Steven T. Rier
Freshwater Ecology
Bloomsburg University
Phone: 570-389-4953
srier@bloomu.edu
Courses:
Limnology
Studies the chemical, biological and physical aspects of freshwater lakes, ponds and streams. The course includes laboratory and field investigations.
Global Change Biology
Explores the biological consequences of current environment change including rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, increased temperature, altered precipitation patterns, increased UV radiation, nitrogen deposition, the spread of exotic species, and land-use changes.
Freshwater Biology
A survey of organisms inhabiting freshwater lakes, ponds and streams and an introduction to the chemical and physical factors that control their abundance and distribution.
Student researchers
Steve and Meredith
Keith
Ryan
My research interests encompass many aspects of stream ecology but mainly focus on the role that microorganisms such as algae, bacteria, and fungi play in regulating stream ecosystem function and how human impacts can alter these dynamics. My lab is currently engaged in several projects that focuses on the role that stream microorganisms play in stream nutrient dynamics and ultimately the export of these nutrients to larger rivers and estuaries. We are specifically interested in how stream algae and bacteria respond to pulses of nutrients associated with runoff and how adjacent land-use modifies these responses. We are also examining how recent efforts to "clean" stream channels following historic flooding in September 2011 affects the many ecosystem services streams provide.
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Publications
Research papers Bott, T.L., J.K. Jackson, M.E. McTammany, J.D. Newbold, S.T. Rier, B.W. Sweeney, and J. Battle. 2012. Abandoned coal mine drainage and its remediation: Impacts on stream ecosystem structure and function. Ecological Applications 22: 2144-2163. Kelly, J. J., E. Peterson, J. Winkelman, T. J. Walter, S. T. Rier, and N. C. Tuchman. 2013. Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Impacts Abundance and Diversity of Nitrogen Cycling Functional Genes in Soil. Microbial ecology. 65: 394-404. Rier, S. T., K.S. Nawrocki, and J.C. Whitley 2011. Response of biofilm extracellular enzymes along a stream nutrient enrichment gradient in an agricultural region of North Central Pennsylvania, USA. Hydrobiologia 669:119–131. Kelly, J. J., A. Bansal, J. Winkelman, L. R. Janus, S. Hell, M. Wencel, P. Belt, K. A. Kuehn, S. T. Rier, and N. C. Tuchman. 2010. Growth of Trees under Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Alters Microbial Communities Colonizing Leaf Litter in a Temperate Woodland Stream. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 47: 4950–4959. Rier, S. T., K. A. Kuehn, and S. N. Francoeur 2007. Algal regulation of extracellular enzyme activity in stream microbial communities associated with both inert substrata and detritus. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 26: 439-449. Rier, S. T. and R. J. Stevenson. 2006. Response of periphytic algae to gradients in nitrogen and phosphorus in streamside mesocosms. Hydrobiologia 561:1310147. Rier, S. T., R. J. Stevenson, and G. LaLiberte 2006. Photo-acclimation response of benthic stream algae across experimentally manipulated light gradients: A comparison of growth rates and net primary productivity. Journal of Phycology 42:560-567. Stevenson, R. J., S. T. Rier, C. Riseng, R. Schultz, and M. J. Wiley. 2006. Comparing effects of nutrients on algal biomass in streams in 2 ecoregions with different disturbance regimes. Hydrobiologia 561:149-165. Tuchman, N. C., M. A. Schollett, S. T. Rier 2006. Differential heterotrophic utilization of 95 organic compounds by diatoms and bacteria under light and dark conditions. Hydrobiologia 561:167-177. Rier, S.T., N. C. Tuchman, and R. G. Wetzel. 2005. Chemical changes to leaf litter from trees grown under elevated CO2 and the implications for microbial utilization in a stream ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 62: 185-194. Janus, L. R., N. L. Angeloni, J. McCormack, S.T. Rier, N.C. Tuchman, & J.J. Kelly. 2005. Elevated atmospheric CO2 alters soil microbial communities associated with trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) roots. Microbial ecology, 50: 102–9. Rier, S. T. and R. J. Stevenson. 2002. The effects of labile dissolved organic carbon, inorganic nutrients and light on algal-bacterial relationships in stream periphyton. Hydrobiologia. 489: 179-184. Rier, S.T., N. C. Tuchman, R. G. Wetzel, and J. A. Teeri. 2002. Elevated CO2 induced changes in the chemistry of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux) leaf litter: Subsequent decomposition and microbial response in a stream ecosystem. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 21: 16-27. Tuchman, N. C., R. G. Wetzel, S. T. Rier K. A. Wahtera, and J. A. Teeri 2002. Elevated Atmospheric CO2 lowers leaf litter nutritional quality for stream ecosystems. Global Change Biology 8: 145-152. Rier, S. T. and R. J. Stevenson. 2001. Relation of environmental factors to density of epilithic lotic bacteria in 2 ecoregions. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 20: 588-600. Rier, S. T. and D. K. King 1996. Effects of inorganic sedimentation and riparian clearing on benthic community metabolism in an agriculturally-disturbed stream. Hydrobiologia 339: 111-121. Book Chapter Francoeur, S. N., S. T. Rier, and S. B. Whorley. Methods for sampling and analyzing wetland algae. Chapter XX in Wetland Techniques (J. T. Anderson, W. C. Conway, and C. A. Davis, eds.), Springer, In press.
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