Dr. Donald McFarlane

Professor of Biology

Location
Keck Science B43
Phone: (909) 607 2564
Fax: [909] 621 8588
E-mail: dmcfarlane@kecksci.claremont.edu

Professor of Biology

• PhD, 1987, University of Southern California
• MSc, 1982, Queen’s University of Belfast
• Bsc (Hons), 1978, University of Liverpool

Research Interests:

Late Quaternary insular mammalian extinctions; Quaternary paleoecology and vertebrate paleontology; the ecology of caves, ecology of bats, island biogeography, especially of the tropics.

Courses

Courses Taught

• Intro Bio (Bio44)
• Ecology (Bio146L)
• Evolution (Bio145)
• Tropical Ecology (Bio176)
• Research Tools for Organismal Biology (Bio120)

Thesis Opportunities

Senior Thesis Opportunities with Dr. Donald McFarlane
Fall 2023

(I will be on sabbatical in Spring 2024, so I am only taking on 1 semester Fall 23 theses)

In addition to the projects outlined below, I am willing to consider well thought-out proposals in the area of general mammalogy, field-based ecology, ecological modeling, and paleontology. I will also co-supervise Geology/Earth Sciences projects developed in collaboration with colleagues in the Depts. of Geology (Pomona), or Environmental Analysis.

Arsenic levels in Rice

Recent theses examined naturally occurring fluorine in tea, and heavy metals in nuts. This project will investigate levels of arsenic in rice, which has been shown to be the largest source of arsenic in human diets. This project will involve laboratory determination of arsenic in a variety of rice samples from different countries. (1 semester)

Cadmium levels in cacao beans

Numerous studies, including some here at KSD, have established that the Cacao tree, Theobroma, is an accumulator of heavy metals and that elements including lead and cadmium can be present in chocolate at high levels. This study will focus on the distribution of cadmium in the Theobroma beans themselves. (1 semester)

Molecular systematics of Scorpions based on venom

Scorpion venom is a “witches brew” of multiple proteins and polypeptides that have evolved to meet the specific needs of individual scorpion species. This project will use gel electrophoresis to separate and characterize the venom “signatures” and a number of California scorpion species, and attempt to correlate these characters with accepted taxonomy. (1 semester)

Research

Links

• National Speleological Society
• National Cave and Karst Research Institute
• Extinct Mammals of the West Indies