University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

Luke DoddLuke Dodd

Post-Doctoral Scholar | Rieske-Kinney Laboratory

 

Department of Forestry
214 T.P. Cooper Building (Office #8)
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0073
Ph: 859.257.5820
Fax: 859.323.1031
Email: luke.dodd@uky.edu

Research Interests

I am interested in management and conservation of our natural resources. My research is broadly focused on assessing the interrelationships that exist between bats, insects, and their forest environments.

 

I’m part of a project involving collaboration between UK’s Forestry and Entomology Departments and the Northern Research Station of the US Forest Service. We’re investigating the effects of fire management and habitat quality on endangered bats at Mammoth Cave National Park. Our research efforts are focusing on the swarming and staging periods when bats are congregating around hibernation sites. With our studies, we are gaining insight into the predator-prey interactions and habitat use of bats that are threatened by White-Nose Syndrome.

 

Education

  • Ph.D. in Entomology
    University of Kentucky, 2006-2010
    Advisor: Lynne K. Rieske-Kinney
    Dissertation Research: Forest disturbance affects insect prey and the activity of bats in deciduous forests.
  • Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics
    University of Kentucky, 2004-2007

    Courses taken: Basic Statistical Analysis, Regression and Correlation, Design and Analysis of Experiments, Distribution-Free Statistical Inference and Analysis of Categorical Data, and Applied Multivariate Methods (12 credit hours total).

  • M.S. in Forestry
    University of Kentucky, 2004 – 2006
    Advisor: Michael J. Lacki
    Thesis Research: Diet and prey abundance of the Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens) in Arkansas.
  • B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Summa Cum Laude
    Arkansas Tech University, 2000 – 2004

 

Teaching & Work Experience

  • Mentor for Undergraduate Independent Study
    University of Kentucky, Fall 2008.
    Independent Study in Natural Resources (NRC 395). Research investigating the food habits of the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) in Central Appalachia.
  • Instructional Assistant
    University of Kentucky, Fall 2005
    Forest Wildlife Management (FOR 430).
  • Research Technician
    US Forest Service, June – August 2003
  • Laboratory Teaching Assistant
    Arkansas Tech University, August 2002 – May 2004
  • Research Technician
    US Forest Service, June – August 2002

 

Grants & Fellowships

  • Joint Fire Sciences Program Research Grant, US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Interior, 2010-2012. “Fire Management and foraging habitat quality for endangered bats in Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park during the swarming and staging periods: predator-prey interactions and habitat use of bats threatened by White Nose Syndrome.” Grant co-writer and named post-doc.
  • Dissertation Year Fellowship, University of Kentucky Graduate School, 2009-2010. “Forest structure affects ecologically-sensitive predator-prey relationships.” Stipend and tuition awarded.
  • Publication Scholarship, University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, 2010. “DNA-based techniques allow a high resolution of prey selection by a common forest-dwelling bat (Myotis septentrionalis).” Awarded.
  • Graduate Student Travel Grant, University of Kentucky Graduate School, 2008. Awarded.
  • Student Research Scholarship, Bat Conservation International, 2008. “Application of molecular techniques for detection of prey of insectivorous bats.” Awarded.
  • Grants in Aid of Research, Sigma Xi, 2007. “Application of genetic techniques for detection of prey of forest-dwelling bats.” Awarded.

 

Publications

  • Dodd, L.E., L.K. Rieske, M.J. Lacki, E.G. Chapman, and J.D. Harwood. 2012. Identification of prey of Myotis septentrionalis using DNA-based techniques. Journal of Mammalogy, In Press.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, E.R. Britzke, D. A. Buehler, P.D. Keyser, J.L. Larkin, A.D. Rodewald, T.B. Wigley, P.B. Wigley, and L.K. Rieske. 2012. Forest structure affects trophic linkages: how silvicultural disturbance impacts bats and their insect prey. Forest Ecology and Management, 267: 262-270.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske. 2011. Habitat associations of Lepidoptera in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 84: 271-284.

  • Lacki, M.J., and L.E. Dodd. 2011. Diet and foraging behavior of Corynorhinus bats in eastern North America. In: Conservation and management of eastern big-eared bats: a symposium (eds Loeb S.C., M. J. Lacki, and D.A. Miller). General Technical Report, SRS-145. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Pp. 39-52 (of 157 p).

  • Lacki, M.J., D.C. Cox, L.E. Dodd, and M.B. Dickinson. 2009. Response of northern bats (Myotis septentrionalis) to prescribed fires in eastern Kentucky forests. Journal of Mammalogy 90: 1165-1175.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske. 2008. Variation in moth occurrence and the implications for foraging habitat of the Ozark big-eared bat. Forest Ecology and Management 255: 3866-3872.

  • Dodd, L.E., and J.K. Adkins. 2007. Observations of mating behavior in the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis). Bat Research News 48: 155-156.

  • Dodd, L.E., and M.J. Lacki. 2007. Prey consumed by Corynorhinus townsendii ingens in the Ozark Mountain region. Acta Chiropterologica 9: 451–461.

  • Lacki, M.J., J.S. Johnson, L.E. Dodd, and M.D. Baker. 2007. Prey consumption of insectivorous bats in coniferous forests of north-central Idaho. Northwest Science 81: 199-205.

 

Recent Presentations

  • Rieske-Kinney, L. K., L.E. Dodd, J.K. Adkins, I. Graziosi, L.A. Nelson, and M.A. Sprinkle. Research in Forest Entomology: Building a knowledge base to understand and protect our natural resources. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. 13-16 November 2011, Reno, NV.

  • L.E. Dodd, D.R. Cox, J.J. Johnson, M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske. A regional assessment of the food habits of a bat assemblage prior to the arrival of White Nose Syndrome in Central Appalachia. 41st Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research. 26-29 October 2011, Toronto, ON.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske-Kinney. First-year responses of forest bats and their arthropod prey to prescribed fire during the swarming period at Mammoth Cave National Park (Poster). Joint Meeting of the Northeastern Bat Working Group, Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, and Colloquium on the Conservation of Mammals in the Eastern United States. 23-25 February 2011, Louisville, KY.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske-Kinney. Impacts of disturbance on bats and nocturnal insects in the hardwood forests of eastern North America. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. 12-15 December 2010, San Diego, CA.

  • Dodd, L.E., M.J. Lacki, and L.K. Rieske-Kinney. Impacts of disturbance on bats and nocturnal insects in the hardwood forests of Kentucky. Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Native Plant Society. 11 September 2010, Shakertown, KY.

  • Lacki, M. J., and L. E. Dodd. Diet and foraging behavior of Corynorhinus bats in eastern North America. Symposium on the Conservation and Management of Big-Eared Bats in the Eastern United States. 9-10 March 2010, Athens, GA.

  • Dodd, L. E., L. K. Rieske-Kinney, and M. J. Lacki. Occurrence and diversity of nocturnal insects vary across a disturbance gradient in the Central Appalachians of eastern North America.Annual meeting of the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America. 14-17 March 2010, Louisville, KY.

  • Dodd, L. E., E. G. Chapman, J. D. Harwood, M. J. Lacki, and L. K. Rieske-Kinney. Genetic markers offer multiple approaches to infer prey consumption by forest-dwelling bats. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. 13-16 December 2009, Indianapolis, IN.

  • Dodd, L. E., E. G. Chapman, J. D. Harwood, M. J. Lacki, and L. K. Rieske-Kinney. Barcoding forest Lepidoptera: development and application of a sequence library. 52nd Annual Southern Forest Insect Work Conference. 28-31 July 2009, Gulfport, MS.

  • Dodd, L.E., L.K. Rieske-Kinney, and M.J. Lacki. Silvicultural disturbances influence the insect prey base of forest-dwelling bats. 51st Annual Southern Forest Insect Work Conference. 4-7 August 2008, Chattanooga, TN.

  • Dodd, L.E., L.K. Rieske-Kinney, and M.J. Lacki. Application of genetic techniques for detection of prey of forest-dwelling bats. Joint Meeting of the 13th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Bat Diversity Network, 10th Annual Meeting of the Northeast Bat Working Group, and 18th Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States. 20-22 February 2008, Blacksburg, VA.

 

Professional Memberships

Entomological Society of America

Kansas Entomological Society

Kentucky Bat Working Group

Society of Kentucky Lepidopterists

Southern Forest Insect Work Conference

The Wildlife Society

 

Return to UK Department of Entomology homepage