My principal area of interest encompasses the distribution, ecology, taxonomy, and systematics of aquatic macroinvertebrates, with focus on the Oligochaeta and other freshwater Annelida - the true worms. Other interests include the preservation of habitat utilized by federal- and state-listed endangered, threatened, and/or rare species of aquatic organisms; the distribution of freshwater mussels, Nematomorpha, Turbellaria, other lesser known groups of non-insectan macroinvertebrates, and aquatic insects. In addition to my work on the annelid fauna of Illinois, I am compiling distributional and ecological data for Annelida occurring in several states and provinces.
- - Short summaries for several of my collaborative projects are presented below:

Springs of Illinois.
As a co-principal investigator with Dr. Donald W. Webb, Insect Systematist with the INHS CBD, we have been studying the biodiversity, ground- and surface water quality, and hydrogeology of Illinois springs since 1991. Other scientists currently working with us on this long-term study of Illinois springs include Dr. L. Rick Phillippe (INHS CBD), Dr. Steven J. Taylor (INHS CBD), Phillip C. Reed and Tim C. Young (Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign), and Dr. Anne M. Hampton (Castleton State College, Castleton, VT).

I have also been collaborating with scientists in other states (AZ, FL, NC, TN, TX) on the study of aquatic oligochaetes and other fauna associated with springs and groundwater habitats.

Aquatic Oligochaeta of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
In September 1999, we began a preliminary inventory of The Aquatic Oligochaeta occurring in or adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). This project is being underwritten by small grants received in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 from Discover Life in America, Inc. (DLIA), a not-for-profit organization administering the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) program in the Park. [Note that the DLIA website is being reorganized, so please be patient and check it periodically]. This project is being conducted with the collaboration of Peggy Morgan (FL DEP).

An extensive website summarizing our surveys for aquatic oligochaetes in the Park is available HERE. This site presents an introduction to the ATBI program and our research; by using the site navigation bar at the bottom of each page you can view a map of the Park noting sites from which specimens have been collected, specific locality information for those sites, field and laboratory methodologies used in the collection, processing, and identification of taxa, annotated checklist of aquatic oligochaetes and other annelid species known or thought likely to occur in the Park, project hightlights, goals, and sources of funding, in-kind contributions, and leveraged research support. A preliminary checklist of the freshwater Annelida (including the Aeolosomatida, Branchiobdellida, Hirudinida, and Oligochaeta) known to occur in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and adjacent states, and a summary of work conducted to date, are posted at this site.

In late November 2007, an updated summary of our annelid research and discoveries was published (Wetzel and Morgan 2007) in a special issue of Southeastern Naturalist -- focusing on the on diverse research and educational programs affiliated with the ATBI in the Park; a full citation for this paper (and special issue) is included on the webpage accessible via the 'Publications' link in the navigator bar at the bottom of this page).

Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica (N.O.)
In late 2000, Dr. John Reynolds (Oligochaetology Laboratory, Kitchener, Ontario) invited me to co-author Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica - Supplementum Quartum: a catalogue of names, descriptions and type specimens of the Oligochaeta. This fourth supplement (N.O.S.Q.) updates (Addenda Editioni Primae) and corrects (Corrigenda Editioni Primae) generic, subgeneric, specific and infra-specific names of oligochaetes published in the first three supplements -- N.O. Supplementum Primum (N.O.S.P.), N.O. Supplementum Secundum (N.O.S.S.), and N.O. Supplementum Tertium (N.O.S.T.) through 31 December 2002.

Genera are assigned to 36 families recognized in the third supplement (N.O.S.T.) plus two new families added in this fourth supplement; the detailed Latin definitions can also be found in N.O.S.T. A summary of taxa entries for the first four volumes is presented as follows: [families / genera / subgenera / species]: N.O.: 24 / 573 / 0 / 5,753; N.O.S.P.: 4 / 47 / 0 / 401; N.O.S.S.: 7 / 73 / 34 / 694; N.O.S.T.: 1 / 46 / 6 / 406. As of 18 March 2006, two new families, 75 new genera, 25 new subgenera, and 1,450 new species of oligochaetes are included in N.O.S.Q. Several new genera and approximately 50 new species have yet to be entered before we finalize this volume, with publication anticipated for mid-2008.

The Terrestrial Oligochaeta (Annelida, Clitellata) of North America.
In March 2004, Dr. John Reynolds and I published a guide to the terrestrial oligochaetes occurring in North America north of Mexico [in the journal Megadrilogia, vol. 9(11): 71-98]. That paper summarizes the extensive distributional information for this group, much of which has been published over the past 50+ years on a state, provincial, and/or regional basis in North America. In addition to a global perspective on megadrile earthworms and a summary of published historical and recent distributional information, we included summaries on the general biology of earthworms, recommended field and laboratory techniques, suggested keys for use in identification, an annotated checklist to species, and an extensive literature section. We currently recognize 10 families, 37 genera, and 161 species of megadrile earthworms in North America; of these, 116 are considered native and 45 considered to have been introduced. We currently are finalizing an update of this 2004 publication, with new records for the U.S. and Canada, and has been expanded to include distributional records for Mexico, Hawaii, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. This update is expected to be published in early to mid-2008.

Common and Scientific Names of the Annelida in North America.
I am collaborating (as co-editor) with Dr. Kathryn A. Coates (Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Inc.) on the common and scientific names of all aquatic and terrestrial aphanoneuran and clitellate annelids occurring in North America, including distributions by state and province; contributing authors to this volume include Dr. Stuart R. Gelder (Univ. Maine - Presque Isle) (Branchiobdellidae), Ms. Jacque Madill (Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa), Bill Moser (USNM-Smithsonian Institution) and Don Klemm (USEPA, Cincinnati) (Hirudinea), and Dr. John W. Reynolds (Oligochaetology Laboratory, Kitchener, Ontario) (terrestrial oligochaete worms). This volume will be published as the fourth in a series funded and published through the American Fisheries Society Committee on Common and Scientific Names of Aquatic Invertebrates (chaired by Dr. Donna D. Turgeon).

Aquatic Oligochaeta of the Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park.
In November/December 1991, I began an inventory of the aquatic Annelida occurring in a variety of habitats within the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Field work was conducted while participating in a 13-day research expedition to study sediment transport and energy flow in the river downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam. During this 226-mi rafting trip, I focused on collections for aquatic annelids occurring in both the Colorado River proper and several of the tributaries that flow into it within the Park. Subsequent collecting trips were made in August/September 1993 (12 days), June 2001 (11 days), and July 2006 (9 days). To date, collections for aquatic worms have been taken from 78 sites within the Park, including the Colorado River proper, 24 direct tributaries, backwater marshes, and several spring, seep, drip pot, and hanging garden sites. This project is in collaboration with Drs. Dean Blinn and Joe Shannon. A more extensive project summary, including specific collecting locality information, is available HERE.

Faunal Studies in Caves.
I am collaborating with Drs. Steven J. Taylor and Donald W. Webb on the distribution of aquatic annelids associated with midwestern cave and groundwater habitats.

The primary source of funds that support my research at the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) are provided to me by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), as an Aquatic Zoologist with the INHS / IDOT Further Studies Program. Funds supporting my research on the biodiversity and hydrogeology of Illinois springs have been provided by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, Illinois Groundwater Consortium, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Trust Fund Commission. Funds supporting my research on the distribution of the freshwater Annelida of the Colorado River and its tributaries in Grand Canyon National Park were provided in part by the Bureau of Land Management through the Glen Canyon Environmental Studies group, the National Park Service, and Northern Arizona University. Funds supporting my research on the distribution of freshwater Annelida in southern Sweden was provided in part by the World Wildlife Fund. Funds supporting research in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been provided in part by Discover Life in America, Inc. (DLIA) for the years 1999-2006.

Workshops. A non-construction grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the North American Benthological Society (NABS) Technical Issues Committee, was instrumental in underwriting an all-day taxonomic workshop at the 48th annual NABS meeting in Keystone Resort, Colorado, on 28 May 2000. This workshop was co-presented by Mark J. Wetzel, R. Deedee Kathman (Aquatic Resources Center, College Grove, TN), Steven V. Fend (U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA), and Kathryn A. Coates (Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Inc.). These funds also supported the preparation and publication of a workshop workbook (Wetzel et al. 2000).

During 2005, our workbook was expanded to include the Enchytraeidae, Parvidrilidae, megadriles that are commonly collected in aquatic habitats, and branchiobdellidans; significant updates were also incorporated into all chapters. This workbook was prepared initially for use during two 3-day intensive workshops presented during 2006: 1) in February, to aquatic biologists working with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (presented by K.A. Coates, S.V. Fend, S.R. Gelder, and Wetzel, at the FDEP laboratory facility in Tallahassee), and 2) in May, to members of the Florida Association of Benthologists (presented by Wetzel, at the University of Florida Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gainesville). This workbook is being updated again, during early 2008.

A complete citation and information for obtaining a copy of this workbook is available via the link "Publications" from the navigation bar at the bottom of this page.