A. Center/Institute/Program

Center for Freshwater Studies (CFS)/University of Alabama

P.O. Box 870206

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

Phone: 205-348-1796

Fax: 205-348-1403

E-mail: award@biology.as.ua.edu

Web Page: http://www.as.ua.edu/biolaqua/cfs/

Director/Chairperson: Dr. Amelia K. Ward

Representative to AERC: Dr. Amelia K. Ward

Alternate: Dr. G. Milton Ward

B. Major objectives of the Center/Institute/Program

The CFS is an interdisciplinary education, research, and outreach program that seeks:

1. Development of interdisciplinary research themes and grant proposals conducive for pursuit of extramural funds.

2. Enhancement of undergraduate and graduate training in interdisciplinary freshwater studies by research/education synergisms.

3. Expansion of outreach activities in freshwater areas from local through international levels.

C. Major ecosystem research emphases

1. Critical interfaces in ecosystems: land water (riparian zones, wetlands, river floodplains); land-atmosphere (gas flux); and surface-subsurface interfaces.

2. Biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics: focused linkages between systematics/evolution and ecosystems.

3. Water policy and economics: socio-political problems related to water use and management of freshwater ecosystems.

D. Staff

Permanent scientific staff: PhD: 25

Scientific support staff: Research Associates: 2, Technicians: 3

Other support staff: Program Assistant: 1

Graduate students: PhD: 35, MS: 30

E. Approximate annual funding (recent year)

Core funding: $100,000/yr, Source: University of Alabama

Grants: $9-10 million in active extramural grants; Major sources: NSF, DOE, EPA, DOD

F. Areas and facilities for ecosystem research studies

Research areas: Mobile River Basin (112,000 km²): River system drains 70% of Alabama and parts of Georgia and Mississippi; ancient, biologically diverse, aquatic "hotspot" that traverses 4 major physiographic provinces: discharges into Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. Upland rocky-bottom streams, sandy coastal plain streams, wetlands, river floodplains, and large impounded and unimpounded fifth-order rivers are sites of ecosystem research. Talladega Wetland Ecosystem (TWE) in west-central Alabama: Pristine wetland formed by beaver activity in a coastal plain stream in a forested watershed; has served as a continuing site for interdisciplinary ecosystem research for over 10 years and has substantial field instrumentation on site. The Sipsey and Cahaba rivers are among the last free-flowing rivers in the Mobile River system and are the sites of a number of faculty and student research projects. http://www.as.ua.edu/biolaqua/cfs/resprojects.htm

Experimental Mesocosm Facility (glasshouse) on the University of Alabama campus augments wetland and riverine ecosystem studies. Fiberglass units are configured to simulate replicated wetland and stream habitats. http://www.as.ua.edu/biolaqua/cfs/cfsmeso.htm

Laboratory facilities (water chemistry, microscopy, GIS, geochemistry) are described at http://www.as.ua.edu/biolaqua/cfs/resfacilities.htm

Systematics Collections: Documentation of aquatic plants, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, and aquatic insects of Alabama in collections facilities http://www.as.ua.edu/biology/scf

G. Research staff directly involved in ecosystem research (names and specialty areas)

Addy, Sam N. – economic research

Aharon, Paul – environmental geology

Andreen, William – environmental law

Arrington, D. Albrey – ecosystem function and vertebrate ecology

Benke, Arthur C. - aquatic invertebrate productivity

Bryan, C. Hobson – social impact assessment

Churchill, Perry F. - bioremediation

Donahoe, Rona J. – metal cycling/mobility in fresh water

Durrans, Rocky S. – surface water modeling/statistics

Findlay, Robert H. – freshwater microbial ecology

Han, Luoheng – remote sensing, GIS applications

Harris, Phillip M. – molecular systematics and conservation genetics of freshwater fishes

Haynes, Robert R. – aquatic vascular plant systematics

Huryn, Alexander D. – aquatic entomology and stream ecology

Jin, Hwa-Seong – stream ecology, detritus processing

Johnson, Pauline – water and wastewater engineering

Lydeard, Charles – aquatic molecular systematics and freshwater mollusks

Olson, Julie B. – molecular microbial ecology

Powell, Martha J. – systematics/ecology of aquatic fungi

Rissler, Leslie – ecology and evolutionary biology

Roden, Eric E. - microbial biogeochemistry

Shankman, David – biogeography, bioclimatology

Suberkropp, Keller - aquatic fungal ecology

Ward, Amelia K. – freshwater microbial ecology

Ward, G. Milton – stream ecology, aquatic insects

Warner, Kimberly – microbial biogeochemistry

Zheng, Chunmiao – groundwater contaminant transport

H. Long-term data sets (code name, number of years of data, computer accessibility)

Talladega Wetland Ecosystem (TWE) (contact Milton Ward - mward@biology.as.ua.edu):

• 1992-present: meteorological data: water & air temperature, rainfall, throughfall, pan evaporation, solar radiation

• discharge and flow data for tributaries and main channel.

• organic matter dynamics in wetland and tributaries.

• productivity of bacteria, fungi, algae, invertebrates, and aquatic plants.

• production, import, utilization, and transport of POC and DOC.