Dr. Ken Marion

Research in my laboratory centers around two major areas:

• animal natural history, and
• aquatic environmental biology.

These studies are approached by myself and my students from both field and laboratory perspectives.

Natural history studies on selected animals generally emphasize reproductive cycles, life history strategies and population dynamics. Several species of reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds and marine invertebrates have been objects of study. Many of these investigations have been performed to provide basic biological and/or population information on potentially threatened species or those of possible economic importance.

Studies on aquatic environmental biology involve interactions with other faculty members. Water quality evaluations by both biological and chemical means are performed. Assessments of the fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities are made by seasonal stream sampling. Of special interest is the use of biological organisms as indicators of the health status of aquatic ecosystems. Recent studies have investigated a mine-impacted reservoir in north Alabama and the Cahaba River, which is being impacted by urbanization.

Assessing the Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on the Diamondback Terrapin: a Top Carnivore and Keystone Species in the Salt Marshes of Alabama (Year One Block Grant-MESC)

Relevant to the biota of the Gulf of Mexico, Dr. Marion has published the following:

Hopkins, T. S., J. F. Valentine., J. B. McClintock, K. Marion, and S. A. Watts. 1991. Community patterns of echinoderms associated with substrate and depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Pp. 231–239 in T. Yanagisawa, I. Yasumasa, C. Oguro, N. Suzuki and T. Motokawa, Eds. Biology of Echinoderms. Balkema, Rotterdam.