Jonathan Dickey, Microbial Ecologist
Areas of Interest
Microbial ecology, Host-associated microbial communities, Aquatic-terrestrial linkages, Biostatistics
Jonathan R. Dickey, Ph.D
Jonathan Dickey attended The University of Texas at Austin where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. After an internship with the National Park Service, Jonathan began pursuing a Ph.D at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. There, his research investigated the small-scale distribution of plant-host associated microorganisms and the ecological factors that govern these distributions. Currently, he is a post-doctoral scholar in the Jackrel Lab at the University of California San Diego, where he examines the relative importance microbial metabolism and community dynamics have on regulating freshwater leaf litter decomposition and home field advantage patterns found in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. He also uses novel statistical approaches to analyze the effect spatiotemporal factors have on our interpretations of community assembly and diversity.
Education
Fall 2017 - Spring 2022
Ph.D, The University of Tennessee Knoxville
Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyÂ
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Fordyce Lab
Fall 2010 - Spring 2014
B.S., The University of Texas at Austin
Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior College of Natural Science
Department of Integrative Biology
Publications
Bacterial communities of the rhizosphere explained by spatial structure and sampling grain
Published in Microbial Ecology
Jonathan Dickey, James Fordyce, and Sarah Lebeis
The Utility of Macroecological Rules for Microbial Biogeography
Published in Fronteirs in Ecology and Evolution
Jonathan Dickey, Rachel Swenie, Claire Winfrey, Sophia Turner, Daniela Yaffar, Kimberly Sheldon, and Stephanie Kivlin
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities vary as a response to short-term rainfall exclusion in the Sonoran Desert
... In review
Jonathan Dickey and James Fordyce
The role of host microbiomes in modulating phytoplankton community dynamics and ecosystem functioning under abiotic stress
... In prep
Jonathan R. Dickey, Nikki M. Mercer, Mirte C. M. Kujipers, Sara L. Jackrel
Rhizospheric bacterial communities respond to changes in soil moisture throughout the Sonoran Desert monsoon season.
... In prep
Jonathan Dickey and James Fordyce
Professional Appointments
Post-Doctoral Scholar
The University of California San Diego, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, Jackrel Lab, National Institutes of Health, Principal Investigator: Dr. Sara Jackrel
Instructor on Record
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Field Based Ecology Laboratory, Introductory Plant Biology Laboratory
Research Assistant
The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Fordyce Laboratory, The National Science Foundation, Division of Environmental Biology, Dimensions of Biodiversity Grant (~$43,375), Principal Investigators: Drs. James A. Fordyce & Sarah L. Lebeis
Teaching Assistant
Biostatistics, Introduction to Plant Biology, Organismal and Ecological Biology, Biological Literacy
Outreach/Service
Some highlights ...
Dean's Woods Clean Up
2017-2019
The University of Tennesee Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee:Â Invasive species removal
Verde Valley School
February 2017
Chiricahua National Monument Arizona: Conservation education and outreach, seed collection and restoration
Sky Island Alliance
Fall 2016
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument New Mexico: Restoration
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Powers Garden, Galiuros Mountains, Arizona: Voucher herbarium collection, natural spring assessments, education
Let's Connect
The University of California San Diego
School of Biological Sciences
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, California 92093