Applied Aquatic Ecologist

The inter-agency Missouri Natural Areas System (htps://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/natural-areas) works to protect, conserve, and restore the best remaining natural communities in the state. While designated natural areas account for just 0.2 % of Missouri’s lands and waters, populations of 40% of Missouri’s species of conservation concern occur on these special places. This position will help to fulfill the mission of the Missouri Natural Areas program to conserve our state’s native biodiversity. This position will conduct applied research while working with the Whitier Lab at the University of Missouri (MU) to produce an aquatic gap analysis for the Missouri Natural Areas System that will incorporate occurrence records for native aquatic crayfish, fish, mussels, and selected macroinvertebrates. Field work is not a component of this position. This gap analysis will utilize the Zonation software package to identity and rank geographic regions of the state that contain distinct aquatic communities or species that are not currently represented within Missouri’s Natural Areas network. The resulting analyses will be used by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to provide justification and guidance for natural area management. The selected individual will work closely with MDC biologists using existing datasets to identify aquatic natural community classes that are unprotected, species found in those aquatic classes, and high value aquatic areas that warrant protection. There will be opportunities to develop peer-reviewed manuscripts, attend professional society conferences, and to collaborate with other researchers in the MU School of Natural Resources