Sunshine A. Van Bael
Associate Staff Scientist
e-mail: vanbaels@si.edu
Address: Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
ATT: Sunshine A. Van Bael
9100 PANAMA CITY PL
Washington DC 20521-9100
Telephone: +507-212-8504
FAX: +507-212-8148
Publications
Publications by Sunshine A. Van Bael in STRI Bibliography
Research Interests
Community ecology, plant-insect-fungal interactions, endophytic fungi, multi-trophic interactions, avian ecology, sustainable agriculture.
Current Research
Interactions among leaf-cutting ants, their fungal gardens, and endophytic fungi in their forage plants; biodiversity in tropical agricultural systems; biodiversity in regenerating landscapes.
Education and Degrees
B.S. University of Chicago 1996
Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2003
Selected Bibliography
Van Bael, S. A., H. Fernandez, M. Valencia, E. Rojas, W. Wcislo, E.A. Herre. 2009. Two fungal symbioses collide: Endophytic fungi are not welcome in leaf-cutting ant gardens. Proceedings Royal Society of London – Series B. 276: 2419-2426.
Van Bael, S. A., M. Valencia, E. Rojas, N. Gómez, D.M. Windsor, & E. A. Herre. 2009. Effects of foliar endophytic fungi on the preference and performance of a leaf beetle, Chelymorpha alternans Boheman (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). Biotropica 41:221-225.
Mejía, L. C., E.I. Rojas, Z. Maynard, A.E. Arnold, S.A. Van Bael, G.J. Samuels, N. Robbins, E.A. Herre. 2008. Endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents of Theobroma cacao pathogens, Biological Control 46: 4-14.
Van Bael, S. A., S. Philpott, R. Greenberg, P. Bichier, N. Barber, K. Mooney and D. Gruner. 2008. Birds as predators in tropical agroforestry systems: a meta-analysis. Ecology 89: 928-934.
Van Bael, S. A., P. Bichier, I. Ochoa, and R. Greenberg. 2007. Bird diversity in cacao farms and forest fragments of western Panama. Biodiversity and Conservation 16:2245-2256.
Van Bael, S. A., P. Bichier, and R. Greenberg. 2007. Bird predation on insects reduces foliage damage to cocoa trees (Theobroma cacao) in western Panama. Journal of Tropical Ecology 23:715-719.
Herre, E. A., L. C. Mejia, D. A. Kyllo, E. Rojas, Z. Maynard, A. Butler, and S. A. Van Bael. 2007. Ecological implications of anti-pathogen effects of tropical fungal endophytes and mycorrhizae. Ecology 88:550-558.
Van Bael, S. and J. Brawn. 2005. The direct and indirect effects of insectivory by birds in two contrasting Neotropical forests. Oecologia 143, 106-116.
Van Bael, S. A., Z. Maynard, N. Robbins, J. Bischoff, A. E. Arnold, E. Rojas, L. C. Mejia, D. A. Kyllo, and E. A. Herre. 2005. Emerging perspectives on the ecological roles of endophytic fungi in tropical plants. Book chapter in “The Fungal Community: It’s organization and role in the ecosystem.” Eds. J. Dighton, P Oudemans & J. White, in press.
Herre, E.A., S. A. Van Bael, Z. Maynard, N. Robbins, J. Bischoff, A. E. Arnold, E. Rojas, L. C. Mejia, R. A. Cordero, C. Woodward, and D.A.Kyllo. 2005. Tropical plants as chimera: some implications of foliar endophytic fungi for the study of host plant defense, physiology, and genetics.
Van Bael, S. Aiello, A., Valderrama, A., Medianero, E., Samaniego, M. and S. J. Wright. 2004. General herbivore outbreak of following an El Niño related drought in a lowland Panamanian forest. Journal of Tropical Ecology 20, 625-633.
Pauw, A., S.Van Bael, H. Peters et al. 2004. Physical damage in relation to carbon allocation strategies in tropical forest tree saplings. Biotropica 36(3) 410-413.
Van Bael, S., J. Brawn, and S. Robinson. 2003. Birds defend trees from insect herbivores in a Neotropical forest canopy. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences, 100:14 pp.8304-8307.