John Downing

Title(s):

Emeritus Professor [EEOBA]

Information

Honors and Awards
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, elected member of the Board of Directors, 2006-2009
Water Encyclopedia, invited co-editor, Elsevier Publishers
North American Nitrogen Center, invited member of Board of Directors, 2004
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, invited participant, workshop on integration of terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycling
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Invited member and president of Evolution and Ecology Panel, 2003-2000

Interest Areas

Dr. Downing’s research interests range from aquatic to terrestrial ecology, from microbial ecology to biogeochemistry, and from population conservation to whole ecosystem restoration and management. Scales of study range from the organismal to comparative analyses of ecosystems across the globe. His research in aquatic ecology and limnology focuses on the highly impacted, eutrophic to hypereutrophic lakes and streams of the U.S. Midwest. Because they are some of the most nutrient-rich systems in the world, they are perfect testing grounds for current theories concerning aquatic ecosystem structure and function as well as important foci for restoration. Whole watershed analysis stress the tight links between land use and water quality, using a strong GIS component. The Limnology Lab has been the home of the Iowa Lakes Survey and its staff annually collects water quality data on >100 Iowa lakes. Midwestern U.S. waters supply significant amounts of nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico; thus the biogeochemistry of the watersheds are of great relevance to marine ecology and oceanography. Conserving aquatic biodiversity is also a principal interest so he studies freshwater mussel ecology. Iowa was once a world center for freshwater mussel biodiversity, but they are declining precipitously here. Downing’s lab seeks to understand the reasons behind their decline around the world.

Publications

Downing, J.A.,Y.T. Prairie, J.J. Cole, C.M. Duarte, L.J. Tranvik, R.G. Striegl, W.H. McDowell, P. Kortelainen, N.F. Caraco, J.M. Melack, and J. Middelburg. 2006.The global abundance and size distribution of lakes, ponds, and impoundments. Limnology and Oceanography 51(5): 2388-2397 (L&O Feature Article)
Egertson, C.J. and J.A. Downing. 2004. Relationship of fish catch and composition to water quality in a suite of agriculturally eutrophic lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 61: 1784-1796.
Strayer, D.L., J.A. Downing, W.R. Haag, T.L. King, J.B. Layzer,T.J. Newton, and S.J. Nichols. 2004. Changing perspectives on pearly mussels, North America’s most imperiled animals. BioScience 54 (5): 429-439.
Schrage, L.J. and J.A. Downing. 2004. Pathways of increased water clarity after benthivorous fish removal from Ventura Marsh; a shallow, eutrophic wetland. Hydrobiologia 511: 215-231.
Klatt, J.G., A.P. Mallarino, J.A. Downing, J.A. Kopaska and D.J. Wittry. 2003. Soil phosphorus, management practices, and their relationships to phosphorus delivery in the Iowa Clear Lake agricultural watershed. Journal of Environmental Quality 32: 2140-2149.
Anthony, J.L. and J.A. Downing. 2003. Physical and chemical impacts of wind and boat traffic on Clear Lake, Iowa, USA. Lake and Reservoir Management. 19: 1-14.

Departments

Affiliations

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