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Steve Francoeur
Associate Professor
B.Sc., Bowling Green State University, 1994
M.Sc., Bowling Green State University, 1997
Ph.D., University of Alabama, 2001
326 Mark Jefferson
(734) 487-0049
steve.francoeur@emich.edu
Biography:
Research Interests - Virtually all submerged surfaces in lakes, rivers and wetlands are covered with microbes. These surface-associated microbial communities are composed of algae, bacteria, fungi and protists, and are known as periphyton. My research is mainly focused on the ecology of periphyton, with emphasis on the algal component. The two main themes of my research are: 1) understanding how biological, physical and chemical factors affect the abundance, distribution and activity of periphytic microbes, and 2) understanding microbial interactions within periphyton communities. Examples of these two research themes include 1) studying the effects of flood disturbance and habitat refugia on periphytic algal biomass and community composition, and 2) investigating the influence of algal photosynthesis on bacterial extracellular enzyme activity within periphyton communities. I am also interested in the taxonomy and systematics of a particular group of algae, the freshwater diatoms.
Courses:
BIOL 110 - Introductory Biology I
BIOL 310 - Ecology
BIOL 410/522 - Limnology
BIOL 509 - Statistics for Biologists
BOTN 451/551 - Freshwater Algae
CSIE 177 - Cyanobacteria in the Huron River
 
Recent Publications:
Pinowska, A., S.N. Francoeur and K.M. Manoylov. 2008. Substratum-associated microbiota. Water Environment Research Literature Review 80(10):1858-1891.

Francoeur, S.N., A.C. Johnson, K.A. Kuehn, and R.K. Neely. 2007. Evaluation of the efficacy of the photosystem II inhibitor DCMU in periphyton and its effects on non-target microorganisms and extracellular enzymatic reactions. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 26:633-641.

Duggan, J., and S.N. Francoeur. 2007. Relative abundance of native and invasive amphipods in western Lake Erie in relation to dreissenid mussel encrustation and algal cover. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 22:201-212.

Rier, S.T., K.A. Kuehn, and S.N. Francoeur. 2007. Algal regulation of extracellular enzyme activity in stream microbial communities associated with both inert substrata and detritus. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 26:439-449.

Francoeur, S.N., M. Schaecher, R.K. Neely, and K.A. Kuehn. 2006. Periphytic photosynthetic stimulation of extracellular enzyme activity in microbial communities associated with natural decaying wetland plant litter. Microbial Ecology 52:662-669.

Francoeur, S.N. and B.J.F. Biggs. 2006. Short-term effects of elevated velocity and sediment abrasion on periphyton communities. Hydrobiologia 561:59-69.

Gillies, J.E., K.A. Kuehn, S.N. Francoeur, and R.K. Neely. 2006. Application of the 3H-leucine incorporation technique for quantifying bacterial secondary production associated with decaying wetland plant litter. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72:5948-5956.

Francoeur, S.N. and R.G. Wetzel. 2003. Regulation of periphytic leucine-aminopeptidase activity. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 31(3):249-258.

Francoeur, S.N., A. Pinowska, T. Clason, S. Makosky, and R.L. Lowe. 2002. Unionid bivalve influence on benthic algal community composition in a Michigan lake. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 17(4):105-113.

Espeland, E.M., S.N. Francoeur, and R.G. Wetzel. 2002. Microbial phosphatase in biofilms: A comparison of whole community enzyme activity and individual bacterial cell-surface phosphatase expression. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 153(4):581-593.

Francoeur, S.N. 2001. Meta-analysis of lotic nutrient amendment experiments: Detecting and quantifying subtle responses. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 20(3):358-368.

Sabbe, K., K. Vanhoutte, R.L. Lowe, E.A. Bergey, B.J.F. Biggs, S. Francoeur, D. Hodgson, and W. Vyverman. 2001. Six new Actinella (Bacillariophyta) species from Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand: Further evidence for widespread diatom endemism in the Australasian region. European Journal of Phycology 36(4):321-340.