Publications   |  Graduate Students   I   Tidal Marsh Ecology

Research interests emphasize the functional role and ecology of macroscopic marine algae (seaweeds) in nearshore coastal and estuarine habitats. Recent projects have involved synoptic surveys (censuses) of native and introduced seaweed populations in diverse open coastal and estuarine habitats such as the Great Bay and Hampton/Seabrook Estuarine Systems, plus Cobscook, Casco and Penobscot Bays and Boston Harbor. Involvement in several rapid assessment surveys from Down East, Maine to Staten Island, New York have also documented invasive species patterns and anthropogenic impacts. Studies dealing with physiological ecology and population genetics of seaweeds plus enhanced utilization and cultivation of seaweeds have also been conducted. Several research projects also have focused on interpretive autecological investigations of seaweed populations, particularly economically significant species.

Graduate Students

Current Students

Christopher Benton. Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein)
Shelly Dare. M.Sc. Department of Biological Sciences (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus)
Rene Eriksen. Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein)
Jeremy Nettleton. Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus)

Former Students

Laurie Hofmann. 2009. (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus), An assessment of the biodiversity of and bioremediation potential of distromatic Ulva spp. (Chlorophyta) in the Great Bay Estuarine system of New Hampshire and Maine, U.S.A. Ph.D.Thesis, Department of Plant Biology .

Lucy Pleticha. 2009. (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein), Morphological variation in Codium fragile in the Northwest Atlantic. M. Sc. Department of Biological Sciences.

Jeremy Nettleton. 2008. (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus), Ecology, Distribution, Quantification, and Impact of Introduced, Asian Porphyra yezoensis f. narawaensis A. Miura in the Northwestern Atlantic. M. Sc. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology.

Joan Beskenis. 2007. Role of the Biofilm in Metals Accumulation by Fucoid Algae and Their Surrounding Rock Surfaces. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology.

Troy Bray. 2006. (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus), A Molecular and Morphological Investigation of the Red Seaweed Genus Porphyra (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) in the Northwest Atlantic. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology.

Aaron Wallace. 2005. (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein), The Taxonomic and Systematic Relationships of Several Salt Marsh Fucus Taxa (Heterokontophyta, Phaeophyceae) within the Gulf of Maine and Ireland Examined Using Microsatellite Markers. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Paula Busse-Philbrick. 2004. Factors Restricting Recruitment of Ascophyllum nodosum L. (Le Jolis). Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology. 

Brian Teasdale. 2004. (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein), An Investigation of Genetic Variation within Northwest Atlantic Porphyra (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) with Specific Phylogeographic Analysis of the common, Rocky Intertidal Species, Porphyra umbilicalis. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology.

Troy Bray. 2003. (Jointly sponsored with Chris Neefus), A Molecular and Morphological Survey of Porphyra purpurea (Roth) C. Agardh (Rhodophyta, Bangiales) in the Northwest Atlantic. M.Sc. Thesis, Department of Plant Biology.

Andrew West. 2001. (Jointly sponsored with Anita Klein), Molecular and Ecological Studies of New Hampshire Species of Porphyra (Rhodophyta, Bangiales). M.Sc. Thesis, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 

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