Phycology Section of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research
The Phycology Section of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research (PCER) studies the ecology and taxonomy of freshwater algae, particularly diatoms, to better understand the distributions of algal taxa throughout the U.S., and the environmental factors influencing both the occurrence of taxa over large scales and the composition of assemblages at individual sites. Historically, the Phycology Section applied knowledge of algal ecology to the assessment of a wide range of environmental issues, but primarily those related to water quality of rivers and streams. Because there are thousands of algal taxa living in a wide variety of habitats, each specific ecological requirements, algae are excellent ecological indicators, particularly of water quality. Diatoms have been used in ecological assessment since the 1940's, when Dr. Ruth Patrick, founder of the Patrick Center, began her research on use of diatoms for biomonitoring.[1]
Some of the largest projects the Phycology Section worked on include the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA), US EPA’s lake and stream National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS), and NSF’s National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). In addition to sample analysis, the Phycology Section used algal data to assess ecological conditions, quantify ecological characteristics of taxa, create and evaluate metrics, and help develop nutrient criteria.
The Phycology Section's largest project was a cooperative agreement with the USGS NAWQA program to analyze algal samples from throughout the U.S. From 1995 until 2012, the Phycology Section and its subcontractors analyzed over 8,000 samples. Results were distributed to NAWQA biologists to help them assess ecological conditions. They also analyzed national distributions of taxa and used NAWQA's environmental data to quantify ecological characteristics of taxa and to develop new indicator metrics.
Regionally, the Phycology Section worked to help develop algal indicators of nutrient conditions in New Jersey streams for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. Some of this involved use of the Biological Condition Gradient approach to develop nutrient criteria possibilities.
To help disseminate information from our studies, the Phycology Section developed its own website. The data accessible from that site included publications, lists of taxa names, an Algae Image database, the Diatom Paleolimnology Data Cooperative (DPDC) database, and autecological data sets.