Funding provided by:
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Current & Upcoming Funded Research Projects
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Linking Habitat Use, Flow Regime, and Genomic Structure to Support Conservation of Dionda Species in Texas.
Status: Not started Project Investigators: Zachary Mitchell (PI), David Portnoy, (Co-PI; TAMUCC), Kevin Conway (Co-PI; TAMU) Funding Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Natural Resources Program Estimated Project Start Date: January 2027 Project Summary: This project will investigate how habitat conditions, streamflow regimes, and genetic diversity influence the persistence of four endemic Texas Roundnose Minnow species (Dionda spp.). Through range-wide field surveys, recruitment monitoring, and genomic analyses, the study will identify critical habitats, evaluate flow–ecology relationships, and assess population connectivity to support conservation planning and management of these imperiled freshwater fishes. |
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Tracking Southern Flounder Recruitment Timing Using Ichthyoplankton Sampling at Texas Coastal Passes.
Status: Not started Project Investigators: Zachary Mitchell (PI) Funding Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife, State Wildlife Grant- Coastal Fisheries Estimated Project Start Date: November 2026 Project Summary: This project will investigate the timing and environmental drivers of southern flounder recruitment along the Texas coast by sampling larval fish entering estuaries through major coastal passes. By linking larval abundance patterns to environmental conditions and juvenile recruitment data, the study will improve understanding of factors influencing year-class strength and provide information needed to support conservation and management of this declining species. |
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Aquatic Linkages: How Rain and Water Quantity Drive Crayfish Abundance in South Texas
Status: Data Collection Project Investigators: Zachary Mitchell (PI) Funding Source: Texas Ecological Laboratory Program (www.texasecolab.org) Project Start Date: June 2026 Project Summary: This project will investigate how rainfall, water availability, and hydrologic conditions influence crayfish occurrence and abundance across freshwater and coastal wetland ecosystems in South Texas. Through repeated field surveys at inland stream and coastal marsh sites, the study will evaluate patterns of habitat use, seasonal population dynamics, and species distributions to better understand the ecological factors that drive crayfish persistence in variable environments. |
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Assessing Distribution, Habitat Use, and Environmental Tolerances of Data-Deficient Texas Crayfish
Status: Data Collection Project Investigators: Zachary Mitchell (PI), Ryan Shartau (Co-PI; WSU) Funding Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Natural Resources Program Project Start Date: August 2025 Project Summary: This project will assess the distribution, habitat use, population dynamics, and environmental tolerances of six data-deficient crayfish species in Texas. Through extensive field surveys, long-term population monitoring, laboratory experiments, and ecological niche modeling, the project will identify critical habitats, evaluate species responses to drought and changing environmental conditions, and provide the scientific information needed to guide conservation and management of these imperiled freshwater species. |
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Wildfire, water, and wildlife: assessing beaver pond’s role in mitigating wildfire impacts on aquatic ecosystems and water security
Status: Data Collection & Analysis Project Investigators: Corey Green (PI, ENMU), Zachary Mitchell (Co-PI) Funding Source: New Mexico Water Resource Research Institute- Faculty Research Grant Program Project Start Date: September 2024 Project Summary: This project will evaluate whether beaver ponds can mitigate the negative effects of severe wildfires on stream ecosystems and water quality in northern New Mexico. By comparing burned and unburned watersheds containing beaver ponds and human-made impoundments, the study will assess changes in aquatic communities, contaminant concentrations, and metal bioaccumulation to determine how natural ecosystem engineers can enhance wildfire resilience and water security. |
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Microplastics monitoring of water in the Texas-New Mexico-Chihuahua region.
Status: Data Collection & Analysis Project Investigators: Patricia Cabrales-Arellano (PI, ENMU), Zachary Mitchell (Co-PI), Eduardo Ceh-Varela (Co-PI, ENMU) Funding Source: North American Development Bank (BORDER 2025) Project Start Date: August 2024 Project Summary: This project evaluates the occurrence, abundance, and composition of microplastics throughout the Rio Grande watershed using field sampling and FTIR laboratory analyses. Results will provide baseline information on microplastic pollution across the U.S.–Mexico border region and support future monitoring, forecasting, and water quality management efforts. |
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Improving data literacy in undergraduate biology education
Status: Final Report Writing Project Investigators: Corey Green (PI, ENMU), Zachary Mitchell (Previous PI, Consultant), Ken Cradock (Co-PI, UNM) Funding Source: National Science Foundation; Division of Undergraduate Education Project Start Date: July 2022 Project Summary: This project evaluates the effectiveness of integrating data analysis, visualization, statistics, and computational tools into undergraduate biology curricula. By incorporating hands-on training in Excel and R across multiple biology courses, the project will assess how early exposure to quantitative skills influences student data literacy, statistical reasoning, and preparation for careers in the biological sciences. |
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Additional Active Research Projects ^ = graduate student
Understanding fish stranding and mortality in regulated flows: a combined field and experimental approach
Project Members: Zachary Mitchell, Brittany Pulcini^
Assessing Hurricane Impacts on Functional Diversity of Texas Estuarine Fishes
Project Members: Zoe C. Mabry^, Joseph M. McGovern^, Levi D. Sweeten^, Zachary Mitchell
Bridge Bias: Is Convenience Sampling Misleading Freshwater Mussel Conservation?
Project Members: Kiara Cushway (USACE), Zachary Mitchell (TAMUK), Todd Morris (DFO-CAN), Karl Cottenie (UofG), Daelyn Woolnough (CMU), Astrid Schwalb (TXST)
Ecological Trajectory Patterns of North American Stream Fish Assemblages
Project Members: Zachary Mitchell
Understanding fish stranding and mortality in regulated flows: a combined field and experimental approach
Project Members: Zachary Mitchell, Brittany Pulcini^
Assessing Hurricane Impacts on Functional Diversity of Texas Estuarine Fishes
Project Members: Zoe C. Mabry^, Joseph M. McGovern^, Levi D. Sweeten^, Zachary Mitchell
Bridge Bias: Is Convenience Sampling Misleading Freshwater Mussel Conservation?
Project Members: Kiara Cushway (USACE), Zachary Mitchell (TAMUK), Todd Morris (DFO-CAN), Karl Cottenie (UofG), Daelyn Woolnough (CMU), Astrid Schwalb (TXST)
Ecological Trajectory Patterns of North American Stream Fish Assemblages
Project Members: Zachary Mitchell