Mike Wetz, Post-Doctoral Research Associate
UNC-Chapel Hill
Institute of Marine Sciences
3431 Arendell Street
Morehead City , NC 28557
Phone:
252-726-6841 ext.176
Fax: 252-726-2426
Email
Research Interests:
estuarine/coastal phytoplankton ecology; POM & DOM cycling; algal-bacterial interactions; food-web dynamics; ecosystem metabolism
Education:
- 2006 Ph.D. Oregon State University
- 2003 M.S. Oregon State University
- 2000 B.S. Coastal Carolina University
Bio:
I am currently studying a wide range of topics dealing with estuarine/coastal food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycles. My current research is three-fold and includes studies of; 1) storm impacts on estuarine phytoplankton dynamics as well as on lower trophic level food web interactions, 2) estuarine air-sea CO2 fluxes and environmental controls upon those fluxes (recently funded by NSF Chemical Oceanography), and 3) the role of picophytoplankton in estuarine food webs and biogeochemical cycles. My previous work in graduate school dealt with DOM-POM production and degradation during coastal diatom blooms, while my undergraduate research dealt with environmental controls upon estuarine phytoplankton biomass and community composition.
Awards:
- 2006 National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship - The University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences & U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at Research Triangle Park ($100,000+)
- 2005 Bayley Fellowship for outstanding graduate student, Oregon State University ($4,000)
- Outstanding Student Poster - ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Salt Lake City
- 2005 Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research ($550)
- 2004 Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research ($998)
- 2001 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ($121,500)
- 2001 NASA Space Grant Graduate Fellowship ($18,000)
- 2000 Best Student (grad and undergrad) Oral Presentation - Southeastern Estuarine Research Society, Benthic Ecology Meeting, Wilmington
- 1998 National Science Foundation REU
Publications:
Wetz, M.S. , and H.W. Paerl. 2008. Impact of large storm events with different meteorological characteristics on estuarine ciliate biomass . Journal of Plankton Research, 30(5): 551-557
Wetz, M.S. , and H.W. Paerl. 2008. Estuarine phytoplankton responses to hurricanes and tropical storms with different characteristics (trajectory, rainfall, winds). Estuaries and Coasts , 31: 419-429
Wetz, M.S. , B. Hales, and P.A. Wheeler. 2008. Degradation of diatom-derived dissolved and particulate organic matter: implications for coastal C and N biogeochemistry. E s tuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science , 77: 422-432
Wetz, M.S., and P.A. Wheeler. 2007. Release of dissolved organic matter by coastal diatoms. L imnology and Oceanography, 52(2): 798-807
Wetz, M.S., B. Hales, P.A. Wheeler, Z. Chase, and M. Whitney. 2006. Riverine input of macronutrients, iron, and organic matter to the coastal ocean off Oregon, USA, during the winter. Limnology and Oceanography, vol. 51(5), pp. 2221-2231
Wetz, M.S., K.C. Hayes, A.J. Lewitus, J.L. Wolny, and D.L. White. 2006. Variability in phytoplankton pigment biomass and taxonomic composition over tidal cycles in a salt marsh estuary. M arine Ecology Progress Series, vol. 320, pp. 109-120
Lewitus, A.J., M.S. Wetz, B.M. Willis, J.M. Burkholder, and H.B. Glasgow. 2006. Grazing activity of Pfiesteria piscicida (Dinophyceae) and susceptibility to ciliate predation vary with toxicity status. Harmful Algae, vol. 5(4), pp. 427-434
Wetz, M.S., P.A. Wheeler, and R.M. Letelier. 2004. Light induced growth of phytoplankton collected during the winter from the benthic boundary layer off Oregon, USA. Marine Ecology Progress Series, vol. 280, pp. 95-104
Wetz, M.S., and P.A. Wheeler. 2004. Response of bacteria to simulated upwelling phytoplankton blooms. Marine Ecology Progress Series, vol. 272, pp. 49-57
Wetz, M.S., and P.A. Wheeler. 2003. Production and partitioning of organic matter during simulated phytoplankton blooms. Limnology and Oceanography, vol. 48(5), pp. 1808-1817
Wetz, M.S., A.J. Lewitus, E.T. Koepfler, and K.C. Hayes. 2002. Impact of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica on microbial community structure in a salt marsh estuary. Aquatic Microbial Ecology, vol. 28(1), pp. 87-97
Pending manuscripts
Paerl, H.W., K. Rossignol, N. Hall, B. Peierls, and M.S. Wetz. Phytoplankton community indicators of short and long-term ecological change in the anthropogenically and climatically impacted Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA . In review, Estuaries and Coasts
Wetz, M.S. , M. Robbins, and H.W. Paerl. Spatial-temporal distribution of transparent exopolymer particles along an estuarine salinity gradient: implications for ecosystem biogeochemistry. In preparation for Limnology and Oceanography (July 2008)
Hobbies:
Pre-baby
Hiking, camping, softball, couch-potato'ing
Post-baby
Changing diapers, playing in the sandbox, blowing bubbles, going to the beach, playing with dolls, etc.
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