Chris is a Research Ecologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
Chris is a research ecologist with an applied background addressing the fate and effects of contaminants on freshwater ecosystems. His research interests include food webs, aquatic-terrestrial linkages, ecological modeling, toxicology assessments, and evaluation of remediation and restoration on aquatic ecosystems.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Colorado State University (CSU), 2019
B.S. in Fisheries and Aquatic Science & Forest Biology, CSU, 2012
Affiliations and Memberships*
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Society for Freshwater Science
Science and Products
Assessment of Mercury and Mercury Stable Isotopes in Sediments and Biota from Reservoirs and Remedial Zones within the Saint Louis River, Minnesota
Stream water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate data from the North Fork Clear Creek and Clear Creek, Colorado, USA, from 2011-2019, before and after acid mine drainage treatment
Mercury isotope values in shoreline spiders reveal transfer of aquatic mercury sources to terrestrial food webs
Integrated assessment of chemical and biological recovery after diversion and treatment of acid mine drainage in a Rocky Mountain stream
Science and Products
- Data
Assessment of Mercury and Mercury Stable Isotopes in Sediments and Biota from Reservoirs and Remedial Zones within the Saint Louis River, Minnesota
This data release includes mercury concentrations and mercury stable isotope measurements measured in sediments and biological tissues collected from the Saint Louis River located in Minnesota. Sediments and biota were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and federal contractors (Battelle) from 2017-2021. Collection regions inStream water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate data from the North Fork Clear Creek and Clear Creek, Colorado, USA, from 2011-2019, before and after acid mine drainage treatment
Stream water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate data collected in the North Fork of Clear Creek and Clear Creek, CO, USA before and after the diversion and treatment of acid mine drainage by a high-density sludge lime process water treatment plant. Stream water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate samples were collected from November 2011 through October 2019 at 6 sites located above and b - Publications
Mercury isotope values in shoreline spiders reveal transfer of aquatic mercury sources to terrestrial food webs
The transfer of aquatic contaminants, including mercury (Hg), to terrestrial food webs is an often-overlooked exposure pathway to terrestrial animals. While research has implemented the use of shoreline spiders to assess aquatic to terrestrial Hg transfer, it is unclear whether Hg sources, estimated from isotope ratios, can be successfully resolved to inform site assessments and remedy effectiveneAuthorsSarah E. Janssen, Christopher James Kotalik, Collin Eagles-Smith, Gale B. Beaubien, Joel C. Hoffman, Greg Peterson, Marc A. Mills, David WaltersIntegrated assessment of chemical and biological recovery after diversion and treatment of acid mine drainage in a Rocky Mountain stream
Responses of stream ecosystems to gradual reductions in metal loading following remediation or restoration activities have been well documented in the literature. However, much less is known about how these systems respond to the immediate or more rapid elimination of metal inputs. Construction of a water treatment plant on the North Fork of Clear Creek (NFCC; CO, USA), a US Environmental ProtectiAuthorsChristopher James Kotalik, Joseph S. Meyer, Pete Cadmus, James F. Ranville, William H. Clements
*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