Cheryl L Morrison, Ph.D.
Cheryl Morrison is a Research Geneticist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Fish Health Laboratory in Kearneysville, WV
Intro
Cheryl received a B.S. degree in Marine Biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1991) and her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Florida State University (1997). Since joining the USGS in 2002, her research has involved the application of conservation genetics and genomics techniques to species at risk. Cheryl has worked on a variety of species from aquatic habitats such as freshwater rivers (Atlantic salmon, darters and mussels), and vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems on the U.S. continental slope (deep-sea corals, cold seeps and canyons). Such deep-sea ecosystems remain poorly characterized yet are vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Studies of genetic connectivity among populations of dominant, habitat-forming coral species inform marine spatial planning for effective stewardship of natural resources.
Education
- Ph.D. 1997, Florida State University
- B.S., 1991, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Major: Marine Biology
Current Position
Dr. Morrison is a principal investigator for multiple studies that aim to describe biodiversity, assess taxonomic status, define units of conservation, and determine dispersal pathways of marine invertebrates and invasive species. A focus of Dr. Morrison’s research has been the description of biodiversity and connectivity in vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems on the U.S. continental slope. Such ecosystems remain poorly characterized, yet are vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Studies of genetic connectivity among populations of dominant, habitat-forming coral species may inform marine spatial planning for effective stewardship of natural resources.
Professional Experience:
- 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 Research Associate, Duke University
Affiliations:
- 2018-Present, Affiliate Faculty, Environmental Science and Policy Department, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
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
Molecular characterization of Bathymodiolus mussels and gill symbionts associated with chemosynthetic habitats from the U.S. Atlantic margin
The complete maternal mitochondrial genome sequences of two imperiled North American freshwater mussels: Alasmidonta heterodon and Alasmidonta varicosa (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae)
Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype
Genomic evolution, recombination, and inter-strain diversity of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 from Florida and Hawaii green sea turtles with fibropapillomatosis
Deepwater Program: Lophelia II, continuing ecological research on deep-sea corals and deep-reef habitats in the Gulf of Mexico
The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) revisited: Molecular species delineation using a mitochondrial DNA gene reveals multiple conspecifics and undescribed species
Deep-sea coral research and technology program: Alaska deep-sea coral and sponge initiative final report
Scleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species
A phylogenetic perspective on diversity of Galatheoidea (Munida, Munidopsis) from cold-water coral and cold seep communities in the western North Atlantic Ocean
Low incidence of clonality in cold water corals revealed through the novel use of standardized protocol adapted to deep sea sampling
Development of twelve microsatellite loci in the red tree corals Primnoa resedaeformis and Primnoa pacifica
Testing the depth-differentiation hypothesis in a deepwater octocoral
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 43
Molecular characterization of Bathymodiolus mussels and gill symbionts associated with chemosynthetic habitats from the U.S. Atlantic margin
Mussels of the genus Bathymodiolus are among the most widespread colonizers of hydrothermal vent and cold seep environments, sustained by endosymbiosis with chemosynthetic bacteria. Presumed species of Bathymodiolus are abundant at newly discovered cold seeps on the Mid-Atlantic continental slope, however morphological taxonomy is challenging, and their phylogenetic affinities remain unestablishedAuthorsDolly (Katharine) Coykendall, Robert S. Cornman, Nancy G. Prouty, Sandra Brooke, Amanda W. J. Demopoulos, Cheryl L. MorrisonThe complete maternal mitochondrial genome sequences of two imperiled North American freshwater mussels: Alasmidonta heterodon and Alasmidonta varicosa (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae)
The freshwater mussels Alasmidonta heterodon and A. varicosa historically inhabited rivers along the North American Atlantic coast from the Carolinas, U.S.A., to New Brunswick, CA. However, many populations have been extirpated, and A. heterodon is now federally listed in the U.S.A. as endangered, and both A. heterodon and A. varicosa are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. To facilitate geAuthorsAaron Aunins, Cheryl L. Morrison, Heather Galbraith, Michael S. Eackles, W. Bane Schill, Tim L. KingComparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype
Cold-water corals provide critical habitats for a multitude of marine species, but are understudied relative to tropical corals. Primnoa pacifica is a cold-water coral prevalent throughout Alaskan waters, while another species in the genus, Primnoa resedaeformis, is widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean. This study examined the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene after amplifying and pyrosequenciAuthorsDawn B. Goldsmith, Christina A. Kellogg, Cheryl L. Morrison, Michael A. Gray, Robert P. Stone, Rhian G. Waller, Sandra D. Brooke, Steve W. RossGenomic evolution, recombination, and inter-strain diversity of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 from Florida and Hawaii green sea turtles with fibropapillomatosis
Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) is a herpesvirus associated with fibropapillomatosis (FP) in sea turtles worldwide. Single-locus typing has previously shown differentiation between Atlantic and Pacific strains of this virus, with low variation within each geographic clade. However, a lack of multi-locus genomic sequence data hinders understanding of the rate and mechanisms of ChHV5 evolutionarAuthorsCheryl L. Morrison, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Thierry M. Work, Elizabeth Fahsbender, Mya Breitbart, Cynthia R. Adams, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Lakyn Sanders, Mathias Ackermann, Robert S. CornmanDeepwater Program: Lophelia II, continuing ecological research on deep-sea corals and deep-reef habitats in the Gulf of Mexico
The deep sea is a rich environment composed of diverse habitat types. While deep-sea coral habitats have been discovered within each ocean basin, knowledge about the ecology of these habitats and associated inhabitants continues to grow. This report presents information and results from the Lophelia II project that examined deep-sea coral habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. The Lophelia II project focAuthorsAmanda W.J. Demopoulos, Steve W. Ross, Christina A. Kellogg, Cheryl L. Morrison, Martha S. Nizinski, Nancy G. Prouty, Jill R. Bourque, Julie P. Galkiewicz, Michael A. Gray, Marcus J. Springmann, D. Katharine Coykendall, Andrew Miller, Mike Rhode, Andrea Quattrini, Cheryl L. Ames, Sandra D. Brooke, Jennifer P. McClain-Counts, E. Brendan Roark, Noreen A. Buster, Ryan M. Phillips, Janessy FrometaThe Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) revisited: Molecular species delineation using a mitochondrial DNA gene reveals multiple conspecifics and undescribed species
The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) represent approximately one-third of freshwater mussel diversity in North America. Species identification within this group is challenging due to morphological convergence and phenotypic plasticity. Accurate species identification, including characterisation of currently unrecognised taxa, is required to develop effective conservation strategies because many sAuthorsKentaro Inoue, David M. Hayes, John L. Harris, Nathan A. Johnson, Cheryl L. Morrison, Michael S. Eackles, Tim King, Jess W. Jones, Eric M. Hallerman, Alan D. Christian, Charles R. RandklevDeep-sea coral research and technology program: Alaska deep-sea coral and sponge initiative final report
Deep-sea coral and sponge ecosystems are widespread throughout most of Alaska’s marine waters. In some places, such as the central and western Aleutian Islands, deep-sea coral and sponge resources can be extremely diverse and may rank among the most abundant deep-sea coral and sponge communities in the world. Many different species of fishes and invertebrates are associated with deep-sea coral andAuthorsChris Rooper, Robert P. Stone, Peter Etnoyer, Christina Conrath, Jennifer Reynolds, H. Gary Greene, Branwen Williams, Enrique Salgado, Cheryl L. Morrison, Rhian G. Waller, Amanda W.J. DemopoulosScleractinian coral biodiversity and patterns of inter-canyon connectivity among four coral species
No abstract available.AuthorsCheryl L. Morrison, D. Katharine Coykendall, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Lakyn R. Sanders, Rhian G. Waller, Steve W. Ross, Sandra D. BrookeA 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 coral (CWCAuthorsD. Katharine Coykendall, Martha S. Nizinski, Cheryl L. MorrisonLow 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 largely obscuAuthorsRonan Becheler, Anne-Laure Cassone, Philippe Noel, Olivier Mouchel, Cheryl L. Morrison, Sophie Arnaud-HaondDevelopment 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 Alaska). TheAuthorsCheryl L. Morrison, Marcus J. Springmann, Kelsey Shroades, Robert P. StoneTesting 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 genetic dAuthorsAndrea Quattrini, Iliana B. Baums, Timothy M. Shank, Cheryl L. Morrison, Erik E. CordesNon-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.2001.1886Duffy, 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/s00265-002-0455-5Morrison, 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)00252-5Carlsson, 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/esl034Hare, 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.