Cheryl L Morrison, Ph.D.
Cheryl Morrison is an emeritus Research Geneticist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Fish Health Laboratory in Kearneysville, WV
Dr. Morrison applies genetic and genomic methods to study biodiversity, determine how species are classified, identify conservation units, and understand how invertebrates and invasive species move across ecosystems. A major part of this work focuses on documenting biodiversity and ecological connections in vulnerable deep-sea habitats along the U.S. continental slope—areas that remain poorly studied but are highly sensitive to both natural and human impacts. Another key area of research involves using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect important species, evaluate habitat conditions, and enhance understanding of food web dynamics.
Professional Experience
2026-present: Emeritus Research Geneticist, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center
2013-2025: Supervisory Research Geneticist, USGS Leetown Science Center
2011-2013: Research Geneticist, USGS Leetown Science Center
2006-2010: Geneticist, USGS Leetown Science Center
2002-2006: Biologist, USGS Leetown Science Center
2000-2001: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
1999-2000: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary
1997-1999: Post-doctoral Res
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1997, Florida State University
B.S., 1991, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Major: Marine Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
2018-Present, Affiliate Faculty, Environmental Science and Policy Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
George Mason University 2018-2021
Honors and Awards
The U.S. Department of the Interior's Partnership Conservation Award, 2007 (Chemo III Study: Investigations of Chemosynthetic Communities on the Lower Continental Slope of the Gulf of Mexico)
The National Oceanographic Partnership Program’s Excellence in Partnering for 2011 (Lophelia II Study: Exploration and Research of Northern Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Natural and
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 50
Scleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species Scleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species
No abstract available.
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, D. Katharine Coykendall, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Lakyn R. Sanders, Rhian G. Waller, Steve W. Ross, Sandra D. Brooke
A phylogenetic perspective on diversity of Galatheoidea (Munida, Munidopsis) from cold-water coral and cold seep communities in the western North Atlantic Ocean A phylogenetic perspective on diversity of Galatheoidea (Munida, Munidopsis) from cold-water coral and cold seep communities in the western North Atlantic Ocean
Squat lobsters (Galatheoidea and Chirostyloidea), a diverse group of decapod crustaceans, are ubiquitous members of the deep-sea fauna. Within Galatheoidea, the genera Munida and Munidopsis are the most diverse, but accurate estimates of biodiversity are difficult due to morphological complexity and cryptic diversity. Four species of Munida and nine species of Munidopsis from cold-water...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Martha S. Nizinski, Cheryl L. Morrison
Low incidence of clonality in cold water corals revealed through the novel use of standardized protocol adapted to deep sea sampling Low incidence of clonality in cold water corals revealed through the novel use of standardized protocol adapted to deep sea sampling
Sampling in the deep sea is a technical challenge, which has hindered the acquisition of robust datasets that are necessary to determine the fine-grained biological patterns and processes that may shape genetic diversity. Estimates of the extent of clonality in deep-sea species, despite the importance of clonality in shaping the local dynamics and evolutionary trajectories, have been...
Authors
Ronan Becheler, Anne-Laure Cassone, Philippe Noel, Olivier Mouchel, Cheryl L. Morrison, Sophie Arnaud-Haond
Development of twelve microsatellite loci in the red tree corals Primnoa resedaeformis and Primnoa pacifica Development of twelve microsatellite loci in the red tree corals Primnoa resedaeformis and Primnoa pacifica
A suite of tetra-, penta-, and hexa-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed from Roche 454 pyrosequencing data for the cold-water octocorals Primnoa resedaeformis and P. pacifica. Twelve of 98 primer sets tested consistently amplified in 30 P. resedaeformis samples from Baltimore Canyon (western North Atlantic Ocean) and in 24 P. pacifica samples (Shutter Ridge, eastern Gulf of...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Robert P. Stone
Testing the depth-differentiation hypothesis in a deepwater octocoral Testing the depth-differentiation hypothesis in a deepwater octocoral
The depth-differentiation hypothesis proposes that the bathyal region is a source of genetic diversity and an area where there is a high rate of species formation. Genetic differentiation should thus occur over relatively small vertical distances, particularly along the upper continental slope (200–1000 m) where oceanography varies greatly over small differences in depth. To test whether...
Authors
Andrea Quattrini, Iliana B. Baums, Timothy M. Shank, Cheryl L. Morrison, Erik E. Cordes
Nine microsatellite loci developed from the octocoral, Paragorgia arborea Nine microsatellite loci developed from the octocoral, Paragorgia arborea
Paragorgia arborea, or bubblegum coral, occurs in continental slope habitats worldwide, which are increasingly threatened by human activities such as energy development and fisheries practices. From 101 putative loci screened, nine microsatellite markers were developed from samples taken from Baltimore canyon in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The number of alleles ranged from two to...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Cheryl L. Morrison
Population connectivity of deep-sea corals Population connectivity of deep-sea corals
Identifying the scale of dispersal among habitats has been a challenge in marine ecology for decades (Grantham et al., 2003; Kinlan & Gaines, 2003; Hixon, 2011). Unlike terrestrial habitats in which barriers to dispersal may be obvious (e.g. mountain ranges, rivers), few absolute barriers to dispersal are recognizable in the sea. Additionally, most marine species have complex life cycles...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Amy Baco, Martha S. Nizinski, D. Katharine Coykendall, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, Walter Cho, Tim Shank
Acute survivorship of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa from the Gulf of Mexico under acidification, warming, and deoxygenation Acute survivorship of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa from the Gulf of Mexico under acidification, warming, and deoxygenation
Changing global climate due to anthropogenic emissions of CO2 are driving rapid changes in the physical and chemical environment of the oceans via warming, deoxygenation, and acidification. These changes may threaten the persistence of species and populations across a range of latitudes and depths, including species that support diverse biological communities that in turn provide...
Authors
Jay J. Lunden, Conall G. McNicholl, Christopher R. Sears, Cheryl L. Morrison, Erik E. Cordes
Development of ten microsatellite loci in the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822 Development of ten microsatellite loci in the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822
A suite of tetra-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822, from Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing data. Ten of the 96 primer sets tested amplified consistently in 30 snails from Miami, Florida, plus 12 individuals representative of their native East Africa, Indian and Pacific Ocean regions...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Marcus J. Springmann, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Christopher M. Wade
Development of eighteen microsatellite loci in walleye (Sander vitreus) Development of eighteen microsatellite loci in walleye (Sander vitreus)
A suite of tri- and tetra-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for walleye (Sander vitreus) from 454 pyrosequencing data. Eighteen of the 50 primer sets tested amplified consistently in 35 walleye from two lakes on Isle Royale, Lake Superior: Chickenbone Lake and Whittlesey Lake. The loci displayed moderate levels of allelic diversity (average 5.5 alleles/locus) and...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Cheryl L. Morrison, Wendylee Stott, Marcus J. Springmann
Global ocean conveyor lowers extinction risk in the deep sea Global ocean conveyor lowers extinction risk in the deep sea
General paradigms of species extinction risk are urgently needed as global habitat loss and rapid climate change threaten Earth with what could be its sixth mass extinction. Using the stony coral Lophelia pertusa as a model organism with the potential for wide larval dispersal, we investigated how the global ocean conveyor drove an unprecedented post-glacial range expansion in Earth׳s...
Authors
Lea-Anne Henry, Norbert Frank, Dierk Hebbeln, Claudia Weinberg, Laura Robinson, Tina van de Flierdt, Mikael Dahl, Melanie Douarin, Cheryl L. Morrison, Matthias Lopez Correa, Alex D. Rogers, Mario Ruckelshausen, J. Murray Roberts
Self-recognition in corals facilitates deep-sea habitat engineering Self-recognition in corals facilitates deep-sea habitat engineering
The ability of coral reefs to engineer complex three-dimensional habitats is central to their success and the rich biodiversity they support. In tropical reefs, encrusting coralline algae bind together substrates and dead coral framework to make continuous reef structures, but beyond the photic zone, the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa also forms large biogenic reefs, facilitated by...
Authors
Sebastian J Hennige, Cheryl L. Morrison, Armin U. Form, Janina Buscher, Nicholas A. Kamenos, J. Murray Roberts
Non-USGS Publications**
Duffy, J.E., Morrison, C.L., and Rios, R., 2000, Multiple origins of eusociality among sponge-dwelling shrimps (Synalpheus): Evolution v. 54, no 2, p. 503-516.
Morrison, C.L., Harvey, A.W., Lavery, S., Tieu, K., Huang, Y., and Cunningham, C.W., 2002, Mitochondrial gene rearrangements confirm parallel evolution of the crab-like form: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B v. 269, no. 1489, p. 345-350. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1886
Duffy, J.E., Morrison. C.L., and Macdonald, K., 2002, Colony defense, division of labor, and productivity in the eusocial shrimp Synalpheus regalis: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology v. 51, p. 488-495. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-002-0455-5
Morrison, C.L., Duffy, J.E., and Rios, R., 2004, Phylogenetic hypothesis suggests rapid radiation of Caribbean sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Synalpheus): Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 30, p. 563-581. DOI: 10.1016/s1055-7903(03)00252-5
Carlsson, J., Morrison, C.L., and Reece, K.S., 2006, A wild population and aquaculture strain of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) compared using microsatellite markers: Journal of Heredity, v. 97, no. 6, p. 595-598. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esl034
Hare, M.P., Allen, S.K., Bloomer, P., Camara, M.D., Carnegie, R.B., Murfree, J., Luckenbach, M., Meritt, D., Morrison, C.L., Paynter, K., Reece, K.S., and Rose, C., 2006, A genetic test for recruitment enhancement after supplementation with a disease tolerant oyster strain (Crassostrea virginica) in Chesapeake Bay: Conservation Genetics, v. 7, no. 5, p. 717-734. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-005-9108-3
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Filter Total Items: 13
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 50
Scleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species Scleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species
No abstract available.
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, D. Katharine Coykendall, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Lakyn R. Sanders, Rhian G. Waller, Steve W. Ross, Sandra D. Brooke
A phylogenetic perspective on diversity of Galatheoidea (Munida, Munidopsis) from cold-water coral and cold seep communities in the western North Atlantic Ocean A phylogenetic perspective on diversity of Galatheoidea (Munida, Munidopsis) from cold-water coral and cold seep communities in the western North Atlantic Ocean
Squat lobsters (Galatheoidea and Chirostyloidea), a diverse group of decapod crustaceans, are ubiquitous members of the deep-sea fauna. Within Galatheoidea, the genera Munida and Munidopsis are the most diverse, but accurate estimates of biodiversity are difficult due to morphological complexity and cryptic diversity. Four species of Munida and nine species of Munidopsis from cold-water...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Martha S. Nizinski, Cheryl L. Morrison
Low incidence of clonality in cold water corals revealed through the novel use of standardized protocol adapted to deep sea sampling Low incidence of clonality in cold water corals revealed through the novel use of standardized protocol adapted to deep sea sampling
Sampling in the deep sea is a technical challenge, which has hindered the acquisition of robust datasets that are necessary to determine the fine-grained biological patterns and processes that may shape genetic diversity. Estimates of the extent of clonality in deep-sea species, despite the importance of clonality in shaping the local dynamics and evolutionary trajectories, have been...
Authors
Ronan Becheler, Anne-Laure Cassone, Philippe Noel, Olivier Mouchel, Cheryl L. Morrison, Sophie Arnaud-Haond
Development of twelve microsatellite loci in the red tree corals Primnoa resedaeformis and Primnoa pacifica Development of twelve microsatellite loci in the red tree corals Primnoa resedaeformis and Primnoa pacifica
A suite of tetra-, penta-, and hexa-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed from Roche 454 pyrosequencing data for the cold-water octocorals Primnoa resedaeformis and P. pacifica. Twelve of 98 primer sets tested consistently amplified in 30 P. resedaeformis samples from Baltimore Canyon (western North Atlantic Ocean) and in 24 P. pacifica samples (Shutter Ridge, eastern Gulf of...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Robert P. Stone
Testing the depth-differentiation hypothesis in a deepwater octocoral Testing the depth-differentiation hypothesis in a deepwater octocoral
The depth-differentiation hypothesis proposes that the bathyal region is a source of genetic diversity and an area where there is a high rate of species formation. Genetic differentiation should thus occur over relatively small vertical distances, particularly along the upper continental slope (200–1000 m) where oceanography varies greatly over small differences in depth. To test whether...
Authors
Andrea Quattrini, Iliana B. Baums, Timothy M. Shank, Cheryl L. Morrison, Erik E. Cordes
Nine microsatellite loci developed from the octocoral, Paragorgia arborea Nine microsatellite loci developed from the octocoral, Paragorgia arborea
Paragorgia arborea, or bubblegum coral, occurs in continental slope habitats worldwide, which are increasingly threatened by human activities such as energy development and fisheries practices. From 101 putative loci screened, nine microsatellite markers were developed from samples taken from Baltimore canyon in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The number of alleles ranged from two to...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Cheryl L. Morrison
Population connectivity of deep-sea corals Population connectivity of deep-sea corals
Identifying the scale of dispersal among habitats has been a challenge in marine ecology for decades (Grantham et al., 2003; Kinlan & Gaines, 2003; Hixon, 2011). Unlike terrestrial habitats in which barriers to dispersal may be obvious (e.g. mountain ranges, rivers), few absolute barriers to dispersal are recognizable in the sea. Additionally, most marine species have complex life cycles...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Amy Baco, Martha S. Nizinski, D. Katharine Coykendall, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, Walter Cho, Tim Shank
Acute survivorship of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa from the Gulf of Mexico under acidification, warming, and deoxygenation Acute survivorship of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa from the Gulf of Mexico under acidification, warming, and deoxygenation
Changing global climate due to anthropogenic emissions of CO2 are driving rapid changes in the physical and chemical environment of the oceans via warming, deoxygenation, and acidification. These changes may threaten the persistence of species and populations across a range of latitudes and depths, including species that support diverse biological communities that in turn provide...
Authors
Jay J. Lunden, Conall G. McNicholl, Christopher R. Sears, Cheryl L. Morrison, Erik E. Cordes
Development of ten microsatellite loci in the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822 Development of ten microsatellite loci in the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822
A suite of tetra-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for the invasive giant African land snail, Achatina (=Lissachatina) fulica Bowdich, 1822, from Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing data. Ten of the 96 primer sets tested amplified consistently in 30 snails from Miami, Florida, plus 12 individuals representative of their native East Africa, Indian and Pacific Ocean regions...
Authors
Cheryl L. Morrison, Marcus J. Springmann, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Christopher M. Wade
Development of eighteen microsatellite loci in walleye (Sander vitreus) Development of eighteen microsatellite loci in walleye (Sander vitreus)
A suite of tri- and tetra-nucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for walleye (Sander vitreus) from 454 pyrosequencing data. Eighteen of the 50 primer sets tested amplified consistently in 35 walleye from two lakes on Isle Royale, Lake Superior: Chickenbone Lake and Whittlesey Lake. The loci displayed moderate levels of allelic diversity (average 5.5 alleles/locus) and...
Authors
D. Katharine Coykendall, Cheryl L. Morrison, Wendylee Stott, Marcus J. Springmann
Global ocean conveyor lowers extinction risk in the deep sea Global ocean conveyor lowers extinction risk in the deep sea
General paradigms of species extinction risk are urgently needed as global habitat loss and rapid climate change threaten Earth with what could be its sixth mass extinction. Using the stony coral Lophelia pertusa as a model organism with the potential for wide larval dispersal, we investigated how the global ocean conveyor drove an unprecedented post-glacial range expansion in Earth׳s...
Authors
Lea-Anne Henry, Norbert Frank, Dierk Hebbeln, Claudia Weinberg, Laura Robinson, Tina van de Flierdt, Mikael Dahl, Melanie Douarin, Cheryl L. Morrison, Matthias Lopez Correa, Alex D. Rogers, Mario Ruckelshausen, J. Murray Roberts
Self-recognition in corals facilitates deep-sea habitat engineering Self-recognition in corals facilitates deep-sea habitat engineering
The ability of coral reefs to engineer complex three-dimensional habitats is central to their success and the rich biodiversity they support. In tropical reefs, encrusting coralline algae bind together substrates and dead coral framework to make continuous reef structures, but beyond the photic zone, the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa also forms large biogenic reefs, facilitated by...
Authors
Sebastian J Hennige, Cheryl L. Morrison, Armin U. Form, Janina Buscher, Nicholas A. Kamenos, J. Murray Roberts
Non-USGS Publications**
Duffy, J.E., Morrison, C.L., and Rios, R., 2000, Multiple origins of eusociality among sponge-dwelling shrimps (Synalpheus): Evolution v. 54, no 2, p. 503-516.
Morrison, C.L., Harvey, A.W., Lavery, S., Tieu, K., Huang, Y., and Cunningham, C.W., 2002, Mitochondrial gene rearrangements confirm parallel evolution of the crab-like form: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B v. 269, no. 1489, p. 345-350. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1886
Duffy, J.E., Morrison. C.L., and Macdonald, K., 2002, Colony defense, division of labor, and productivity in the eusocial shrimp Synalpheus regalis: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology v. 51, p. 488-495. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-002-0455-5
Morrison, C.L., Duffy, J.E., and Rios, R., 2004, Phylogenetic hypothesis suggests rapid radiation of Caribbean sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Synalpheus): Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 30, p. 563-581. DOI: 10.1016/s1055-7903(03)00252-5
Carlsson, J., Morrison, C.L., and Reece, K.S., 2006, A wild population and aquaculture strain of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) compared using microsatellite markers: Journal of Heredity, v. 97, no. 6, p. 595-598. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esl034
Hare, M.P., Allen, S.K., Bloomer, P., Camara, M.D., Carnegie, R.B., Murfree, J., Luckenbach, M., Meritt, D., Morrison, C.L., Paynter, K., Reece, K.S., and Rose, C., 2006, A genetic test for recruitment enhancement after supplementation with a disease tolerant oyster strain (Crassostrea virginica) in Chesapeake Bay: Conservation Genetics, v. 7, no. 5, p. 717-734. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-005-9108-3
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Filter Total Items: 13
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government