Sunshine A. Van Bael

Associate Professor - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

School of Science & Engineering
Stone Center Departments
The Stone Center
People Classification
Faculty
Tulane Affiliation
Core Faculty
Region
  • Central America
Sunshine A. Van Bael

Courses

Tropical Ecology and Agriculture

Additional Info

Number of Dissertations or Theses Supervised in Past 5 years: 5 

Research

Community Ecology; Vertebrate Ecology; Microbial Ecology; Plant-Animal-Fungal Interactions; Multi-Trophic Interactions; Tropical Agriculture; Biodiversity 

Degrees

  • Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Animal Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2003
  • B.A., University of Chicago, Biology, 1996

Academic Experience

Academic Experience
  • Associate Professor, Tulane University, 2019-
  • Assistant Professor, Tulane University, 2012-2019
  • Adjunct Faculty, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 2010
  • Associate Scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2009

Distinctions

  • National Science Foundation, “MCA: Interactions between density dependence and environmental stress in plant-microbial symbioses” S. Van Bael, ($332,488). 2023.
  • National Science Foundation, DEB 2116358 “RAPID: From microbes to new tropical forests: an experimental test of fungal specialization on host tree genotypes in the context of a reforestation experiment.” S. Van Bael and J. Karubian, ($199, 898). 2021
  • National Science Foundation, “Research Experience for Undergraduates Supplement” S. Van Bael, 2012
  • Arizona State University – Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) Collaborative Research “Drivers of Microbial Community Structure and Function in Tropical Soils” F. Garcia-Pichel, E.Herre, B. Turner, S. Van Bael, 2011
  • Smithsonian Restricted Endowment Program, “Mechanisms of fungal-mediated protection in tropical plants” S. Van Bael, C. Estrada, W. Wcislo, 2011
  • National Science Foundation (NSF), “Conflicts among members of interacting symbioses: How do symbiotic fungi influence plant defense against leaf-cutting ants?” S. Van Bael, W. Wcislo, S. Rehner, 2010
  • Panama’s Secretary of Science and Technology, “National Investigator,” S. Van Bael, 2010

Languages

  • Spanish

Overseas Experience

  • Australia
  • Thailand
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Brazil
  • Peru
  • Costa Rica
  • South Africa
  • Ecuador
  • Panama

Related Experience

  • The Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. Professor in Science and Engineering, Tulane University, 2016
  • Research Associate, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2015
  • Professor, Field Courses, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2004-2012

Selected Publications

  • 2023. Arnold, A.E. and Van Bael, S.A. (2023). Endophytic fungi... In Barro Colorado Island Centennial Volume: Plants and Ecosystems, Eds. S.J. Wright and H. Mueller-Landau. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press. Accepted, in press.
  • 2022. Tellez, P., Arnold, A.E., Leo, A., Kitajima, K., Van Bael, S.A. (2022) Traits along the leaf economics spectrum are associated with communities of foliar endophytic symbionts. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13:927780
  • 2022. Farrer, E. C., Van Bael, S. A., Clay, K., & Smith, M. K. (2022). Plant-Microbial Symbioses in Coastal Systems: Their Ecological Importance and Role in Coastal Restoration. Estuaries and Coasts, 1-18.
  • 2020. Tellez, P. H., Woods, C. L., Formel, S., & Van Bael, S. A. (2020). Relationships between Foliar Fungal Endophyte Communities and Ecophysiological Traits of CAM and C3 Epiphytic Bromeliads in a Neotropical Rainforest. Diversity, 12(10), 378.
  • 2020. Torres-Martinez, L., Van Bael, S. A., et al. Influence of soil microbiota on Taxodium distichum seedling performance during extreme flooding events, Plant Ecology, 221(9), 773-793