Since 1987, I have worked at SREL on a wide variety of projects pertaining to aquatic ecology. My research focuses mainly on the ecology of freshwater invertebrates in lakes, reservoirs, ponds and wetlands. The Savannah River Site (SRS) has a great diversity of aquatic habitats, giving us numerous interesting opportunities for research.

The organisms that receive most of my attention are four groups of very small crustaceans: the Cladocera (water fleas), Copepoda (copepods), Anostraca (fairy shrimp), and Conchostraca (clam shrimp). Even though these animals are important members of aquatic ecosystems, very little research has been conducted on them in South Carolina, or throughout the rest of the southeastern United States. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to invertebrates living in wetlands throughout the world.

Collecting our study animals is usually relatively simple. We use fine nets, sieves or limnological sampling bottles. However, to identify them and learn more about their ecology, we use more sophisticated techniques, including light microscopy, image analysis, stable isotope analysis, stable cesium analysis, and occasionally GIS.

Along with my research, I periodically participate in activities conducted by the SREL Outreach program. My Outreach activities include answering questions at SREL exhibits for the general public, occasionally conducting distance learning presentations about wetland wildlife along with Outreach Program Coordinator Tony Mills, and consulting with Tony on some of his teaching materials.

My past and present research includes:

• Effects of hydrologic restoration on microcrustacean communities of Carolina bays and other depressional wetlands.

• Local and regional biogeography of microcrustaceans, and the factors that affect their distribution.

• Copepod taxonomy, including the descriptions of two calanoid copepod species new to science. The first species I described has only been collected from the SRS, so far.

• Cesium dynamics and trophic interactions in an abandoned cooling reservoir.

• Monitoring the development of the zooplankton assemblage in a new cooling reservoir.

• Prehistoric human activities around Carolina bays. (www.srarp.org/bay.htm)

Some useful links relating to Aquatic Ecology:

The World of Copepoda (mnhwww.si.edu/iz/copepod/)–A site dedicated to copepods from the Smithsonian Institution.

Groundwater Copepods (www.uni-oldenburg.de/zoomorphology/index.html)–An informative site about groundwater copepods from the University of Oldenburg, Germany. This site has a large list of copepod links.

The Cladocera Page (www.cladocera.uoguelph.ca/)--The Cladoceran Web Site is intended to provide a variety of information useful to Cladoceran researchers and to those curious about these fascinating animals

Non-indigenous Aquatic Species (nas.er.usgs.gov/)–A useful database of non-native aquatic plants and animals that have invaded North America.

The Plankton Net (www.geocities.com/planktonguy)--A fun site about Plankton and Marine Biology. Includes plans on how to make your own plankton net.

Savannah River Archaeological Research Program (www.srarp.org)

Professional Societies:

The Xerces Society (www.xerces.org)–A group dedicated to the conservation of invertebrates.

ASLO (aslo.org)-- American Society of Limnology and Oceanography

NABS (www.benthos.org)–North American Benthological Society

NALMS (www.nalms.org)–North American Lake Management Society

SIL (www.limnology.org)–Societas Internationalis Limnologiae (International Society of Theoretical and Applied Limnology.

My CV can be viewed as a PDF file by clicking here.