Professor
University of Arkansas
I am an aquatic ecologist focusing on lotic ecosystems. My laboratory group applies ecological and biological stoichiometry theory to provide guidance for water quality management to maintain or improve biological condition and aquatic life uses of lotic ecosystems. Specifically, we examine the relationships between macronutrient (e.g., N, P) and micronutrient (e.g., Na, K) concentrations and the stoichiometry of primary production, respiration, secondary production, and macroinvertebrate community diversity. Second,we examine the interaction between emergent landscape stressors, hydrology, physicochemical properties and Ozark stream populations, communities, and ecosystems to help us predict how these streams might respond future global change. Third, we are part of a Biology Integration Institute: Host-virus evolutionary dynamics where we examine the ecological stoichiometry of host-virus interactions. Fourth, we integrate our main research themes into a food, energy, and water systems cross-college collaborative research group that provides a minority-focused Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (EcoREU) to train the next generation of a diverse STEM workforce. Our laboratory focuses on the relationships between riverine land use, hydrology, geomorphology and the biomass and growth of a cultural keystone species for indigeneous Americans, river cane.