Department
Biological Sciences
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Start Year at LSUS
2018
Office Location
Science Building, Room 101
318-797-5073

Degrees

Research Interests

1.Palynology, ecosystems and environment
Pollen grains are one of the most interesting elements of biosystem. They areresponsible for transfer of genetic information and health of ecosystems; the fossilpollen grains are also indicators of past climate change. In addition, pollen grains areused in forensic science to trace criminal activities including illegal business withhoney.
2.Geographic information systems to natural resource management studies
Investigating spatial patterns of natural and human phenomena such as radioactivityand its impact on human health; investigating spatial pattern of toxic elements andtheir impact on biosphere; evaluating total stem volume using terrain, satellite dataand sequential gaussian simulation.
3.Application of geostatistics in prediction of karst hazards.
The methods of kriging interpolation and variogram modeling became widely usedin natural sciences. The karst environment is prone to sudden subsidence of dolinesthat cause economical damages and pose also danger to human life. The evaluationsof parameters that lead to collapse of dolines using kriging interpolation methodscan predict the potential hazards in carbonatic rock complexes.
4.Multifactorial statistics and regional dynamics in natural ecosystems
The natural ecosystems are complex entities consisting from biotic and abioticcomponents. Multifactorial analysis can be used to evaluate causes of dynamicchanges in ecosystems and identify relatively homogeneous complexes that can bedelineated and understood with respect of their internal structure and interregionaldynamics.

Selected Publications

Siska, P. P. Bryant, V.M. Hung, I-Kuai and P. Goovaerts (2019). Matching the Spatial Distribution of Upland and Lowland Pollen Grains with the Temperature and Humidity in the Columbia Basin. Athens Journal of Sciences, Volume 6 (1). Pgs. 1 – 18. https://www.athensjournals.gr/sciences/2019-6-1-1-Siska.pdf
Siska, P. and I-K Hung (2017). Land Management decisions in a carbonatic geo-environment. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Volume 92.
Siska, P.P., Goovaerts P. and I-K Hung (2016). Evaluating susceptibility of dolines (sinkholes) for collapse in Sango, Tennessee, USA. Progress in Physical Geography DOI: 10.1177/0309133316638816.
Siska P. and S. Polacik (2014). Influence of environmental parameters on spatial distribution of pollen grains in Columbia Basin. Proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Power Systems, Energy, Environment. Interlaken, Switzerland. Pgs.116-125.
Watson, J. R., Siska, P.P. and R. L. Wolfel (2013). Assessing Gains in Language Proficiency, Cross-Cultural Competence and Regional Awareness during Study Abroad: A Preliminary Study. Foreign Language Annals Vol. 46 (1), pp 62-79.
Siska, P. P, I.K. Hung and V.M. Bryant. (2012). The Mapping Composite Pollen from Point Sampled Data and Cartographic Generalization. Papers of Applied Geography Conferences, Volume 35(2012): 192-201.
Siska, P. P. and V. Lauko (2011). Strategic Missile Deployment: A Geographic Perspective. Applied Geography. Elsevier Science. Applied Geography Volume (31): 829-838.
Siska, P.P. and L.J. Hummel (2011). The Regional Knowledge System: A Complex Response to Complex Conflicts. American Intelligence Journal. Vol 29, No: 2. 107-115.
Siska, P. P. (2009). The Deployment of Ground Based Mid-Course Missiles in Central Europe: Regional Perception and Viability. Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences. Volume 32 (2009): 105-114.
Kemmerly, P.R. and Peter P. Siska (2008). Karst Modeling and Hazard Assessment on the Pennyroyal Plain and Western Highland Rim. Journal of Geography (Geografický Časopis). 60(3): 217-240.
Siska, P. P. and P. R. Kemmerly (2008). Doline Feature Database (DFD) Development and Assessment of Hazards Using Co-Regionalization Model. In: Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences. Volume (31): 34-42.
Siska, P.P. Bryant, V.M. and I-Kuai Hung (2006). Determining Spatial Correlation in Distribution of Southern Pine Biome and Dispersion of Pine Pollen Using Geographic Information Science. Journal of Geography (Geograficky Casopis). 58 (4): 239 – 258.
Siska, P. P. Goovaerts, P., Hung, I-Kuai, and V. M. Bryant (2005). Predicting the Ordinary Kriging Errors Caused by Surface Roughness and Dissectivity. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 30(6): 601 – 612.
Siska, P. P. and V. M. Bryant Jr. (2005) Digital Ecosystem Analysis. Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences. Volume (28): 32-139.
Siska, P. P. (2004) A Multivariate Spatial Model for Determining Urban Development Sites in Flood Prone Coastal Areas. Papers of the Applied Geography Conferences. Vol 27: 75 - 83.
Erikson, M. and P.P Siska (2003). Replay to Marcotte‘s Comments on Understanding Anisotropy Computations. Journal of Mathematical Geology. 35(5) 683 – 700.
Siska, P. P. Nelson, R. and A. Bhowmick (2003) Lidar Data in Geographic InformationSystems: Component Object Modeling (COM) Approach. Papers of Applied Geography Conferences. Volume (26): 242-248.
Siska, P. P. Bryant, M. V. and J. Jones (2001). Spatial Modeling of Modern Pollen Rain inBig Bend National Park. Palynology: Journal of American Society of Stratigraphic Palynologists. 25(2001): 199-216.
Siska, J. J. Hurburgh, C. R. and P. P. Siska (2001). The Impact of Instrument EngineeringParameters on Spectral Reproducibility Across Filter Instruments. Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy Volume (9): 97-105.
Siska, P. P., and I – Kuai Hung, (2001) Progression of Errors in Applied Spatial Analysis.Papers and Proceedings of Applied Geography Conferences. Vol. 24(2001): 284-290.

Teaching Assignments

BIOS 110 Principles of Biology
BIOS 210 Introduction to Biological Inquiry
ENSC 200 Introduction to geographic information systems
ENSC 300 Introduction to remote sensing
ENSC 300 Intermediate geographic Information system
BIOS 490 Special Topics in Biological Sciences
BIOS 490 Seminar
ENSC 690

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