Research
My research interests are in the area of behavioral ecology, particularly plant-animal interactions and foraging behavior. Our lab is investigating evolution of plant defense mechanisms in a rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (the Wisconsin Fast Plant). We're currently studying the role of trichomes as a defense against herbivory.
Manuscripts in preparation
Bolen, R. H., Smarkanic, L., and Ferrari, N. (in prep). Effect of herbivory by Trichoplusia ni on trichome production in rapid-cycling Brassica rapa.
Bolen, R.H., Henry, N., Ferrari, N., and Evans, M. (in prep). Trichomes in rapid-cycling Brassica rapa do not defend against herbivory by Trichoplusia ni.
Publications
Cobo, A, Crawford, J., and Bolen, R. H. (2008). Estimation of Deer Density and the Impact of Deer Browsing on Forest Regeneration at Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve. Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. 81(2/3):66-73.
Van Metter, J., Harriger, M.D., and Bolen, R.H. (2008). Environmental Enrichment Utilizing Stimulus Objects for African Lions (Panthera leo leo) and Sumatran Tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). BIOS. 79(1):7-16.
Bolen, R. H. and Green, S. M. (1997) Use of olfactory cues in foraging by owl monkeys (Aotus nancymae) and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Journal of Comparative Psychology. 11(2):152-158.
Blankenship, J.F., Costello, S., Sprouse, M., Settle, F.A., Bolen, R. H., Pleva, M. (1991). A flexible automated laboratory system for the qualitative analysis of selected metal cations. Journal of Chemical Education. 68(3):A65-A68.
Presentations
Bolen, R.H. and Plotkin, J.P. Solar? A Village Takes It: Building a sustainable cohousing community in Adams County, PA. Invited presentation at the Solar Solutions for West Virginia Conference. Shepherd University. September 2008.
Bolen, R. H. Use of Wisconsin Fast Plants™ as a teaching and research tool in ecology and evolution. Honored Faculty Presentation, Mount St. Mary's University. April 2006.
Bolen, R. H. Use of Wisconsin Fast Plants™ as a teaching and research tool in ecology and evolution. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Lexington, VA. April 2005.
Bolen, R. H. Where has all the fertility gone? The endocrine disruption hypothesis. Invited presentation at Family Fest, Mount St. Mary's University, September 2004.
Crawford, J., Cobo, A. and Bolen, R. H. Estimation of Deer Density and the Impact of Deer Browsing on Forest Regeneration at Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Lexington, VA. April 2005.
Van Metter, J., Bolen, R. H., and Harriger, D. Environmental Enrichment for Lions and Sumatran Tigers in Zoos via Stimulus Objects. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, April 2003.
Hersman, V. and Bolen, R. H. Laterality in cats: accuracy of the preferred paw and the relationship between testosterone levels and paw preference. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science, April 2002.
Bolen, R. H. The effect of predation risk on foraging decisions in the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Invited faculty panel presentation. Wilson College, Chambersburg, PA. October 2001.
Bolen, R. H. The roles of spatial memory and social cues in foraging by Cebus apella. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Animal Behavior Society, Lewisburg, PA. July, 1999.
Bolen, R. H. The use of olfactory cues in foraging by Cebus apella and Aotus nancymae. Paper presented at the Joint Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists and the International Primatological Society, Madison, WI. August, 1996.
Oetting, J. O., Bolen, R. H., Evans, S., Garber, P. A., and Fragaszy, D. Individual differences in response to a novel environment in Cebus apella. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Seattle, WA. August, 1994.
Bolen, R. H. The use of spatial information in foraging by Cebus apella and Aotus nancymae: a test of the cognitive mapping hypothesis. Paper presented at the Florida Ecological and Evolutionary Symposium, Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, FL. April 1994.
Garber, P. A., Bolen, R. H. and Evans, S. The use of color, odor, and spatial cues in primate decision making. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Sturbridge, MA. August 1993.
