Curriculum Vitae
Harald Beck, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor & Curator of the Mammal Museum
DEPARTMENTAL ADDRESS
Towson University
Department of Biological Sciences
8000 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21252-0001
Phone: (410) 704-3125
E-mail: hbeck@towson.edu
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Place of Birth: Nuremberg, Germany
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2002-2005 Research Associate, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
2002 Ph.D. University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Biology
1994 M.S. University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. Major in Zoology
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Sigma XI The Scientific Research Society (since 2006)
IUCN The World Conservation Union, Tapir Specialist Group (since 2004)
Ecological Society of America (since 2002)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 2002)
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (since 1996)
American Society of Mammalogists (since 1996)
Reviewer
Journal of Tropical Ecology
Biotropica
Community Ecology
Journal of Mammalogy
Ecotropica
Australian Journal of Zoology
Plant Science
PUBLICATIONS
Beck, H. 2006. A review of peccary-palm interactions and their ecological ramifications
across the Neotropics. Journal of Mammalogy 87:519-530.
Beck, H. 2005. Seed predation and dispersal by peccaries throughout the Neotropics and
its consequences: a review and synthesis. Pages 77-115. In P-M. Forget,
J. E. Lambert, P.E. Hulme and S. B. Vander Wall (eds.). Seed fate:
predation, dispersal and seedling establishment. CABI Publishing,
Wallingfort, UK. Pp. 410.
PUBLICATIONS (continued)
Beck, H., M. S. Gaines, J. E. Hines and J. D. Nichols. 2004 Comparative dynamics of
small mammal populations in treefall gaps and surrounding understorey
within Amazonian rainforest. Oikos 106:27-38.
Leite-Pitman, R., H. Beck and P. M. Velazco. 2003. Mamíferos terrestres y arbóreos de
la selva baja de la Amazonía peruana: entre los ríos Manu y Alto Purús.
Pages 109-122. In R. Leite-Pitman, N. Pitman and P. Alvarez (eds.). Alto
Purús: Biodiversidad, Conservación y Manejo. Impresso Grafica S.A.
Lima, Peru. Pp. 350.
Nassar J. M., H. Beck, L. da S. L. Sternberg and T. H. Fleming. 2003 Dependence on
cacti and agaves in nectar-feeding bats from Venezuelan arid zones.
Journal of Mammalogy 84:106-116.
Gaines, M. S., J. E. Diffendorfer, C. R. Sasso and H. Beck. 2002 Effects of tree island
size and hydroperiod on the population dynamics of small mammals in the
Everglades. Pages 429-444. In F. H. Sklar and A. van der Valk (eds.).
Tree Islands of the Everglades. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht,
The Netherlands. Pp. 541.
Beck, H. and J. Terborgh. 2002 Groves vs. isolates: how spatial aggregation of
Astrocaryum murumuru palms affects seed removal. Journal of Tropical
Ecology 18:275-288.
Beck-King, H., O. v. Helversen and R. Beck-King. 1999. Home range, population
density, and food resources of Agouti paca (Rodentia: Agoutidae) in Costa
Rica: a study using alternative methods. Biotropica 31:675-685.
In Press
Beck, H. S. McKean and J. S. Carrillo. 2007. Liophis reginae (Reticulated Snake). Diet.
Herpetological Review.
Paine, C.E. T. and H. Beck. 2007. Seed predation by Neotropical rainforest mammals
increases diversity in seedling recruitment. Ecology.
In Review
Beck, H. Treefall gaps disturbance promotes coexistence and biodiversity of small
mammals in the Amazon. Submitted in March 2007 to Journal of
Mammalogy.
Beck, H. Synergistic impacts of ungulates and falling palm fronds on saplings in the
Amazon. Submitted in January 2007 to Journal of Tropical Ecology.
Beck, H. Tropical Ecology. Invited book chapter submitted in December 2006 as a
contribution to book entitled Encyclopedia of Ecology published by
Elsevier.
IN PREPARATION
Beck, H. and J. Terborgh. Long-term experiment on seed predation by terrestrial
mammal species in an Amazonian rainforest (data are currently being
analyzed).
Student Thesis Advisor
2006 - 2007 Kristin R. Farris. Honors Undergraduate Thesis: The impact of large
mammals on the plant community in the Western Amazon.
GRANT ACTIVITIES
2005 The role of peccaries as ecosystem engineers and its effect on tropical species
diversity. Towson University, $6,750.
2004 The impact of the megafauna on forest structure and plant community; with an
emphasis on peccary-plant interactions at Los Amigos and Cocha Cashu. Amazon
Conservation Association, $11,200.
2003 Travel grant for attending a special symposium of the British Ecological Society
and the Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and
Conservation, University of Aberdeen, in the United Kingdom, $1,000.
2001 Effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat selection, dispersal, and
population dynamics of small tropical mammals. Travel grant for a presentation at
the 8th International Theriological Congress, in South Africa. Department of
Biology, University of Miami, $1,500.
1999 Effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat selection, dispersal, and
population dynamics of small tropical mammals. NSF Dissertation Improvement
Grant, $10,000.
1999 Effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat selection, dispersal, and
population dynamics of small tropical mammals. Tropical Biology Fellowship
Award, Department of Biology, University of Miami, $11,350.
1998 Effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat selection, dispersal, and
population dynamics of small tropical mammals. Departmental Graduate
Research Support Award, $300, Graduate Dean Fellowship, $1,000 and Grant-in-Aid of Research from the National Academy of Science through Sigma Xi, The
Scientific Research Society, $700.
1997 Preliminary studies on tropical mammals in heterogeneous landscapes. University
of Miami, J. Gerry Curtis Plant Science Scholarship, $500 and Graduate Activity
Fee Allocation Committee, $400.
Invited Seminars
2007 Bulldozing through the jungle: Peccaries as ecosystem engineers. Towson
University Sigma XI Seminar Series (25 April).
2006 Gaines, M., Beck, H. et al. Effects of patch size and population dynamics and
genetic structure of small mammals in the Everglades. Greater Everglade
Ecosystem Restoration Conference: Planning, Policy and Science. (June 5-9).
2006 The ecological role of peccaries: Examples from Manu National Park.
Department of Conservation Biology, Smithsonian Nation Zoological Park,
Washington DC (May 26).
2006 Tropical disturbance ecology. Departments of Vertebrate and invertebrate
Zoology Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (April 5).
2006 Responses of mammals to disturbances and consequences of mammal mediated
disturbances. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, MD (November 15).
2005 The effects of disturbance on population dynamics and species diversity.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD (October 4).
2005 Peccary-plant interactions. Invited symposium speaker at the IX International
Mammalogical Congress, in Sapporo, Japan (August 2).
2005 The impact of disturbances on population dynamics and species diversity.
Department of Biological Sciences, Duke University, North Carolina (February 18).
2005 The impact of disturbance on mammal populations and communities.
Department of Biology, Towson University, Maryland (February 2).
2003 Population dynamics and biodiversity of small mammals in treefall gaps within an Amazonian rainforest. Department of Biology, Savannah State University, Georgia (March 18).
2002 Population dynamics and biodiversity of small mammals in treefall gaps within an Amazonian rainforest. Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University (October 1).
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
2005 Beck, H. IX International Mammalogical Congress, in Sapporo, Japan. Peccaries
in the Amazon, more than just disturbance.
2004 Beck, H. Congreso Internacional sobre Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la
Amazonía y Latinoamérica: Lecciones Aprendidas held in Iquitos, Peru.
Regresar a la ecologia significa avanzar en la conservación.
2003 Beck, H. Special Symposium of the British Ecological Society and the Annual
Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University of
Aberdeen, in the United Kingdom. Treefall gaps within an Amazonian rainforest
lead to source-sink dynamics in small mammals.
2002 Beck, H. Second Bi-annual Symposium of the Coalition for Excellence in
Tropical Biology, in Miami. Treefall gaps in the Amazon rainforest are mammal
biodiversity hotspots.
2002 Beck, H. 87th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, in Tucson.
Population dynamics of small mammals in treefall gaps within an Amazonian
Rainforest.
2002 Beck, H. Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology, in Panama
City, Panama. Are treefall gaps biodiversity hotspots within Amazon hotspots?
2001 Beck, H. 8th International Theriological Congress, in Sun City, South Africa.
The effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat selection, dispersal, and
population dynamics of small tropical mammals.
2001 Beck, H. 8th International Theriological Congress, in Sun City, South Africa.
Habitat selection in Peromyscus and Sigmodon.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
2006 Cameron, M. and H. Beck. Evaluating wallows as dry season breeding habitat for
frogs in the Peruvian Amazon. 8th Annual Student Research and Scholarship
Expo Towson University.
2006 Farris, K. and H. Beck. The impact of large mammals on the plant community in
the western Amazon. 8th Annual Student Research and Scholarship Expo Towson
University.
2003 Beck, H. Special Symposium of the British Ecological Society and the Annual
Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, University of
Aberdeen, in the United Kingdom. Seed dispersal and predation by peccaries and
Suidae. A call for personal field observations.
1996 Beck, H. 76th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, North
Dakota. Home range estimation: a comparison between two methods.
BOOK REVIEWER
Review of a new environmental science textbook, proposal Global change: human and
scientific dimensions”, for W. H. Freeman & Co.
GRANT PROPOSALS REVIEWER
For the Earthwatch Institute, 3 Clock Tower Place, Suite 100, Maynard, MA 01754.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
2007 – present: An experimental approach to quantify the impact of varying deer
densities on seedling survival and growth. Front Royal Virginia.
2006 – present: Collaboration with my graduate student Chara Bachelder: Spatial-
temporal variation in Lyme disease infection in small, medium, and large
mammals and ticks across Maryland.
2005 – present: Assistant Professor Towson University. Peccary-plant interactions within
the Amazon. Peccaries as ecosystem engineers.
2003 – 2005: Post Doctoral Fellow with Dr. John Terborgh, Duke University, Center for
Tropical Conservation. Peccary-plant interactions within the Amazon.
2002 – 2003: Post Doctoral Fellow with Dr. Michael Gaines, Department of Biology,
University of Miami: Mammal biodiversity and communities in Key Biscayne
National Park, Florida.
2001 – 2003: Collaboration with Dr. Michael Gaines, Department of Biology,
University of Miami: The effects of tree island size and hydroperiod on the
population dynamics of small mammals in the Everglades National Park, Florida.
2001 – 2002: Collaboration with Dr. Michael Gaines, Department of Biology,
University of Miami: The effects of pre- and post-fire disturbance on habitat
selection and population dynamics of small mammals in Pineland and Hardwood
Hammock habitats within the Everglades National Park, Florida.
1999 – 2001: Collaboration with Dr. John Terborgh, Duke University: Experimental
seed exclosures to test whether spatial aggregation of Astrocaryum murumuru
palms affects peccary seed removal.
1998 – 2002: Ph.D. Research: The effects of heterogeneous landscapes on habitat
selection, dispersal, and population dynamics of small mammals, in Cocha Cashu,
Peru.
1996 – 1997: Stable isotope analysis of muscle tissues from two bat species to
determine their tropic levels across seasons and habitats.
1996 – 2002: Research Assistant, with Dr. Michael Gaines, Department of Biology,
University of Miami: The effects of tree island size and water level on
demography and movement of small mammals in the Everglades National Park,
Florida.
1995 – 1995: Research Assistant, with Dr. Carol Horvitz, Department of Biology,
University of Miami: Plant community changes after Hurricane Andrew in
Florida.
1994 – 1994: Master’s Research: “Home range, population density, and food resources
of Agouti paca (Rodentia) in Costa Rica.
1993 – 1993: Research Assistant, with Dr. Bernhard Ronacher, Department of Zoology
II, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany: Acoustic orientation in
grasshoppers.
1992 – 1993: Research Assistant, with Dr. Otto v. Helversen, Department of Zoology II,
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany: Foraging behavior in honey bees.
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
2007 - Spring Lecturing and Laboratory: Mammalogy for majors Towson University.
2007 - Fall Lecturing and Laboratory: Human Anatomy and Physiology I for majors
Towson University.
2006 - Spring Lecturing and Laboratory: Human Anatomy and Physiology I for majors
Towson University.
2005 - Fall Lecturing and Laboratory: Human Anatomy and Physiology I for majors
Towson University.
2003 - Spring Team teaching with Dr. Gaines: Esc 103, Seminar in Environmental
Science, University of Miami.
2003 - Spring Team teaching with Dr. Gaines: Bio 299, Seminar in Research Problems,
University of Miami.
2002 - Fall Lecturing: Esc 101, Environmental Science for majors and non-majors,
University of Miami.
2001 - 2002 Teaching Assistant: Biology 161, Ecological Biodiversity Laboratory,
University of Miami.
2000 - Spring Graduate Research Mentor: Research in Ecology. Howard Hughes
Medical Institute and National Science Foundation. Young
Scholars, 6th grade students, University of Miami.
1999 - Fall Lecturing: General Biology for non-majors, Miami Dade Community
College.
1996 - 1998 Teaching Assistant: Biology 266, Physiology Laboratory, University of
Miami.
1996 - Spring Teaching Assistant: Biology 161, Ecological Biodiversity Laboratory,
University of Miami.
1996 - Fall Teaching Assistant: NSF-Young Scholars, 6th grade students, University
of Miami.
1995 - Spring Lecturing: Human Anatomy and Physiology for majors, Miami Dade
Community College.
1995 – Spring Lecturing: Laboratories for Human Anatomy and Physiology for majors,
Miami Dade Community College.
1995 - Fall Lecturing: General Biology and Environmental Science for non-majors,
Miami Dade Community College.
1991 - 1993 Teaching Assistant: Ecology for majors. Department of Zoology I,
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
Professional Activities
2006 - present Virtual Library Manager for the IUCN (The World Conservation Union),
Tapir Specialist Group.
2005 Invited by the Wildlife Conservation Society to participate in a workshop
entitled “Identificar prioridades de conservación a escala de distribución para
Tayussu pecari”.
2005 Symposium organizer “Mammals as Ecosystem Engineers” for the IX
International Mammalogical Congress, in Sapporo, Japan.
2003 Judge, Student Poster Awards. 10th Annual Meeting of the Florida-Georgia Louis
Strokes Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering &
Mathematics, in Tampa.
2002 Invited by the Royal Society of London to participate in a workshop on measuring
biodiversity. Royal Society of London, Carlton House Terrace, London, UK.
2002 Judge, Student Paper Awards. 87th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of
America, in Tucson.
1997 - 1998 President, Biology Graduate Student Association, Department of Biology,
University of Miami.
1997 - 1998 Graduate student representative at faculty meetings. Department of
Biology, University of Miami.