Conservation and Research Department Team

The Memphis Zoo has a very active conservation department with six full time research positions, crossing a wide range of biological disciplines. In addition to our senior biologists, we also have a close working relationship with many academic faculty from regional universities that we have established research associate positions for similar to an adjunct arrangement.

Conservation and Research Department (Left to Right): Dr. Xiaoguang Ouyang, Dr. Andy Kouba, Beth Roberts, Dr. Katrina Knott, Fields Falcone, and Dr. Carrie Vance.

Full Time Staff

Dr. Andy Kouba – Director of Conservation and Research

Academic background: Ph.D. in Animal Molecular and Cell Biology interdisciplinary program concentration in Reproductive Physiology, University of Florida, FL; M.S. in Animal Physiology, Clemson University, SC; B.S. in Zoology and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Northwest Missouri State University, MO.

Conservation interests: reproductive ecology, assisted reproductive technologies, restoration ecology, forest health, remote sensing, and climate change

Current research direction/interests: Dr. Kouba has several projects he is actively engaged with including developing assisted reproductive technologies for breeding endangered amphibians, carnivore ecology and conservation in the Pantanal, Brazil, giant panda nutritional ecology, forest and bamboo restoration in the Qinling mountains of China, reproductive monitoring in captivity and the wild for various mammal species, landscape-scale conservation, biodiversity surveys, remote sensing for wildlife, and design of reintroduction programs for amphibians. Dr. Kouba is also developing unique social economic programs to involve local communities in conservation efforts.

Fields Falcone – Research Associate/Technician

Academic background: M.S. in Biology, Western Carolina University, 2009; B.S. in Biology, University of Memphis, 2001

Conservation interests: Foraging and nutritional ecology; avian ecology and invasive species ecology in forest ecosystems

Current research direction/projects: Fields has taken over previously initiated projects investigating the influence of bamboo nutrient composition on seasonal foraging habits of the giant panda. These projects involve the analysis of bamboo over time to see if nutrient fluctuations play a role in the panda’s behavioral switch from eating different bamboo plant parts during different seasons. Previous projects with the US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, PRBO Conservation Science, and Western Carolina University include co-development of an invasive plant species database, population and productivity monitoring of songbird communities using at-risk forest habitat, and effects of non-native insect pest management on forest songbird and arthropod communities. Fields also acts as lab coordinator for researchers, interns, and volunteers within the department.

Dr. Xiaoguang Ouyang – Postdoctoral Fellow

Academic background: Ph.D. in Biology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, 2010; M.S. in Zoology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, 2000; B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Peking University, Beijing, China, 1997.  

Conservation interests: Physiology and nutrition of endangered species; Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) based photonic technology and chemometrics.  

Current research direction/projects: My research projects are focused on developing and evaluating non-invasive methods using fecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (FNIRS) to determine and monitor the physiological parameters in animals and plants. The long term goal is to establish fast, affordable, convenient and reliable population and habitat monitoring tools for both laboratory and field applications. Another project of investigation is designed to investigate the ecological impacts of different aforestation strategies on forest soil restoration. Currently projects include: 1) Developing NIRS method to determine the physiological parameters such as sex, age, heath, and pregnancy status of the giant panda by measuring the fecal samples collected over years from several zoos in USA; 2) Testing similar NIRS-based methods in measuring the nutrient content of several bamboo species currently used in the diet of giant pandas in captivity; and 3) Comparing key ecological indicators of forest soils such as organic carbon and total nitrogen levels measured from reforested areas under different aforestation strategies and from areas naturally reforested, to see the effectiveness of those strategies in restoring forest soil quality.

Dr. Katrina Knott – Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Academic Background: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Wildlife Toxicology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK; M.S. in Zoology studying Nutritional Ecology and Development, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK; B.A. in Biology, University of Minnesota Morris, MN.  

Conservation interests: reproductive physiology, endocrinology, comparative anatomy and physiology, ecotoxicology, physiological ecology, nutritional ecology, histomorphology/ pathology, wildlife disease  

Current research direction/interests: Dr. Knott’s research examines reproductive hormones and pregnancy biomarkers in mammals for improved knowledge of their reproductive physiology and conservation. These studies include an evaluation of the reproductive cycles in giant anteaters and polar bears by non-invasive sampling and detection of hormone metabolites in feces and urine. Dr. Knott is also helping to monitor the reproductive status of giant panda. This summer, Dr. Knott will also begin a project comparing reproductive physiology of ursids including polar bears, giant panda, sloth bears, and Andean bears. The goal of her research in these species is to increase breeding success and offspring survival of the captive zoo population. Greater knowledge of the reproductive physiology of these species will also be applicable to wild populations by providing information regarding the timing and plasticity of reproductive events for free-ranging animals and insight into the potential causes of reproductive failures. Characterization of reproductive events may also aid in the identification of key time periods when animals are most susceptible to natural (e.g., climate associated changes in habitat, disease transmission) and man-made (e.g., industrial development, environmental contaminants) disturbances that can negatively impact the reproductive physiology and behavior of wildlife.

Current Research Associates:

Dr. Carrie Vance – Research Scientist, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Sciences, Mississippi State University, MS. Visiting assistant professor, Department of Biology, University of Memphis, TN. Field of expertise: spectroscopy, remote sensing, biochemical systems and reproductive ecology. http://biology.memphis.edu/faculty.htm

Dr. Scott Willard – Professor, Chair Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Sciences, Mississippi State University, MS. Field of expertise: reproductive physiology of domestic livestock (cattle and small ruminants) and non-domestic species, applications of thermal imaging, photonic imaging and image analysis. http://www.biochemistry.msstate.edu

Dr. Frank van Manen – Research Ecologist/Adjunct Professor; U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Southern Appalachian Research Branch/Dept. of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee. Field of expertise: habitat ecology of mammals, particularly bears and other large carnivores. Apply principles of landscape ecology to predict species distributions, determine wildlife responses to landscape changes, and to examine genetic patterns and population abundance. Click here for the USGS unit webpage.

Dr. Wei Fuwen – Professor, Deputy Director, Institute of Zoology; Director, Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Field of expertise: ecology, behavior, conservation genetics, conservation biology of engendered species, such as giant panda and red panda.

Dr. Wenyuan Dong – Dean and professor, Bamboo and Rattan Research Institute, Southwestern Forestry University. Field of expertise: bamboo physiology and ecology.

Dr. George Fahey Jr. – Professor of Animal Sciences and Nutritional Sciences and Kraft Foods Endowed Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois. Field of expertise: comparative nutrition; carbohydrate nutrition; dietary fiber; gastrointestinal tract health; fermentation; pet animal nutrition. http://pets.ansci.uiuc.edu

Dr. David Kesler – Professor, Biology Department, Rhodes College, Memphis TN. Field of expertise: freshwater and coral reef ecology; freshwater mussels. http://faculty.rhodes.edu/kesler/

Dr. Leandro Silveira - President, Jaguar Conservation Foundation. Field of expertise: jaguar ecology, management and conservation; carnivore population studies. Leandro coordinates long-term jaguar population monitoring programs in the Cerrado, Pantanal, Amazon and Caatinga, as well as Brazil-wide projects concerning jaguar distribution, genetics, and perception of the species by rural communities.

Past Employees

Past Graduate Students:

The Memphis Zoo supports several graduate students that are part of our research associates programs. Our current students and their projects are listed below.

Tiantian Feng – Mammal diversity and its relationship to landscape characteristics in the Qinling Mountains of China. Chinese Academy of Sciences and University of Tennessee

Erin Trueblood – Phytochemical analysis of bamboo and impacts on giant panda physiology. Mississippi State University

In addition to our current students we also recognize several outstanding graduate students who have graduated with their Ph.D. or M.S.

Jen Parsons – Disturbance and temporal effects on bamboo nutritional composition and its palatability to giant pandas. Mississippi State University

Erin Weidower – Use of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy to investigate selection and nutrient utilization of bamboo to monitor the physiological status of giant pandas. Texas A&M University

Wei Wang – Bamboo ecology and regeneration in the Qinling Mountains, China. University of Memphis

Tommy Finley – Giant pandas balance energy budget with metabolic depression; insights from radar detection of heart rates. University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Juli Simms – Understanding the foraging strategy of the giant panda: relationship to bamboo nutritional dynamics. Mississippi State University