My primary responsibility at the Illinois Natural History Survey involves collaboration with several other aquatic biologists (an aquatic entomologist, a malacologist, and an ichthyologist) in the surveys of stream and lake systems that may be affected by construction or rehabilitation of bridge and highway projects by the Illinois Department of Transportation - throughout the State of Illinois. Through the conduct of these surveys, we document the current as well as historical status of both native and introduced aquatic fauna in these various habitats, with particular emphasis on species that are listed or under consideration for listing as endangered or threatened by the State of Illinois or the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Since 1991, I have been collaborating with Dr. Donald W. Webb and other scientists at the INHS and the Illinois State Geological Survey in a long-term study of the biodiversity, hydrogeology, and water quality of springs in Illinois. I also serve as the curator and collections manager for the INHS Annelida Collection.

Other important research projects include the distributions of aquatic oligochaetes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and in spring, cave, and other groundwater habitats throughout the U.S. For the last several years, I have been collaborating with Dr. John Reynolds (Oligochaetology Lab, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) on several projects:
1) an annotated checklist of the megadrile earthworms of North America (published in March 2004 in the journal Megadrilogica [Vol. 9(11): 71-98]; this checklist is now being updated and will include the earthworm fauna of Bermuda, Hawaii, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, and is scheduled for publication in late 2008;
2) Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica - Supplementum Quartum: A Catalogue of Names, Descriptions and Type Specimens of the Oligochaeta [NOSQ]; you can visit the NOSQ website for updates on its publication date (late-2008);
3) an annotated checklist of the megadrile earthworms of Illinois is scheduled for publication in late 2008;
4) as associate editor, I assist Dr. Reynolds with the editorial responsibilities of the journal Megadrilogica.

The Illinois Natural History Survey Biological Collections are world-renowned and are among our institution's most important physical assets. Most notable are the insect, plant, fish, mollusk, amphibian and reptile, crustacean, mammal, and annelid collections. These collections serve as an historical record of our living natural resources, are the basis for most of the work of identifying organisms for the public, and are critical to research programs focusing on the taxonomy, systematics, and ecology of plants and animals occurring in Illinois, in other states, and throughout the world. I encourage you to visit all of our collections.

Specimens and data associated with our collections are commonly used by research, administrative, and regulatory staff members throughout the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, by the public, and by scientists worldwide - either by visiting our institution or through loan programs overseen by our curators and collections managers. Environmental and ecological data associated with specimens and the assimilation of that information into computer databases has been completed for a few collections and is in progress for others. Web-based, searchable databases for several collections also are available to the public.

physical address:
468 Natural Resources Bldg.,
607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign

mailing address (U.S. Post, UPS, FEDEX, DHL, others):
Mark J. Wetzel
Illinois Natural History Survey
Division of Biodiversity and Ecological Entomology
Section of Biotic Surveys and Monitoring
1021 I-Building, MC-652
1816 South Oak Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820 USA

Telephone:
Voice: (217) 244-2108 (with voicemail)
FAX: (217) 333-0729
E-Mail: mjwetzel{AT}uiuc.edu *

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This photograph of me was taken by Dr. Steven J. Taylor during our collections for aquatic oligochaetes and other cave fauna in Fogelpole Cave, November 1999. Steve is an aquatic entomologist at the INHS, an avid caver, and an experienced biospeleologist with whom I have collaborated on a variety of projects. Please visit Steve's INHS Biospeleology Homepage to learn more about his interests, expertise, and research projects, view pictures of oligochaete worms and a diversity of other cave organisms, and be introduced to the study of biospeleology in Illinois, elsewhere in North America, and throughout the world.