Colin Jackson
Associate Professor of Biology
Phone Number: (662)915-7495
Email: cjackson@olemiss.edu
http://www.colinrjackson.com/index.html

Key Words: microbiome, microbial diversity, microbial ecology, microbiology

Research Description: Plant microbiomes and phyllosphere communities: We're using molecular and culture-based approaches to examine the bacterial communities associated with plant leaves and roots, asking such questions as how the bacteria change over time or how they vary from leaf to leaf. A related area of research is investigating the bacterial communities associated with consumable plants such as salad vegetables and herbal supplements. Wetland microbial ecology: Microorganisms are vitally important to wetland processes and the main drivers of organic matter decomposition and nutrient mineralization. We've carried out a number of different studies on wetlands around the world; from coastal wetlands around Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, to tropical peat swamp forests in southeast Asia and peatlands in northern Europe. We've looked at changes in bacterial community structure and activity with depth, as well as the microbial response to factors such as salinity, drainage, and nutrient amendment. Bacterial biogeography and spatial patterns in structure and function: We've been developing and using geostatistical techniques to examine fine-scale spatial heterogeneity in microbial processes (primarily extracellular enzyme activity) in soils and other systems. This area of research is essentially landscape ecology, but our landscapes may be no more than a few cm across. We've looked at fine scale patterns in microbial activity across the surfaces of decomposing leaves, and how rainfall or fire can change spatial patterns of enzymatic activity in soil. An off-shoot of this research is the area of bacterial biogeography and my lab has investigated the biogeography of bacterial communities in large rivers of the Mississippi RIver Basin.

Honors Theses:

Franks, Michael Christian (2022) The Role of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Causing Hypertension During Pregnancy as Observed in the RUPP Model of Preeclampsia (full text)

Finch, Colby Trenton (2022) Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in freshwater crayfish (full text)

Comley, Kyleigh M (2021) The Effects of Progesterone Induced Blocking Factor and 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate on the Pathophysiology of Preeclampsia (full text)

Cotten, Eloise (2021) Describing the Gut Microbiome of Two Freshwater Mussel Species within the Tennessee River Basin (full text)

Oliveri, Alexander and Smith, Shade and Anugu, Anshul (2021) Diagnostic Approaches to Combat Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria (full text)

Creel, Benjamin (2020) Bacterial Load in Virtual Reality Headsets (full text)

Basha, Michelle (2019) Microbial Communities Associated with Dragonfly Nymphs Raised in Varying Concentrations of Amoxicillin (full text)

Bass, Mary Grace (2019) Compositional Differences in Bacterial Communities in Fresh and Saltwater Wetlands of the Gulf Coast (full text)

Kippenbrock, Noah (2019) Analysis of Atlantic and Northern Gulf Coast Wetland Bacterial Extracellular Enzyme Activity (full text)

Lawson, Lauren A (2019) Bacteria in Salt Pans Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast (full text)

Nguyen, Emily Q. (2017) Spatial Variation of Bacterial Communities on the Leaves of a Southern Magnolia Tree. (full text)

Raymond, Holly Kate (2017) The Effects of Microstegium Vimineum on the Soil Microbial Community. (full text)

Matthews, Abby (2017) Culture-Independent Analysis of Microbial Communities Associated with Hydroponically Grown "Living Lettuce". (full text)

Hudnall, Erin (2016) The Effects of Oral Probiotic Supplements on the Human Gut Microbiome. (full text)

Nolan, Breena Lori Frieda (2016) The Effects of Tillage, Glyphosate, and Genetic Modification on Bacterial Root Endophyte Composition in Zea Mays. (full text)

Campbell, Madeline (2015) An Examination of Microbial Populations in Different Brands and Flavors of Ice Cream. (full text)

Hammond, Bradshaw (2015) Does This Have Gluten? Comparison of Gluten-Free and Unrestricted Diets in Intestinal Bacterial Populations and Diversity. (full text)

Marcum, Allison (2015) Differences in Bacterial Communities on Decaying Leaf Litter of Different Tress in Response to Burning as a Forest Restoration Technique. (full text)

Stovall, Patrick Tyler (2015) Not Got Milk? The Effect on the Gut Microbiome of Removing Dairy from the Diet. (full text)

Valdin, Heather L (2015) Spatial Variation of Bacterial Communities on the Leaves of Southern Magnolia Trees. (full text)

Bateman, Thomas Douglas (2014) Attempts to Determine the Community Structure of Archaea in Major Tributaries of the Mississippi River. (full text)

Steward, William M. (2014) An Evaluation of Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activity in Response to Burning as a Forest Restoration Technique. (full text)

Stone, Stephen (2014) Evaluation of microbial diversity present in herbal supplements as revealed by PCR-based 16S sequence analysis. (full text)

Wilson, Kristen M. (2014) Bacteria con leche: Bacterial populations and antibiotic resistance within conventional, USDA organic, and local milk. (full text)

Harris, Patrick Stephen (2013) "An Evaluation of Sample Preservation Methods for Soil Extracellular Enzyme Activity"

Lampkin, Alexa LeKia (2013) "Phosphatase Activity in Major Rivers of the Lower Mississippi Basin"

Reynolds, Brooke Elizabeth (2012) "Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria Isolated from Leafy Green Salad Vegetables"

Osborn, Shelly Leigh (2011) "Molecular Analysis of Endophytic Bacteria Associated with Lettuce."

Randolph, Kevin Christian (2011) "An Analysis of Culturable Bacteria Otained from Store Bought Leaf Vegetables"

Wiggers, Erin Callie (2010) "The Biochemical and Morphological Changes Associated with Macrophages and Osteoclasts when Challenged with Infection"

Denney, William Craig (2009) "Seasonal Changes in Bacterial Communities in Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Leaf Phyllosphere"

Menefee, Hannah Elizabeth (2009) "Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee"

Page, Kaleb James (2009) "Influence of Particle Size on Mixed Culture Bacterial Biofilms"

Weeks, Andrew Quinn (2008) "Influence of Particle Size On Microbial Community Structure and Function In Stream Sediments"