Courses

Departmental Service

 

The two primary research foci of this laboratory are systematics and biogeography of freshwater red algae and impacts of acid mine drainage on stream periphyton communities in southeastern Ohio. In our studies of freshwater red algae, we employ a combination of field research and molecular DNA techniques for systematic and phylogeographic research. At present we are concentrating our efforts on collections of taxa from the Southern Hemisphere through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Our studies of the effects of acid mine drainage (AMD) in streams is an effort to understand how the various chemical and physical impacts effect the algal community. We have recently started collaborations with other researchers at Ohio University who study impacts of AMD on other aquatic life and hydrogeology of these streams in order to contribute to a more complete understanding of this pollution on the ecosystem as part of an EPA STAR grant. Lastly, we collaborate with colleagues in mechanical engineering using thermophillic cyanobacteria for CO₂ remediation and the use of algae for production of biodiesel.

Selected References

• Vis, M.L., Harper, J.T. & Saunders, G.W. 2007. Does the combination of large subunit rDNA and rbcL gene sequence data provide more resolution among taxa of the Batrachospermales (Rhodophyta)? Phycological Research 55: 103-112.

• Necchi, O. Jr., Vis, M.L. & Oliveira, M.C. 2007. Phylogenetic relationship of Sirodotia species (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in North and South America. Cryptogamie Algologie 28: 117-127.

• Zalack, J.T., Casamatta, D.A., Verb, R.G. & Vis, M.L.  2006. A two-year survey of the algal community in a woodland stream from southeastern Ohio. Northeast Naturalist. 13: 301-318.

• Verb, R.G., Vis, M.L. & Stuart, B.J. 2006. Analysis of diatom communities in an acid mine drainage impacted subwatershed. Kirtlandia 55: 43-50.

• Verb, R.G., Bixby, R.J., Casamatta, D.A., Chiasson, W.B., Filkin, N.R., Hall, M.M., Hamsher, S.E., Taylor, D.A. & Vis, M.L. 2006. Checklist of algal taxa from Ohio’s unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau exclusive of the Ohio River. Ohio Biological Survey Miscellaneous Contribution No. 11.

• Vis, M.L., Entwisle, T.J., West, J.A. & Ott, F.D. 2006. Ptilothamnion richardsii (Rhodophyta) is a chantransia stage of Batrachospermum. European Journal of Phycology 41: 125-130.

Faculty Research Focus Areas

Phylogenetic Systematics
Eastern Deciduous Forest Ecology

Current and Recent Student Research Projects

• Phylogeography of Batrachospermum gelatinosum in North America

• Comparison of three markers for study of intraspecific variation in freshwater red algae

• Development of algal indices that are tailored to biomonitoring acid mine drainage pollution

• Understanding spatial variation in periphyton sampling methods for biomonitoring

Environmental and Plant Biology | OU Front Door

 

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