Susan Riechert

Riechert lost much of her hearing through scarlet fever as a child. Her interest in spider behavior began through a field zoology class at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.{{cite journal |last1=Langenheim |first1=Jean H. |title=EARLY HISTORY AND PROGRESS OF WOMEN ECOLOGISTS: Emphasis Upon Research Contributions |journal=Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics |date=1996 |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=1–53 |doi=10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.27.1.1 |url=https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.27.1.1 |access-date=30 October 2022|url-access=subscription }} After nearly drowning trying to catch fish for the class, she switched to a subject that was safer to catch, spiders. Her interest was further piqued after she observed a large population of spiders exhibiting territorial behaviors that only vertebrates were thought to be capable of at the time. Research that she conducted based on this interest would lead to her to publish her "seminal work","Games Spiders Play," in 1978.

Riechert earned a B.A. in 1967, an M.A. in 1970, and a Ph.D. in 1973, all at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Knox News described Riechert as "something of a pioneer - one of the first women to enter her field as an independent researcher."{{cite news |last1=Gabrielle |first1=Vincent |title=Renowned spider expert leaves her influence in places - and with people - around the world |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2020/11/30/susan-riechert-world-renowned-spider-expert-retires-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/3744134001/ |access-date=April 8, 2021 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel |agency=Knox News |publisher=Knox News |date=November 29, 2020 }}

Of particular note is the fact that several of her studies were focused on the effect that variations in a species had on the behavior of its members. In 1988, she and Peter Hammerstein conducted a study that led her to hypothesize that riparian populations of Agelenopsis aperta could not fully adapt to their new environs because of gene flow from non-riparian populations of the species that lived nearby.{{cite book |last1=Dugatkin |first1=Lee Alan |last2=Reeve |first2=Hudson Kern |title=Game Theory and Animal Behavior |date=23 March 2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-535020-3 |page=86 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldmRTvHAFFQC&dq=Hammerstein+Riechert,&pg=PA86 |access-date=30 October 2022 |language=en}} In 1989, Riechert co-authored a paper titled "Genetically-based variation between two spider populations in foraging behavior," in which she and fellow arachnologist Ann Hendrick discussed how genetic differences in the population of one species can have an impact on the way they search for food.{{cite book |last1=Barbosa |first1=Pedro |last2=Castellanos |first2=Ignacio |title=Ecology of Predator-Prey Interactions |date=11 August 2005 |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |isbn=978-0-19-517120-4 |pages=62–68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GkIbT23XJpgC&pg=PA62 |access-date=30 October 2022 |language=en}}

Members of the genus Agelenopsis (American grass spiders) featured prominently in Riechert's work, particularly the species Agelenopsis Aperta.{{cite book |last1=Wise |first1=David H. |title=Spiders in Ecological Webs |date=26 January 1995 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-31061-1 |pages= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qP0fYU3FTDwC&pg=PA306 |language=en}}{{rp|190-191}} Riechert's focus as a behavioral arachnologist led her to examine both the genetic and non-genetic reasons behind these spiders' behaviors in various areas, such as feeding, maturation, and mating.{{rp|20-24}} The genus was, in fact, the topic of "Games Spiders Play," a landmark contribution by Riechert to behavioral arachnology.{{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan |title=Games spiders play: Behavioral variability in territorial disputes |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |date=January 6, 1978 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=135–162 |doi=10.1007/BF00294986 |s2cid=45368088 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226931605 |access-date=April 17, 2021 }} Riechert demonstrated that the aforementioned spiders engaged in territorial disputes similar to those seen in much larger creatures.{{cite book |last1=Witt |first1=Peter N. |last2=Rovner |first2=Jerome S. |title=Spider communication : mechanisms and ecological significance |date=1982 |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, New Jersey |isbn=9780691614533}} Most spiders are not social animals, so this behavior was unexpected at the time. Riechert's analysis would cement her place in the behavioral arachnology community.

The Animal Behavior Society elected Riechert as a fellow in 1993.{{cite web|url=https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/about-fellows.php|title=Fellows|publisher=Animal Behavior Society|accessdate=December 21, 2020}} In 2008, Riechert was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, "for distinguished contributions to the field of behavior and ecology".{{cite web|url=https://news.utk.edu/2008/12/18/ten-ut-knoxville-professors-named-aaas-fellows-more-than-any-southern-school/|title=Ten UT Knoxville Professors Named AAAS Fellows; More Than Any Southern School|work=Campus News|publisher=University of Tennessee Knoxville|date=December 18, 2008}} She won the Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award for 2016.{{cite web|url=https://news.utk.edu/2016/03/30/riechert-receives-2016-sec-faculty-achievement-award/|title=Riechert Receives 2016 SEC Faculty Achievement Award|work=Campus News|publisher=University of Tennessee Knoxville|date=March 30, 2016}} The Animal Behavior Society gave Riechert their 2018 Penny Bernstein Distinguished Teaching Award.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/NEWSLETTERS/63-2/education.php|title=2018 Penny Bernstein Distinguished Teaching Award|magazine=Newsletter of the Animal Behavior Society|volume=63|date=Summer 2018|issue=2}} A festschrift symposium, sponsored by the Animal Behavior Society, was held in her honor in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/2020/program-symposia.php|title=Program symposia|work=ABS 2020|publisher=Animal Behavior Society|accessdate=December 21, 2020}}

Jonathan Pruitt achieved a PhD with Riechert as his advisor and was able to attain prestigious positions in academia despite his youth thanks to his acclaimed publications. However, the validity and truthfulness of his research data was called into question in 2020. Since then, many of the papers Pruitt co-authored based on his data have been retracted, others called into question, and papers from other authors which cited Pruitt's compromised papers have had to have been corrected and updated. In November 2021, University of Tennessee Knoxville removed Pruitt's dissertation from its library.{{cite news |last1=Pennisi |first1=Elizabeth |title=As data probe concludes, spider biologist placed on leave, has Ph.D. thesis 'withdrawn' |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/data-probe-concludes-spider-biologist-placed-leave-has-ph-d-thesis-withdrawn |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=Science |date=15 Nov 2021 |language=en}}{{cite thesis |last1=Pruitt |first1=Jonathan N. |title=Sociality in the Spider Anelosimus studiosus: Behavioral Correlates and Adaptive Consequences [Withdrawn] |date=2010 |publisher=University of Tennessee, Knoxville |url=https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/842/ |language=en}} Riechert said she was "devastated" by the news, but added that if Pruitt had truly falsified data, he had to "pay the price".{{cite news |last1=Pennisi |first1=Elizabeth |title=Spider biologist denies suspicions of widespread data fraud in his animal personality research |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/spider-biologist-denies-suspicions-widespread-data-fraud-his-animal-personality |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=Science |date=31 Jan 2020 |language=en}}

==Selected publications ==

• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan |title=Games spiders play: Behavioral variability in territorial disputes |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |date=January 6, 1978 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=135–162 |doi=10.1007/BF00294986 |s2cid=45368088 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226931605 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan E. |title=Games Spiders Play: II. Resource Assessment Strategies |journal=Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |date=1979 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=121–128 |doi=10.1007/BF00292558 |jstor=4599267 |s2cid=24952392 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4599267 |issn=0340-5443}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=S E |last2=Hammerstein |first2=P |title=Game Theory in the Ecological Context |journal=Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics |date=November 1983 |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=377–409 |doi=10.1146/annurev.es.14.110183.002113 |url=https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.es.14.110183.002113 |language=en |issn=0066-4162|url-access=subscription }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=S E |last2=Lockley |first2=T |title=Spiders as Biological Control Agents |journal=Annual Review of Entomology |date=January 1984 |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=299–320 |doi=10.1146/annurev.en.29.010184.001503 |url=https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.en.29.010184.001503 |language=en |issn=0066-4170|url-access=subscription }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Hammerstein |first1=Peter |last2=Riechert |first2=Susan E. |title=Payoffs and strategies in territorial contests: ESS analyses of two ecotypes of the spider Agelenopsis aperta |journal=Evolutionary Ecology |date=April 1988 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=115–138 |doi=10.1007/BF02067272 |s2cid=24036435 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226680723 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Hendrick |first1=Ann |last2=Riechert |first2=Susan |title=Genetically-based variation between two spider populations in foraging behavior |journal=Oecologia |date=September 1, 1989 |volume=80 |issue=4 |pages=533–539 |doi=10.1007/BF00380078 |pmid=28312840 |bibcode=1989Oecol..80..533H |s2cid=2781570 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226625077 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=SE |last2=Bishop |first2=L |title=Prey control by an assemblage of generalist predators: spiders in garden test systems |journal=Ecology |date=1990 |volume=71 |issue=4 |pages=1441–1450|doi=10.2307/1938281 |jstor=1938281 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan E. |title=The Evolution of Behavioral Phenotypes: Lessons Learned from Divergent Spider Populations |journal=Advances in the Study of Behavior |date=1 January 1993 |volume=22 |pages=103–134 |doi=10.1016/s0065-3454(08)60406-4 |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-3454(08)60406-4 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780120045228 |language=en|url-access=subscription }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Maupin |first1=Jennifer |last2=Riechert |first2=Susan |title=Superfluous killing in spiders: A consequence of adaptation to food-limited environments? |journal=Behavioral Ecology |date=September 9, 2001 |volume=12 |issue=5 |pages=569–576 |doi=10.1093/beheco/12.5.569 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254298260 |doi-access=free }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan |last2=Johns |first2=Phillip |title=Do female spiders select heavier males for the genes or behavioral aggressiveness they offer their offspring? |journal=Evolution |date=July 1, 2003 |volume=57 |issue=6 |pages=67–73 |doi=10.1554/02-677 |s2cid=198155929 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10632212 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Ayoub |first1=Nadia |last2=Riechert |first2=Susan |title=Molecular evidence for Pleistocene glacial cycles driving diversification of a North American desert spider, Agelenopsis aperta |journal=Molecular Ecology |date=December 1, 2004 |volume=13 |issue=11 |pages=34–65 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-294X.2004.02335.x |pmid=15488003 |s2cid=22979035 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8228822 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Becker |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Riechert |first2=Susan |last3=Singer |first3=Fred |title=Male induction of female quiescence/catalepsis during courtship in the spider, Agelenopsis aperta |journal=Behaviour |date=January 1, 2005 |volume=142 |issue=1 |pages=57–70 |doi=10.1163/1568539053627767 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228488024 }}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan |last2=Bosco |first2=Jennifer |last3=O'Meara |first3=Brian |title=The ontogeny of personality traits in the desert funnel-web spider, Agelenopsis lisa (Araneae: Agelenidae) |journal=Ethology |date=July 3, 2017 |volume=123 |issue=9 |pages=648–658 |doi=10.1111/eth.12639 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318187044}}
• {{cite journal |last1=Riechert |first1=Susan |last2=Pruitt |first2=Jonathan |last3=Bosco |first3=Jennifer |title=In the spider nursery: Indifference, cooperation, or antagonism? |journal=Journal of Arachnology |date=November 1, 2017 |volume=45 |issue=3 |pages=283–286 |doi=10.1636/JoA-S-16-068.1 |s2cid=89871930 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321662113 }}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://eeb.bio.utk.edu/people/susan-riechert/ Home page]
• {{Google Scholar id|pqdP9MUAAAAJ}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Riechert, Susan}}

Category:1945 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni

Category:University of Tennessee faculty

Category:21st-century American biologists

Category:American arachnologists

Category:Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science