Zhiqiang (Dylan) Xia, PhD

The Health and services of the global aquatic ecosystems are threatened by multiple environmental stressors such as pollution, invasive species, habitat destruction, and climate change. My long-term research interests are to understand the individual and synthetic impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater ecosystems (e.g., rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands) and to seek restoration and management solutions. For example, I will focus on the following major issues through the collective use of bench-level studies, field surveys, and proper statistical tools. 1) Mechanisms, pathways, and prevention and controls of aquatic invasive species; 2) impacts of aquatic invasive species and eutrophication on biodiversity, food webs, and water quality, and evolution of their impacts over time and space. My specific interests include but are not limited to 1) the use of eDNA tools for low-abundance species (e.g., endangered and invasive species, including communities) surveillance; 2) impact assessments of invasive mussels on nutrient cycling in the Great Lakes under various conditions; 3) Biodeposition of emerging contaminants by invasive mussels in water environments and its eco-environmental effects.

 

        在不断增长的人类活动和全球变化背景下，环境污染（如 新污染物）、生物入侵（如 长距离输水工程介导的物种跨流域迁移）、栖息地破坏（如 拦河筑坝）、气候变化等多重胁迫因子广泛而深刻地影响着水体生态系统健康和生态服务功能。我的长期研究将着眼于理解这些环境压力对淡水生态系统（河流、湖泊、水库、湿地）的综合影响，并寻求管理和修复方案。例如，通过良好的室内控制实验、野外调查和恰当统计工具的使用，开展1）水生入侵生物的入侵机制、途径和防控策略研究； 2）不同时空尺度下，入侵生物和水污染对水质、生物多样性和食物网的影响研究。 当前，我的具体研究主要包括以下几个方向：1）环境DNA (eDNA) 在稀有生物（如：早期入侵生物、本地濒危生物）的监测中的应用和优化； 2）入侵贝类在复杂环境条件下对大湖营养循环的影响；3）入侵贝类对水体新污染物的生物沉积作用及其生态环境效应。