A5004882127- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Water Quality and Resources Studies
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Water Quality and Pollution Assessment
- Heavy metals in environment
- Smart Materials for Construction
- Selenium in Biological Systems
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies
- Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Mine drainage and remediation techniques
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Shoulder and Clavicle Injuries
- Coal and Its By-products
- Trauma and Emergency Care Studies
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
Virginia Tech
2010-2022
Illinois Archaeological Survey
2010
Ion-specific standards are needed to protect biodiversity
Abstract Recent studies have found that Appalachian coal mining causes increased surface water salinity, and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in salinized mining‐influenced streams differ from draining unmined areas. Understanding the role of salinity shaping these is challenging because such are often influenced by a variety stressors addition to salinity. We characterized associations with biotic condition while isolating other through rigorous site selection. used multimetric index...
Abstract Natural levels of salinity in aquatic ecosystems drive biodiversity patterns across broad spatial scales; however, less is known about changes biotic communities and the ecosystem functions they support along anthropogenic salinisation gradients. Resource extraction often causes freshwater which may extirpate salinity‐sensitive macroinvertebrates microbes thus reduce rates organic matter decomposition. We quantified bacterial (16S), fungal ( ITS ) macroinvertebrate taxonomic...
Toxic effects of selenium (Se) contamination in freshwaters have been well documented. However, study Se has focused on lentic and larger order lotic systems, whereas headwater streams received little scrutiny. In central Appalachia, surface coal mining is a common source to streams, thus providing useful system investigate bioaccumulation food chains possible longitudinal patterns concentrations. Toward that end, we assessed 2 reference 4 mining-influenced streams. At each stream, sampled...
Elevated levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) have been identified as stressors to aquatic life in Central Appalachian coalfield streams.At present there are no water quality criteria for TDS the primary coal-producing states (KY, VA, WV).In all three states, mining-related impacts on characterized using measures benthic macroinvertebrate community structure.Impacts mining documented literature, but our understanding from is confounded because elevated rarely occurs independent other...
Understanding the reproductive biology of endangered Epioblasma capsaeformis eastern United States is critical to conservation efforts at mussel hatcheries. We studied how males influenced gravidity among females held in captivity. Percent (0%, 33%, 50%, and 67%) within a holding system was used as predictor variable. Our response variables were percent observed gravid, number eggs glochidia per gravid female, total (sum glochidia) proportion successfully fertilized developed into glochidia....
Many ecosystems are losing biodiversity, raising concern for the services they provide. However, extent of loss is uncertain, especially diverse insects, because incomplete sampling. Modeling techniques estimating upper bounds on diversity needed to assess benthic freshwater insect abundances, taxa richness, and some species declining at alarming rates while others increasing. In central Appalachian streams U.S.A., aquatic communities have lost following salinization caused by mining...