Welcome to the Molecular Ecology Lab (MEL) at the Environmental Lab Section of Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).

We are focused on using molecular techniques to gain a better understanding of the environment around us. Our approach is broad, using field, molecular techniques, statistics, and code to examine microbial communities in the waters of Delaware.

Research

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Harmful Algal Blooms

How have algal blooms changed in Delaware’s waters and how could they potentially change in the future?

Microbial Source Tracking

What organisms may be contributing to Delaware’s high bacterial loads?

The Team

Click a person for their research interests, CV, and contact info

Lead

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Christopher R. Main

Environmental Scientist

Publications

Tracing the sources of phosphorus along the salinity gradient in a coastal estuary using multi-isotope proxies

Eutrophication in coastal water has compromised ecosystem services. Identification of phosphorus (P) sources and their load …
PDF DOI

Microbial Source Tracking in the Love Creek Watershed, Delaware (USA)

Fecal contamination of waterways in Delaware pose an ongoing problem for environmental and public health. For monitoring efforts, …
PDF Project DOI

Hydrophysical and Hydrochemical Controls of Cyanobacterial Blooms in Coursey Pond, Delaware (USA)

Noxious cyanobacterial blooms are common in many ponds in the mid‐Atlantic Coastal Plain. In Delaware, blooms normally occur between …
PDF Project DOI

Critical comparison of molecular methods for detection and enumeration of the harmful algal species, Heterosigma akashiwo, in environmental water samples

Molecular methods such as quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and sandwich hybridization assay (SHA) enable a more rapid and specific …
PDF Project DOI

Assessment of the suitability of Durafet-based sensors for pH measurement in dynamic estuarine environments

The suitability of the Honeywell Durafet to the measurement of pH in productive, high-fouling, and highly-turbid estuarine environments …
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