In aquatic ecosystems, some species use active sensing systems, emitting echolocation sounds or electric fields to navigate dark or murky waters.

This sensory ability can come with trade-offs. For electric eels and their weakly electric knifefish prey, generating electric fields helps them navigate and hunt, but those same signals can also reveal their location.

In a recent study published in , UCF researchers found that both electric eels and knifefish strategically suppress and resume their electric signals to avoid detection.

The findings provide new insight into how animals balance sensing their surroundings while remaining hidden from predators or prey, a challenge that also appears in technologies such as sonar and radar. This work also expands scientific understanding of how active sensory systems evolve in competitive environments where being detected can mean losing a meal or becoming one.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Our findings show that active sensing creates a paradox: the same electric signals these animals need to navigate and hunt can also reveal them to eavesdropping predators or prey, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Professor of Biology William Crampton, who co-led the study with biology doctoral graduate Lok Poon �鶹��Ʒ S�26PhD. �鶹��Ʒ S�Both eels and knifefish appear to resolve this paradox through electric stealth, briefly suppressing their signals when concealment matters, then resuming them when sensing becomes more important. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Tracking Electric Signals in the Amazon

To test these predator-prey interactions, the researchers deployed six custom-designed electric signal loggers along a 150-meter section of an Amazonian stream. Each logger recorded 60-second segments of electric signals over 27 nights. In total, nearly 107,000 minutes of data were collected.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Electric fish are ideal for this kind of study because their signals let us monitor their presence and movements electronically, simply by recording how often they pass near submerged electrodes, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Our loggers allowed us, for the first time, to monitor predator-prey electric signaling interactions continuously in the wild. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Researchers then analyzed the recordings to distinguish species by their unique electric signal signatures.

How Eels and Knifefish Use �鶹��Ʒ S�Electric Stealth �鶹��Ʒ S�

“With knifefish, we found that when they detect electric eel signals, some flee while some pulse-type species switch off their own electric discharges for several seconds. “ �鶹��Ʒ S�William Crampton, professor of biology

�鶹��Ʒ S�With knifefish, we found that when they detect electric eel signals, some flee while some pulse-type species switch off their own electric discharges for several seconds, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�In our logger recordings, a knifefish could be producing its normal train of pulses to sense its environment, then suddenly become electrically silent as soon as eel signals appeared. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Laboratory tests showed that low-frequency components of electric eel signals play a key role in triggering this response, with knifefish reacting far less when those components were reduced.

Electric eels were also found to pause their low-voltage electrolocation pulses before high-voltage bursts used to probe for or stun prey. This silence would make an approaching eel less detectable to electroreceptive prey such as knifefish. Once the eel produces a high-voltage burst, however, it has revealed its presence, temporarily reducing the benefit of stealth.  The eel promptly resumes its regular low-voltage pulses, likely to rapidly relocate, track or capture prey.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� field recordings revealed these phenomena in the ecological context, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T��� laboratory experiments then allowed us to isolate the eel signal features that trigger knifefish responses. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Parallels in Nature and Technology

In nature, the only well-studied comparison to this behavior is the predator-prey dynamic between killer whales and their toothed-whale prey.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Killer whales and smaller toothed whales such as beaked whales use echolocation, relying on sound rather than electric signals to sense their surroundings, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Mammal-eating killer whales can suppress echolocation and calls while hunting, while beaked whales and other prey species may reduce vocal activity or take evasive action when they detect killer whale sounds. The eel-knifefish system shows a remarkably similar trade-off in the electric sense. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The findings suggest convergent evolutionary pressures favoring the ability of both predators and prey to modulate active-sensing signals to improve survival.

Similar trade-offs also occur in human active-sensing technologies such as sonar and radar. A submarine, for instance, can use active signals to detect its surroundings, but each outgoing ping can also reveal the vessel �鶹��Ʒ S�s location.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Just as we found in electric eels and knifefish, operators of these systems balance the need to gather information with the need to remain hidden, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�In submarines, that can mean alternating between active sonar and passive listening depending on the situation. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Electric eels, knifefish, echolocating whales and human operators all face the same challenge: balancing the benefits of active sensing with the risk of detection.

Future Research Applications

Electric fish have long contributed to scientists �鶹��Ʒ S� understanding of concepts beyond biology, including electricity, nerves and sensing.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Electric fishes have played an outsized role in the history of biology and physics, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�For example, their discharges helped shape early research on electricity, including Alessandro Volta �鶹��Ʒ S�s invention of the first battery, and their electric organs later became important model tissues for studying acetylcholine receptors �鶹��Ʒ S� protein channels that help nerves send signals to other cells. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The new findings build on this legacy, showing how electric fish can reveal principles related to sensing, stealth and decision making. Similar trade-offs shape sonar, radar and autonomous sensing technologies, suggesting that nature’s solutions to stealth and detection may offer insights for future adaptive sensing systems.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This study shows that active sensing is not just about gathering information, but also about managing the risk of being detected, �鶹��Ʒ S� Crampton says. �鶹��Ʒ S�This opens opportunities for future research, from understanding how other aquatic species respond to electric signals to uncovering whether similar stealth strategies occur in other sensory systems. �鶹��Ʒ S�

This work was funded by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program grant 2035702 (L.P.), an American Philosophical Society Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research grant (L.P.), and National Science Foundation grant DEB-1146374 (W.G.R.C.).

Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s coastlines are changing, and so are the fish that depend on them.

As rising temperatures push tropical species northward and mangrove habitats expand into areas historically dominated by salt marshes, scientists are racing to understand how these shifts could affect marine food webs and long-term ecosystem stability.

Meredith Pratt, a UCF integrative and conservation biology doctoral student, is helping answer those questions. Her research on sustainable fisheries management along Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s east coast earned her the prestigious Florida Sea Grant/Guy Harvey Fellowship. The highly competitive award supports graduate students conducting research that informs marine conservation and fisheries management while cultivating future leaders in marine science.

Tracking a Changing Ecosystem

Pratt studies how tropicalization �鶹��Ʒ S� the northward movement of tropical species and habitats �鶹��Ʒ S� is altering Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s coastal ecosystems.

“As temperatures rise, mangroves, traditionally found in warmer, tropical regions, are expanding northward into areas historically dominated by salt marshes, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�This shift is influencing the species that live there. �鶹��Ʒ S�

To understand these changes, Pratt and her team study fish communities along Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s east coast. One fellowship-supported project focuses on predator-prey dynamics among popular sport fish, including common snook, red drum and spotted sea trout.

“The most interesting result so far is that the same fish species are eating different things, … and that raises important questions about how continued mangrove expansion could impact the ecosystem in the long term. �鶹��Ʒ S�

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� most interesting result so far is that the same fish species are eating different things depending on whether they inhabit traditional salt marshes or increasingly dominant mangrove environments, �鶹��Ʒ S� Pratt says. �鶹��Ʒ S�While most species primarily feed on shrimp, common snook tend to consume more fish, and that raises important questions about how continued mangrove expansion could impact the ecosystem in the long term. �鶹��Ʒ S�

These findings were supported through lab gut analysis of fish samples collected in the field using seine nets to determine stomach contents. Because digestion can make some prey difficult to identify, Pratt also used stable isotope analysis, which provides insight into a fish �鶹��Ʒ S�sposition in the food web based on chemical signatures in its tissue.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Gut content analysis shows us exactly what a fish recently ate, while stable isotopes give us a longer-term picture of its diet, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Together, they allow us to answer questions we couldn �鶹��Ʒ S�t with just one method alone. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Guiding Future Fisheries Management

The research is both environmentally and economically important to Florida. As one of the world �鶹��Ʒ S�s premier fishing destinations, the state depends on healthy coastal ecosystems and fish populations to support its recreational and commercial fisheries.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Many of the fish we rely on start in estuaries and coastal environments, �鶹��Ʒ S� Pratt says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T���y grow in protected areas like mangroves and salt marshes before moving offshore. If we don �鶹��Ʒ S�t understand how those habitats are changing, we can �鶹��Ʒ S�t effectively manage the fisheries that depend on them. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Connecting Science and Community

Pratt is also expanding the impact of her research beyond the lab. Through her National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship, she launched the Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) Fisheries Monitoring Program at the GTM National Estuarine Research Reserve.

“Getting people involved and helping them understand the importance of this work makes a big difference.”

The volunteer-driven initiative trains community members to collect fisheries data at designated sites, including species identification, abundance and size measurements. With nearly 20 volunteers participating, the program provides valuable long-term data while increasing public involvement in scientific research.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It �鶹��Ʒ S�s been one of the most rewarding parts of my Ph.D., �鶹��Ʒ S� Pratt says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Getting people involved and helping them understand the importance of this work makes a big difference. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A Full Circle Moment

For Pratt, earning the Florida Sea Grant/Guy Harvey Fellowship was a full-circle moment. As an undergraduate, she completed many of her classes and research experiences at the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center at Nova Southeastern University. Now, funding from Florida Sea Grant and the Guy Harvey Foundation is helping advance her research while providing professional development opportunities in science communication.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This fellowship not only supports my research but also allows me to connect with other scientists, stakeholders and the public, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Sharing our findings and contributing to science communication is a really meaningful part of the experience. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Looking ahead, Pratt hopes her work will support more informed decision-making around fisheries management and conservation.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Conservation requires research and education working together, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�If we can understand what �鶹��Ʒ S�s happening and communicate that effectively, we can make better decisions to protect these ecosystems for future generations. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A UCF  doctoral student has helped position UCF as a contributor to the �鶹��Ʒ S�North American Bat Monitoring Program �鶹��Ʒ S�(NABat), a coordinated effort to track bat populations across North America using standardized acoustic methods.

Research Path Rooted in Responsibility

Ifer White, who serves as a graduate teaching associate while pursuing a Ph.D. in integrative and conservation biology, describes herself as a non-traditional student whose educational journey has been shaped by family, service and resilience.

�鶹��Ʒ S�My Muscogee-Creek heritage has deeply influenced how I view the natural world, not as something separate from us, but as something we are accountable to, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�That worldview has guided my commitment to wildlife rescue and rehabilitation for more than a decade, and specifically to bat rehabilitation for the past seven years. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Florida is home to 13 resident bat species, including the Brazilian free-tailed bat and the southeastern myotis. These highly specialized creatures are the only mammals capable of sustained flight and play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. They help control insect populations �鶹��Ʒ S�consuming thousands in a single night �鶹��Ʒ S�while also contributing to pollination, seed dispersal, and more.

�鶹��Ʒ S�My work is driven by a desire to ensure these often-misunderstood animals continue to thrive in increasingly human-dominated landscapes, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says.

Bringing NABat to UCF

As a board member of the �鶹��Ʒ S�Florida Bat Working Group �鶹��Ʒ S�and the �鶹��Ʒ S�Florida Bat Conservancy, White saw an opportunity to integrate applied conservation science with campus engagement. She approached the �鶹��Ʒ S�Florida Fish and Wildlif Conservation Commission �鶹��Ʒ S�and leadership about adding the university to the NABat monitoring grid.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Because there are known bat colonies on campus, participation was a natural fit. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� Ifer White, doctoral student

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� North American Bat Monitoring Program provides a standardized framework for long-term bat population monitoring across the continent, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Because there are known bat colonies on campus, participation was a natural fit. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Although UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s geographic grid cell is relatively small, its urban and suburban context fills important gaps in regional datasets.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Urban and suburban monitoring locations are underrepresented in many long-term datasets, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T��� acoustic data collected on campus help fill knowledge gaps in Central Florida and the broader southeastern region. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The Science Behind Acoustic Monitoring

Bats navigate and hunt using echolocation, emitting ultrasonic calls that are species-specific in frequency and structure. Acoustic detectors placed strategically on UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s main campus record these high-frequency calls throughout the night.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Detectors are deployed for multiple consecutive nights each quarter, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Recordings are processed using specialized acoustic software that filters out noise and classifies calls to species or species groups based on call parameters. �鶹��Ʒ S�

These measurements  allow researchers to compare bat presence and relative activity across sites and over time.

�鶹��Ʒ S�In wildlife conservation, data comparability is everything, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Without standardized methods, datasets become fragmented and difficult to interpret. �鶹��Ʒ S�

UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s data are submitted to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and ultimately contribute to broader analyses coordinated with �鶹��Ʒ S�Bat Conservation International, informing wildlife action plans and habitat management strategies.

Turning Research into Action

White �鶹��Ʒ S�s dissertation research focuses on ecotoxicology, host �鶹��Ʒ S�pathogen dynamics and immunogenetics in bats. While distinct from the monitoring project, she says understanding species presence and habitat use provides essential ecological context for studying environmental stressors.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Bats are often misunderstood, yet they are essential components of healthy ecosystems. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Acoustic data will also help determine which species are using campus habitats and guide potential enhancements, such as strategically placed bat houses and expanded native, night-blooming plantings to support nocturnal insect populations.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Bats are often misunderstood, yet they are essential components of healthy ecosystems, �鶹��Ʒ S� White says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Every action [we take] contributes to long-term conservation. �鶹��Ʒ S�

This research and the skills and tactics she’s putting to use with this project are directly transferable to the careers Knights with similar research backgrounds can pursue after graduation in wildlife agencies and environmental consulting.

Thanks to a new National Institutes of Health grant, a  scientist is investigating a new approach to treat neuropathy without relying on pain pills and anti-depressants.

Assistant Professor Jim Nichols is focused on overlooked mechanisms in the body that may show how the inability to make insulin has  �鶹��Ʒ S�downstream �鶹��Ʒ S� consequences in other areas, such as how the brain processes and registers sensation in the limbs.

People affected by Type 1 diabetes don �鶹��Ʒ S�t produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, so patients must inject themselves with insulin to survive.

Before joining UCF, Nichols spent many years looking for new causes of diabetic neuropathy. Nichols theorizes that irregularities in the insulin signaling pathway of peripheral nerves may be the key contributor to diabetic neuropathy. Based on the potential of his early findings, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, which is under the NIH, recently awarded UCF a $747,000 grant to expand that research.

Discovering New Pathways

One of the challenges of living with diabetes is that patients with neuropathy may lose feeling in their extremities and not feel a cut, blister or injury. Those injuries can become infected and even lead to amputation. Such diabetic complications occur more frequently in patients with poor blood sugar control, so Nichols is hoping that his research will find a treatment to regulate and improve neuron signaling that can be used as part of improved blood sugar management.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re diving into an area that �鶹��Ʒ S�s fresh, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T��� research aims we �鶹��Ʒ S�re going after are based on the insulin signaling pathway, and how the neuropathy evolves due to insulin dysregulation. Ultimately, we’re looking at different ways to alter the insulin signaling pathway to prevent nerve degeneration. �鶹��Ʒ S�

During the next three years, Nichols and his team will document the behavior of neurons, their signaling systems and surrounding cells to find ways to regulate them to alleviate symptoms of neuropathy.

While approved therapeutics such as opioids and antidepressants can curb those symptoms, Nichols hopes his investigational treatment can become a more viable alternative for diabetic patients.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re trying to find better therapies. �鶹��Ʒ S� �鶹��Ʒ S� Assistant Professor Jim Nichols

�鶹��Ʒ S�T���re are typical pain therapies out there, although we �鶹��Ʒ S�re trying to move away from that because diabetic neuropathy isn �鶹��Ʒ S�t very amenable to the basic treatments that we have, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says. �鶹��Ʒ S�We �鶹��Ʒ S�re trying to find better therapies, and that is our goal. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Inspired to Learn and Discover

Nichols arrived at UCF in the summer of 2025, and says his goal is to inspire students to pursue bold new research directions. He encourages students to not fear the failures that lead to success.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of the things I tell the students is that we fail fast and we fail safe here, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says. �鶹��Ʒ S�What that means is that you want to fail as many times as you’re going to fail as fast as possible. You want to get those failures out as fast as possible so that you can learn as fast as possible without having an impact on you or your studies. �鶹��Ʒ S�

��󾱲��dz������첹�Ծ������� �鶹��Ʒ S�24�ѳ���completed her master �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree in biotechnology at UCF after spending nearly five years working in the biomedical field in her home country of Nigeria. Now pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences, she joined Nichols �鶹��Ʒ S� lab because she wants to help patients like her parents, who both suffered from diabetes.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This is personal to me because my mom was diabetic and she died from complications with it, �鶹��Ʒ S� Akaniru says. �鶹��Ʒ S�My dad now is showing signs of peripheral neuropathy. There are treatments for other comorbidities of diabetes, but I think it could go a long way to have something that could really help neuropathic pain better. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Hollie Hayes  �鶹��Ʒ S�20 graduated from UCF with her bachelor �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree in biology and then worked in neuroscience research before joining Nichols �鶹��Ʒ S� lab as a manager. During her time at UCF, she worked on research to fight pediatric tumors and still carries that inspiration today.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It got me really interested in focusing on helping people who are just suffering with chronic, debilitating pain, and especially anything that comes with nerves, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hayes says.  �鶹��Ʒ S�My focus is, �鶹��Ʒ S�How can I help advance the science and help as many people as possible? �鶹��Ʒ S�  �鶹��Ʒ S�

Researcher Credentials:

Nichols is a graduate of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine dual degree program where he examined new therapeutics for multiple sclerosis while completing his veterinary training. He then worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center for five years where he explored pathological mechanisms of pain with a focus on diabetic peripheral neuropathy. After joining UCF in 2025, Nichols and his team continue to explore the underlying mechanisms of diabetic neuropathy.

Funding and Disclosure:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R00DK142197. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Now, a new study published in the American Ornithological Society �鶹��Ʒ S�s Ornithological Applications journal details how researchers from UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s and colleagues analyzed the genetic variability, population structure and viable conservation strategies for Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s American flamingo.

�鶹��Ʒ S�As a native Floridian who grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, I was fascinated and a little surprised to see the flamingo as a prominent state icon, yet I had never seen one in the wild, �鶹��Ʒ S� says Jessica Folsom �鶹��Ʒ S�23MS, who led the study while earning her master �鶹��Ʒ S�s degree in biology at UCF.

The Flamingo’s Lost History

Flamingos were nearly extirpated in Florida due to hunting and habitat loss. While later sightings suggested possible natural recolonization, many of the birds were thought to be escapees from zoos or other captive populations rather than signs of a true restoration.

Eric Hoffman, professor and chair of UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Department of Biology and a co-author of the study, says the project revealed the depth of what was lost.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Before this project, I wasn �鶹��Ʒ S�t aware of the historical distribution or how common these birds were in Florida 100 to 150 years ago, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hoffman says.

An Unlikely Founding Population

Although flamingo populations remain large in regions near Florida, including The Bahamas, Cuba and Mexico, Florida’s first wave of birds originated in an unconventional setting.

�鶹��Ʒ S�In the 1920s, the owner of a horse racetrack in Hialeah released roughly 20 flamingos, likely sourced from The Bahamas, as a marketing strategy to boost attendance and betting, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hoffman says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T��� birds thrived in the wetland habitat at the track �鶹��Ʒ S�s center, forming the founding population for many Florida zoo-held flocks, including Zoo Miami �鶹��Ʒ S�s. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Signs Florida Can Still Support Flamingos

In recent years, researchers say that flamingos generally fly into Florida from neighboring regions or arrive after hurricanes. Some flocks remain for months �鶹��Ʒ S� evidence that Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s wetlands can support them �鶹��Ʒ S� however, establishing a long-term breeding population remains a primary challenge.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T���se returning flocks have given us an opportunity to collect contemporary and historical samples to address questions about their genetics and population structure �鶹��Ʒ S� a central focus of my lab, �鶹��Ʒ S� Hoffman says.

What the Genetics Reveal

Folsom, who conducted the research in Hoffman �鶹��Ʒ S�s lab as a graduate student and now works as a biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says populations that undergo extirpation or steep decline often face consequences such as reduced genetic variability, loss of unique local adaptations or alleles, and, in severe cases, a greater risk of inbreeding.

�鶹��Ʒ S�In Florida, hunting for feathers could have created those conditions, �鶹��Ʒ S� Folsom says. �鶹��Ʒ S�However, in our study, we found insignificant levels of inbreeding, little loss of genetic variability and minimal differentiation between Florida birds, the birds in Florida zoos, and other populations in the Caribbean and parts of South America. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The study included 188 flamingos spanning seven contemporary wild populations �鶹��Ʒ S� from Cuba, The Bahamas, Bonaire, the Yucatán Peninsula, Mississippi, the Galápagos Islands and Florida �鶹��Ʒ S� as well as managed flocks, or ex-situ, housed in Zoo Miami and Hialeah Park. It also included five historical populations from Cuba, The Bahamas, Mexico, Florida and the Galápagos Islands.

Because wild Florida specimens are limited, the team used other Caribbean wild populations as genetic proxies. Using whole genome sequencing across more than two million loci �鶹��Ʒ S� the fixed positions of genes on a chromosome �鶹��Ʒ S� the team analyzed data using bioinformatics software on UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s high-performance computing cluster, Stokes.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of our most surprising findings was that modern flamingos showed significant genetic variability compared to historical populations, �鶹��Ʒ S� Folsom says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Captive populations showed the greatest genetic variability and minimal inbreeding, meaning they could be strong candidates for reintroduction. Genetic similarities also indicate flamingos from other regions could adapt well to Florida, with limited risk of outbreeding depression. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Researchers emphasize that reintroduction must be paired with policy change.

�鶹��Ʒ S�For more than a century, there were almost no conservation measures for flamingos in the U.S., �鶹��Ʒ S� says Steven Whitfield, director of Terrestrial and Wetlands Conservation at the Audubon Nature Institute and a co-author of the study. �鶹��Ʒ S�That �鶹��Ʒ S�s partly because flamingos were long considered a non-native species to Florida. With our work, we want to show they have always belonged here and there �鶹��Ʒ S�s a scientific basis to support their recovery. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Why Policy Matters as Much as Habitat

A petition to classify the birds as threatened was filed with the state, Whitfield says, but the proposal did not advance, stating that flamingos don �鶹��Ʒ S�t warrant inclusion on the threatened species list. Some officials have cited existing protections, such as Everglades National Park, as sufficient. Researchers disagree, saying habitat protections alone cannot ensure the species �鶹��Ʒ S� survival or population restoration.

�鶹��Ʒ S�This study provides the evidence needed to prove that birds raised by zoos are a viable genetic match, opening the opportunity for reintroduction from zoo populations, �鶹��Ʒ S� Whitfield says.

Meanwhile, public momentum is strengthening legislative interest.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T���re is sustained statewide support for naming the flamingo Florida �鶹��Ʒ S�s official state bird, and bills are now under review in both the Florida House and Senate, �鶹��Ʒ S� Folsom says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T���y �鶹��Ʒ S�re often the first image that comes to mind when you think of Florida, and that recognition drives ecotourism and public enthusiasm, which also supports broader wetland conservation efforts. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Successful recovery efforts in other regions point to promising intervention strategies.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Artificial nest mounds can encourage breeding, and decoy flamingos have been used to signal an established flock, helping attract passing birds, �鶹��Ʒ S� Folsom says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Both tactics have shown success in human care and select wild settings. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A Path Forward for Restoration

While the long-term outlook for flamingos is good, the small numbers in Florida are not enough for the species to recover. Moreover, habitat destruction, pollution and warming temperatures add to the challenges they face.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Natural recovery of the flamingo is unlikely in Florida without intervention, �鶹��Ʒ S� Whitfield says. �鶹��Ʒ S�But our study shifts that conversation. We can now confidently say ex-situ flamingos are genetically compatible with wild populations, which opens possibilities for a future release program, even though logistical hurdles remain. �鶹��Ʒ S�

For the researchers, the study has not only demonstrated how genetics can inform conservation but also provided an opportunity to raise awareness about an iconic species that has always been native to Florida.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Growing up in Florida, it �鶹��Ʒ S�s impossible not to appreciate its biodiversity, �鶹��Ʒ S� Folsom says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Working on this project with passionate colleagues like Eric and Steven has been incredibly rewarding, helping clarify the flamingos �鶹��Ʒ S� history in Florida and the value of protecting and reintroducing them. �鶹��Ʒ S�

While this sounds like the setting for a sci-fi novel, it �鶹��Ʒ S�s actually the hometown of Assistant Professor Kirill Medvedev, a new faculty member in the . Medvedev grew up in Akademgorodok, which literally translates to �鶹��Ʒ S�Academic Town, �鶹��Ʒ S� a place that sparked his interest in bioinformatics and inspired his career.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� constant exposure to open, curiosity-driven inquiry made the language of science feel as natural as the Siberian forest around us, �鶹��Ʒ S� Medvedev says. �鶹��Ʒ S�My passion for bioinformatics and computational biology was ignited by a fascination with three-dimensional protein structures. I realized that computational approaches are indispensable for decoding life �鶹��Ʒ S�s molecular machines, and it set me on the path toward research in the field of computational structural biology and bioinformatics. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Medvedev �鶹��Ʒ S�s work focuses on the classification and analysis of large-scale biomedical data sets that span the molecular, cellular and tissue levels. With that expertise, he is teaching a Discrete Mathematics course at UCF this fall. He says he hopes to instill both practical and technical knowledge in his students.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I hope to share with my students not only the course knowledge but also my experience of being a scientist.”

�鶹��Ʒ S�I believe that integrity is the defining characteristic of a scientist, �鶹��Ʒ S� he says.

Medvedev �鶹��Ʒ S�s work focuses on the classification and analysis of large-scale biomedical data sets that span the molecular, cellular and tissue levels. Within the past decade, he developed the DrugDomain database, which lists the domain features of human proteins that are targets for small molecules and drugs. He augmented the DrugDomain database with artificial intelligence �鶹��Ʒ S�powered protein structure prediction, creating a first �鶹��Ʒ S�of �鶹��Ʒ S�its �鶹��Ʒ S�kind resource that maps thousands of post �鶹��Ʒ S�translational modifications to their drug targets across the human proteome. He also uses computational modeling to analyze variations within cancer types and employs deep learning methods to identify cancer subtypes.

The opportunity to collaborate with the next generation of scientists, as well as established colleagues, is what Medvedev says drew him to UCF.

“I was interested in the University of Central Florida because it �鶹��Ʒ S�s such a dynamic and fast-growing research hub �鶹��Ʒ S� one that actively promotes collaboration among researchers.”

�鶹��Ʒ S�Today, truly groundbreaking science cannot be done by one person, or even one lab, but only through collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, �鶹��Ʒ S� Medvedev says.

Medvedev earned his doctoral degree in mathematical biology and bioinformatics from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in 2015. Following that, he �鶹��Ʒ S�s worked with Professor Nick Grishin at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center as a postdoctoral researcher.

Doctoral students with strong computational skills who are interested in working with Medvedev can contact him by email. Basic understanding of molecular or structural biology or biochemistry is beneficial but not required.

Led by UCF Professor of Biology and developed by undergraduate students, the new game blends research with interactive learning.

�鶹��Ʒ S�My work on parasitic wasps and their symbiotic viruses forms the foundation for the game and other outreach efforts designed to engage the public with biology in a fun and accessible way, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sharanowski says.

The game was created by computer science senior students as part of their capstone project under the supervision of Associate Lecturer of Computer Science Matthew Gerber, with Sharanowski providing the concept. It represents the second phase of development, with an earlier senior group of students building the original concept and the second group advancing it into a fully playable desktop version.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� students coded, designed and refined the game, which was initially envisioned as a virtual reality experience but shifted to a desktop game  due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sharanowski says.

In the game, players take on the role of scientists tasked with protecting a national park by designing custom wasps to control invasive pests.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� goal as a scientist is to save the park by releasing specially designed wasps with beneficial features like paralytic venom, long ovipositors or even mind control, that make them more effective at targeting host species such as caterpillars, beetles and aphids, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says.

Along the way, players encounter educational blurbs that explain these traits and reinforce the idea that not all wasps sting and many are actually beneficial to humans and ecosystems.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T���se wasps can be endoparasitic, developing inside their host, or ectoparasitic, developing outside the host, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sharanowski says. �鶹��Ʒ S�You can find them all around the world, including in our backyards, and they serve an important role in nature as natural agents of pest control, thereby reducing the need for pesticides. �鶹��Ʒ S�

The project was funded through the U.S. National Science Foundation �鶹��Ʒ S�s (NSF) Rules of Life Initiative, which brings together multiple NSF divisions to address the fundamental questions about how living systems function and evolve.

According to Sharanowski, parasitic wasps are one of the most varied lineages on Earth, with more species than all vertebrates combined.

�鶹��Ʒ S�For every insect that �鶹��Ʒ S�s out there, there �鶹��Ʒ S�s likely one or more parasitic wasps that attack it, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says.

Her research explores the unique symbiosis between wasps and viruses.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Over time, some viruses have become integrated into the genomes of certain parasitic wasps, effectively making the virus and wasp a single organism, �鶹��Ʒ S� Sharanowski says. �鶹��Ʒ S�T��� virus no longer replicates independently �鶹��Ʒ S� its reproduction is tied to the wasp �鶹��Ʒ S�s. When a female wasp lays an egg inside a host, the virions enter the host and activate viral genes that manipulate the host �鶹��Ʒ S�s immune system and behavior, benefiting the developing wasp. �鶹��Ʒ S�

This wasp-virus relationship has evolved multiple times and remains a central focus of her research.

As a first-generation college graduate, Sharanowski says this project has been a way to share her passion for entomology and science, as well as to provide educational opportunities for people to learn about wasps in a fun way.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of my core values as an educator is to make science engaging, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says. �鶹��Ʒ S�I enjoy doing campus and community outreach to show how fascinating these insects are, and I believe this game does that. �鶹��Ʒ S�

She also highlighted UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Collection of Arthropods, commonly known as the , as a public resource preserving and showcasing the biodiversity of insects in Central Florida.

Looking ahead, Sharanowski says a third group of students is currently working on a mobile version of the game, expected to launch later this year.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T���re is so much beauty out there, and I want people to see how fascinating bugs are and the important role they play in ecosystems, �鶹��Ʒ S� she says.

These findings challenge existing hypotheses and provide important data for assessing risks from human activity and informing conservation efforts.

The study, funded largely in part by Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program, was published this week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, representing the largest satellite tracking dataset of wild-caught juvenile sea turtle behavior from the Gulf of Mexico during this life stage, spanning from 2011 to 2022.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of the main findings is where these sea turtles are and where they go in this life stage because we haven �鶹��Ʒ S�t known much about it, �鶹��Ʒ S� says �鶹��Ʒ S�22�ʳ��, who led the study alongside Nathan Putman and . Phillips says understanding these movement patterns among juvenile sea turtles will help guide conservation efforts to protect critical habitats for these species.

After hatching, sea turtles are known to leave their nests on land and enter the ocean where they spend their early years. This shift from terrestrial to oceanic habitat marks a critical transition in their life cycle to a life stage that has been understudied.

According to Mansfield, co-author of the study, professor of biology at UCF, and director of the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group, we are still learning about this life stage and it �鶹��Ʒ S�s more complex than assumed.

�鶹��Ʒ S�We don’t know what they’re eating, about their health, if and when they associate with floating algae called sargassum, which provides some protection, �鶹��Ʒ S� Mansfield says.

The team of researchers tagged 131 juvenile sea turtles �鶹��Ʒ S� 94 green turtles, 28 Kemp �鶹��Ʒ S�s ridleys, five loggerheads, and four hawksbills �鶹��Ʒ S� and tracked their movements using satellite-equipped, solar-powered platform transmitter terminals. These movements were compared with those of oceanographic surface drifters, floating objects used to study how sea turtle movements are influenced by ocean currents.

Researchers believe juvenile sea turtles swim offshore as an adaptive behavior to avoid predators such as birds, sharks and other fish, which are more abundant near the shoreline. Their small size makes them particularly vulnerable, so offshore waters can provide a safer refuge.

�鶹��Ʒ S�One of the longstanding assumptions, is that juvenile sea turtles stay far offshore. Researchers call this the �鶹��Ʒ S�oceanic life stage, �鶹��Ʒ S� which means off the continental shelf in waters deeper than 200 meters, �鶹��Ʒ S� Phillips says. �鶹��Ʒ S�However, what we found was that the turtles in this life stage are crossing over the continental shelf into neritic zones a lot more than we expected. �鶹��Ʒ S�

A continental shelf is the gently sloping, shallow underwater area that extends between the shoreline and the continental slope, where the seabed drops steeply into the deep ocean at the shelf break. This shelf includes the neritic zone, which is the part of the ocean closest to the coast, characterized by nutrient-rich waters and a high concentration of marine life.

Phillips says the sea turtles were found crossing over to shallower waters and closer to shore, but it did not appear that they were transitioning to their next life stage, where they typically move to shallow habitats and feed off the bottom. Instead, the turtles seemed to approach the shore, then turned to avoid it.

�鶹��Ʒ S�That was interesting because we had these passive drifters that we released with them and many of them washed up shore and none of the turtles did, �鶹��Ʒ S� Phillips says.

She adds that if the turtles don’t behave like passive particles drifting with the currents and can actively swim and control their position, then existing movement models could consider both factors to correct errors in projections.

Existing hypotheses about the early life stage of most sea turtle species suggested they live exclusively in oceanic environments, drift passively with ocean currents and typically do not return to their previous habitat once they transitioned to a new one. However, these assumptions lack research into actual movement behavior.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Historically, all our information about this young life stage has been limited to opportunistic sightings of these little, hard-to-see animals from boats passing by, tracking work on hatchlings in the first 24 hours after leaving nesting beaches, or laboratory studies, �鶹��Ʒ S� Mansfield says.

Previous work also focused on the North Atlantic and on loggerheads, a species that commonly nested on the east coast of the U.S.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I think it �鶹��Ʒ S�s important to get data from different places and put the puzzle together to get a bigger picture of what �鶹��Ʒ S�s going on, �鶹��Ʒ S� Phillips says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Researchers tracking this species were finding that they were staying offshore. But now that turtles are tracked from more places, we are finding that there are more nuances to what goes on. Loggerheads, for instance, we found stay off the continental shelf located in the west coast of Florida. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Mansfield says sea turtle tracking can be costly, labor intensive, and the technology has limitations.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It �鶹��Ʒ S�s really hard to follow and manually track a little turtle over time, �鶹��Ʒ S� Mansfield says. �鶹��Ʒ S�You have to fuel a boat with researchers who have a strong stomach to go into the ocean. Historically, technology just wasn �鶹��Ʒ S�t there to put a tag on a turtle and use satellites to be able to remotely track where they went. Tags were battery powered and as big as a brick. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Prior to her time at UCF, Mansfield figured out a method to safely tag and effectively track small turtles, thanks to more reliable tagging technology, which played a role in conducting this study and achieving its results. She also credits their partnership with Inwater Research Group in helping to catch and track smaller sea turtles.

This research into sea turtle movement during the �鶹��Ʒ S�lost years, �鶹��Ʒ S� provides data for conservationists to assess and manage risks from human activity.

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 was a bit of the origin story of this project, �鶹��Ʒ S� Mansfield says. “If we have another oil spill, we need to know whether these animals [will be] transient through an area, stuck there due to currents, or if they �鶹��Ʒ S�ll end up somewhere else. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Data from this study is already driving conservation efforts, including a proposal for critical habitat designation under the Endangered Species Act for green sea turtles. This designation would complement earlier tracking data led by Mansfield, which established critical habitat for loggerheads �鶹��Ʒ S� the sargassum algae nursery.

Mansfield and Phillips say if assumptions are that these animals are strictly oceanic, then they may not be protecting them completely or addressing what they need for their eventual recovery.

�鶹��Ʒ S�If sea turtles are occurring on the continental shelf, we suggest renaming this life stage to �鶹��Ʒ S�dispersal stage �鶹��Ʒ S� to account for their behavior, �鶹��Ʒ S� Mansfield says. �鶹��Ʒ S�This is important nuance in their life history, and the new terminology reflects a better understanding of sea turtle behavior, revealing more about these lost years. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Funding information

Funding and support for this research was provided in part by the NOAA Oil Spill Supplemental Spend Plan, NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program administered through the Florida Institute of Oceanography, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Friends of Gumbo Limbo Gordon J. Gilbert Grant, Microwave Telemetry Christiane Howey Rising Scholar Award, U.S. National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships Program, UCF Boyd Lyon Memorial Fellowship, National Research Council Research Associateship Program, and the University of Central Florida.

Researchers �鶹��Ʒ S� credentials

Katrina Phillips, doctoral graduate, integrative and conservation biology, UCF; postdoctoral researcher, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Katherine Mansfield, professor, Department of Biology, UCF; director, Marine Turtle Research Group; and Davis-Shine Endowed Professorship in Conservation Biology

Nathan Putman, senior scientist, LGL Ecological Research Associates

The Aylesworth Scholarship was established in 1984 through a joint partnership between the Aylesworth Foundation for the Advancement of Marine Science, the �鶹��Ʒ S�Southeastern Fisheries Association �鶹��Ʒ S�and the Florida Sea Grant College Program. Aylesworth scholarships are named annually, with a few students selected among undergraduate and graduate student applicants across all Florida universities that conduct research in the marine sciences. Aylesworth Scholarship recipients study many subjects that impact the fishing, seafood and marine industries.

Banquero �鶹��Ʒ S�s pathway to pursue marine science began in childhood.

�鶹��Ʒ S�Science and biology were always my best subjects in school and my family encouraged my curiosity about plants and animals, �鶹��Ʒ S� Banquero says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Later, I felt drawn to conduct research that would contribute to protection of the places I �鶹��Ʒ S�d enjoyed as a child and had the opportunity to explore in my biology studies at UCF. �鶹��Ʒ S�

In Fall 2019 during her studies at UCF, she began to participate in field work, data entry, and other support for , or CEELAB.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I literally and figuratively got my feet wet, �鶹��Ʒ S� Banquero says.

CEELAB provides opportunities for UCF students studying biology in the College of Sciences to work in the field, building hands-on experience. This summer, 15 UCF students are working on coastal restoration and monitoring in the Indian River Lagoon, as well as conservation projects focused on microplastics or coastal acidification.

Pegasus Professor Linda Walters runs the CEELAB, working alongside the students and supporting independent research projects, matching their interests with the needs of the local ecosystem.

�鶹��Ʒ S�It becomes real at 6:30 a.m. when students are moving biodegradable restoration materials to damaged, intertidal oyster reefs while standing in mud in the middle of a hot, Florida summer,” Walters says. “This is how coastal restoration happens and where students put their passion for marine biology to work. �鶹��Ʒ S�

Banquero �鶹��Ʒ S�s experience through CEELAB was profound, providing her with opportunities to see nature and wildlife �鶹��Ʒ S� including sea turtles and manatees �鶹��Ʒ S� firsthand, as well as observe the human impacts on coastal environments.

Her work in CEELAB stood out to Walters, who continues to see promise in Banquero �鶹��Ʒ S�s thesis work toward her master’s in biology at UCF.

�鶹��Ʒ S�She is a determined person and has wonderful insight and tenacity that will serve her well as a scientist, �鶹��Ʒ S� Walters says. �鶹��Ʒ S�Luciana is a very worthy recipient of the Aylesworth Scholarship and has a bright future in marine science. �鶹��Ʒ S�

�鶹��Ʒ S�T��� experience I have had as a student at the College of Sciences has been lifechanging,” Banquero says . �鶹��Ʒ S�I �鶹��Ʒ S�m doing things that have surprised me and found a path forward. I �鶹��Ʒ S�m grateful to the biology department for helping to open doors for me in the field of conservation. �鶹��Ʒ S�

As a first-generation college student, Banquero hopes to inspire more students to pursue careers in marine science and for the public to become more engaged in ecosystem restoration efforts.

�鶹��Ʒ S�I hope more people pay greater attention to the value of coastal marine resources and see the value in conserving, restoring and protecting them, �鶹��Ʒ S� Banquero says.

The most popular research stories of 2021 focused on threats to our survival and opportunities to advance our species �鶹��Ʒ S� from the impact of sea rise to technology that promises to propel our exploration of the solar system. Stories about COVID-19 and workplace behavior also made the top 10.

UCF shares its stories to demonstrate the impact UCF research is having on the world. The stories showcase faculty and students who are making a difference. In 2021, UCF research stories had a combined, total potential reach of more than 8.2 billion possible views worldwide via newspapers, magazines, news websites and select television news placements. The number does not include all TV placements nor a total number for December. The number is based on the number of visitors to a media outlet from both desktop and mobile devices who could have seen the stories from that source. That �鶹��Ʒ S�s compared to a combined, total reach of more than 7.3 billion potential views in 2020.

The top 10 list is based on the number of media placements and the reach they earned. The number of views the stories received on UCF Today is also considered. The stories were generated from UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s  and colleges.

UCF research appeared in places such as the New York Times, the Smithsonian magazine, �پ������DZ������magazine, CBS This Morning and CNN. The Daily Mail in the UK is among a group of international publications that shared UCF research content. All local newspapers and television stations shared at least one research story in 2021. Consistently sharing stories on certain topics also help media identify some of UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s faculty and students as experts, whom they call upon time after time. Some of our space experts are now featured regularly on WMFE and several television stations, and they provide commentary for almost every space launch. One of UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s advances in artificial intelligence was even the subject of

The top 10 research stories of 2021 are:

1. Flying at Speeds up to Mach 17 Could Become Reality with UCF �鶹��Ʒ S�s Developing Propulsion System
2. UCF Study Shows Masks, Ventilation Stop COVID Spread Better than Social Distancing
3. UCF Team Develops Artificial Intelligence that can Detect Sarcasm in Social Media
4. Virgin Orbit Launches Rocket off a 747, puts 9 Satellites in Space
5. Coastal Changes Worsen Nuisance Flooding on Many U.S. Shorelines, Study Finds
6. Clues Emerge: How Harmless Bacteria Go Rogue Turning into Deadly Flesh-eating Variants
7. UCF Scientist �鶹��Ʒ S�s Unique Camera Will Investigate the Moon �鶹��Ʒ S�s South Pole
8. Legendary Sargasso Sea May be �鶹��Ʒ S�Sea Turtles �鶹��Ʒ S� Destination during Mysterious �鶹��Ʒ S�Lost Years �鶹��Ʒ S�
9. Rude Behavior at Work Not an Epidemic UCF Study Shows
10. New UCF Study Examines Leeches for Role in Major Disease of Sea Turtles in Florida

Some research is so impactful that the stories keep getting attention even years later. UCF had three stories published before 2021 that generated significant online and/or placements in media this year. They are:

ADHD Kids Can Be Still �鶹��Ʒ S� If They �鶹��Ʒ S�re Not Straining Their Brains (2017)

UCF Researchers Develop Groundbreaking New Rocket-Propulsion System (2020)

Study Shows Keeping Gratitude Journal Reduces Gossip, Incivility in Workplace (2020)