Mike Kingston, professor of biology and environmental studies, presented his microalgal research at the poster session of the Phycological Society of America’s Annual Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Monday, July 28.
His research examined resource partitioning and competition in two vertically migrating diatoms, Hantzschia virgata and Caloneis amphisbaena, that inhabit the intertidal sandflats of Sunset Bay, Oregon. His results indicate that these species avoid direct competition through niche specialization, with each species dominating at different tidal heights along the shore. This research was financed with Elon University FR&D sabbatical awards.