Dr. Malcolm Hill

Associate Professor of Biology
Chair, Biology
B-114 Gottwald Science Center
Office: (804) 287-6628
Fax: (804) 289-8233

Research:
Projects focus on the evolutionary ecology of sponges (and other invertebrates) in temperate and tropical marine systems. Using molecular and field-based techniques, we study factors that influence population characteristics and community structure and function (e.g., symbiosis, predator-prey dynamics, morphological plasticity and anti-predator defenses).

Education:
Ph.D., University of Houston

Selected Publications:

Hill, M.S., Lopez, N., Young, K. (2005) Antipredator defenses in four temperate sponges of the western North Atlantic: Evidence for a defensive synergism in Microciona prolifera. Marine Ecology Progress Series 291: 93-102.

Hill, A.L., Wagner, A., Hill, M.S. (2003) Hox and paraHox genes from the anthozoan Parazoanthus parasiticus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 28: 529-535.

Hill, M.S., Hill, A.L. (2002) Morphological plasticity in the tropical sponge Anthosigmella varians: Responses to predators and wave energy. Biological Bulletin, 202: 86-95.

Hill, M.S., Stabile, C., Hill, A.L., Steffen, L.K. (2002) Endocrine disrupters cause phenotypically identical developmental abnormalities in freshwater sponges. Environmental Pollution, 117: 295-300.

Wilcox, T., Hill, M.S., DeMeo, K. (2002) Observations on a new two-sponge symbiosis from the Florida Keys. Coral Reefs, 21: 198-204.

Hill, A.L., Brown, N., Hill, M.S., Wells, D. (2002) Identification of the Xenopus laevis cDNA for EXT1: A phylogenetic perspective. DNA Sequence, 13: 85-92.

Rex, M.A., Etter, R.J., Clain, A.J., Hill, M.S. (1999) Bathymetric patterns of body size in deep-sea gastropods. Evolution, 53(4) 1298-1301.

Hill, M.S. (1999) Morphological and genetic examination of phenotypic plasticity in the tropical spongeAnthosigmella varians. in Proceedings of the 5th International Sponge Symposium  'Origin & Outlook.' (ed. J. N. A. Hooper) Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 44: 239-248.

Hill, M.S., Wilcox, T.M. (1998) Unusual mode of symbiont acquisition after bleaching in the tropical sponge Anthosigmella varians: acquisition of different zooxanthellae strains? Symbiosis, 25: 279-289.

Hill, M.S. (1998) Sponges harbor genetically identical populations of the zoanthid Parazoanthus parasiticus. Bulletin of Marine Science, 63(2): 513-521.

Hill, M.S. (1998) Spongivory on Caribbean reefs releases corals from competition with sponges. Oecologia, 117: 143-150.