Tennessee Cooperative Research Unit
The Tennessee Unit is currently staffed by a Leader, an Assistant Leader, one post-doc, two full-time research assistants, one full-time technician, and a secretary. Normally, 8-10 MS and PhD graduate students are supported by a variety of funded research projects dealing with the study of fish and mussels. The Tennessee Unit has a very close working relationship on the campus of Tennessee Tech with the Biology Department and the Center for the Management, Protection, and Utilization of Water Resources (Water Center). The Water Center has state-of-the-art analytical and computer laboratories, plus support personnel that provide our students with opportunities to engage in a wide variety of environmental research. The Water Center often supports Tennessee Unit students with research stipends, travel funds, and equipment.
Active Projects:
Distribution of fish in and near the heated effluent of a power plant
In this study several species of fish are being tagged with ultrasonic transmitters and their location and the temperature of the water they are inhabiting near a power plant is being monitored continuously with an array of submersible receivers. These data will be used by power producers and regulators to redefine the upper limits of temperature that fish can be exposed to during routine power plant operations.
Predicting the effects on endangered mussels from incremental decreases in minimum flows
The objectives of this study are to determine the level of reduction in minimum flows that affects the behavior, growth, gametogensis, spawning and survival of freshwater mussels. Determine if mussel responses to incremental reductions in flow are of a threshold, linear, or curvilinear nature.
Assessment of biotic integrity, water quality and habitat, fishing pressure, and economic value of the fishery in the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam
Our specific objectives are to (1) monitor water quality seasonally at five stations in the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam; (2) develop an index of biotic integrity for the fish community in the Caney Fork River; (3) describe temporal and spatial variation in biotic integrity; and (4) assess key attributes of the recreational fishery for trout in the river and estimate its economic value.
Find more Active and Completed Projects here.
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