Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology, University of Mississippi, 5/08-8/13 Dissertation:  Individual and Population Responses of the Caribbean Sponge, Aplysina cauliformis, to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors.  Multi-faceted research focusing on sponge disease epidemiology, anthropogenic stressors, and resource exchange. Used spatial analysis as a tool to characterize transmission of the disease Aplysina red band syndrome in natural populations. Experimentally assessed consequences of sponge-algal interactions under natural and elevated nutrient regimes.  Evaluated the role of algal microbes in sponge stress, using stable isotopes to investigate the transfer of carbon and nitrogen between sponges and algae.

B.S. in Biology, Minor in Mathematics, University of Mississippi, 2008     Emphasis in marine biology with study abroad classes on marine and tropical ecology in Galapagos Islands and Belize. Used Quickbird and IKONOS image data to monitor seagrass loss in Belize.

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PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

* denotes student author advised by CGE

Easson, C.G., D.J. Gochfeld, M. Slattery (in review) Microbiome profiling of three soft   coral    populations relative to disease onset and progression. Marine Biology

Reigel, A.M., C.G. Easson, A. Apprill, C.J. Freeman, M.M. Bartley, C.L. Fiore (in review) Sponge-drived matter is assimilated by coral holobionts. Communications Biology

Deutsch, J. M., Green, M. O., Akavaram, P., Davis, A. C., Diskalkar, S. S., Du Plessis, I. A., Easson, C.G. ... & Agarwal, V. (2023). Limited Metabolomic Overlap between Commensal Bacteria and Marine Sponge Holobionts Revealed by Large Scale Culturing and Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics: An Undergraduate Laboratory Pedagogical Effort at Georgia Tech. Marine Drugs, 21(1), 53.

Monti, M., Giorgi, A., Easson, C. G., Gochfeld, D. J., & Olson, J. B. (2021). Transmission studies and the composition of prokaryotic communities associated with healthy and diseased Aplysina cauliformis sponges suggest that Aplysina Red Band Syndrome is a prokaryotic polymicrobial disease. FEMS microbiology ecology, 97(12), fiab164.

Olson, J. B., Easson, C. G., & Gochfeld, D. J. (2021). Temporal changes in the sponge holobiont during the course of infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome. Coral Reefs, 40(4), 1211-1226.

Freeman, C. J., Easson, C. G., Fiore, C. L., & Thacker, R. W. (2021). Sponge–Microbe Interactions on Coral Reefs: Multiple Evolutionary Solutions to a Complex Environment. Frontiers in Marine Science, 917.

Olson, J. B., Easson, C. G., & Gochfeld, D. J. (2021). Temporal changes in the sponge holobiont during the course of infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome. Coral Reefs, 1-16.

*Storo, R.C, Easson, C.G.  Shivji, M., Lopez, J.V. (2021) Microbiome Analyses Demonstrate Specific Communities Within Five Shark Species. Frontiers in Microbiology: Aquatic Microbiology

Cook, A., Bernard, A.M., Boswell, K.M., Bracken-Grisson, H., D’Elia, M., Derada, S., Easson, C.G., English, D., Eytan, R.I., Frank, T., et. al., (2020) A Multidisciplinary Approach to Investigate Deep-Pelagic Ecosystem Dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico following Deepwater Horizon. Frontiers in Marine Science 7: Deep-Sea Environments and Ecology

Easson, C. G., Boswell, K. M., Tucker, N., Warren, J. D., & Lopez, J. V. (2020). Combined eDNA and Acoustic Analysis Reflects Diel Vertical Migration of Mixed Consortia in the Gulf of Mexico. Frontiers in Marine Science.

*Nascimento, J. R., Easson, C. G., Jurelevicius, D. D. A., Lopez, J. V., Bidone, E. D., & Sabadini-Santos, E. (2020). Microbial community shift under exposure of dredged sediments from a eutrophic bay. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(8), 1-16.

Easson, C. G., Chaves-Fonnegra, A., Thacker, R. W., & Lopez, J. V. (2020). Host population genetics and biogeography structure the microbiome of the sponge Cliona delitrix. Ecology and Evolution, 10(4), 2007-2020.  

Freeman, C. J., Easson, C. G., Matterson, K. O., Thacker, R. W., Baker, D. M., & Paul, V. J. (2020). Microbial symbionts and ecological divergence of Caribbean sponges: A new perspective on an ancient association. The ISME Journal, 1-13.  

*Freed, L.L., Easson, C., Baker, L.J., Fenolio, D., Sutton, T.T., Khan, Y., Blackwelder, P., Hendry, T.A. and Lopez, J.V., (2019). Characterization of the microbiome and bioluminescent symbionts across life stages of Ceratioid Anglerfishes of the Gulf of Mexico. FEMS microbiology ecology 95:10. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiz146

Baker, L.J., *Freed, L.L., Easson, C.G., Lopez, J.V., Fenolio, D., Sutton, T.T., Nyholm, S.V. and Hendry, T.A., (2019). Diverse deep-sea anglerfishes share a genetically reduced luminous symbiont that is acquired from the environment. eLife, 8.

Smith, R.P., Easson, C., Lyle, S.M., Kapoor, R., *Donnelly, C.P., Davidson, E.J., Parikh, E., Lopez, J.V. and Tartar, J.L., (2019). Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PloS one, 14(10), p.e0222394..

Johnston, M.W., R.J. Milligan, C.G. Easson, S. de Rada, D. English, B. Penta, T.T. Sutton (2019) An Empirically-validated Method for Characterizing Pelagic Habitats in the Gulf of Mexico Using Ocean Model Data. Limnology and Oceanography Methods. doi:10.1002/lom3.10319

Easson, C.G. and J.V. Lopez (2019) Depth-dependent environmental drivers of microbial plankton community structure. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9: 3175

Milligan, R.J., A.M. Bernard, K.M. Boswell, H.D. Bracken-Grissom, M.A. D’Elia, S.  deRada, C.G. Easson, D. English, R.I. Eytan, K.A. Finnegan, C. Hu, C. Lembke,  J.V.      Lopez, B.Penta, T.Richards, I.C. Romero, M. Shivji, L. Timm, J.D. Warren, M. Weber,    R.J.D. Wells, T.T. Sutton. (2018) The Application of Novel Research Technologies by    the Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) Consortium       Marine Technology Society Journal, Volume 52, Number 6, pp. 81–86.

*Widmer, C., J. *Skutas, C. Easson, J. Lopez, C. Torneck, M. Flax (2018) Culture-  independent Characterization of the Microbiome of Healthy Pulp. The Journal of Endodontics, 4:7:1132-1139.

Moitinho-Silva, L., S. Nielson, A. Amir, A. Gonzalez, C. Easson, et al., (2017) The sponge microbiome project. Giga Science, 6:10:1-7.

Freeman, C. J., E.W. Stoner, C.G. Easson, K.O. Matterson, & D.M. Baker (2017). Variation in δ13C and δ15N values suggests a coupling of host and symbiont metabolism in the Symbiodinium-Cassiopea mutualism. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 571:245-251.

Thomas, T., L. Moitinho-Silva, M. Lurgi, C.G. Easson et al., (2016) Diversity, structure and convergent evolution of the global sponge microbiome.  Nature Communications. 7:11870

Freeman C.J. and C.G. Easson (2016) Sponge distribution and the presence of photosymbionts in Moorea, French Polynesia. PeerJ (e1816)

Freeman, C.J., E.W. Stoner, C.G. Easson, K.O. Matterson, and D.M. Baker (2016) Symbiont Carbon and Nitrogen metabolism in the Cassiopea-Symbiodinium, Marine Ecology Progress Series 544:281-286.

Easson, C.G., *K.O. Matterson, S.K. Archer, C.J. Freeman and R.W. Thacker (2015) Variation in species diversity and functional traits of sponge communities near human populations in Bocas del Toro, Panama. PeerJ (e1385).

Freeman, C.J., C.G. Easson, and D.M. Baker (2015) Niche structure of marine sponges from temperate hard-bottom habitats within Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Journal of Marine Biological Association of the UK, doi:10.1017/S0025315415000363.

Freeman, C.J., D.M. Baker, C.G. Easson, and R.W. Thacker (2015) Shifts in sponge-microbe mutualisms across an experimental irradiance gradient. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 526:41-53.

Easson, C.G., R.W. Thacker (2014) Phylogenetic signal in the community structure of host-specific microbiomes of tropical marine sponges. Frontiers in Microbiology, 5:1-11.

Easson, C.G., M. Slattery, D.M. Baker, and D.J. Gochfeld (2014) Complex ecological associations: competition and facilitation in a sponge–algal interaction. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 507:153-167.

Easson, C.G., M. Slattery, H.G. Momm, J.B. Olson, R.W. Thacker, D.J. Gochfeld (2013) Exploring Individual-to Population-Level Impacts of Disease on Coral Reef Sponges: Using Spatial Analysis to Assess the Fate, Dynamics, and Transmission of Aplysina Red Band Syndrome (ARBS). PLoS One, 8:11(e79976)

Slattery, M., D.J. Gochfeld, C.G. Easson, L.R.K. O’Donahue (2013) Facilitation of coral reef biodiversity and health by cave sponge communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series 476:71-86

Gochfeld D.J., C.G. Easson, M. Slattery, R.W. Thacker, J.B. Olson (2012) Population dynamics of a sponge disease on Caribbean reefs.  In:  Stellar DL, Lobel LK (eds) Proceedings of the American Association of Underwater Sciences 31st Scientific Symposium, Monterey, CA. 125-128

Gochfeld, D.J., C.G. Easson, C.J. Freeman, R.W. Thacker, J.B. Olson. (2012) Disease and nutrient enrichment as potential stressors on the Caribbean sponge Aplysina cauliformis and its bacterial symbionts. Marine Ecology Progress Series 456:101-111.

Gaston G.R., C.G. Easson, G.E. Easson, J. Janaskie, & M.A. Ballas (2008) Seagrass loss in Belize: studies of turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) habitat using remote sensing and ground-truth data. Gulf and Caribbean Research 21:23-30.  

PUBLISHED DATA SETS

Easson C.G. (2023) Microbiome Changes in Sinularia spp. Soft Corals Relative to Health status.  Sequence Read Archive: Bioproject PRJNA997579.

Easson C.G. (2020) Microbial symbionts and ecological divergence of Caribbean sponges: a new perspective on an ancient association. Sequence Read Archive: BioProject: PRJNA544301

Easson, C.G. (2019) DEEPEND: 18S eDNA profiles to track diel vertical migration in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Oct 11 '19. Sequence Read Archive BioProject PRJNA577133: BioSample Accession: SAMN13019503 - SAMN13019652

Easson, C.G. (2019) Sponge and seawater associated microbial communities from the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean. Sequence Read Archive BioProject: PRJNA544301; BioSample Accession: SAMN11832602 - SAMN11833237

Easson, C.G. and J.V. Lopez (2019) Microbiome and bacterioplankton rRNA gene sequence data collected from Gulf of Mexico seawater samples, cruise DP05 from May 2017.  Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND). Published in GRIIDC: DOI: 10.7266/n7-033n-s709. Sequence Read Archive: BioProject: PRJNA544332: BioSample Accession: SAMN11810468 - SAMN11810951. Johnston MW, Milligan RJ,

Easson CG, de Rada S, English D, Penta B, Sutton TT (2018) Habitat classification of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) using the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and salinity/temperature profiles, cruises DP01-DP04, May 2015 to August 2016. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. doi: 10.7266/N7QR4VK0

Easson, C.G. and J.V. Lopez (2018) Microbiome and bacterioplankton rRNA gene sequence data collected from Gulf of Mexico seawater samples, cruises DP03 and DP04 from April - August 2016. Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND). Published in GRIIDC: DOI: 10.7266/N7833QCP. Sequence Read Archive: Accession: SAMN08327442-SAMN08327725

Easson, C.G. and J.V. Lopez (2017) Microbiome and bacterioplankton rRNA gene sequence data collected from Gulf of Mexico seawater samples, Cruises DP01 and DP02 from May 2015 - August 2015 . Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND). DOI: 10.7266/N7P55KWX

Easson, C.G., K.O. Matterson, S.K. Archer, C.J. Freeman and R.W. Thacker (2015) Variation in species diversity and functional traits of sponge communities near human populations in Bocas del Toro, Panama. PeerJ, 3, e1385.   Accession number: KT943914

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Throughout my academic career, I have conducted research at several scales, from molecules to communities, and in many subject areas.  My research interests are centered broadly around the ecology and evolution of invertebrates and benthic communities with a focus on host-symbiont physiology. My interdisciplinary research projects couple several subject areas such as molecular ecology/evolution, microbiology, molecular phylogenetics, oceanography, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis to elucidate the ecological forces that structure communities (macro and micro), explore host-symbiont physiology and evolution, and tease apart the intricate interplay between ecological and evolutionary forces that generate and maintain biodiversity in natural systems.  I am also a generally curious person, and I love involving students in my research as they often ask the most interesting questions.

1)  Molecular ecology research investigating symbioses and coral reef nutrient cycling.  This research will explore the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms behind sponge biodiversity, symbiosis and their nutritional contributions to the broader benthic community. 

2) Molecular evolution in local/regional freshwater systems. This research will focus on native filter feeders in the nearby freshwater systems, similar to what I have done in Tennessee on freshwater sponges.  These projects will address fundamental questions in molecular evolution, ecology, biodiversity and conservation of filter feeders (e.g. sponges, bivalves, etc.) with the aim of understanding the mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity within these diverse ecosystems.   

3) Leveraging molecular tools to assess biodiversity in freshwater systems using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding.  eDNA projects will utilize molecular tools to capture genetic diversity within local/regional freshwater environments with the ability to capture biodiversity estimates using non-invasive techniques as well as potentially identify and help protect threatened and endangered species.

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