Programs
Department of Environmental & Aquatic Animal Health - Research
Programs & Projects
Environmental Microbiology
Introduction
Research in environmental microbiology focuses on microorganisms and microbially-mediated processes that occur in estuaries and watersheds. These interests include the ecology of autochthonous bacteria and viruses in estuarine waters, emphasizing indicators of fecal contamination to assess health risk in shellfish growing and recreational marine waters and their application to identify sources of contamination within watersheds. The role of microorganisms in disease syndromes such as fish ulceration attributed to Pfiesteria or other causes and bivalve diseases are investigated.
Research
Research efforts evaluate the validity and ecology of microorganisms as indicators of sewage or fecal contamination and cultural, immunological, and molecular methods for their detection and enumeration. Other research interests include nitrification, microbial degradation of xenobiotic compounds and petroleum hydrocarbons, processes within watersheds that affect the microbial ecology of receiving waters, bacterial pathogens and disease processes of shellfish and finfish, and the ecology of naturally occurring viruses. Microbiological problems relevant to state and national interests and of regulatory or resource management significance are commonly addressed.