Norris Z. Muth - Stony Brook University

Department of Biology
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, PA 18104 USA
Phone: 484-664-3742
Fax: 484-664-3407
e-mail: muth@muhlenberg.edu
EDUCATION
Norris Z. Muth
Ph.D., Ecology and Evolution. Expected completion: Fall 2006.
State University of New York, Stony Brook.
Major Advisor: Dr. Massimo Pigliucci
Dissertation: Phylogenetically informed assessments of phenotypic integration and plasticity among
differentially invasive plant introductions.
M.S., Forestry Science, 1999.
Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven, CT.
Thesis: Survey of the entomological fauna associated with Phragmites australis in North America.
B.A., with honors, Environmental Studies, 1997.
Brown University, Providence, RI.
Thesis: Does it make sense to manage Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) in Rhode Island? Addressing
gaps in an invasive species control program.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Associate. Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA, 18104. 2005 -
Graduate Research Assistant. Department of Ecology and Evolution, SUNY - Stony Brook, Stony Brook,
NY, 11794. 2004 - 2005.
Graduate Teaching Assistant. Development and administration of Evolution labs. Instructor for Evolution,
Biodiversity, Plant Ecology, General Ecology, and Introductory Biology laboratories. Division of Biology,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996. 1999 - 2004.
Graduate Research Assistant. Plant Sciences and Entomology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI,
02881. Summer 1998.
Research Librarian. Ornithology Library and Collection, Peabody Museum of Natural History, New
Haven, CT, 06520. 1997-1998.
Park Ranger. U.S. National Park Service, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. Summer 1995.
Park Ranger. U.S. National Park Service, San Juan Islands National Historical Park, Friday Harbor, WA,
98250. Summer 1994.
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GRANTS AND AWARDS
Science Alliance Graduate Student Teaching Award. 2003.
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Research Award. 2002 and 2003.
Survey of the entomological fauna associated with Phragmites australis in North America. Connecticut Sea
Grant Student Internship. 1999.
Crown-Zellerbach Graduate Fellowship, 1998.
Effects of landscape structure on parasitism of the birch leafminer (Fenusa pusilla). A.V. Stout Fund.
1998.
Efficacy and ecological implications of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) management in Rhode Island.
Brown University Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award. 1996.
REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
*Skoczylas, D., Muth, N.Z., and Niesenbaum, R.A. In Prep. Top down control of herbivory on Lindera
benzoin by insectivorous avifauna.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. In Prep. Patterns of phenotypic integration among invasive and non-invasive
plant introductions.
Muth, N.Z., Kluger, E.C., *Levy, J., Ingersoll, M.C., Edwards, M.J., and Niesenbaum, R.A. In Review.
Herbivory of Lindera benzoin L. (Lauraceae) mediated by light quality induced differences in leaf quality
and defense.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. In Review. Implementation of a novel framework for assessing phenotypic
plasticity in introduced species: responses of Centaurea and Crepis to phosphorus and water availability.
Richards, C.L., Bossdorf, O., Muth, N.Z., Gurevitch, J, and Pigliucci, M. 2006. Jack of all trades, master of
some? On the role of phenotypic plasticity in plant invasions. Ecology Letters. 9 : 981-993.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2006. Traits of invasives reconsidered: phenotypic comparisons of introduced
invasive and introduced non-invasive plant species within two closely related clades. American Journal of
Botany. 93(2) : 188-195.
Weltzin, J.F., Muth, N.Z., Von Holle, B. and Cole, P.G. 2003. Genetic diversity and invasibility: a test
using a model system with a novel experimental design. Oikos. 103: 505–518.
Muth, N.Z. and Hamburg, S.P. 1998. Addressing purple loosestrife management in Rhode Island.
Northeastern Naturalist. 5(1): 67-74.
*indicates undergraduate student author
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2005. Using invasive species biology to teach about evolution. in
Evolutionary Science and Society: Educating a New Generation. Cracraft, J. and R. Bybee (eds.).
Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, Colorado Springs, CO.
Pigliucci, M., Banta, J., Bossu, C., Crouse, P., Dexter, T., Hansknecht, and Muth, N. 2004. The alleged
fallacies of evolutionary theory. Philosophy now. 46 : 36-39.
Muth, N.Z. 2003. Gene flow might turn wimps into superweeds. Nature. 421: 785-786.
Vazquez, D.P, McMahon, S.M., Muth, N.Z., and Collins, M.D. 2002. Book Review; The unified neutral
theory of biodiversity and biogeography. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 269: 249-
250.
Muth, N.Z. 1997. Does it make sense to manage Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) in Rhode Island?
Addressing gaps in an invasive species control program. B.A. Honors Thesis, Brown University.
SERVICE
2005. Judge, Long Island Science & Engineering Fair.
2005. Discussion Moderator, Darwin Day, SUNY – Stony Brook.
2003. Faculty search committee member, University of Tennessee, Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology.
2002 - 2004. Treasurer, Tennessee Darwin Coalition.
2001 - 2002. President, Graduate Researchers in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution.
2001. Teacher of the Year Selection Committee Member, University of Tennessee National Alumni
Association.
2001. Volunteer event assistant: Kids' University.
2000 - 2002. Volunteer event coordinator: Tennessee Science Olympics.
2000 - 2001. Graduate Student Association, departmental representative. University of Tennessee,
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
2000 - 2006. Regional alumni interviewer, Brown Alumni Schools Committee.
1998 - 1999. Officer, Society for Conservation Biology, Yale University, student chapter.
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PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Muth, N.Z. and Niesenbaum, R.A. 2006. Reduced herbivory of Lindera benzoin growing in proximity to
Juglans nigra: associational resistance mediated by an allelopathic compound? Ecological Society of
America.
Irwin, B., Niesenbaum, R.A., and Muth, N.Z. 2006. Volatile chemistry, rates of parasitism of herbivores,
and rates of herbivory on Lindera benzoin vary with light environment. Ecological Society of America.
Muth, N.Z. and Niesenbaum, R.A. 2006. Where is spicebush the spiciest? Making sense of variation in
leaf quality, chemistry, and herbivory in Lindera benzoin. Lehigh Valley Evolution and Ecology
Symposium.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2005. Empirical study and general models of phenotypic plasticity in
introduced invasive and introduced non-invasive species. Northeast Ecology and Evolution Conference.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2004. Using evolution to combat invasive species. Annual convention
National Association of Biology Teachers.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2004. The importance of phenotypic plasticity and phylogeny in
understanding introduced invasives. Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2002. Effects of phylogeny and introduction on patterns of invasiveness.
Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Muth, N.Z. and Pigliucci, M. 2002. Importance of controlling for phylogeny and introduction status in
invasion studies. Annual meeting of the Southeast Ecology and Population Genetics Group.
Fukami, T., Zimmermann, C. R., Muth, N. Z. and Drake, J. A. 2000. An experimentally-derived community
assembly map. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.
INVITED SEMINARS
2006. Biology Department, Muhlenberg College.
2003. Department of Biology, City University of New York, Brooklyn College.
2003. Knoxville Technical Society.
2001. University of Tennessee, Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology seminar series.
2001. Pellissippi State Technical Community College, Department of Natural and Behavioral Sciences.
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STUDENTS MENTORED
Kim Kennard. Assessments of phenotypic integration in invasive plant introductions. Currently: doctoral
student, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
Jennifer Levy. Variation in Lindera benzoin leaf toughness, quality, and chemistry with respect to light
environment. Currently: doctoral student, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia
University, New York, NY.
Daniel Skoczylas. Top down control of herbivory on Lindera benzoin by insectivorous avifauna.
Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
Jon Paul Plumlee. Assessments of phenotypic plasticity in invasive plant introductions. University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
Nadine Goldman. Analytical chemistry techniques for assessing variation in secondary chemistry of
Lindera benzoin. Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.
Beth Irwin. Volatile chemistry, rates of parasitism, and rates of herbivory vary with light environment.
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.
Angela Lucarini. Effects of juglone concentration on soil pupating lepidopteran herbivores. Muhlenberg
College, Allentown, PA.
Jessica Rodriguez. Analytical chemistry techniques for assessing leaf quality variation in Lindera benzoin.
Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA.
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