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Personal Quote

"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people"
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Faculty Bio

I'm a tropical soil microbial ecologist that has been studying how land management, climate change and other disturbances impact soil ecosystems for about 20 years. I was an infectious disease virologist/pathologist before that for 15 years.

Research Interest

Currently, how has climate change-induced extreme events negatively influenced the soil ecosystems in Costa Rica; and how are forest restoration practices in the Northern Zone and Cloud Forests of Costa Rica benefiting the soil ecosystems.

Past Courses

BIO 101: General Biology I
BIO 123: Biology & Contemporary Society
BIO 210: Ecology
BIO 264: Microbiology
BIO 292: Bio Lbrtry Rsrch Trng
BIO 301: Tropical Ecosystem Assessment
BIO 301: Tropical Ecosystem Assmnt I
BIO 301: Tropical Ecosystem Assmnt II
BIO 307: Microbial Ecology
BIO 395: Independent Study in Biology
BIO 480: Research in Biology
BIO 481: Research in Biology II
BIO 490: Intro to Rsrch in Biolgcl Sci
BMB 710: Research I
BMB 711: Research II
ENS 772: Thesis Preparation
ENS 792: Rsrch in Envrnmntl Sci I

Publications

Tree plantations of Vochysia guatemalensis restore the microbial community structure and function and carbon-use efficiency of previously cleared soils within a Costa Rican uplands forest.
Eaton, W. D., McGee, K. M., Donnelly, R., Lemenze, A., Karas, O. & Hajibabaei, M. (2019). restoration Ecology.

Soil microbiomes associated with two dominant Costa Rican tree species, and implications for remediation: A case study from a Costa Rican conservation area
McGee, K. M., Eaton, W. D., Porter, T. M., Shokralla, S. & Hajibabaei, M. (2019). Applied Soil Ecology. Vol 137 , pages 139-153.

Determinants of soil bacterial and fungal community composition toward carbon-use efficiency across primary and secondary forests in a Costa Rican conservation area.
McGee, K. M., Eaton, W. D., Shokralla, S. & Hajibabaei, M. (2018). Microbial Ecology.

Using metagenomics to show the efficacy of restoration in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Eaton, W. D., McGee, K. M., Shokralla, S. & Hajibabaei, M. (2017). Genome. Vol 60 , pages 825-836.

A comparison of the wet and dry season DNA-based soil invertebrate community characteristics in large patches of the bromeliad Bromelia pinguin in a primary forest in Costa Rica.
McGee, K. M. & Eaton, W. D. (2015). Applied Soil Ecology. Vol 87 , pages 99-107.

Using metagenomics to show the efficacy of restoration in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.
Eaton, W. D., Shokralla, S. & Hajibabaei, M. Vol 58 (Issue 5) , pages 214.

Genetic diversity and genetic structure of Corydalis tomentella Franch. (Papaveraceae), an endangered herb species from Central China
Niu, H., Zhang, Z., Wang, D. & Eaton, W. D. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. Vol 63 , pages 27-33.

Effects of Bromelia pinguin (Bromeliaceae) on soil ecosystem function in the lowland forests of Costa Rica.
Looby, C. & Eaton, W. D. (2014). BMC Ecology. Vol 14

Forest structure, nutrients, and Pentaclethra macroloba growth after deforestation of lowland Costa Rican forests
Shebitz, D. J. & Eaton, W. D. (2013). ISRN Ecology. Vol 2013 (Issue Article ID 414357) , pages 10 pages.

The effects of the conversion of a primary to a secondary tropical lowland forest on Bullet Ant (Paraponara clavata) foraging behavior in Costa Rica: apossible indicator of ecosystem condition.
McGee, K. M. & Eaton, W. D. (2013). Journal of Insect Behavior.