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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Welcome to the Columbia Environmental Research Center. Our research focuses on environmental contaminants and the effects of habitat alterations on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. 

News

Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025

Inaugural USGS Wildlife Health Awareness Day - April 25, 2025

New USGS model uses dragonflies to estimate freshwater mercury risk on U.S. protected lands

New USGS model uses dragonflies to estimate freshwater mercury risk on U.S. protected lands

USGS Friday's Findings - August 9, 2024

USGS Friday's Findings - August 9, 2024

Publications

Incidence of pollution, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and toxic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic ecosystems: A review Incidence of pollution, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and toxic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic ecosystems: A review

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistently accumulated in both environmental media and biological systems, leading to significant toxicological effects. Although research on PFAS has expanded in recent years, systematic reviews on its concentration distribution in aquatic environments and biota, as well as its toxicological effects, remain scarce. Moreover, existing...
Authors
Cunlong Wang, Jason Tyler Magnuson, Chunmiao Zheng, Wenhui Qiu

Staying alive: Post-translocation apparent survival of fishes in headwater springs following drought Staying alive: Post-translocation apparent survival of fishes in headwater springs following drought

ObjectiveIncreasing fragmentation from constructed barriers, increased water use, and climate change limits the resiliency of stream fish metapopulations by reducing colonization. Management actions such as stocking or translocating fish may help contribute to the resilience of isolated habitats and increase redundancy of populations in intermittent stream networks. Our objective was to...
Authors
Sophia Marie Bonjour, Keith B. Gido, Peter J. Pfaff, Abigail Rick, Aiden Masek

High-throughput screening identifies bisphenol P as a potent cardiotoxin, inducing cardiotoxicity through apoptosis and NF-κB Pathway High-throughput screening identifies bisphenol P as a potent cardiotoxin, inducing cardiotoxicity through apoptosis and NF-κB Pathway

The increasing use of plastic additives, particularly bisphenols (BPs), has raised significant concerns about their potential risks to human health, especially during critical developmental stages. In this study, we developed a novel high-throughput toxicity screening platform using zebrafish (Danio rerio) to identify and prioritize chemicals with cardiotoxic potential, which is based on...
Authors
Jiazhen Wang, Jason Tyler Magnuson, Yanqiu Feng, Wenjing Zhao, Chuanzi Gao, Chunmiao Zheng, Wenhui Qiu

Science

Leading the Way: Specialized Laboratory Contributions to Environmental Health

The Environmental Health Program features a Unified Core Technology Team comprised of multiple laboratories with specialized expertise that support the overall program research assessing actual and perceived risks from environmental contaminants and pathogens. Individual Core Technology Teams work closely with the Integrated Science Teams to ensure current and emerging techniques are being used to...
Leading the Way: Specialized Laboratory Contributions to Environmental Health

Leading the Way: Specialized Laboratory Contributions to Environmental Health

The Environmental Health Program features a Unified Core Technology Team comprised of multiple laboratories with specialized expertise that support the overall program research assessing actual and perceived risks from environmental contaminants and pathogens. Individual Core Technology Teams work closely with the Integrated Science Teams to ensure current and emerging techniques are being used to...
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Life Cycle of Critical Minerals: A Balanced Approach to Meeting Our Nation's Resource Demands

Critical minerals are essential to the Nation’s economy and security. Demand for critical minerals is increasing, and it is essential to balance the societal need for these minerals with efforts to understand the effects of mining on other natural resources and to develop techniques to minimize these effects. The USGS Minerals Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team (IST) focuses on the life...
Life Cycle of Critical Minerals: A Balanced Approach to Meeting Our Nation's Resource Demands

Life Cycle of Critical Minerals: A Balanced Approach to Meeting Our Nation's Resource Demands

Critical minerals are essential to the Nation’s economy and security. Demand for critical minerals is increasing, and it is essential to balance the societal need for these minerals with efforts to understand the effects of mining on other natural resources and to develop techniques to minimize these effects. The USGS Minerals Resources Life Cycle Integrated Science Team (IST) focuses on the life...
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Modeling and Ecology in Action: Informing Invasive Species Management

The modeling team is at the forefront of developing and applying advanced quantitative methods to better understand and manage invasive species.
Modeling and Ecology in Action: Informing Invasive Species Management

Modeling and Ecology in Action: Informing Invasive Species Management

The modeling team is at the forefront of developing and applying advanced quantitative methods to better understand and manage invasive species.
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