Nathan S. Hall, Ph.D. Student
UNC-Chapel Hill
Institute of Marine Sciences
3431 Arendell Street
Morehead City , NC 28557
Phone:
252-726-6841 ext. 228
Fax: 252-726-2426
Email
Research Interests:
phytoplankton ecology
Education:
- 1998 B.S. in Biology, Cum Laude, Duke University
Bio:
I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of Marine Sciences, currently writing my dissertation entitled "Effects of the vertical structure of the water column on phytoplankton community compostion and function in the Neuse River Estuary." My research focuses on understanding the linkages between environmental conditions and changes in phytoplankton biomass and community composition. As the result of nutrient pollution, coastal areas around the world are experiencing increases in phytoplankton biomass and changes in phytoplankton community composition that negatively affect human use of aquatic resources. Rather than stimulating all phytoplankton species equally, the combination of nutrient pollution and other environmental conditions in a particular water body usually favors one or more species. These species form highly concentrated, nearly monospecific, blooms and are often harmful to coastal fisheries or pose human health risks. Understanding the suite of conditions that favors these harmful algal bloom (HAB) species is important to predict which systems are likely to be sensitive to nutrient pollution and for developing effective strategies for HAB mitigation.
Publications:
Hall, N. S., R. W. Litaker, E. Fensin, J. E. Adolf, A. R. Place, and H. W. Paerl. Environmental factors contributing to the development and demise of a toxic dinoflagellate ( Karlodinium veneficum ) bloom in a shallow, eutrophic, lagoonal estuary. Estuaries and Coasts. In review.
Fear, J, T Gallo, N Hall , J Loftin, H Paerl. 2004. Predicting benthic microalgal, oxygen and nutrient flux reponses to a nutrient reduction management strategy for the eutrophic Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA . Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 61(3): 497-506.
Piehler, MF, LJ Twomey , NS Hall , HW Paerl. 2004. The relationship of dissolved inorganic nutrient concentration and phytoplankton community structure and function in Pamlico Sound, NC, USA . Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science . 61(2): 197-209.
Piehler, MF, V. Winkleman, LJ Twomey, NS Hall, CA Currin and HW Paerl. 2003. Impacts of diesel fuel exposure on the microphytobenthos of an intertidal sandflat. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 297: 219-237.
Moisander, PH, TF Steppe, NS Hall, J Kuparinen, HW Paerl. 2003. Variability in nitrogen and phosphorous limitation for Baltic Sea phytoplankton during nitrogen fixing cyanobacterial blooms. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 262: 81-95.
Other Activities:
- Site operator for the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Status and Trends Network (site 142) and National Atmospheric Deposition Program (site NC06).
- Consultant for the Hampton Roads Sanitation district hired to identify and quantify bloom forming phytoplankton in the southern tributaries of Chesapeake Bay .
- Volunteer lecturer for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching.
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