JONATHAN RICHARDSON, an assistant professor of biology at Providence College, was recently awarded a $125,310 grant from the National Science Foundation to help support his research in urban ecology and landscape genetics in rats.
What is the focus of your current research? I have three main veins of research in my lab, all of which use genetic tools to answer questions about animal ecology and evolution. The first vein looks at how urban rats move and spread their genes within cities, and how this movement can shape the parasite/pathogen communities they harbor. We also use similar tools to understand how different mammal species move in and around Providence and the surrounding areas of southern New England – the ultimate goal here being to develop a habitat-corridor map representing multiple species that can be used by regional and local conservation organizations. My lab also looks at how amphibians can evolve in response to changing environments, including warming climates.
How will you apply your $125,000 National Science Foundation grant? In this NSF-funded project we are directly comparing the genetic patterns of rats in four cities (New York; New Orleans; Vancouver, [British Columbia]; and Salvador, Brazil) to identify aspects of the urban environment that consistently help or hinder rats in their quest to move around and proliferate in cities. The ultimate goal is to limit their spread and reduce disease risk for humans. Providence also has its share of rats – as anyone in Burnside Park around dusk can attest to – so I’m looking for funding and municipal support to expand this study to Providence. Part of the grant also supports student researchers participating in this work and learning the tools.
What inspires your interest in urban ecology? Cities have largely been neglected by biologists because they were presumed to be areas with few, and often invasive, species. But more than half of the world’s people now live in cities, and the footprint of cities is expanding globally. We know that some species are struggling to persist in these urban habitats, but others exploit these new environments and proliferate. Some of those species are beloved [such as] the peregrine falcons on the “Superman” building in downtown Providence, while others are maligned [such as] the invasive Norway rat. So, simply put, it’s an important environment that is not going away, and understanding urban ecosystems will help us mitigate the negative and promote the positive aspects of these human-created habitats.
What is most rewarding about working with students at PC? I love working directly with motivated students who are engaged and excited about the applications of our work to broader society. It’s a model of education – student learning and training directly with an expert in the field – that differs between a liberal arts environment [such as] PC and a larger university like the University of Rhode Island or Brown University. One’s not better than another, but they provide different experiences for both students and faculty.
Where do you prefer to be, the lab or the field? It depends on the context, but usually the field. If it’s a 90-degree day in August, it’s less fun to be in the humid subway tunnels of New York with no airflow trapping rats! Fortunately, a lot of our work takes us to beautiful areas here in southern New England, which is invigorating. But we have a lot of work to do in the lab too, including isolating and sequencing DNA.
