Patricia Ramon

Undergraduate Biology Major
University of Houston, Downtown

Ethnicity: Mexican American/Chicano

Cohort(s):
2004-2005 (Cohort 2)

» Resume

Past Research: Three different soil types were evaluated for level of beneficial mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae is symbiotic relationship between plant roots and soil fungi. Mycorrhizal levels were compared using a corn bioassay. After twenty-eight days, roots in different soils were evaluated for % hyphae, vesicle, and arbuscule infection. Analysis of each of the three soil types (forest, regular soil, and mima mound soil) showed that roots in mima soils had significantly greater amount of arbuscules (p= 0.04) and vesicles (p=0.0084). Perhaps mycorrhizae are more important in sandier soils. DNA extraction and PCR using general and mycorrhizal specific primers verified that mycorrhizae was present.

Current Research: A banded population of Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) was observed to determine if males use paternity guarding behavior. Paternity guards are used by males to prevent loss of paternity due to extra-pair copulations (EPC’s). Song behavior and territory size were quantified over breeding cycle for 5 males. Males sang at higher rates when their mates were fertile (nest building and egg laying stages) than when mates were nonfertile (incubation and nestling stages). Males also defended larger territories during their mates' fertile stages. The results are suggestive of a paternity guard function for song and territory defense in the Carolina Wren.

Future Research: Marine science and neurology are two fields that I would love to perform research in. My main career goal at the moment is to be able to narrow down my field of interests. I am very interested in so many fields of biology that I really would not know what to specifically study in graduate school. What ever I do, I that I love it!

Academic Preparation:
-Galena Park High School
-SAT and ACT
-University of Houston Downtown
-will take WPE and GRE

Hobbies: jogging, dancing salsa

Academic Disciplines:
Atmospheric Sciences
Hydrology

Research Interests:
Biological Sciences
Coastal Ocean Sciences
Deep Ocean
Estuaries
Freshwater Wetlands
Groundwater and Subsurface Water
Lakes and Reservoirs
Marine Wetlands
Open Ocean
Rivers and Streams

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