Thomas Byl, far left, a U.S. Geological Survey biologist and professor at Tennessee State University, poses with a group of TSU's Summer Apprenticeship Program students as they prepare to do some wetlands science. (Courtesy photo).
Thomas D Byl, Ph.D.
Thomas D Byl is a Biologist in the Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Duty Station: Nashville Tennessee since 1993
He is also affiliated with Tennessee State University through the cooperative agreement program. Tom has advised more than 200 research students at TSU in engineering, biology, chemistry and agriculture sciences. His students’ projects include developing tracer models for non-ideal flow, bioremediation of contaminated groundwater, GIS, karst and wetland hydrology, environmental microbiology, and biogeochemistry.
Professional Experience
Tom’s research focuses on fate of chemicals in surface and groundwater. Tom enjoys working in karst environments. Tom has worked on a wide variety of water resource issues, such water quantity and quality, bio-geochemistry, hydrological and biological processes.
Education and Certifications
Biological Science Ph.D. is from the University of Memphis
Masters in Plant Biochemistry is from LSU, Baton Rouge, LA
Bachelors in Biology is from Hope College.
Affiliations and Memberships*
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)
American Water Resources Association (AWRA)
National Speleological Society (NSS)
Science and Products
Clarifying Science Needs for Determining the Impact of Climate Change on Harmful Algal Blooms in Southeastern United States
Biogeochemical data from microcosm experiments to evaluate treatment of acid-rock drainage in selected counties in Tennessee
Average well color development data for water samples from six locations within the historic section of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Attenuation of acid rock drainage by stimulating sulfur-reducing bacteria
Stimulation of aquatic bacteria from Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, by sublethal concentrations of antibiotics
Microbiology and oxidation-reduction geochemistry of the water-table and Memphis aquifers in the Allen well field, Shelby County, Tennessee
Undergraduate research projects help promote diversity in the geosciences
Adaptations of indigenous bacteria to fuel contamination in karst aquifers in south-central Kentucky
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Carlsbad, New Mexico, April 29-May 2, 2014
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 26-29, 2011
Partnership of Environmental Education and Research-A compilation of student research, 1999-2008
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2008
Non-USGS Publications**
Kentucky, 2011-12. In S. Trimboli Ed., Proceedings of 10th Mammoth Cave Science Symposium, pg 188-192.
Kentucky, 2011-12. In S. Trimboli Ed., Proceedings of 10th Mammoth Cave Science Symposium, pg 188-192.
Water Resources Symposium,
Water Resources Symposium,
Water Resources Symposium,
Use of Tanks-In-Series Numerical Model to Predict Nitrate Removal in Wetlands. In TN Proceedings of Tenn. AWRA, Burns, TN. April, 2008.
Tom Byl. 2008. Are Aquifers at Greater Risk from Alternative Alcohol-Fuel Mixes Compared to Regular Gasoline? In 18th Annual Proceedings of Tennessee Water Resources Association.
**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.
Thomas Byl, far left, a U.S. Geological Survey biologist and professor at Tennessee State University, poses with a group of TSU's Summer Apprenticeship Program students as they prepare to do some wetlands science. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program process water samples in a laboratory during the 2024 cohort. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program process water samples in a laboratory during the 2024 cohort. (Courtesy photo).
Andrea Jaegge, far left, a USGS postdoctoral biologist, instructs Tennessee State University students participating in the school's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program, on how to use a epifluorescent microscope to view algae (Courtesy photo).
Andrea Jaegge, far left, a USGS postdoctoral biologist, instructs Tennessee State University students participating in the school's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program, on how to use a epifluorescent microscope to view algae (Courtesy photo).
Devin Moore, left, a U.S. Geological Survey intern and Tennessee State University graduate student, assists a 2024 TSU Summer Apprenticeship Program participant in wetlands research. (Courtesy photo).
Devin Moore, left, a U.S. Geological Survey intern and Tennessee State University graduate student, assists a 2024 TSU Summer Apprenticeship Program participant in wetlands research. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in the 2024 cohort of Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program take a field trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in the 2024 cohort of Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program take a field trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. (Courtesy photo).
U.S. Geological Survey biologist Thomas Byl, foreground, leads students participating in Tennessee State University's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program. (Courtesy photo).
U.S. Geological Survey biologist Thomas Byl, foreground, leads students participating in Tennessee State University's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program. (Courtesy photo).
Science and Products
Clarifying Science Needs for Determining the Impact of Climate Change on Harmful Algal Blooms in Southeastern United States
Biogeochemical data from microcosm experiments to evaluate treatment of acid-rock drainage in selected counties in Tennessee
Average well color development data for water samples from six locations within the historic section of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Attenuation of acid rock drainage by stimulating sulfur-reducing bacteria
Stimulation of aquatic bacteria from Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, by sublethal concentrations of antibiotics
Microbiology and oxidation-reduction geochemistry of the water-table and Memphis aquifers in the Allen well field, Shelby County, Tennessee
Undergraduate research projects help promote diversity in the geosciences
Adaptations of indigenous bacteria to fuel contamination in karst aquifers in south-central Kentucky
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Carlsbad, New Mexico, April 29-May 2, 2014
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 26-29, 2011
Partnership of Environmental Education and Research-A compilation of student research, 1999-2008
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2008
Non-USGS Publications**
Kentucky, 2011-12. In S. Trimboli Ed., Proceedings of 10th Mammoth Cave Science Symposium, pg 188-192.
Kentucky, 2011-12. In S. Trimboli Ed., Proceedings of 10th Mammoth Cave Science Symposium, pg 188-192.
Water Resources Symposium,
Water Resources Symposium,
Water Resources Symposium,
Use of Tanks-In-Series Numerical Model to Predict Nitrate Removal in Wetlands. In TN Proceedings of Tenn. AWRA, Burns, TN. April, 2008.
Tom Byl. 2008. Are Aquifers at Greater Risk from Alternative Alcohol-Fuel Mixes Compared to Regular Gasoline? In 18th Annual Proceedings of Tennessee Water Resources Association.
**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.
Thomas Byl, far left, a U.S. Geological Survey biologist and professor at Tennessee State University, poses with a group of TSU's Summer Apprenticeship Program students as they prepare to do some wetlands science. (Courtesy photo).
Thomas Byl, far left, a U.S. Geological Survey biologist and professor at Tennessee State University, poses with a group of TSU's Summer Apprenticeship Program students as they prepare to do some wetlands science. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program process water samples in a laboratory during the 2024 cohort. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program process water samples in a laboratory during the 2024 cohort. (Courtesy photo).
Andrea Jaegge, far left, a USGS postdoctoral biologist, instructs Tennessee State University students participating in the school's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program, on how to use a epifluorescent microscope to view algae (Courtesy photo).
Andrea Jaegge, far left, a USGS postdoctoral biologist, instructs Tennessee State University students participating in the school's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program, on how to use a epifluorescent microscope to view algae (Courtesy photo).
Devin Moore, left, a U.S. Geological Survey intern and Tennessee State University graduate student, assists a 2024 TSU Summer Apprenticeship Program participant in wetlands research. (Courtesy photo).
Devin Moore, left, a U.S. Geological Survey intern and Tennessee State University graduate student, assists a 2024 TSU Summer Apprenticeship Program participant in wetlands research. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in the 2024 cohort of Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program take a field trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. (Courtesy photo).
Students participating in the 2024 cohort of Tennessee State University's Summer Apprenticeship Program take a field trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. (Courtesy photo).
U.S. Geological Survey biologist Thomas Byl, foreground, leads students participating in Tennessee State University's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program. (Courtesy photo).
U.S. Geological Survey biologist Thomas Byl, foreground, leads students participating in Tennessee State University's 2024 cohort of the Summer Apprenticeship Program. (Courtesy photo).
*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