Bonnie Brown
Research Interests
- conservation, ecological, and aquaculture genetics
- biomineralization of nutrients in aquaponics systems
- disease metagenomics
- riverine and estuarine ecosystem metagenomics
- oyster nutrient assimilation
- vertebrate and invertebrate strain evaluation for aquaculture
- flow cytometric analysis of ploidy
Our research seeks, using DNA and RNA, to better understand human interactions with aquatic ecosystems. Although we cannot see DNA or RNA with the naked eye, these molecules guide the function of all organisms on Earth and can serve as innate tags, gauges of activity, and evolutionary markers. Cataloging and comparing molecular genetic characters across populations and ecosystems provides insight into how organisms develop and interact, a field of study known as ecological genetics.
Much of our ecological genetic work is metagenomics, investigating genetic material obtained directly from environmental samples. Major efforts include microbial biomineralization of nutrients in aquaponics systems (tracking the microbial metabolic processes that moderate nutrients), epidemiological metagenomics (detecting and monitoring for disease causing organisms in the environment), detection and quantification of parasites and disease-causing organisms in heterogenous environmental backgrounds (Dermo and MSX in oysters, Bacillus in soils, and influenza from environmental isolates), and quantification of functional and taxonomic diversity of microbes in riverine and estuarine ecosystems.
The EGL also provides services to the industry and government including ploidy confirmation by flow cytometry for diploid and triploid adult and larval fish and shellfish (grass carp, black carp, striped bass, trout, and oysters), genetic mixed stock analysis for estimating harvest composition, and genetic biodiversity assessment. Contact us at 603.862.4200 for information on contracting these services.
Courses Taught
- BIOL 420: Introduction to Forensic Sciences
Education
- Ph.D., Oceanography, Old Dominion University
Selected Recent Publications (* indicates student co-author)
Manley*, J, B Brown, T Bliss, L Harvey. 2025. Timing of seasonal pathogen exposure relative to oyster lifecycle. Dis Aquat Org. in press.
Milne*, G, J Miksis-Olds, D Wilford, J Dijkstra, B Brown. 2025. Identifying sentinel indicators of acoustic propagation conditions using the soundscape code. JASA. in press.
Jenkins, JA, S Mize, D Johnson, B Brown. Flow Cytometric Detection of Waterborne Bacteria Metabolic Response to Anthropogenic Chemical Inputs to Aquatic Ecosystems. Cells. 14, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14050352
Lee, B-Y, N Andresen*, P Sheridan, BL Brown. 2024. Characterization of the rhizobiome of the yellow pitcher plant (Sarracenia flava) in wild and restored habitats of Virginia. Int J Plant Biol. 15: 1405-1417. DOI:10.3390/ijpb15040097
Giannopoulos, G, L Elsgaard, VA Tzanakakis, RB Frankline, BL Brown, BonniG Zanakis, N Monokrousos, I Anastopoulos, M Awad, I Ipsilantis, N Barbayiannis, A Polidoros. 2024. Impact of nitrapyrin on urea-based fertilizers in a Mediterranean calcareous soul: Nitrogen and microbial dynamics. Eur J Soil Sci. 75:e13553. DOI:10.1111/ejss.13553
Strickland* A, BL Brown. 2024. Population genomics of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in a well-mixed estuarine system: advancement and implications for restoration strategies. BMC Genomics. 25: 1171. DOI:10.1186/s12864-024-10988-7
Meyer-Rust
Courses Taught
- BIOL 420: Forensic Sciences Lab
- BIOL 695: Biology Teaching Practices
- BIOL 799H: Honors Senior Thesis
- BIOL 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research
- GEN 795W: Investigations in Genetics
- GEN 799H: Honors Senior Thesis
- INCO 590: Student Research Experience
- INCO 790: Advanced Research Experience
- NSB 501: Neurobiology Laboratory I
Education
- Ph.D., Oceanography, Old Dominion University
- B.S., Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham
Selected Publications
Milne, G., Miksis-Olds, J., Wilford, D., Dijkstra, J., & Brown, B. (2025). Identifying sentinel indicators of acoustic propagation conditions using the soundscape codea).. J Acoust Soc Am, 158(2), 1319-1333. doi:10.1121/10.0038944
Jenkins, J. A., Mize, S. V., Johnson, D., & Brown, B. L. (2025). Flow Cytometric Detection of Waterborne Bacteria Metabolic Response to Anthropogenic Chemical Inputs to Aquatic Ecosystems.. Cells, 14(5). doi:10.3390/cells14050352
Meyer-Rust, K. A., Strickland, A., Lee, B. -Y., Sevigny, J. L., Bradt, G., & Brown, B. L. (2024). Diet of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) during range expansion in Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire.. BMC Genomics, 25(1), 1238. doi:10.1186/s12864-024-10907-w
Strickland, A., & Brown, B. L. (2024). Population genomics of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in a well-mixed estuarine system: advancement and implications for restoration strategies.. BMC Genomics, 25(1), 1171. doi:10.1186/s12864-024-10988-7
Giannopoulos, G., Elsgaard, L., Tzanakakis, V. A., Franklin, R. B., Brown, B. L., Zanakis, G., . . . Polidoros, A. N. (2024). Impact of nitrapyrin on urea‐based fertilizers in a Mediterranean calcareous soil: Nitrogen and microbial dynamics. European Journal of Soil Science, 75(4). doi:10.1111/ejss.13553
Cheng, M. L. H., Lippmann, T. C., Dijkstra, J. A., Bradt, G., Cook, S., Choi, J. -G., & Brown, B. L. (2021). A baseline for microplastic particle occurrence and distribution in Great Bay Estuary. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, 170. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112653
Giannopoulos, G., Hartop, K. R., Brown, B. L., Song, B., Elsgaard, L., & Franklin, R. B. (2020). Trace Metal Availability Affects Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Microbial Functional Group Abundance in Freshwater Wetland Sediments. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, 11. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.560861
Reddington, K., Eccles, D., O'Grady, J., Drown, D. M., Hansen, L. H., Nielsen, T. K., . . . Brown, B. L. (2020). Metagenomic analysis of planktonic riverine microbial consortia using nanopore sequencing reveals insight into river microbe taxonomy and function. GIGASCIENCE, 9(6). doi:10.1093/gigascience/giaa053
Hamner, S., Brown, B. L., Hasan, N. A., Franklin, M. J., Doyle, J., Eggers, M. J., . . . Ford, T. E. (2019). Metagenomic Profiling of Microbial Pathogens in the Little Bighorn River, Montana. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH, 16(7). doi:10.3390/ijerph16071097
Jenkins, J. A., Chauvin, M. D., Johnson, D., Brown, B. L., Bailey, J., Kelly, A. M., & Kinter, B. T. (2019). Defensible standardized ploidy assessments for Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cyprinidae) intercepted from the commercial supply chain. JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH, 45(2), 371-383. doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2018.12.004
