My research centers on water quality and how that affects microalgal communities (phytoplankton, periphyton, epiphytes etc.). Within this context and beyond, I study photosynthetic and accessory pigments (chlorophylls, carotenoids, scytonemins, phycobilins). Pigment-based chemotaxonomy, the use of taxon-specific biomarkers to discern community structure and dynamics, is a main thrust in my research as well. Lately, I have been very involved in studying phosphorus pollution of south Florida waters from the overuse of equestrian waste in agri-businesses. Global climate change, especially rising carbon dioxide levels, is also studied as it impacts microalgal communities in both marine (“ocean acidification”) and fresh waters.

Louda, J. W., Mongkhonsri, P., and Baker, E.W. (2011) Chlorophyll degradation during senescence and death-III: Three to ten year experiments, implications for ETIO-series generation. Org. Geochem. 42: 688-699. Szymczak-Żyła, M., Kowalewska, G. and Louda J.W. (2011) Sedimentary Chlorophyll-a derivatives as indicators of marine eutrophication. Marine Chemistry 125: 39-48. Grant C. and Louda J.W. (2013) Scytonemin-imine, a mahogany-colored UV/VIS sunscreen of cyanobacteria exposed to intense solar radiation Organic Geochemistry 65: 29-36. Pisani O., Louda J.W. and Jaffe R. (2013) Biomarker assessment of spatial and temporal changes in the composition of flocculent material (floc) in a subtropical wetland. Environmental Chemistry 10: 424–436. Louda J.W., Grant C., Browne J. and Hagerthey S.E. (2015)Pigment-based chemotaxonomy and its application to Everglades periphyton. In: J. A. Entry, K. Jayachandrahan, A.D. Gottlieb and A. Ogram (Eds.)MICROBIOLOGY OF THE EVERGLADES ECOSYSTEM. Science Publishers. Chapter 13; pp. 287-347 plus appendices (pp.455-468) and color plate (p485). (ISBN 9781498711838.