David J. Gillett

Ph.D. Student

M.S. Marine Biology
University of Charleston

B.S. Marine Science with honors
Eckerd College 1997

Research
Teaching
Awards
Professional Membership
Publications
Oral Presentations
Poster Presentations
Links

Major Advisor Top

Dr. Linda Schaffner, Biological Sciences

Research statement

   My primary research interests are in food web energetics of the macrobenthic invertebrate communities in estuaries and coastal oceans as related to anthropogenic alteration of up upland and the aquatic ecosystem. I am also interested in the trophic links between macrobenthos and benthivoric nekton, as well as the general ecology of polychaete and oligochaete worms.

Research Experience Top

Teaching Experience Top

Awards Top

Membership in Professional Societies Top

Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, Program Co-Chair
Estuarine Research Federation

Publications Top

Gillett, D.J., A.F. Holland, and D.M. Sanger.  2007.  On the ecology of oligochaetes:  Monthly variation of community composition and environmental characteristics in two South Carolina tidal creeks. Estuaries and Coasts. 30(2):238-252.

Gillett, D.J., A.F. Holland, and D.M. Sanger.  2005.  Secondary production of a dominant oligochaete (Monopylephorus rubroniveus) in the tidal creeks of South Carolina and its relation to ecosystem characteristics.  Limnology and Oceanography 50:  566-577.

Gillett, D.J.  2003.  The ecology of tidal creek oligochaetes:  changes in abundance and secondary production of the numerically dominant species Monopylephorus rubroniveus (Levinsen, 1884).  A Master’s Thesis.  University of Charleston.  108 pp

Gillett, D.J. and L.C. Schaffner.  In preperation.  The Benthic Fauna of the York River Estuary.   In: Virginia -Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Rerve Program Site Review (Ed. K. Moore).  

Gillett, D. J., A. F. Holland, and T. E. Lee. In preparation.  Gut residence time of soft and hard-bodied prey in benthic-feeding salt marsh fish.      

Oral Presentations Top

Gillett, D.J. and L.C. Schafffner.  2007.  Macrobenthic production and habitat quality along a salinity gradient in Chesapeake Bay, USA.  Preseneted at the 2007 Benthic Ecology Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

Gillett, D.J., L.C. Schaffner, and I.C. Anderson.  2005. Macrobenthic production and trophic transfer efficiency in disturbed and non-disturbed shallow estuarine habitat.  Presented at the 2005 Estuarine Research Federation, Norfolk, VA.*

Gillett, D.J., A. F. Holland, and D. M. Sanger.  2003.  Temporal variation in the oligochaete populations of South Carolina Tidal Creeks:  Is it the devil or the deposit feeder in the detail?  Presented at the 2003 Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, Seattle, WA.

Gillett, D.J., D.M. Sanger, and A.F. Holland.  2001.  Understanding the role of Monopylephorus rubroniveus  (Oligochaeta:Tubificidae) in tidal creek ecosystems.  Presented at the 2001 Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, St. Petersburg, FL

Gillett, D.J., T.E. Lee, and A.F. Holland.  2000.  Are fish gut content studies biased?  Presented at the Fall 2000 South Eastern Estuary Research Society Meeting, Tampa, FL

Schaffner, L.C., and others.  2005.  Relationships between the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI), ecosystem function and food web structure in shallow water habitats of Chesapeake Bay – some preliminary insights.  Presented at the 2005 Estuarine Research Federation, Norfolk, VA.

Holland, A.F. D.M. Sanger, C.P. Gawle, and D.J. Gillett.  2001.  Spatial and temporal variability in environmental conditions in tidal creeks:  implications for  monitoring.  Presented at the 2001 Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, St. Petersburg, FL

Sanger, D.M., A.F. Holland, C.P. Gawle, and D.J. Gillett.  Validation of the effects of watershed development on tidal creek systems.  Presented at the 2001 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Conference, Baltimore, MD

Sanger, D.M., A.F. Holland, D.J. Gillett, and C.P. Gawle.  Spatial and Temporal Variability in Environmental Conditions in Tidal Creeks: Implications for Monitoring.  Presented at the 2003 Southeast Coastal Ocean Science Conference and Workshop