Jason T. Hoverman
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Jason Hoverman is a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Dr. Hoverman received his B.S. (2000) and Ph.D. (2007) in ecology and evolution from the University of Pittsburgh.
Over the past century, the field of biology has radiated into a variety of different disciplines. This diversity of biological research has inspired Dr. Hoverman to generate a broad range of research interests including ecology, evolution, development, phenotypic plasticity, behavior, and ecotoxicology. To address his research interests, he has utilized freshwater aquatic systems (e.g., ponds, wetlands, and lakes) and their associated taxa (e.g., tadpoles, snails, insects, fish). Some of the research questions that he has addressed include:
1. What are the effects of larval environments on post-metamorphic traits and survival?
2. How do prey assess and integrate predation risk?
3. What role does development play in the ability to respond to environmental variation?
4. What is the relative importance of trait- versus density-mediated indirect interactions?
5. How does phenotypic plasticity evolve?
6. What insights can be gained by integrating ecology and toxicology?
7. What are the natural patterns of species distribution and abundance?
Currently, Dr. Hoverman is working with Drs. Matthew Gray and Debra Miller in The Center for Wildlife Health on amphibian pathogens. Infectious diseases have been implicated as a major cause of reported declines in many wildlife species including amphibians. Why are these diseases emerging and why do they have such large effects on wild populations? For amphibians, environmental degradation (e.g., anthropogenic stressors) has been hypothesized to suppress the immune system and result in greater susceptibility to pathogens. Using a Ranavirus (Frog virus 3), which has been documented in many reported cases of amphibian die-offs, Dr. Hoverman assesses whether anthropogenic stressors affect amphibian immune responses and, subsequently, the ability to resist infection. This work includes controlled laboratory experiments that directly manipulate FV3 infection and environmental stressors as well as field surveys that assess the prevalence of FV3 in aquatic systems that have been impacted differently by humans (e.g., cattle access vs. no access wetlands). Together this work will help elucidate some of the factors responsible for emerging infectious diseases in amphibian populations and provide direction for conservation strategies.
Dr. Hoverman also guest lectures in WFS 101 (Current Topics in Wildlife Health) and WFS 493/560 (Amphibian Ecology and Conservation). A sample of his publications is below.
Recent Selected Publications:
Hoverman, JT and RA Relyea. 2007. How flexible is phenotypic plasticity? Developmental windows for trait induction and reversal. Ecology 88:693-705.
Relyea, RA and JT Hoverman. 2006. Assessing the ecology in ecotoxicology: A review and synthesis in freshwater systems. Ecology Letters 9:1157-1171.
Hoverman, JT, JR Auld, and RA Relyea. 2005. Putting prey back together again: Integrating predator-induced behavior, morphology, and life history. Oecologia 144:481-491.
Relyea, RA, NM Schoeppner, and JT Hoverman. 2005. Pesticides and amphibians: The importance of community context. Ecological Applications 15:1125-1134.
Contact Information
Jason T. Hoverman
Forestry, Wildlife & Fisheries
274 Ellington Plant Sciences
(865) 974-0831
Email: jhoverma@utk.edu