Christina Kwapich

Christina L. Kwapich, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

College
Kennedy College of Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
Phone
978-934-2817
Office
Olsen Hall - 205
Email
Christina_Kwapich@uml.edu
Links
Website

Expertise

Behavioral Ecology, Social Biology, Entomology

Research Interests

Behavior and ecology of animal societies, ant nest architecture, myrmecophiles, colony-level traits, production ecology, seed harvesting ants

Education

  • Postdoc, Arizona State University, Social Insect Research Group
  • Ph D: Ecology and Evolution, (2014), Florida State University
  • BS: Entomology, (2008), The Ohio State University

Selected Publications

  • Hölldobler, B., Kwapich, C.L. (2022). The Guests of Ants: How Myrmecophiles Interact With Their Hosts. Belknap Press, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 576 pages, ISBN 9780674265516.
  • Martyn, T.E., Kwapich, C.L., Kline, A., Gornish, E. (2022). Granivorous ants prefer small and unprotected seeds: Implications for restoration in arid ecosystems, e13759.
  • Lundgren, E.J., Moeller, K., Clyne, M., Middleton, O., Mahoney, S., Kwapich, C.L. (2022). Cicada nymphs dominate American black bear diet in a desert riparian area. Ecology and Evolution, E8577.
  • Kwapich, C.L. (2021). Green anole (Anolis carolinensis) eggs associated with nest chambers of the trap-jaw ant Odontomachus brunneus. Southeastern Naturalist, 20(4), 119-124.
  • Hölldobler, B., Kwapich, C. (2019). Behavior and exocrine glands in the myrmecophilous beetle Dinarda dentata (Gravenhorst, 1806) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). PLOS ONE,14(1) e0210524.
  • Kwapich, C., Hölldobler, B. (2019). Destruction of Spiderwebs and Rescue of Ensnared Nestmates by a Granivorous Desert Ant (Veromessor pergandei). The American Naturalist,194(3) 395-404.
  • Hölldobler, B., Kwapich, C., Haight, K.L. (2018). Behavior and exocrine glands in the myrmecophilous beetle Lomechusoides strumosus (Fabricius, 1775) (formerly called Lomechusa strumosa) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae). PLOS ONE,13(7) e0200309.
  • Kwapich, C., Valentini, G., Hölldobler, B. (2018). The non-additive effects of body size on nest architecture in a polymorphic ant. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences,373(1753) 20170235.
  • Hölldobler, B., Kwapich, C. (2017). Amphotis marginata (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) a highwayman of the ant Lasius fuliginosus. PLOS ONE,12(8) e0180847.
  • Kwapich, C., Gadau, J., Hölldobler, B. (2017). The ecological and genetic basis of annual worker production in the desert seed harvesting ant, Veromessor pergandei. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology,71(8).
  • Tschinkel, W.R., Kwapich, C. (2016). The Florida Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, Relies on Germination to Consume Large Seeds. PLOS ONE,11(11) e0166907.
  • Kwapich, C., Tschinkel, W.R. (2016). Limited flexibility and unusual longevity shape forager allocation in the Florida harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex badius). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology,70(2) 221-235.
  • Tschinkel, W.R., Rink, W.J., Kwapich, C. (2015). Sequential Subterranean Transport of Excavated Sand and Foraged Seeds in Nests of the Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius. PLOS ONE,10(10) e0139922.
  • Mason, K.S., Kwapich, C., Tschinkel, W.R. (2015). Respiration, worker body size, tempo and activity in whole colonies of ants. Physiological Entomology,40(2) 149-165.
  • Kwapich, C.L. (2014). The influence of demography, development and death on seasonal labor allocation in the Florida harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex badius). The Florida State University Digital Repository, Dissertation.
  • Kwapich, C., Tschinkel, W.R. (2013). Demography, demand, death, and the seasonal allocation of labor in the Florida harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex badius). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology,67(12) 2011-2027.
  • Gibson, A.H., Kwapich, C., Lang, M. (2013). The Roots of Multilevel Selection Theory: Concepts of Biological Individuality in the Early Twentieth Century. History and Philosophy of Life Sciences,4(35) 505-532.
  • Rink, W.J., Dunbar, J.S., Tschinkel, W.R., Kwapich, C., Repp, A., Stanton, W., Thulman, D.K. (2013). Subterranean transport and deposition of quartz by ants in sandy sites relevant to age overestimation in optical luminescence dating. Journal of Archaeological Science,40(4) 2217-2226.
  • Tschinkel, W.R., Murdock, T., King, J.R., Kwapich, C. (2012). Ant Distribution in Relation to Ground Water in North Florida Pine Flatwoods. Journal of Insect Science,12(114) 1-20.

Research Currently in Progress

  • Phenotypic plasticity and speciation in generalist myrmecophiles, including North American ant crickets (Myrmecophilidae) and spiders
    Kwapich, C.
  • Seed harvesting, storage and processing by ants
    Kwapich, C.
  • Variation and convergence in ant nest architecture
    Kwapich, C.