Aquatic Microbial Ecology Research Lab

Aquatic Microbial Ecology Research Lab

Steven W. Wilhelm

Department of Microbiology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37996

Office: 865-974-0665 Labs: 865-974-0682 or 865-974-4014

OCEANOGRAPHY - LIMNOLOGY - MICROBIAL ECOLOGY

Research Interests

Our group is interested in microbial interactions within aquatic ecosystems. We focus on a variety of problems in microbiology in both marine environments as well as large lake systems. Work in the lab and field studies focuses on the role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles, and conversely how the biogeochemistry of aquatic systems affects the production and activities of microorganisms.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Quantifying the impact of marine and freshwater viruses on aquatic food webs and biogeochemistry

SCOR MARINE VIRUS ECOLOGY WORKING GROUP

	Developing diagnostic biosensors for the bioavailability of Fe in aquatic systems
	*Characterizing microbial community dynamics in the Lake Erie Dead Zone* The MELEE project**
	*Resolving the ecology of the Aureococcus anophagefferens* virus / host system using metaproteomics**
	Resolving the interactions between cyanophages and toxic cyanobacteria in aquatic systems
	Developing real time quantitative molecular tools for the study of toxic cyanobacterial ecology

MERHAB-LGL AND The Lake Tahui project

Research Team *See their smiling faces on the lab picture board!!!!*
Gary LeCleir, Ph.D.	Postdoctoral Research Associate
Janet Rowe, B.Sc.	Doctoral Candidate (Microbiology)
Matthew Saxton, B.Sc.	Doctoral Candidate (Microbiology)
Audrey Matteson, M.Sc.	Doctoral Candidate (Microbiology)
Chris Allender, M.Sc.	Doctoral Candidate (Microbiology)
Emily Rogers, M.Sc.	Doctoral Candidate Fisheries and Wildlife Science - Ted Henry, Supervisor
Star Loar, B.Sc.	Master's Candidate (Microbiology)
Randon Davis, B.Sc.	Research Assistant
Larissa Caudill, B.Sc.	Research Assistant
Dinielle Truitt	Undergraduate Research Assistant
Lindsay Kuhnhein	Undergraduate Research Assistant
Rob Arnold	Undergraduate Research Assistant
Joel Smithson	Science Journalism Intern

*Winter Assessment of Microbial and Biological Activity - Lake Erie - Feb 2007*
Net tow samples collected from iced-over (left) and ice-free (right) areas in Lake Erie in February 2007.	Scientists and crew work to clear a spot in the ice to sample - Lake Erie Feb 2007	Sunset over a very cold Lake Erie
LOST AT SEA - video compilations from recent research cruises

Other videos from research cruises are archived here

Affiliations

Department of Microbiology, UTK

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UTK

Center for Environmental Biotechnology, UTK

UTK/ORNL Program in Genome Science and Technology, UTK

UTK/NSF Research Site for Educators in Chemistry (RSEC)

Research in the Aquatic Microbial Ecology Research Laboratory is supported by

Recent Publications

	Brussaard CPD, SW Wilhelm, F Thingstad, MG Weinbauer, G Bratbak, M Heldal, SA Kimmance, M Middelboe, K Nagasaki, JH Paul, DC Schroeder, CA Suttle, D Vaqué, KE Wommack. 2008. Global scale processes with a nanoscale drive - the role of marine viruses. The ISME Journal. doi:10.1038/ismej.2008.31.
	Gobler CJ, TW Davis, SN Deonarine, MA Saxton, PJ Lavrentyev, FJ Jochem, SW Wilhelm. 2008. Zooplankton and viral induced mortality of microbial populations before and during the onset of hypoxia in Lake Erie. Aquatic Microbial Ecology - in press.
	Ivanikova NV, AR Matteson, CJ Gobler, LC Popels, RML McKay, SW Wilhelm, GS Bullerjahn. 2008. Picoplanktonic cyanobacteria in Lakes Superior and Erie: phylogenies of endemic populations and cultured isolates. Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie – in press.
	Wilhelm SW and AR Matteson. 2008. Freshwater and marine virioplankton: a brief overview of commonalities and differences. Freshwater Biology 53:1076-1089
	Rowe JM, JR Dunlap, CJ Gobler, OR Anderson, MD Gastrich and SW Wilhelm. 2008. Isolation of a non-phage-like lytic virus infecting Aureococcus anophagefferens. Journal of Phycology 44: 71-76
	Kenst, A., E. Perfect, SW Wilhelm, J Zhuang, J McCathy and L McKay. 2008. Virus transport during infiltration of a wetting front into initially unsaturated sand columns. Environmental Science and Technology 42:1102-1108
	de la Cruz AA, P Rublee, JM Hungerford, PV Zimba, SW Wilhelm, JAO Meriluoto, K Echols, MT Meyer, G Stelma, R Mandeville, L Lawton, K Sivonen, and A Furey. 2008. Analytical methods work group report. In HK Hudnell (ed). Proceedings of the Interagency, International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 475-488.
	Wilhelm SW. 2008 Field methods in the study of toxic cyanobacterial blooms: results and insights from Lake Erie research. In HK Hudnell (ed). Proceedings of the Interagency, International Symposium on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 507-519.
	Dean, A. L., J. L. Higgins, J. M. Debruyn, J. M. Rinta-Kanto, R. A. Bourbonniere, and S. W. Wilhelm. 2008. Viral populations in Lake Erie: abundance, production and predicted impacts, p. 247-270. In M. Munawar and R. T. Heath [eds.], Checking the Pulse of Lake Erie. Aquatic Ecosystem Health Management Society / Ecovision World Monographs.
	Li R, Wilhelm SW, Carmichael WW, and MM Watanabe. 2008. Polyphasic characterization of water bloom forming Raphidiopsis species (cyanobacteria) from central China. Harmful Algae 146-153.

	Eldridge ML, MW Cadotte, AE Rozmus and SW Wilhelm. 2007. The response of bacterial functional groups to changes in available iron in the Eastern subtropical Pacific Ocean. The Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 348:11-22.
	Frazier AD, JM Rowe, CA Rentz CJ Gobler and SW Wilhelm. 2007. Isolation and characterization of bacterial pathogens of Aureococcus anophagefferens CCMP 1784. Journal of Phycology 43(3):461-465.
	Doblin MA, KJ Coyne, JM Rinta-Kanto, SW Wilhelm and FC Dobbs. 2007. Dynamics and survival of HABs in ballast residuals. Harmful Algae 64:519-530.
	Pakulski JD, A Baldwin, AL Dean, S Durkin, D Karentz, CA Kelley, K Scott, HJ Spero, SW Wilhelm, R Amin and WH Jeffrey. 2007. Responses of heterotrophic bacteria to solar irradiance in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 47:153-162.
	Mioni CE, JD Pakulski, L Poorvin, A Baldwin, MR Twiss, WH Jeffrey, SW Wilhelm. 2007. Assessment of bacterial and community Fe status in the eastern subtropical Pacific Ocean. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 46: 239-251.
	Gobler CJ , OR Anderson , MD Gastrich and SW Wilhelm. 2007. The ecology of viruses infecting the harmful brown tide alga, Aureococcus anophagefferens. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 47:25 - 36.

Link to all publications (including PDFs or Abstracts)

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...

Johanna Rinta-Kanto Biogeography and genetic diversity of toxin producing cyanobacteria in a Laurentian Great Lake (PhD. 2006)

Leo Poorvin The role of viruses in Fe cycling in the World's oceans (Ph.D. 2005)

Julie L. Higgins Virus dynamics in high nutrient - low chlorophyll marine surface waters (M.Sc. 2005)

Cécile E. Mioni Using a bioluminescent bacterial bioreporter to assess iron bioavailability in the ocean (Ph.D. 2004)

Melanie Eldridge The effects of Fe on plankton in HNLC regions of the world's oceans (Ph.D. 2004)

Amanda L. Dean The dynamics, distribution, and activity of viruses in Lake Erie (M.Sc. 2004)

Shannon Pedigo-Eftland The effects of iron on growth and physiology of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (M.Sc. 2004)

Johanna Rinta-Kanto The effects of viral size class enrichments on microbial communities in marine systems (M.Sc. 2001)

Dr Wilhelm currently teaches Microbiology 495 (Senior Seminar), Microbiology 650 (Topics in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics), and Microbiology 680 (Foundations in Microbiology).

Final class project, Microbiology 650 - 2007 Molecular Techniques for Microbial Ecology: A Compilation of Reviews

since Oct 2004	send comments
*updated 05/13/2008*