reservoirs. Pages 487–493 in L. H. Fredrickson, S. L. King, and R. M. Kaminski, editors. Ecology and management of bottomland hardwood systems: the state of our understanding. University of Missouri, Gaylord Memorial Laboratory Special Publication Number 10, Puxico, Missouri, USA.

Gray, M. J., R. M. Kaminski, G. Weerakkody, B. D. Leopold, and K. C. Jensen. 1999. Aquatic invertebrate and plant responses following mechanical manipulations of moist-soil habitat. Wildlife Society Bulletin 27:770−779.

Gray, M. J., R. M. Kaminski, and G. Weerakkody. 1999. Predicting seed yield of moist-soil plants. Journal Wildlife Management 63:1261−1268.

Gray, M. J., R. M. Kaminski, and M. G. Brasher. 1999. A new method to predict seed yield of moist-soil plants. Journal of Wildlife Management 63:1269−1272.