University of North Florida

Dr. Dale Casamatta
Associate Professor

B.S. John Carroll University (1995)
M.S. Kent State University (1998)
Ph.D. Ohio University (2002)

Email: dcasamat@unf.edu
Phone: 620-1936
Office: 3/2230
Laboratory: 4/1255

Graduate Students and their Research

Dale

TEACHING:

General Biology I, Microbial Biology, Senior Seminar, Limnology, Molecular Systematics, Phycology

RESEARCH SUMMARY:

My research interests fall into two main categories: algal ecology and systematics, both of which deal largely with cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are among the most ancient, ubiquitous, ecologically important organisms on Earth, and are found in nearly every habitat. Further, they have received a lot of publicity in the last decade as cultural eutrophication has led to greater bloom formations and thus ecosystem level problems.

My lab has undertaken several projects to understand and quantify how algal communities change in response to different environmental parameters. We are currently working with the St. Johns River Water Management District to elucidate the role of nutrient loads in influencing the epiphytic algal community. Further, we are working on a collaborative project to examine the role of native riparian vegetation as a method of ameliorating nutrient loads into tributaries of the St. Johns River.

Second, my lab is very interested in cyanobacterial systematics (untangling evolutionary relationships). To that end we have a collected cyanobacterial strains from around the world and employ morphological (cell dimensions, divisions, ultra-structure, folding patterns of the 16-23S ITS regions), ecological and molecular (sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene, ITS regions) data sets to elucidate phylogenetic relationships. Much of our work centers on molecular methods, and the recent addition of a DNA sequencer in the lab has allowed us to address a number of questions. We also have begun using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers, and hope to be able to use these new methods to not only unravel systematic relationships, but to employ them as population genetic markers. We currently have a project underway examining how cyanobacterial populations diverge genetically in highly stable (Ichetucknee Springs, a constant system) versus rapidly changing systems.

We have also recently started several projects using cyanophages (viruses which infect cyanobacteria). We are examining the distribution and occurrence of freshwater cyanophages, what taxonomic groups are present during and after bloom events, the genetic make up of the phages, and how they impact the cyanobacterial community.

SELECT RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
2008. Dunn, A.E., D.R. Dobberfuhl & D.A. Casamatta. A survey of algal epiphytes from Vallisneria americana Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae) from the lower St. Johns River, Florida. Southeastern Naturalist. (In Press)

2008. Johansen, J.R., C.E. Olsen, R.L. Lowe, K. Fučiková & D.A. Casamatta. Leptolyngbya species from selected seep walls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Algological Studies. (In press)

2007. Rehakova, K., J.R. Johansen, D.A. Casamatta, L. Xuesong & J. Vincent. Morphological and molecular characterization of selected desert soil cyanobacteria: Three species new to science including Mojavia pulchra gen. et sp. nov. Phycologia. 46:481-502.

2007. Siragusa, A.J., J.E. Swenson & D.A. Casamatta. Culturable bacteria present in the fluid of the hooded-pitcher plant Sarracenia minor based on 16S rDNA gene sequence data. Microbial Ecology 54:324-331.

2007. Lopez-Bautista, J., F. Rindi & D. Casamatta. The Systematics of Subaerial Algae, In: Seckbach, J. (ed.) Extremophilic Algae, Cyanobacteria and Non-Photosynthetic Protists: From Prokaryotes to Astrobiology, Series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology Volume 11, Springer, pp. 601-617.

2006. Zalack, J.T., D.A. Casamatta, R.G. Verb & M.L. Vis. A two year survey of the algal community in a woodland stream from southeastern Ohio. Northeastern Naturalist 13:301-318.

2006. Casamatta, D.A., S.R. Gomez & J.R. Johansen. Rexia erecta gen. et sp. nov. and Capsosira lowei sp. nov., two newly described cyanobacterial taxa from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (USA). Hydrobiologia 561:13-26.

2006. Verb, R.G., R.J. Bixby, D.A. Casamatta, W.B. Chiasson, N.R.Filkin, M.M.Hall, S.E.Hamsher, D.A.Taylor & M.L.Vis. Checklist of algal taxa from the unglaciated Western Allegheny Plateau exclusive of the Ohio River. Ohio Biological Survey Notes. 51 pp.

2006. Aubel, M., P. D’Aiuto, A. Chapman, D. Casamatta, A. Reich, S. Ketchen & C. William. Blue-green algae in St. John’s River, FL. Lakeline. 40-45.

2005. Johansen, J.R. & D.A. Casamatta. Recognizing cyanobacterial diversity through adoption of a new species paradigm. Algological Studies 117:71-93.

2005. Casamatta, D.A., J.R. Johansen, M.L. Vis & S.T. Broadwater. Molecular and morphological characterization of ten polar and near-polar strains within the Oscillatoriales (Cyanobacteria). Journal of Phycology 41:421-438.