research guide - UTEP Magazine - University of Texas at El Paso

Aquatic Ecology
Managing a precious resource
Ponds, wetlands and other water sources
in extreme environments such as the desert
or Arctic are one of the focuses of the Aquatic
Ecology Laboratory at UTEP. Lab director Vanessa
Lougheed, Ph.D., an assistant professor
of biology, leads a research group studying the
plants and invertebrate creatures that live in
these isolated sources of water.
The lab also is studying damage and restoration
efforts along the Rio Grande and in the
springs and wetland areas around Fort Bliss.
Another project seeks to understand and
manage the ecological disruptions caused by
invasive species of plants, including salt cedar
and tumbleweeds.
“Locally, we are doing research
on the development of functional
indicators to track restoration
efforts at the Rio Bosque Wetlands
Park.”
Vanessa Lougheed, Ph.D.
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