Theodore H. DeWitt

Marine Ecologist

Voice: 541-867-4029
Email: dewitt.ted@epa.gov

Education:

B.A., New College of the University of Florida, Sarasota, FL; Biology, 1976
Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY; Ecology and Evolution, 1985
Postdoctoral Fellow, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 1985-1987
Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 1987-1988

Previous Positions:

1994-1997: Senior Scientist, Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sequim, WA
1993-1994: Senior Research Associate, National Research Council, USEPA, ERL, Newport, OR
1992-1993: Marine Ecologist, AScI Corp., Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR
1988-1992: Research Associate, Oregon State University, Dept. of Zoology and Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR

Research Interests and Skills:

Ecology of marine and estuarine benthic invertebrates
Benthic community impacts on nutrient, carbon & contaminant fluxes
Remote sensing of sea floor habitats
Dynamics of estuarine and marine food webs
Ecotoxicology of chemical contaminants in sediments

Keywords:

Scientific Disciplines: Marine Benthic Ecology, Estuarine Ecology, Environmental Toxicology
Stressors: Habitat Modification, Nutrient Enrichment, Contaminated Sediments, Dredging, Fishing & Aquaculture Practices, Sedimentation
Methods and Techniques: Field Experiments, Remote Sensing, Sonar, Mesocosm, Invertebrate Toxicity Testing

Professional Societies:

American Association for the Advancement of Science
Estuarine Research Federation
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Appointments / Honors:

Co-Chair, 3rd SETAC World Congress, Brighton, England (2000)
USEPA Bronze Medal for Developing Standard Chronic Sediment Toxicity Test Methods (1999)
Courtesy Assistant Professor, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences and Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department, Oregon State University (1999 to present)
Steering Committee, SETAC Pellston Workshop on "Assessing the Effects of Complex Stressors in Ecosystems," Pellston, MI (1999)
Distinguished Visiting Scientist, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Hamilton, New Zealand, 1993, 1996
Co-chair, Ecological Effects Committee, SETAC Pellston Conference on Sediment Risk Assessment, Pacific Grove, CA (1995)
Organizing Committee, 2nd SETAC World Congress, Vancouver, BC, Canada (1995)
President, Pacific Northwest Chapter, SETAC (1994)

Selected Publications:

DeWitt, T.H., T. Bridges, S. Ireland, L. Stahl, M. Pinza, and L. Antrim. 2001. Method for assessing the chronic toxicity of marine and estuarine sediment-associated contaminants with the amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus. EPA 600/R-01/020, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Chotiros, N.P. and T.H. DeWitt. 2000. Acoustic sediment properties and the abundance of burrowing shrimp in marine sediments from reflection measurements. Proceedings of the Fifth European Conference on Underwater Acoustics (EUCA 2000), Lyons, France.
DeWitt, T.H., C.W. Hickey, D.J. Morrisey, R.B. Williamson, L. Van Dam, E.K. Williams, M.G. Nipper, and D.S. Roper. 1999. Do amphipods have the same concentration-response to contaminated sediment in situ versus in vitro? Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18(5):1026-1037.
Feldman, K.L., D.A. Armstrong, B.R. Dumbauld, T.H. DeWitt, and D.C. Doty. 2000. Oysters, crabs and burrowing shrimp: an environmental conflict over aquatic resources and pesticide use in Washington state's (USA) coastal estuaries. Estuaries 23: 141-176.
Ingersoll, C.G. et al. 1999. Laboratory toxicity tests for evaluating potential effects of endocrine-disrupting compounds. In: deFur, Crane, Ingersoll, and Tatersfield., eds., Endocrine Disruption in Invertebrates: Endocrinology, Testing, and Assessment,, SETAC Press.
Morrissey, D.J., T.H. DeWitt, D.S. Roper, and R.B. Williamson. 1999. Variation in the depth and morphology of burrows of the mud crab Helice crassa among different types of intertidal sediment in New Zealand. Marine Ecology Progress Series 182:231-242.
DeWitt, T.H., K.F. Wellman, T. Wildman, D.A. Armstrong, and L. Bennett. 1997. An evaluation of the feasibility of using integrated pest management to control burrowing shrimp in commercial oyster beds. Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory, Richland, WA.
DeWitt, T.H., D.J. Morrisey, D.S. Roper, and M.G. Nipper. 1996. Fact or artifact: The need for appropriate controls in ecotoxicological field experiments. Learned Discourses, SETAC News 16:22-23.
Burton, G.A. Jr., C.W. Hickey, T.H DeWitt, D.S. Roper, D.J. Morrisey, and M.G. Nipper. 1996. In situ toxicity testing: Teasing out the environmental stressors. Learned Discourses, SETAC News 16:20-22.
DeWitt, T.H., R.C. Swartz, D.J. Hansen, W.J. Berry, and D. McGovern. 1996. Bioavailability and chronic toxicity of cadmium in sediment to the estuarine amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15:2095-2101.
DeWitt, T.H., R.J. Ozretich, R.C. Swartz, J.O. Lamberson, D.W. Schults, G.R. Ditsworth, J.K.P. Jones, L. Hoselton, and L.M. Smith. 1992. The effects of organic matter quality on the toxicity and partitioning of sediment-associated fluoranthene to the infaunal amphipod, Rhepoxynius abronius. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 11:197-208.
DeWitt, T.H., R.C. Swartz, and J.O. Lamberson. 1989. Measuring the acute toxicity of estuarine sediments. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 8:1035-1048.
DeWitt, T.H., G.R. Ditsworth, and R.C. Swartz. 1988. Effects of natural sediment features on the phoxocephalid amphipod, Rhepoxynius abronius: Implications for sediment toxicity bioassays. Marine Environmental Research 25:99-124.

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Theodore H. DeWitt

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