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Melissa K. Fierke
Assistant Professor

135 Illick Hall
1 Forestry Dr.
Syracuse, New York 13210

Phone: (315) 470-6809/470-6743
Email: mkfierke@esf.edu

Education

• B.S. Environmental Chemistry, B.S. Environmental Biology, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, Arkansas.

• M.S. Fisheries Science, M.S. Environmental Science (Water Resources), Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
• Ph.D. Entomology (Minor: Biology), University of Arkansas, 2006.

Graduate Opportunities

If you are interested in becoming a part of my lab at ESF, please send me a) a short statement about yourself and your interests (background, goals/ambitions, reason(s) for your interest in ESF and why you would want to do research in my lab, as well as any questions you might have), b) a copy of your Curriculum Vitae, and c) your GPA and GRE scores (include the analytical writing and subject tests if you've taken them).

Research Technicians

John Welsh

Rory Fencl

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Funmi Afelumo Katie Walters

 

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Past Graduate Students

• Dominick Skabeikis - May 2012: Male pheromone of the pine sawyer beetles, Monochamus scuellatus (Say) and Monochamus notatus (Drury) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): Production, response and circadian rhythms
• Christopher Standley - April 2012: Emergence phenology and ecological interactions between the exotic Sirex noctilio, native siricids, and a shared guild of native parasitoids
• Kimberly Dean - April 2012: Parasitoids and pathogens of emerald ash borer: Implications for biological control at all life stages
• Warren Hellman - April 2011: Evaluating use of the native digger wasp Cerceris fumipennis (Say) as a sampling method for New York Buprestidae
• Peter Rockermann - April 2011: Implications for invasion by emerald ash borer in New York: Ash abundance in riparian areas and moth assemblages in upland and lowland forests with high and low ash densities
• Patrick Eager - April 2010: An analysis of the Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) - parasitoid complex in New York State

Past Undergraduate Research Assistants

• Elizabeth Keyser
• Candi Finger
• Katie McKeever
• Greg Williams

Courses Taught

• Systematic Entomology (aka Insect Diversity) - Spring Odd Years
• Organismal Biology and Ecology EFB 101 - Fall
• Forest Health Monitoring - Maymester Odd years
• Core Course for Graduate Students - Spring
• Adaptive Peaks Seminar

Publications

W. E. Hellman, M.K. Fierke. Evaluating buprestid preference and sampling efficiency of Cerceris fumipennis using morphometric data. J. Insect Ecology. Accepted.

Rutledge, C.E., M.K. Fierke, P. Careless, T. Worthley. First detection of Agrilus planipennis in Connecticut made by monitoring Cerceris fumipennis (Crabronidae) colonies. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. Accepted.

C. Foelker, J. Vandenberg, M. Whitmore. 2013. Modeling Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) within-tree colonization patterns and development of a subsampling technique. Environ. Entomol. In press.

M.K. Fierke, M. Whitmore, C. Foelker, J. Vandenberg, J. Carlson. 2013. Delimitation and management of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Case study at an outlier infestation in southwestern New York State. Canadian Entomol. In press.

M.K. Fierke, D.D. Skabeikis, J.G. Millar, S.A. Teale, J.S. McElfresh, L.M. Hanks. 2012. Identification of a male-produced aggregation pheromone for Monochamus scutellatus scuellatus and an attractant for the cogener Monochamus notatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 105:2029-2034.

L. Haavik, D. Crook, M. Fierke, L. Galligan, F. Stephen. 2012. Partial life tables from three generations of Enaphalodes rufulus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Envir. Entomo. 41:1311-1321.

C. Standley, R. Hoebeck, D. Parry, D. Allen, M. Fierke. 2012. Detection and identification of two new native hymenopteran parasitoids associated with exotic Sirex noctilio in North America. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Washington. 114: 238-249.

K. Dean, J. Vandenberg, M. Griggs, L. Beaur, M. Fierke. 2012. Assessing susceptibility of hymenopteran parasitoids of the emerald ash borer to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. J. Insect Pathology. 109: 303-306.

P.T. Eager, D.C. Allen, J.L. Frair, M.K. Fierke 2011. Within-tree distributions of the Sirex noctilio-parasitoid complex and development of an optimal sampling scheme. Envir. Entomol. 40:1266-1275.

M. K. Fierke, D. Nowak, R. Hofstetter. 2011. Forest Health Monitoring. In Castello, J. and S. Teale (eds) Forest Health textbook. Cambridge Press.

C. Rutledge, W. Hellman, C. Teerling, M. Fierke. 2011. Two novel prey families for the buprestid-hunting wasp Cerceris fumipennis Say (Hymenoptera: Crabonidae). Coleopterists Bulletin. The Coleopterists Bulletin. 65:194-196.

M. K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2010. Dendroentomological evidence associated with an outbreak of the wood-boring beetle Enaphalodes rufulus. Can. J. For. Res. 40: 679–686.

L. Haavik, M.K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2010. Factors affecting suitability of Quercus rubra as hosts for Enaphalodes rufulus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Env. Entom. 39:520-527.

M.C. Whitmore, M.K. Fierke. 2010. Emerald ash borer is now in New York. New York Forest Owner. 48:14-15.

M.B. Kelley, M.K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2009. Identification and distribution of Armillaria species associated with an oak decline event in the Arkansas Ozarks. J. For. Path. 39:397-404.

L. Haavik, F. Stephen, M. Fierke, V. Salisbury, S. Leavitt, S. Billings. 2008. Dendrochronological parameters of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L. (Fagaceae)) infested with red oak borer (Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)). For. Ecol. Manag. 255:1501-1509.

M.K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2008. Callus formation and bark moisture as potential physical defenses of northern red oak, Quercus rubra, against red oak borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Can. Entomol. 140:149-157.

M.K. Fierke, M.B. Kelley, F.M. Stephen. 2007. Site and Stand Variables Influencing Red Oak Borer, Enaphalodes rufulus, (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Population Densities and Tree Mortality. Forest Ecol. Manag. 247: 227-236.

M.K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2007. Red Oak Borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Flight Trapping in the Ozark National Forest, Arkansas. Florida Entomol. 90:488-494.

D.J. Crook, M.K. Fierke, D.L. Kinney, V.B. Salisbury, F.M. Stephen. 2007. Optimization of Sampling Methods for Within-tree Populations of Red Oak Borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Environ. Entomol. 36:589-594.

M.K. Fierke, J.B. Kauffman. 2006. Invasive species influence riparian plant diversity along a black cottonwood successional gradient, Willamette River, Oregon. Natural Areas J. 26:376-382.

M.K. Fierke, J.B. Kauffman. 2006. Riverscape patterns of riparian plant diversity along a black cottonwood successional gradient, Willamette River, Oregon. Plant Ecol. 185:85-95.

M.K. Fierke, Kinney, D.L., Salisbury, V.B., Crook, D.J., and Stephen, F.M. 2005. A rapid estimation procedure for within-tree populations of red oak borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Forest Ecol. Manag. 215:163–168.

M.K. Fierke; D. L. Kinney; V. B. Salisbury; D. J. Crook; F. M. Stephen. 2005. Development and comparison of intensive and extensive sampling methods and preliminary within-tree population estimates of red oak borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Environ. Entomol. 34:184-192.

M.K. Fierke, J.B. Kauffman. 2005. Structural dynamics of riparian forests along a black cottonwood successional gradient. Forest Ecol. Manag. 215:149-162.

Professional Memberships

• Entomological Society of America
• Entomological Society of Canada
• Ecological Society of America
• Society of American Foresters

Professional Service

Reviewer for Forest Ecology & Management, Journal of Insect Behavior, Environmental Entomology, Economic Entomology, Journal of Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, Canadian Entomologist, Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal of Chemical Ecology.

Awards

• 2007 Roger F. Anderson Southern Forest Insect Work Conference Outstanding Graduate Student.
• 2005 University of Arkansas Department of Entomology Isely Outstanding Ph.D student award.

Selected Presentations

M.K. Fierke. Peeling, Splitting and Rearing to Know: emerald ash borer and Sirex noctilio research in New York State. Presented at multiple venues:

• Cornell University, Department of Entomology, Geneva Campus. 3/2012.
• Cornell University, Jugatae Seminar Series, Dept of Entomology, Ithaca NY. 2/2012.
• Utica College, 10/2011.

M.K. Fierke, K. Gandhi, M. Ayers. Sirex noctilio: biology, parasitism and native siricids. 5/2011. North American Forest Insect Work Conference. Portland, OR.

M.K. Fierke, P. Eager, C. Standley, D. Parry, D. Allen. Splitting and rearing to know: new insights into the siricid-parasitoid complex. Presented at multiple venues:

• 5/2011, Sirex noctilio Research Updates Meeting, Riverdale, MD.
• 3/2011, Eastern Branch Meeting of the Entomol. Soc. of America. Harrisburg, PA.
• 1/2011, USDA Annual Interagency Research Forum on Invasive Species, Annapolis, MD.

M.K. Fierke, J. Vandenburg, M. Whitmore, J. Carlson. Girdling and peeling to know: emerald ash borer research in New York. Presented at multiple venues:

Eastern Branch Meeting of the Entomol. Soc. of America. 3/2011, Harrisburg, PA.

New York Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting, 1/2011, Syracuse NY.

M.K. Fierke, P. Eager, P. Rockermann, W. Hellman. 2009. Finding a niche in northeastern forest entomology – emerald ash borer and Sirex noctilio . Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Indianapolis, IN.

M.K. Fierke. 2008. Emerald Ash Borer: Status, Biology, Impacts and Current Research. Invasive Non-Native Forest Pest Conference, Ithaca NY.

M.K. Fierke, C. Landis, M. O’Brien, J. Riddle, N. Werner, R. Germain. 2008. Economic and ecological impacts of emerald ash borer and Sirex noctilio. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Milwaukee, WI.

F. M. Stephen, M.K. Fierke, J. M Guldin, L.J. Haavik, J. J. Riggins and J. A. Tullis. 2008. Red oak borer as an agent of change in Arkansas forests: an historical perspective. International Congress of Entomology, Durban, South Africa.

M.K. Fierke, F.M. Stephen. 2008. Red oak borer research in upland oak-hickory forests. Eastern Branch meeting, Entomological Society of America, Syracuse NY, March 2008.