Jess Jones

Research Interest:

JESS W. JONES is a Restoration Biologist with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, stationed in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg. His work interests and activities include restoration of endangered mussel populations, conservation management of rivers, ecotoxicology of river ecosystems, mussel propagation and life history, and mussel population dynamics and genetics. He has authored numerous articles and reports on mussel biology and conservation.

Education:

B.S. Psychology, Virginia Tech, May 1993;
B.S. Fisheries Science,Virginia Tech, May 1996
M.S. Fisheries Sciences, Virginia Tech, May 2004
Ph.D. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, February 2009

Contact Info:

106A Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office number: (540)-231-2266
Lab number: (540)-231-7241
Fax: (540)-231-7580
Email address: Jess_Jones@fws.gov

Richard Neves

Research Interest:

RICHARD J. NEVES is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech and former Unit Leader of the federal Virginia Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit.  For 30 years, he conducted sequential studies on Virginia's and Tennessee's endangered mussels, to include surveys, life history investigations, recovery plans, and the development of research and recovery techniques for sponsoring federal and state agencies. He obtained matching grants to construct the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center (FMCC) at Virginia Tech, the first propagation and research facility for this faunal group.  During his tenure at Virginia Tech, he mentored 52 graduate students and taught classes and seminars in Endangered Species Management and Freshwater Mussel Biology. He was a member of 13 professional societies and reviewer for 24 technical journals, selected as reviewer for all recovery plans for mollusks prepared by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and served as Associate Editor-Invertebrates for the journal Conservation Biology for 10 years and as Book Review Editor for the American Fisheries Society for 12 years.  He also served as President of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society and the Virginia Natural History Society during his career.  He authored more than 200 journal articles and reports on freshwater mussels, received the Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Department of Interior in 2003, and awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society in 2007 for his contributions to freshwater malacology.

Education:

B.S. Zoology, University of Rhode Island, 1968
M.S. Zoology, University of Maine, 1973
PhD Fisheries, University of Massachusetts, 1977

Contact Info:

144 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Lab number: (540) 231-7241
Fax: (540) 231-7580
Email address:mussel@vt.edu (office);
mussel2@verizon.net (home)

William F. Henley

Research Interest:

WILLIAM F. HENLEY is a Research Scientist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. His work interests and activities include histological evaluations of organ tissues of freshwater mussels and fishes. He has developed methodologies for quantification of health status of mussels and fish for statistical assessments of experimental treatments, environmental contaminants, and strategic elements of conservation management efforts by government agencies and NGOs. As leader of the Histology Laboratory, Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center, Virginia Tech, he has developed and applied novel methodologies for evaluation of mussel health based on quantitative assessments of vital organs, including gills, kidneys, digestive glands, and gonads. Importantly, quantification of gamete production in freshwater mussels is now included in the repertoire of dependent variables. His objectives are to 1) conduct and coordinate research on histologically- and physiologically-based quantitative evaluations of health and condition of fish and mussels, 2) continue use of histological evaluations for determinations of treatment, contaminant, and river-site effects on fish and mussel organ tissues, 3) provide proven methodologies for assessment of implemented conservation strategies by government agencies and NGOs using evaluations of aquatic animal health, and 4) provide training and assistance to students for inclusion of histological evaluations in graduate research.

Education:

B.A. Psychology, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, May 1976
M.A. Communication, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas,August 1978
M.S. Fisheries Sciences, Virginia Tech, May 1996
Ph.D. Fisheries Sciences, Virginia Tech, May 2002

Contact Info:

100 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University(Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office: (540) 231-7241
Fax: (540) 231-7580
Email: whenley@vt.edu

Claudia Callil

CLAUDIA CALLIL is a professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso, Midwest of Brazil. Her research is focused on the distribution and functional roles of freshwater invertebrates in the Pantanal basin of southern Brazil, the world’s largest freshwater wetland. She works on the ecology of the wetland to understand what controls the distribution and abundance of freshwater mussels and other aquatic invertebrates. Over the last 20 years she has maintained her focus to improve the science and conservation of this wetland and of mussels throughout South America. She is the author or coauthor of 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles on the ecology of the Pantanal and its macro-fauna, including a comprehensive review of the status and distribution of freshwater mussels throughout all hydrographic regions of South America, which was published in the journal Hydrobiologia in 2013.

From 2013-2014, she has been serving as a visiting scholar in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, studying mussel propagation and culture techniques and field monitoring approaches with staff at the Freshwater Mussel Conservation Center. Claudia is collaborating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist Dr. Jess Jones, who is stationed in the Department, to develop mussel restoration strategies that can be utilized in the United States, Brazil and other parts of the world.

In April, Claudia and Jess visited the Service’s Virginia Field Office in Gloucester for her to present “Freshwater Mussels and Biodiversity of the Pantanal”. It was an opportunity for her to share her work and to learn about the Service’s mission and approaches to conservation, including how the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration program restores natural resources such as rivers and mussel populations, and how the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program is restoring wetland hydrology at the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

Claudia and her students sampling mussels
in the Cuiaba River basin of Brazil.

Anna R. Dellapenta

Research Interest:

ANNA R. DELLAPENTA is a Mussel Propagation and Culture Specialist for the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center at Virginia Tech. She propagates both common and federally endangered mussel species for use in research projects and for reintroduction where they face extirpation. Her interests include mussel life history and improving culture techniques in the lab.

Education:

B.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, May 2014

Contact Info:

Email: annarae@vt.edu

Aaron Adkins

Research Interest:

AARON D. ADKINS is a Master of Science student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the development of captive holding and spawning techniques for endangered mussels in the Epioblasma genus. The goal of his project is to better understand reproductive traits and genetic implications regarding the long term maintenance of captive held “ark” populations, a vital conservation strategy for critically imperiled freshwater mussels. Prior to graduate school, he worked as a Wildlife Conservation Technician at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s Marion Conservation Aquaculture Center. While there, his activities included all aspects of propagation and culture of numerous endangered freshwater mussel species.

Education:

B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Management, University of Tennessee, December 2014M.S. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

106 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office number: (540) 231-7241
Email: adadkins@vt.edu

Tim Lane

Research Interest:

TIMOTHY W. LANE is a Research Specialist in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, specializing in the propagation and culture of rare and endangered mussels at the Virginia Tech Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center, Blacksburg, Virginia. He is also a Graduate Student in the Department, focusing on  population viability analysis of newly established populations of endangered freshwater mussels in the Clinch River, Virginia and the Nolichucky and Powell rivers, Tennessee.  The purpose of his project is to develop  demographic metrics that will enable biologists to quantitatively assess how populations of translocated adult and propagated juvenile mussels are performing in the wild.

Education:

B.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, May 2008
M.S. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

106 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office number: (540) 231-7241
Email: twln@vt.edu

Murray Hyde

Research Interest:

MURRAY HYDE is a graduate student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on monitoring of restored and augmented freshwater mussel populations in the Clinch and Powell Rivers. He is also performing an economic analysis of mussel restoration efforts in these areas as part of two separate NRDAR cases. Together, this information will be used to develop general guidelines for assessing injuries and damages to mussel populations impacted by releases of chemicals to the environment.

Education:

B.S. Environmental Science, Troy University, Alabama, May 2011
M.S. Environmental Science, Troy University, Alabama, May 2014
PhD. Candidate Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

113 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0321
Email: jmhyde89@vt.edu

Andrew Phipps

Research Interest:

ANDREW PHIPPS is a Master of Science graduate student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the effects of contaminants on mussel health and survival in the Powell River, Virginia. His project will assess these effects using both laboratory and field exposures to mussels. The goal of his project is to better understand the contaminant dynamics in the Powell River and potential effects on mussels.

Education:

B.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, May 2012
M.S. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

106 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office number: (540) 231-7241
Email: andrew08@vt.edu

Dan Hua

Research Interest:

DAN HUA is a Natural Resource Specialist, Laboratory manager at Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Her research concentration is in the area of conservation of protection of endangered aquatic animals, restoration and recovery of aquatic ecosystems, and propagation of endangered and utilization of economically important mollusks. Her activities include propagation and grow out endangered freshwater mussels, assessment of the restoration of released mussels in their natal rivers, and freshwater pearl culture. She served as a fishery scientist on aquaculture pond dynamic and freshwater pearl culture at Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences Wuxi, China from 1985-2003. She has completed 2 books and 18 journal articles as a first author. 

Education:

M.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech,December 2008
Ph.D. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

106A Cheatham Hall
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Lab number: (540)-231-7241
Fax: (540)-231-7580
Email address: huad@vt.edu

Daniel Schilling

DANIEL E. SCHILLING is a Master of Science student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech.  His research interests include studying the phenotypic and molecular genetic variation of freshwater mussel species belonging to the genera Fusconaia, Pleurobema and Lexingtonia,  which can be difficult to distinguish in the field.  His project goal is to develop an identification key from phenotypic traits to allow for better identification of these freshwater mussels  by field  biologists.  Prior to graduate school, he worked as a Field Technician for the Tennessee Valley Authority where he assisted in the monitoring of stream biological integrity by collection of fish and invertebrates; he also worked as a Lab Assistant in the Paul W. Parmalee Malacology Collection at the McClung Museum,  University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  While there, he assisted  with the reorganization, database management, and identification of freshwater mussels.

Education:

B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Science, University of Tennessee, May 2009
M.S. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Work: (540) 231-7241
Email address: dschilli@vt.edu

Jennifer J. Rogers

JENNIFER J. ROGERS is a graduate student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on the effects of contaminants on mussel health in the Clinch and North Fork Holston Rivers. She will assess mussel health and population declines by conducting both field and laboratory experiments and performing histological evaluations on vital organs. Before entering graduate school, Jen worked in natural resource management for both non-profit organizations and The National Park Service. She also worked for the Virginia Tech Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center, Blacksburg, Virginia, where she was involved with propagation and culture of freshwater mussels, water quality monitoring, and collection of mussels and host fish from rivers in Tennessee and Virginia.

Education:

B.S.  Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Clemson University, May 2003
M.S. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

113 Cheatham Hall
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321
Office number: (540)-231-7241
Email address: jrogers1@vt.edu

Brett Ostby

Research Interest:

BRETT J. K. OSTBY is a research specialist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech. His work focuses on mollusk conservation in Virginia and in the greater Upper Tennessee River Basin.  Past and ongoing projects he has managed include mussel habitat studies, faunal surveys, and physiology studies.  He has been awarded research contracts and grants from numerous agencies and NGOs to continue his position at Virginia Tech and is currently a collaborator in a multidisciplinary USGS investigation of mussel declines in the Clinch River.   

Education:

B.A. Biology, Luther College, Decorah, IA, May 2001
M.A. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, May 2005
Ph.D. Candidate, Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Caitlin S. Carey

CAITLIN S. CAREY is a Masters student in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech.  Her research interests include (1) determining the effects of temperature on the growth and survival of endangered juvenile mussels for the purpose of refining propagation methods and implications of rising water temperatures from global climate change and (2) assessing a reintroduced population of the federally endangered oyster mussel in the upper Clinch River, Virginia.  Her field project in the Clinch River will also be evaluating the use of Mark-Recapture techniques for population density estimations of freshwater mussels, in addition to comparing three reintroduction techniques.  Prior to graduate school, she worked as a Research Specialist for the Virginia Tech Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center where her activities included the propagation and culture of endangered freshwater mussels.

Education:

B.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech, May 2008
M.S. Fisheries Science, Virginia Tech

Contact Info:

Email: cscarey@vt.edu

Huang Zhitao-Visiting Scholar

HUANG ZHITAO is a visiting scholar from China Ocean University in Qingdao, China.  He is conducting research at the Virginia Tech Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center involving recirculating aquaculture mesocosms for freshwater mussels. His experience in China has included research on recirculating aquaculture for Flounder and other marine species. He hopes to continue doing research into the future improving recirculating aquaculture techniques.

Education:

B.S. Marine Fisheries Science and Technology
China Ocean University 2004

M.S. Marine Fisheries Sciences
China Ocean University 2007

Ph.D. Marine Fisheries Sciences
China Ocean University expected 2012