Ph.D., Michigan State University

Freshwater Ecology Population and Community Ecology Predator effects on prey communities Ecology of freshwater crayfish

I am a freshwater community ecologist and I am particularly interested in the ecological significance of predation and hydrologic variation for species coexistence, population regulation and trophic dynamics in freshwater ecosystems.  I employ a combination of observational studies and lab, mesocosm and field experiments to understand 1) the mechanistic effects of predators on prey recruitment through early life stages, 2) the effects of hydrologic variation on community composition and patterns of coexistence, and 3) how direct and indirect effects of hydrologic variation (drought, water level or flow variation) functionally determine population sizes of invertebrates and fish that become prey for higher trophic levels.  Most of my current research is in southern Florida wetlands (including the Everglades) and often includes freshwater crayfishes, in some fashion, but the graduate and undergraduate students in my lab have also focused their inquiry on freshwater fishes, amphibians, wading birds, snails, dragonflies and other aquatic animals.

Dorn, N. J. & M. Hafsadi. 2016. Native crayfish consume more non-native than native apple snails. Biological Invasions 18: 159-167. Holbrook, J. D. & N. J. Dorn. 2016. Effects of fish on reptile and amphibian assemblages in wetlands of variable permanence. Freshwater Biology 61: 100-109. Knorp, N. E. & N. J. Dorn. 2016. Consumptive effects of fish predators drive composition of emerging dragonfly assemblages in structured and unstructured habitats. Freshwater Science 35: 114-125. Dorn, N. J. & M. I. Cook. 2015. Hydrological disturbance diminishes predator control in wetlands. Ecology 96: 2984-2993.