Robert E Zuellig, Ph.D.
Bob is an Ecologist with the Colorado Water Science Center.
Bob Zuellig obtained his Ph.D. in Ecology at Colorado State University in 2006. He is an Ecologist at the Colorado Water Science Center. Since 2001, his research has focused on stream insect, fish, and diatom communities and how they respond and recover from human induced stressors. Other research interests include aquatic insect taxonomy, distribution, and biogeography as well as the ecology of plains stream fishes. Currently, Bob is the ecology trend analyst for the Surface-Water Trends Team of the National Water Quality Project of the National Water Quality Program. You can find more information about it here http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/swtrends/
Professional Experience
2006 to present: Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado
2004 to 2006: Ecologist Student Trainee, U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado
2001 to 2003: Biologist Student Trainee, U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado
2000 to 2001: Aquatic Biologist, Department of Public Works, Water Quality and Environmental Services, Boulder, Colorado
1999 to 2002: Aquatic Biologist, Department of Water Quality Services, City of Fort Collins, Colorado
1997 to 1999: Research Assistant, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
1997 to 2001: Fishery Biology and Aquaculture Instructor, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Ecology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 2006
M.S. Entomology, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, 2001
B.S. Fishery Biology, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1999
A.S. Aquaculture and Fisheries Technology, Front Range Community College, 1996
Affiliations and Memberships*
May 2007 to present: Affiliated Faculty, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
Science and Products
Metamorphosis alters contaminants and chemical tracers in insects: implications for food webs
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012
Cross-ecosystem impacts of stream pollution reduce resource and contaminant flux to riparian food webs
Barriers impede upstream spawning migration of flathead chub
Assessing the use of existing data to compare plains fish assemblages collected from random and fixed sites in Colorado
Characterizing invertebrate traits in wadeable streams of the contiguous US: differences among ecoregions and land uses
Diversity and distribution of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, 1873-2010
Variance partitioning of stream diatom, fish, and invertebrate indicators of biological condition
Critical tissue residue approach linking accumulated metals in aquatic insects to population and community-level effects
A new species of Perlesta (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from North Carolina with additional records for North Carolina and Virginia
Are invertebrate traits influenced by natural gradients? Implications for trait based biomonitoring at national and regional-scales
Macroinvertebrate and algal community sample collection methods and data collected at selected sites in the Eagle River watershed, Colorado, 2000-07
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 38
Metamorphosis alters contaminants and chemical tracers in insects: implications for food webs
Insects are integral to most freshwater and terrestrial food webs, but due to their accumulation of environmental pollutants they are also contaminant vectors that threaten reproduction, development, and survival of consumers. Metamorphosis from larvae to adult can cause large chemical changes in insects, altering contaminant concentrations and fractionation of chemical tracers used to establish cAuthorsJohanna M. Kraus, David M. Walters, Jeff S. Wesner, Craig A. Stricker, Travis S. Schmidt, Robert E. ZuelligComparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamfloAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Robert W. Stogner, Sr., Krystal D. BrownCross-ecosystem impacts of stream pollution reduce resource and contaminant flux to riparian food webs
The effects of aquatic contaminants are propagated across ecosystem boundaries by aquatic insects that export resources and contaminants to terrestrial food webs; however, the mechanisms driving these effects are poorly understood. We examined how emergence, contaminant concentration, and total contaminant flux by adult aquatic insects changed over a gradient of bioavailable metals in streams andAuthorsJohanna M. Kraus, Travis S. Schmidt, David Walters, Richard B. Wanty, Robert E. Zuellig, Ruth E. WolfBarriers impede upstream spawning migration of flathead chub
Many native cyprinids are declining throughout the North American Great Plains. Some of these species require long reaches of contiguous, flowing riverine habitat for drifting eggs or larvae to develop, and their declining populations have been attributed to habitat fragmentation or barriers (e.g., dams, dewatered channels, and reservoirs) that restrict fish movement. Upstream dispersal is also neAuthorsDavid M. Walters, Robert E. Zuellig, Harry J. Crockett, James F. Bruce, Paul M. Lukacs, Ryan M. FitzpatrickAssessing the use of existing data to compare plains fish assemblages collected from random and fixed sites in Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, assessed the potential use of combining recently (2007 to 2010) and formerly (1992 to 1996) collected data to compare plains fish assemblages sampled from random and fixed sites located in the South Platte and Arkansas River Basins in Colorado. The first step was to determine if fish assemblages collected between 1992 andAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, Harry J. CrockettCharacterizing invertebrate traits in wadeable streams of the contiguous US: differences among ecoregions and land uses
Much is known about invertebrate community traits in basins across Europe, but no comprehensive description of traits exists for the continental US. Little is known about the trait composition of invertebrates in reference or least-disturbed basins of the US, how trait composition varies among ecoregions, or how consistently traits respond to land use. These elements are essential to development oAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, Travis S. SchmidtDiversity and distribution of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera) of the South Platte River Basin, Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, 1873-2010
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity (Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado), compiled collection record data to document the historical and present-day occurrence of mayfly, stonefly, and caddisfly species in the South Platte River Basin. Data were compiled from records collected between 1873 and 2010 to identify where regionaAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, Brian D. Heinold, Boris C. Kondratieff, David E. RuiterVariance partitioning of stream diatom, fish, and invertebrate indicators of biological condition
Stream indicators used to make assessments of biological condition are influenced by many possible sources of variability. To examine this issue, we used multiple-year and multiple-reach diatom, fish, and invertebrate data collected from 20 least-disturbed and 46 developed stream segments between 1993 and 2004 as part of the US Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program. We used aAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, Daren Carlisle, Michael R. Meador, Marina PotapovaCritical tissue residue approach linking accumulated metals in aquatic insects to population and community-level effects
Whole body Zn concentrations in individuals (n = 825) from three aquatic insect taxa (mayflies Rhithrogena spp. and Drunella spp. and the caddisfly Arctopsyche grandis) were used to predict effects on populations and communities (n = 149 samples). Both mayflies accumulated significantly more Zn than the caddisfly. The presence/absence of Drunella spp. most reliably distinguished sites with low andAuthorsTravis S. Schmidt, William H. Clements, Robert E. Zuellig, Katharine A. Mitchell, Stan E. Church, Richard B. Wanty, Carma A. San Juan, Monique Adams, Paul J. LamotheA new species of Perlesta (Plecoptera: Perlidae) from North Carolina with additional records for North Carolina and Virginia
Twenty-eight species of Nearctic Perlesta are currently recognized (Stark 1989, 2004; Kondratieff et al. 2006, 2008; Grubbs and DeWalt 2008, Grubbs and DeWalt 2011, Kondratieff and Myers 2011). Interestingly, but needing confirmation, Perlesta has been recently recorded from Central America (Gutiérrez-Fonseca and Springer 2011). Continued collecting and study of Perlesta from North Carolina by theAuthorsB.C. Kondratieff, R.E. Zuellig, D. R. LenatAre invertebrate traits influenced by natural gradients? Implications for trait based biomonitoring at national and regional-scales
No abstract available.AuthorsTravis S. Schmidt, Robert E. ZuelligMacroinvertebrate and algal community sample collection methods and data collected at selected sites in the Eagle River watershed, Colorado, 2000-07
State and local agencies are concerned about the effects of increasing urban development and human population growth on water quality and the biological condition of regional streams in the Eagle River watershed. In response to these needs, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a study in cooperation with the Colorado River Water Conservation District, Eagle County, Eagle River Water and SanitationAuthorsRobert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce - Web Tools
- News
*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