Dr. Danielle Kreeger

Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology
Assistant Curator - Academy of Natural Sciences

Background: Ph.D. - Fisheries, Oregon State University (1992)
                         M.S. - Marine Biology/Biochemistry, University of Delaware (1987)
                         B.S. - Biology (Marine  Biology, Honors) Penn State University (1984) 
                         Assistant Curator & Wetland Ecologist,  Academy of Natural Sciences (1997-present); 
                         Senior Scientist, Academy of Natural  Sciences (1995-1997); 
                         Postdoctoral Research Associate, Academy of Natural  Sciences (1993-1995); 
                         NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellow, Plymouth Marine Laboratory,  U.K. (1992-1993); 

Research Interests: Physiology, ecology and nutrition of suspension-feeding invertebrates (e.g., marine bivalves, freshwater mussels, zooplankton) in marine, estuarine and freshwater systems. Conservation, propagation and restoration of freshwater mussel populations or species of special concern. Role of suspension-feeding invertebrates in aquatic food webs and biogeochemical cycles of energy and nutrients. Use of suspension-feeding invertebrates in biomonitoring water quality. Use of bivalve populations for maintaining or improving water quality. Ecological restoration and functional equivalency of restored/created habitats, particularly tidal wetlands. Technical assistance and environmental assessment for shellfisheries and aquaculture.

Current or Pending Research Grants:

Definition of critical habitat for juvenile freshwater mussels (Unionidae) (pending).
 
Dietary requirements for the care and propagation of freshwater mussels (pending).
 
Restoration of native freshwater mussels in Pennsylvania streams: use of caged transplants to gauge stream readiness (pending).
 
Using mangrove oysters in the assessment of the impacts land use changes on the water quality in the La Parguera Reserve (pending).
 
San Antonio Bay Oyster Health Assessment: third party monitoring of population size structure, condition index and tissue biochemical composition of oysters (current).
 
Relative effects of photochemical transformations of Phragmites-derived and Spartina-derived dissolved organic matter on secondary production in Delaware Bay salt marshes (current).

Courses Taught:

Techniques in Environmental Assessment
Invertebrate Zoology
Wetland Ecology
Aquatic Ecology
Marine Biology & Ecology
Aquaculture
Marine Animal Physiology