Research

Research in Progress:

[1] Collaborative Research: MRA: Determining InStream Transport of eDNA across NEON sites at the Continental ScalE (DISTANCE) - This study aims to understand the transport dynamics of environmental DNA (eDNA) in streams across the continental United States using sites from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). The project addresses the urgent need for scalable bioassessment tools, proposing that eDNA methods offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional biodiversity monitoring, though the reliability of eDNA in flowing water is uncertain due to factors governing its movement. This research will employ a combination of experimental eDNA additions, meta-analysis, and leveraging existing NEON data to test several hypotheses about eDNA fate and its ability to accurately reflect stream biodiversity.

[2] Energy Sources Above and Below: Stable Isotopes Reveal Patterns in Surface, Spring, and Underground Aquatic Food Webs of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, U.S.A. Manuscript in progress. This study utilizes stable isotope analyses to investigate and compare the energetic pathways and carbon origins, specifically the reliance on allochthonous versus autochthonous sources, within the interconnected aquatic food webs of the mainstem, springs, and cave streams in Mammoth Cave National Park.

Previous Research:

[1] Population Genomics of Misgurnus spp. Introduced to the United States. Manuscript in review. This study uses population genomics to reveal that introduced populations of the invasive pond loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) in the United States consist of three distinct genetic lineages rather than a single source. These findings highlight the complexity of these biological invasions and emphasize the need for lineage-specific management strategies to protect North American freshwater biodiversity.

[2] Environmental DNA Detection of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus in the Cahaba River of Alabama. Manuscript in progress. This study includes the development of eDNA PCR primers for the detection of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, an invasive species of loach introduced to the United States, an eDNA survey of the Cahaba River

Research Collaborations:

[1] Population status of the Tombigbee Darter (Etheostoma lachneri) in Mississippi. Technical report. Completion of the first in-depth population survey of E. lachneri in the Mississippi portion of the Tombigbee watershed by surveying historical presence sites using a standardized sampling method. All fish species observed were identified, and habitat data was recorded for occupancy models.

[2] Metabarcoding changes heuristic food-web architecture but preserves ecological inference across North American streams. Manuscript in review. This study shows that while DNA metabarcoding expands detected food-web size and complexity compared to traditional morphology, it preserves key site-level patterns and broader ecosystem-function relationships, demonstrating its reliability for scalable ecological assessments.

[3] Catching What We Miss: What eDNA Metabarcoding Adds to Endangered Shiner Monitoring in the Brazos River. Manuscript in progress. This study integrates traditional fish sampling with eDNA metabarcoding and LAMP assays to evaluate detection, community composition, and monitoring strategies for the federally endangered Sharpnose Shiner (Notropis oxyrhynchus) and Smalleye Shiner (Notropis buccula), demonstrating the value of genomics-enabled tools for long-term, non-invasive population monitoring.

[4] Development of a qPCR Assay for Environmental DNA Monitoring of Etheostoma trisella. Manuscript in progress. Development of a novel eDNA qPCR assay for the threatened Trispot Darter, currently being used in collaboration with the Tennessee Aquarium to screen past and future water samples for species presence across the Coosa River drainage.