Thomas M. Burton

Professor

Ph.D., Cornell University, 1973

363 Giltner Hall
Office Telephone: 517-353-4475
burtont@msu.edu

Aquatic Ecology

My primary research focus is on wetland and stream ecosystems. Most of my current research funding is for research on wetlands with emphasis on Great Lakes coastal and inland forested wetlands in Michigan. The goals of this research are to provide baseline reference data for Michigan wetlands and to use these data to develop systems for classification, assessment, and restoration of wetlands. My students conduct a wide variety of research ranging from predator-prey interactions in aquatic systems to landscape ecology to studies of biogeochemistry and pollution effects on aquatic organisms. They work with vertebrates and invertebrates and relate the distribution of these animals to distribution of plants, hydrology and chemistry in wetlands and streams. I also have a keen interest in stream ecosystems and am willing to sponsor students to conduct any type of research on the basic ecology of streams and wetlands.

Representative Publications

Brady, V. J., B. J. Cardinale, J. P. Gathman, and T. M. Burton. 2000. Does facilitation of faunal recruitment benefit ecosystem restoration? An experimental study of invertebrate assemblages in wetland mesocosms. Restoration Ecology (In press).

Genet, J. A., K. S. Genet, T. M. Burton, and P. G. Murphy. 2000. Quantitative characterization of a subtropical dry forest termite community (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae, Termitidae). Tropical Ecology (In press).

Kashian, D. R. and T. M. Burton. 2000. A comparison of macroinvertebrates of two Great Lakes coastal wetland: Testing and potential metrics for an index of ecological integrity. J. Great Lakes Research (In press).

Stanley, K. E., P. G. Murphy, H. H. Prince, and T. M. Burton. 2000. Above-ground biomass and productivity of the vegetation in coastal wet meadows bordering Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron). Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 27 (In press).

Ulrich, K. E., T. M. Burton, and D. G. Uzarski. 2000. The effects of whole-tree harvest on benthic insects in small New Hampshire streams. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 27 (In press).