Linda C. Schaffner

Research Interests

My research program focuses on the ecology of benthic systems and benthic processes of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Within this context and working together with my students and staff, I have developed and pursued a number of major research themes.  We are interested in how natural processes and anthropogenic alterations of coastal ecosystems influence the structure and function of benthic communities, including meiofauna, macrofauna and associated nekton, via processes such as disturbance (mortality) and recruitment.  Important factors we have considered include salinity, sediment type and transport regime, eutrophication, hypoxia and sediment contamination.  We also are interested in the factors that regulate the productivity of estuarine food webs, such as hypoxia, benthic-pelagic coupling and the population dynamics of estuarine species, especially polychaetes.  Much of our research has been interdisciplinary, especially my investigations of organism-sediment-flow interactions and implications of these interactions for the transport, fate and effects of particles, organic matter, nutrients and contaminants in benthic systems.  I will soon begin studies of benthic boundary layer processes and organism-sediment-flow interactions using a real-time benthic observing system to gain insight into the timing and magnitude of events taking place at the sediment-water interface, and the real time responses of benthic organisms to those events.  I will be assessing the relative importance of resistance to stressors by individuals versus resilience to disturbance processes as manifested primarily at the population level. My studies have taken me to estuarine and coastal ecosystems throughout the U.S. and Europe, including the Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Long Island Sound, Baltic Sea, Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand, East China Sea and coastal Korea.  In recent years I have become increasingly interested in how society, science and economics interact to influence resource management, science policy and funding for science and science and math education.

Current Projects

• Collaborative Research: A Real-Time and Rapid Response Observing System for the Study of Physical and Biological Controls on Muddy Seabed Deposition, Reworking and Resuspension.  Funded by National Science Foundation.
  

• An Integrated Approach to Assess the Effects of Watershed Activities on Benthic Community Structure and Function.  Funded by Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)
   
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Funded by National Science Foundation. 
  

• Hall-Bonner Program for Minority Scholars in the Ocean Sciences. Funded by National Science Foundation.
  

Selected Publications

Lim, Hyun-Sig, R. J. Diaz, Hong, Jae-Sang and L. C. Schaffner. Hypoxia and benthic community recovery in Korean coastal waters. (Marine Pollution Bulletin, in press)

Hinchey, E. K., L. C. Schaffner, L. Batte, C. Hoar and B. Vogt. 2005. Effects of sediment burial on juvenile and adult benthic invertebrates of estuaries. Hydrobiologia 00:1-14 (in press).

Hinchey, E.K. and L. C. Schaffner.  2005. An evaluation of electrode insertion techniques for measurement of sediment redox potential in estuarine sediments. Chemosphere 59:703-710.

Dellapenna, T. M., S. A. Kuehl and  L. C. Schaffner. 2003. Ephemeral deposition, sea-bed mixing and fine-scale strata formation in the York River estuary, Chesapeake Bay.  Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 58(3): 621-643.
 
Sagasti, A., J. E. Duffy, and L. C. Schaffner. 2003. Effects of stress on recruitment: estuarine epifauna recruit depsite hypoxic episodes. Marine Biology 142:111-122. 

Thompson, M. L. and L. C. Schaffner. 2001. Population biology and secondary production of the suspension feeding polychaete Chaetopterus variopedatus: implications for benthic-pelagic coupling in lower Chesapeake Bay.  Limnology and Oceanography 46: 1899-1907. 

Schaffner, L. C., T. M. Dellapenna, E. K. Hinchey, C. T. Friedrichs, M. Thompson Neubauer, M. E. Smith and S. A. Kuehl. 2001. Physical energy regimes, seabed dynamics and organism-sediment interactions along an estuarine gradient. pp. 161-182  in J. Y. Aller, S. A. Woodin and R. C. Aller (eds.) Organism-Sediment Interactions.  University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC. 

Sagasti, A., L. C. Schaffner and J. E. Duffy. 2001.  Effects of periodic hypoxia on mortality, feeding and predation in an estuarine epifaunal community. Jour. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 258: 257-283. 

Sagasti, A., L. C. Schaffner and J. E. Duffy. 2000. Epifaunal communities thrive in an estuary with hypoxic episodes. Estuaries 23: 474-448. 

Thompson, M. T. and L. C. Schaffner. 2000.  Demography of the polychaete Chaetopterus pergamentaceus within the lower Chesapeake Bay and relationships to environmental gradients. Bulletin of Marine Science 67: 209-219.

Dellapenna, T. M., S. A. Kuehl and L. C. Schaffner. 1998. Seabed mixing and particle residence times in biologically and physically dominated estuarine systems: a comparison of lower Chesapeake Bay and the York River subestuary. Est. Coast. Shelf Sci. 46: 777-795. 

Kane-Driscoll, S. B.,  L. C. Schaffner and R. M. Dickhut. 1998. Toxicokinetics of fluoranthene to the amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus, in water-only and sediment exposures. Marine Environmental Research 45: 269-284. 

Schaffner, L. C., R. M. Dickhut, S. Mitra, P. W. Lay and C. Brouwer-Riel. 1997. Effects of physical chemistry and bioturbation by estuarine macrofauna on the transport of hydrophobic organic contaminants in the benthos. Environ. Sci. Technol. 31: 3120-3125. 

Wright, L. D., L. C. Schaffner, and J. P.-Y. Maa. 1997. Biological mediation of bottom boundary layer processes and sediment suspension in the lower Chesapeake Bay. Marine Geology 141: 27-50. 

Weisburg, S. B., J. A. Ranasinghe, D. M. Dauer, L. C. Schaffner, R. J. Diaz and J. B. Frithsen. 1997. An estuarine benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) for Chesapeake Bay. Estuaries 20: 149-158. 

Mayer, M. M., L. C. Schaffner and W. M. Kemp. 1995. Nitrification potentials of benthic macrofaunal tubes and burrow walls: effects of sediment NH4+ and animal irrigation behavior. Marine Ecology Progress Series 121: 157-169. 

Seitz, R. D. and L. C. Schaffner. 1995. Population ecology and secondary production of the polychaete Loimia medusa (Terebellidae). Marine Biology 121: 701-711.


Diaz, R. J. and L. C. Schaffner. 1990. The functional role of estuarine benthos. pp. 25-56 in M. Haire and E. C. Krome (eds.), Perspectives on the Chesapeake Bay, 1990. Advances in Estuarine Science. Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Research Consortium Publication #CBP/TRS41/90.

Current Students

• David Gillett. Ph.D. The influence of habitat degradation on benthic secondary production and trophic transfer efficiency in shallow, unvegetated areas
  
• William Metcalfe, M.S. Meiofauna abundance and distribution in Chesapeake Bay: Relationships with eutrophication, sediment toxicity and macrofauna
  
• Erin Morgan, W&M undergraduate.  Factors influencing benthic community integrity in shallow subtidal regions of a highly urbanized estuary.
  
• Treda Smith, Ph.D.  Developing an ecological basis for indicators and biocriteria in estuarine waters.
  

Past Students - Graduate Program

• Elizabeth K. Hinchey, Ph.D. 2002. Physical disturbance effects on benthic community structure and function along an estuarine gradient. Recipient of Craig Smith Award (1999), Dean's Prize for Advancement of Women in Science (2001) and Thatcher Prize (2003)
  
• Michelle Horvath, M.S.1997. Effects of epibenthic predators and macrofauna on sediment resuspension and bioturbation.
  
• Patrick Lay, Ph.D.  1996. Direct effects of macrofauna on transport of organic contaminants to demersal fish.
• Alessandra Sagasti, Ph.D. 2000, Ecology of fouling communities in the York River ecosystem: interacting effects of environmental variation and biotic interactions on community structure and function. Recipient of John and Marilyn Zeigler Student Achievement Award (1999) and Dean's Prize for Advancement of Women in Marine Science (1999) and Best Ph.D. Oral Presentation, Atlantic Estuarine Research Society (co-advisor with Emmett Duffy)
• Michelle L.Thompson Neubauer, Ph.D. 2000, Benthic-pelagic coupling in lower Chesapeake Bay: effects of a benthic suspension feeding polychaete, Chaetopterus pergamentaceus (Chaetopterus cf. variopedatus, sensu Enders 1909). Recipient  of Mathew Fontaine Maury Student Fellowship Award (1999) and Best Student Poster Award, International Estuarine Research Federation Conference '99, New Orleans, LA
• Rochelle Seitz, M.S. 1991. Population biology of the polychaete Loimia medusa (Savigny) on a tidal sand flat of the York River.
  
• Bruce Vogt, M. S. Student, Sublethal effects of sediment-associated contaminants on the burrowing behavior of the amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus

Past Students - Undergraduates and High School  

• Lauren Batte, Department of Biology, The College of William and Mary, B.S. with High Honors, 2001.
  
• Undergraduates who have done internships in my laboratory: William O'Connell (1989), Doug Gantt (1990), Sharon Williams (1991), Michelle Rudoy and George Anderson (1992), Rebecca Born (1993), Simone Brooks (1994), Sam Jones and Charles Shimooka (1995), Alvaro Dompe (1996), Jennifer Lindsey and Allison Castellan (1998), Tara Spitzer and Scott Lundin (1999), Stephanie Babb and Christine Tallamy (2000), Patrice Longshaw and Barbara Garcia (2001), Theresa Childress (2002)
  
• High School students who have done internships in my laboratory in recent years: Jennifer Shontz (1998-99), Benjamin Ritter (1997-98), Kelly Dorgan (1995-97)

Courses Taught

• MS 502: Coastal and Estuarine Processes and Issues
• MS 572: Estuarine Benthic Processes
• MS 503: Biological Oceanography
• MS 510: Marine and Freshwater Invertebrates
• MS 647: Marine Benthos
• MS 698: Special Topics - History of Benthic Ecology

Awards

• 2005 - Dean's Prize for Advancement of Women in Science
  
• 2003 - Outstanding Faculty Award, State Council of Higher Education of Virginia
• 2001 - The Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award, College of William and Mary
• 1994 - Outstanding Teaching Award, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
  

Positions of Distinction

• Past President, Estuarine Research Federation (2005-2007)
  
• President, Estuarine Research Federation (2003-2005)
  
• Secretary, Council of Scientific Society Presidents (2004-2005)
  
• Estuarine Research Federation President Elect (2001-2003)
• Estuarine Research Federation Governing Board, Secretary (1999-2001)
• Estuarine Research Federation Governing Board, Member-at-Large (1997-1999)
• Estuarine Research Federation Education Committee (1997- present)
• Associate Editor, Estuaries, 1998-2001

Professional Memberships

• Estuarine Research Federation (ERF)
• American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO)
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)