Ronald W Harvey
Ronald W Harvey is a Scientist Emeritus Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Ronald Harvey earned his PhD in Environmental Sciences from Stanford in 1981. Following an NRC postdoctoral fellowship, he conducted research for USGS National Research Program in Menlo Park, CA (1982-1990) and in Boulder, CO (1991-present). From 2002 to 2005 he served as the first president of the International Society for Subsurface Microbiology (ISSM). He is a former chair of the Environmental (Q) Division of the American Society for Microbiology and is an adjunct professor in Environmental Engineering at the Univ. Colorado. His research focuses on subsurface microbial transport and ecology. He has authored/co-authored over 100 papers in his field. Field studies involve microbial transport and ecology of granular, fractured-rock, and karst-limestone aquifers throughout the country.
Mentorship/Outreach
- Adjunct Professor (1991-present), Univ. Colorado;
- Visiting Professor (2000) Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland;
- Consulting Asst. Prof. (1983) Stanford University;
- Lectures: 36 lectures at 25 different academic institutions and USDOE National Labs
- Thesis committees: 16 graduate students at 7 U.S. and 3 foreign universities
- Postdoctoral advisor: 3 (currently faculty at Univ. Colo., Univ. Kansas, Colo. Sch. Mines)
- Written opinions: 10 on hiring/tenure/promotion decisions for U.S. universities
- Foreign Universities: “Official opponent”: Univ. Lund (Sweden), “Outside examiner”: Univ. Neuchâtel (Switzerland) “Outside examiner”: Univ. Waterloo (Canada)
- USGS: Technical advice/assistance regarding groundwater contamination problems for researchers in 30 different USGS Water Science Centers (WSC). Asked by WSC Directors/Associates & USGS program managers (e.g., Offices of Groundwater, Water Quality, Toxics) to provide technical input on microbiological issues.
- USDOE: Advice provided to Subsurface Science Program (SSP) over eight years facilitated an emphasis on subsurface microbial transport patterned, in part, after my earlier USGS Cape Cod site research. Chaired DOE’s formal peer review of SSP transport study.
- USEPA: Advisory
Professional Experience
Professional Studies/Experience
USGS National Research Program (NRP) Project Chief (1985-present);
Adjunct Professor (1991-present), Univ. Colorado;
NRP Asst. Research Advisor for Ecology (2003-2005),
Research Advisor for Ecology (2006-2009),
President (2002-2005) Int’l Society for Subsurface Microbiology (ISSM),
Visiting Professor (2000) Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland;
Consulting Asst. Prof. (1983) Stanford University;
National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow (1981-1983),
Water Quality Specialist, State of California, (1974-1976)
Education and Certifications
Education
PhD (1981), Environ. Sci., Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA;
MS (1974), Environ. Eng., USC, Los Angeles, CA;
BS (1973), Biol. Sci., U. Mass/Lowell Inst. Tech., Lowell, MA
Science and Products
Big Soda Lake (Nevada). 1. Pelagic bacterial heterotrophy and biomass
Growth determinations for unattached bacteria in a contaminated aquifer
Sorption of lead onto two gram-negative marine bacteria in seawater
Effect of adherent bacteria and bacterial extracellular polymers upon assimilation by Macoma balthica of sediment-bound Cd, Zn and Ag
Separation of solute and particulate vectors of heavy metal uptake in controlled suspension-feeding experiments with Macoma balthica
Effect of organic contamination upon microbial distributions and heterotrophic uptake in a Cape Cod, Massachusetts, aquifer
The role of bacterial exopolymer and suspended bacteria in the nutrition of the deposit-feeding clam, Macoma balthica
Transport and distribution of bacteria and diatoms in the aqueous surface micro-layer of a salt marsh
Enrichment and association of lead and bacteria at particulate surfaces in a salt-marsh surface layer
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 81
Big Soda Lake (Nevada). 1. Pelagic bacterial heterotrophy and biomass
Bacterial activities and abundance were measured seasonally in the water column of meromictic Big Soda Lake which is divided into three chemically distinct zones: aerobic mixolimnion, anaerobic mixolimnion, and anaerobic monimolimnion. Bacterial abundance ranged between 5 and 52 x 106 cells ml−1, with highest biomass at the interfaces between these zones: 2–4 mg C liter−1 in the photosynthetic bacAuthorsJon P. Zehr, Ronald W. Harvey, Ronald S. Oremland, James E. Cloern, Leah H. George, Judith L. LaneGrowth determinations for unattached bacteria in a contaminated aquifer
Growth rates of unattached bacteria in groundwater contaminated with treated sewage and collected at various distances from the source of contamination were estimated by using frequency of dividing cells and tritiated-thymidine uptake and compared with growth rates obtained with unsupplemented, closed-bottle incubations. Estimates of bacterial generation times [(In 2)/μ] along a 3-km-long transectAuthorsR.W. Harvey, L.H. GeorgeSorption of lead onto two gram-negative marine bacteria in seawater
Laboratory adsorption experiments performed at environmentally significant lead (Pb) and cell concentrations indicate that the marine bacteria examined have significant binding capacities for Pb. However, the behavior governing Pb sorption onto gram-negative bacteria in seawater may be quite complex. The sorption kinetics appear to involve two distinct phases, i.e., a rapid removal of Pb from soluAuthorsRonald W. Harvey, James O. LeckieEffect of adherent bacteria and bacterial extracellular polymers upon assimilation by Macoma balthica of sediment-bound Cd, Zn and Ag
Effects of adherent bacteria and bacterial extracellular polymer (exopolymer) upon uptake of particle-bound Cd, Zn and Ag by the deposit-feeding clam Macoma balthica were studied in the laboratory. Amorphous iron oxyhydroxide and unaltered and alkaline-extracted sediments were used as model particulates in separate, controlled deposit-feeding experiments. In general, amounts of metal taken up fromAuthorsRonald W. Harvey, Samuel N. LuomaSeparation of solute and particulate vectors of heavy metal uptake in controlled suspension-feeding experiments with Macoma balthica
Radioisotope labelling experiments with the estuarine clam, Macoma balthica, are described, in which a filter chamber device was used to separate solute metal uptake from uptake, of metals associated with suspended bacteria. Solute uptake contributed a majority of the 14-day total body burdens of 65Zn and 109Cd, whereas 57Co uptake largely resulted from ingestion of isotope-laden bacteria. In contAuthorsRonald W. Harvey, Samuel N. LuomaEffect of organic contamination upon microbial distributions and heterotrophic uptake in a Cape Cod, Massachusetts, aquifer
No abstract available.AuthorsR.W. Harvey, R. L. Smith, L. GeorgeThe role of bacterial exopolymer and suspended bacteria in the nutrition of the deposit-feeding clam, Macoma balthica
Significant removal and assimilation of suspended bacteria by M. balthica was observed within two days, although the low clearance rates suggested planktonic bacteria may not be among its major food sources.AuthorsR.W. Harvey, Samuel N. LuomaTransport and distribution of bacteria and diatoms in the aqueous surface micro-layer of a salt marsh
The effects of tide and wind upon the distribution and transport of bacteria and diatoms in the aqueous surface microlayers of a Massachusetts and San Francisco Bay salt marsh were examined. The compression of the surface films by both tide and wind resulted in significant enrichments of bacterioneuston. At the San Francisco Bay site, significant numbers of diatoms were transported within the micrAuthorsRonald W. Harvey, Leonard W. Lion, Lily Y. YoungEnrichment and association of lead and bacteria at particulate surfaces in a salt-marsh surface layer
The particle-laden surface layer (approx 150-370 mu m) and subsurface waters of a South San Francisco Bay salt marsh were sampled over 2 tidal cycles and analyzed for particle numbers and particulate-associated and total concentrations of Pb and bacteria. Laboratory studies examined the ability of a bacterial isolate from the surface layer and a bacterial 'film-former' to sorb Pb at environmentallAuthorsR.W. Harvey, Leonard W. Lion, L.Y. Young, J.O. Leckie