Aquatic Resource Conservation

As an ecologically important and highly imperiled natural resource, freshwater ecosystems are in need of high priority conservation and management efforts in order to promote biodiversity and ensure long-term biological integrity. 

Researchers at CMI support conservation initiatives to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems through applied research, monitoring population dynamics and distributions, and stream habitat evaluations. Researchers have experience conducting surveys for freshwater mussels, fishes, crayfishes, and benthic macroinvertebrates, as well as water quality and stream habitat assessments. Additionally, our team includes USFWS-approved staff to conduct surveys and habitat assessments for endangered and threatened freshwater mussels in the upper Tennessee River drainage. Our current research projects include partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Department of Defense, other research affiliates at Virginia Tech, and several private engineering firms.