Dr. Steven L. Stephenson
Research Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
[Subantarctic Campbell Island in March of 2000]
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(M.S. in 1970 and Ph.D. in 1977)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
For more than twenty-five years, I have carried on a vigorous program of basic
research in two different subject areas: (1) the ecology of upland forest communities
in the mid-Appalachian region of eastern North America and (2) the distribution
and ecology of myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) in terrestrial ecosystems.
In brief, my research on the forests of the mid-Appalachians is an outgrowth
of the work I did for my doctorate, whereas my research on myxomycete ecology
was initiated in 1977. Much of my previous research on the upland forests of
the mid-Appalachians has focused on the vegetation-site relationships, composition,
structure, and dynamics of deciduous forest communities, particularly those
dominated by oak. However, during the past ten years, my research has been directed
toward the subalpine coniferous forests of the same region. One aspect of this
research has involved an evaluation of the possible effects of acid deposition
on these communities.
My research on myxomycete ecology has been directed toward the goal of increasing
our knowledge of (1) the relative importance and exact role of myxomycetes as
members of the detritus food chain and (2) the ecological significance of their
interactions with other organisms in terrestrial ecosystems. Primary emphasis
has been placed on analyzing patterns of microhabitat occupation, species composition,
species diversity, and taxonomic diversity of myxomycetes in temperate forests
and assessing the ecological relationships involved in the exploitation of myxomycetes
as a food resource by insects in this type of ecosystem. Although a major portion
of this research has been carried out in the forests of eastern North America,
I've also collected and studied myxomycetes in the Rocky Mountains of the western
United States, northwestern India, Alaska, eastern Peru, Ecuador, East Africa,
New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, subantarctic Macquarie Island, subantarctic
Campbell Island and the cool temperate Auckland Islands, eastern Russia, Mexico,
Cuba, and Puerto Rico. My current research effort is devoted largely to detailed
studies of (1) the assemblages of myxomycetes associated with boreal forest,
tundra and other ecosystems of high-latitude regions of the world, (2) the myxomycetes
associated with Neotropical forests, and (3) the ecological distribution patterns
of all three groups of mycetozoans (myxomycetes, dictyostelids and protostelids)
in various types of terrestrial ecosystems.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Stephenson, S. L. 1993. Upland Forests of West Virginia. McClain Printing
Company, Parsons, West Virginia. 308 pp.
Stephenson, S. L., and H. Stempen. 1994. Myxomycetes: a Handbook of Slime
Molds. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 183 pp. (Reprinted as a paperback edition
in 2000.)
Stephenson, S. L., J. C. Landolt, and D. L. Moore. 1998. Protostelids,
dictyostelids, and myxomycetes in the litter microhabitat of the Luquillo Experimental
Forest, Puerto Rico. Mycological Research 103:209-214.
Stephenson, S. L., and H. H. Mills. 1999. Contrasting vegetation of noses
and hollows in the Valley and Ridge Province, southwestern Virginia. Bulletin
of the Torrey Botanical Society 126:197-212.
Novozhilov, Y. K., M. Schnittler, and S. L. Stephenson. 1999. Myxomycetes of the
Taimyr Peninsula (north-central Siberia): taxonomy and distribution. Karstenia
39:77-97.
Moore, D. L., S. L. Stephenson, G. L. Laursen, and W. A. Woodgate. 2000.
Protostelids from boreal forest and tundra ecosystems in Alaska. Mycologia 390-393.
Schnittler, M., and S. L. Stephenson. 2000. Myxomycete biodiversity in
four different forest types in Costa Rica. Mycologia 92:626-637.
Spiegel, F. W., and S. L. Stephenson. 2000. Protostelids of Macquarie Island.
Mycologia 92:849-852.
Stephenson, S. L., Y. Novozhilov, and M. Schnittler. 2000. Distribution and ecology
of myxomycetes in high-latitude regions of the northern hemisphere. Journal of
Biogeography 27:741-754.
Irawan, B., J. D. Clark, and S. L. Stephenson. 2000. Biosystematics of
the Physarum compressum morphospecies. Mycologia 92:884-893.
Schnittler, M., S. L. Stephenson, and Y. Novozhilov. 2000. Ultrastructure
of Barbeyella minutissima (Myxomycetes). Karstenia 40:159-166.
Stephenson, S. L., M. Schnittler, D. W. Mitchell, and Y. K. Novozhilov.
2001. Myxomycetes of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mycotaxon 78:1-15.
Schnittler, M., and S. L. Stephenson. 2002. Inflorescences of Neotropical
herbs as a newly discovered microhabitat for myxomycetes. Mycologia 94:6-20.
Cavender, J. C., S. L. Stephenson, J. C. Landolt, and E. Vadell. 2002.
Distribution and ecology of dictyostelid cellular slime molds in the forests of
New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 40:235-264.
Schnittler, M., C. Lado, and S. L. Stephenson. 2002. Rapid biodiversity
assessment of a tropical myxomycete assemblage-Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve,
Ecuador. Fungal Diversity 9:135-167.
Moore, D. L., and S. L. Stephenson. 2003. Microhabitat distribution of
protostelids in a tropical wet forest in Costa Rica. Mycologia 95:11-18.
Stephenson, S. L. 2003. Myxomycetes associated with decaying fronds of
nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany
41:311-317.
Stephenson, S. L., and P. R. Johnson. 2003. Myxomycetes and fungi associated
with alpine snowbank habitats in New Zealand. Australian Mycologist 22:20-26.
Lado, C., A. Estrada-Torres, S. L. Stephenson, D. Wrigley de Basanta, and
M. Schnittler. 2003. Biodiversity assessment of myxomycetes from two tropical
forest reserves in Mexico. Fungal Diversity 12:67-110.
Bhatt, R. P., R. E. Tulloss, K. C. Semwal, V. K. Bhatt, J.-M. Moncalvo, and S.
L. Stephenson. 2003. The Amanitaceae of India. A critically annotated checklist.
Mycotaxon 88:249-270.
McHugh, R., S. L. Stephenson, D. W. Mitchell, and M. H. Brims. 2003. New
records of Australian Myxomycota. New Zealand Journal of Botany 41:487-500.
Hall, I., S. L. Stephenson, P. K. Buchanan, W. Yun, and A. L. J. Cole.
2003. Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of the World. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.
371 pp.
Stephenson, S. L. 2003. Myxomycetes of New Zealand. (Volume III in the
Series "Fungi of New Zealand"). Fungal Diversity Press, Hong Kong. 238
pp.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Myxomycetes
www.myxoweb.com
Fungi of northwestern India
www.biology.duke.edu/jeanmarc
ATBI in the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park
www.discoverlife.org/
Subantarctic Islands
www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biodiversity/antarctica/index.html
Alaskan Fungi and Slime Molds
www.memberserviceadvantage.com/diversity/investig.htm
Gallery
[click on thumnails to enlarge]
Contact Information
University of Arkansas
Department of Biological Sciences
Office: Science and Engineering Building 626
Laboratory: Ferritor Hall Room 215
Telephone: (479) 575-2869
Fax: (479) 575-4010
E-mail: slsteph@uark.edu
