James C. Cavender, Ph.D.

     Our research is concerned with the ecology, distribution and systematics of dictyostelid cellular slime molds.  Most of our work currently, has been in Central and South America and in the Caribbean.  We have found a center of diversity at Tikal, Guatemala.  Other regions which look promising are the Peruvian Amazon and Iguazu, Argentina.  Studies in the Caribbean are focused on species/area relationships.

     Other projects in our laboratory relate to the roles of mycorrhizae and mushroom cultivation in sustainable agriculture.

Selected References:

• Cavender,J.C. and E. M. Vadell (2000).The genus Acytostelium.Mycologia 92:992-1008.

• Swanson, A.R., E.M. Vadell and J.C. Cavender (1999) Global distribution of forest soil dictyostelidsJ. Biogeography, 26:133-148.

• Vadell, E.M. and J.C. Cavender (1998) Polysphondylium from forest soils of Tikal, Guatemala.  Mycologia 90:715-725.

• Stevenson, S.L. and J.C. Cavender (1996) Dictyostelids and myxomycetes in soils.  In Methods for the Examination of Organismal Diversity in Soils and Sediments.  (G.S. Hall, ed.)  Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, Wallinford, England, pp. 91-101.

• Cavender, J.C., J. Cavender-Bares and H.R. Hohl (1995) Ecological distribution of cellular slime molds in forest soils of Germany.  Bot. Helv. 105:199-219.

• Cavender, J.C., R. Bradsahw, J.P. Regner and T. Damio (1993) Response of soil dictyostelid slime molds to agricultural disturbance in a tropical environment.  Biotropica 25: 245-248.