For More Information Contact:

Dr. Josef Daniel Ackerman
Department of Integrative Biology 
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, CANADA, N1G 2W1

Phone: (519) 824-4120 ext. 58258  Fax: (519) 767-1656  
Email: ackerman@uoguelph.ca
Web: http://www.uoguelph.ca/~ackerman/

Graduate Positions available for 2012!

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What is Physical Ecology?

Physical Ecology is the interdisciplinary examination of evolutionary and ecological phenomena across taxa, populations, communities and ecosystems within a physical perspective. It involves the examination of how organisms have (i) adapted to the constraints imposed by the physical environment; (ii) adapted to use physical mechanisms to satisfy biological processes; and (iii) matched form to function. (See the Biological and Environmental Mechanics Homepage)

Lab Members:
• Professor Josef Daniel Ackerman 
Faculty Supervisor --- Physical Ecology of Aquatic Plants and Invertebrates. 

(a) Current Graduate Students:


• Julian Krick (2011 - present)   
MSc Student --- The influence on wind-plant interactions on pollen capture.

• Sarah Glover (2010 - present)   
MSc Student --- The role of shear stress in the hydraulic habitats of juvenile unionid mussels.

• David Timmerman (2010 - present; Corcordia University)  (Co-supervisor: Dr. David Greene, Concordia)
MSc Student --- Mechanisms of pollen release in anemophilous plants.

• Maude Tremblay (2010 - present)  (Co-supervisor: Dr. Todd Morris, DFO)
  
MSc Student --- The potenail role of introduced Round Gobies as hosts of endangered unionid mussels.

• Julie vanden Byllaardt (2009 - present)   
MSc Student --- The influence of habitats and hydraulics on suspension feeding unionid mussels.

(b) Past Graduate Students:


• Noel Quinn PhD (2009) -- External Fertilization and Dispersal of Dreissenid Mussels.
  
Currently: Assistant Professor, Sheridan College

 
• Astrid Schwalb PhD (2009) -- Dispersal of Unionid Mussels.
  
Currently: Postdoctoral Scientist, University of Waterloo


• Bjarni Kristjansson PhD (2008) --- Fine scale morphological diversity of fishes in relation to ecological characters.
Currently: Assistant Professor, Holar University, Iceland 
   
• Chad Riopel MSc (2008) --- Evolutionary Ecology of Anti-Predator Defences in Sea Cucumbers.

• Kelly McNicols MSc (2007) - Host FIsh Identification of Endangered Freshwater Mussels.
Currently: Research Technician, University of Guelph 

• Julianne Trelenberg, MSc (2004)  --- Macrophyte-Flow Interactions in Aquatic Plants.
Currently: Research Scientist, BC Ministry of Forests 


• Michael Nishizaki, MSc (2002)  --- Adult Sheltering in Sea Urchins. (NSERC PGS winner) 
Currently:  PhD Candidate, University of Washington, Seattle 


• Trent Hoover, MSc (2001)  --- Fluid Dynamic and Mayflies (Epeorus) in Torrential Streams. (Nominated for the Best TA)
Currently: Postdoctoral Scientist, Forest Sciences, UBC.
 

• Jacquie Lee, MSc (2000)  --- Freshwater molluscs of Northern British Columbia (Best Student Paper: World Malacological Congress 1998) 
Currently: Environmental and Biodiversity Consultant, Victoria, BC.

(c) Current Postdoctoral Scientists:


     TBA

(d) Past Postdoctoral Scientists:

• Dr. Kazutaka Yanase (2008 - 2009) 
Postdoctoral Fellow--- Unsteady Boundary Layers and Fish Locomotion.

Currently: Postdoctoral Scientist, Plymouth University, UK

• Dr. Robert Schindler (2007 - 2009) --- Postdoctoral Scientist--- Scalar Dispersion in Aquatic Systems.
Currently: Postdoctoral Scientist, Plymouth University, UK 

• Dr. Gregory N. Nishizaki (2004 - 2007)  Postdoctoral Scientist --- Physical Ecology of Aquatic Plants.
Currently: Assistant Professor, Nagaski University



• Dr. Patricia Gillis (2006 - 2008) --Postdoctoral Scientist --- Envirormental Contaminants of Freshwater Mussels
  Currently: Research Scientist, Environment Canada (NWRI)

• Rosario Castañón-Escobar (2010 - present) 
Research Technician --- Recovery of Endangered Freshwater Mussels.

• Kelly McNicols (2006 - 2010) -- Research Technician --- Recovery of Endangered Freshwater Mussels
  Currently: Aquatic Science Technician, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  

 
(g) Current Undergraduate Students & Research Assistants:


• Marcine Severn (2011 - present) --- Wind Pollination
  

• Hailey Smith (2011 - present) --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels
  

• Jacqueline May (2011 - present) --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels


• Ola Kobierzycki (2009 - present) --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels

• Anthony Merante (2009-2011) --- Research Assistant --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels
Currently: MSc candidate, University of Quebec at Montreal


• Amanda Conway (2009-2011) --- Research Assistant --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels
Currently: MSc candidate, University of Waterloo


• Katherine Wright (2009-2011) --- Research Assistant --- Recovery of Freshwater Mussels
Currently: MSc candidate, Trent University (NSERC PGS winner)


• Marena Brinkhurst (2009-2010) --- Research Assistant --- Campus Sustainability
Currently: MA candidate, Simon Fraser University


• Peter Blouw (2008-2009) --- Research Assistant --- Physical Ecology
Currently: MA candidate, University of Waterloo


• Patrick Ragaz (2004 - 2008) --- BSc Research Assistant -- Macrophyte-flow interactions.
Currently: Water Resources Engineer, Hamilton Conservation Authority
 
• Eileen Hoftzer (2004 - 2007) BSc Research Assistant  --- Various Projects.
Currently: Science Information Officer, Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation


• Jen McConnachie MSc (1999 - 2000) --- Research Technician (NSERC PSG winner)
Currently: PhD candidate, UNBC

• Shelley Hoover - Rosenthal, BSc (1999) --- Research Assistant (NSERC PGS winner)
Currently: Postodoctoral Scientist. --- Simon Fraser University 

• Simon Goring (2003 - 2004) --- Research Assistant 

• Honey Giroday (2001- 2002) --- Research Assistant 

• Brieanna Allen (2002) --- Research Assistant
  

• Julia Bolton (2000 - 2002) --- Research Assistant and MSc Student

• Leanne Wilson, BSc --- Research Technician, Smithers, BC.

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Current research projects:

(1) The Physical Ecology of Trophic Transfer in Aquatic Ecosystems – Laboratory and field experiments directed towards the understanding of the effects of physical forcing on mass transport in freshwater and marine ecosystems, primarily in the photosynthesis of periphyton and macrophytes, and the suspension feeding of bivalves. This effort involves laboratory and field research in the freshwater and marine environment. We are involved in research in the Laurentian Great Lakes and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  (NSERC funded).

Some of our projects are presented below: 


(i) The effects of fluid dynamics on macrophyte productivity.	(ii) Fluid dynamic aspects of suspension feeding in bivalve molluscs.
Macrophyte-flow interactions:	Benthic-pelagic coupling in Lake Erie
Flow visualization around Ceraptophyllum demersum using light induced fluorometry at a chamber velocity of ~ 2 cm/s and fluoroscein dye (Trelenberg and Ackerman in review).	A schematic diagram of the instrumentation package deployed to examine benthic-pelagic coupling of zebra mussels in the western basin of Lake Erie (Ackerman et al. 2001 Limnol. Oceanogr. 46:892-904).
Photosynthesis of aquatic plants:	Local mixing and suspension feeding:
An examination of the effects of mass transport on the photosythentic rate of Vallisneria americana using a small recirculating flume and oxygen microlectrodes (inset) (Nishihara and Ackerman 2006, 2007a, 2007b, 2008, 2009).	Vorticity in the exhalant plume of Dreissena polymorpha as indicated by streamlines generated from PIV images. Note the free vortex ring (Ackerman et al. in prep).

(2) The Physical Ecology of Reproduction, Dispersal, and Early Lfe History  –  Laboratory, numerical, and field studies into the external fertilization of pollination and dispersal in aquatic macrophytes, and the dispersal and recruitment of broadcast spawning benthic invertebrates. (NSERC Funded)

Some of our projects are presented below:



(i) Reproduction/Dispersal in Aquatic Macrophytes.	(ii) Reproduction/Dispersal in Aquatic Invertebrates.
Submarine pollination in Zostera marina	Juvenile-adult sheltering in sea urchins
Flow visualization around carpellate flowers of Zostera marina from above (top) and from the side (bottom) in a chamber velocity at ~ 3 cm/s (Ackerman 1997 Amer. J. Bot. 84: 1099-1109 and 1110-1119).	Image of a recently metamorphosed red sea urchin.  Red sea urchin juveniles use a secondary chemical cue to seek the shelter of adult urchin when confronted by predators or strong flows (Nishizaki and Ackerman  2005 Limnol. Oceanogr.  50:354–362).
Particle capture on branced collectors	Zebra mussel life history
PIV images of particle capture on a circular cylinder (3.2 mm diameter) at collector Reynolds numbers of 24 (top) and 71 (bottom). Flow is from the left (Ackerman et al. in prep).	Photograph of Dreissena polymorpha larval stages from plankton sample. Legend: D – D-shaped veliger; V – veliconcha; P – pediveliger; v arrow – velum; f arrow – foot of pediveliger (Bar = 200 pm) (Ackerman et al. 1994. Can. J. Zool. 72: 1169 - 1179).


(3) Conservation and Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems – (i) Biodiversity and autoecology of endangered freshwater bivalves related to reproduction and early life history; specifically the identification of fish-hosts of threatened and endangered freshwater mussels and rearing their juveniles for reintroduction to the wild (with Dr. G.L. Mackie; WWF and SARCEP funded).  (ii)  Lake Erie limnology - we are examing a number of hypotheses related to the mechanisms leading to hypoxia in the central basin of Lake Erie (with Leon Boegman, Ram Yerubandi, Kevin Lamb, and Ralph Smith; NSERC strategic).

Some of our projects are presented below:



(i) Unionid Species at Risk	(ii) Lake Erie Hypoxia
Experimental facility in the Hagen Aqualab at the University of Guelph for determining the fish hosts of endangered and threatened unionid mussels.  Each aquarium holds several fish from a fish-mussel exposure. Additional aquaria and juvenile rearing facility is on the right side of the chamber (McNichols et al. in prep).	Image a tripod deployed in the central basin of Lake Erie on the deck of the CCGS Limnos prior to deployment. The tripod has a series of O2 and temperature loggers, an ADCP, CTD, and Optical Backscatter sensor.




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Some of Our Sampling, Testing and Analytical Resources

Laboratory Equipment

Field Equipment

Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter Constant Temperature Anemometer (NSERC RTI)  Digital Particle Imaging Velocimeter (NSERC RTI)  Laser Induced Fluorometry (NSERC RTI) Oxygen and pH microelectrodes Motorized micropositioner Cantilever beam load cell  Compound microscope Dissection microscope Preston-static tubes  Portable Fluorometer  Multimeters  Light Meters  UV Vis Spectrophotometer Table top centrifuge Oven and Furnace

uSquid Eddy Covariance System (NSERC RTI) Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter Ultrasonic Doppler Velocimeters  Acoustic Doppler Profiler (NSERC RTI)  DO Loggers Turbidity Logger Preston-static tubes Propellor current meter Integrating Natural Fluorometers (NSERC RTI)  Field Deployable Sonde Hand-Held Mulitmeter Light Meters Benthic sampling equipment  Plankton sampling equipment Plankton splitter Seston filtration equipment




Laboratory Flow Chambers


• We have a variety of flow chambers in the laborotory, ranging from small table-top models to a  number of larger chambers. All of our chambers are designed to provide fully developed flow for appropriate boundary layer conditions.


• (1) Countertop recirculating flow chamber (40  x 20  x  300 cm; W X H X L )
Applications:  Flow visualization; Boundary layer characterization

• (2) Free-standing recirculating flow chamber (17.5  x 3.5  x 180 cm)

Applications: Suspension-feeding studies; Particle deposition studies
   









• (3) Self-contained sealed recirculating flow chamber (15 x 15 x 120 cm)

Applications: O₂ evolution in macrophytes.








• (4) Countertop recirculating flow chamber (10 x 10 x 100 cm)
 Applications: small-scale momentum/concentration boundary layers






• (5) Wall Jet Apparatus (2 x 3 x 100 cm duct)
 Applications: high shear stress boundaries





• (6) Cylindrical tank (45 cm diameter x 200 cm tall)
 Applications: testing of equipment, settling velocity

 




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Publications from the laboratory



Publications fall into the following categories:
(I) MACROPHYTE EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY 
(II) BIVALVE EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY 
(III) ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 
(IV) ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 
(V) RECENT CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS 
     These can be viewed on the Publications Page. 

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Students interested in the Physical Ecology Laboratory may wish to consult Graduate Studies at the University of Guelph, which offers BSc, MSc, and PhD degree programs  in the Department of Integrative Biology. Please note I am also an adjunct professor in the School of Engineering, which offers PHD, MASc, and MENG degrees in Environmental Engineering and in Water Resources Engineering.