James Garey
James Garey
Professor and Chair
Contact
Office: BSF 202
Phone: 813/974-8434
Email:
Links
Education
M.A., San Francisco State University, 1979
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, 1985
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Utah 1985-1987
Research Assistant Professor, University of Utah 1988-1991
Assistant Professor, Duquesne University, 1991-1997
Associate Professor, Duquesne University, 1997
Professor, University of South Florida, 2006
Research
Interests
Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics
Research in my laboratory involves the use of molecular sequence data to investigate evolutionary relationships of living organisms. Investigations carried out in my lab to date have shown that among animals, protostomes are divided into two major lineages: the Ecdysozoa (molting animals: arthropods, nematodes, tardigrades, priapulids and others) and the Lophotrochozoans (annelids, molluscs, lophophorates and others).
Other work in my lab uses molecular sequence data to study the community structure of organisms living in marine sediments and in soil. We have developed new methods to analyze sequence data that provides a much more detailed picture of community structure across a much larger cross section of organisms than traditional morphological analysis. We are currently working on a project involving shallow hydrothermal vents in Papua New Guinea that deliver large amounts of arsenic to a coral reef community. Our molecular and morphological analyses are revealing how the community around the vents is affected by the arsenic and other physical parameters associated with the vents. Another project is examining soil mesofauna across the globe to determine if there is a correlation between above ground and below ground biodiversity.
A third area of research involves biodiversity and geochemistry of coastal cave and aquifer systems. These are interesting because they are the below ground interface between the aquifer and the Gulf of Mexico. We are particularly interested in anaerobic environments where sulfur is used instead of oxygen. This work includes molecular analysis of bacterial and microeukaryote communities in the cave systems.
Current Courses
Recent Publications
Garey, JR and McInnes, SJ (2008) Global diversity of tardigrades (Tardigrada) in freshwater. Hydrobiologia 595:101-106.
Stanton G., Meverden K., Thomsen T. and Garey, J.R. (2008) Closed circuit rebreathers in the forensic study of the Rouse Simmons Shipwreck. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.
Massey, S.E. and Garey, J.R., (2007). A comparative genomics analysis of codon reassignment reveal a link with mitochondrial proteome size and a mechanism of genetic code change via suppressor tRNAs. J. Mol. Evol. 64, 399-410.
Pichler, T., Amend, J.P., Garey, J., Hallock, P., Hsia, N.P., Karlen, D.J., Meyer-Dombard, D.R., McCloskey, B.J. and R.E. Price. (2006) A natural laboratory to study Arsenic Geobiocomplexity. EOS 87:221-225.
Garman, K.M. and Garey, J.R. (2005). The transition of a freshwater karst aquifer to an anoxic marine system. Estuaries, 28:686-693.