Louise Wootton, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology How to Contact Me:  Arts & Science Center, Room 170 Georgian Court University School of Science and Mathematics 900 Lakewood Ave. Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697  Phone: 732.987.2349 woottonl@georgian.edu Visit my web site at: http://gcuonline.georgian.edu/wootton_l/

• Professor of Biology

Education:

• Doctor of Science, Marine and Estuarine Environmental Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. 1996
• Master of Science, Oceanography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 1989
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. 1986

Teaching:

• 2007 to present Professor of Biology, Georgian Court University
• 2003 to 2007 Associate Professor of Biology, Georgian Court University
• 1997 to 2002  Assistant Professor of Biology  Georgian Court College
• 1995 to 1997 Lecturer.  Dept of Biology, Salisbury State University, Salisbury, MD
• 1988 to 1989 Graduate teaching assistant, University of British Columbia,  Canada

Employment:

• 1993-95 Horn Point Environmental Laboratory research fellow. Horn Point Environmental Laboratory (HPEL), Cambridge, MD.
• 1991-93 University of Maryland graduate fellow at HPEL.
• 1989-91  Natural Science and Energy Research Council of Canada (N.S.E.R.C.)  Graduate fellow at HPEL.
• 1986-88  N.S.E.R.C. Graduate fellow, University of British Columbia,  Canada.

Courses taught at undergraduate level:

• Introductory Biology I  (Human Biology)
• Introductory Biology II  (Organisms, Ecology and Evolution)
• Data Collection and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
• Zoology
• General Ecology
• Aquatic Ecology (400/500)
• Senior Seminar in Biology 

Courses taught at graduate level:

• Aquatic Ecology (400/500)
• Evolution and Systematics
• Ecological Genetics
• Estuarine Ecology
• Biogeography
• Advanced Ecology
• Graduate Seminar in Biology

Professional Memberships and Positions:

• Chi Gamma Chapter of Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Society  1997 - Present
• Golden Z Service Club.  Charter Advisor  2004 – 2009
• New Jersey Academy of Science     1997 - present
• Atlantic Estuarine Research Society Member of governing Board 1993 -Present 
• New Jersey Marine Science Consortium Georgian Court University member representative
• Marine Academy of Science and Technology Educational Advisory Council 2001-Present
• Cattus Island Park Advisory Council  2008- present
• American Society of Limnology and Oceanography 1987- Present
• Estuarine Research Federation  1990- Present
• Sigma Xi  2000-present

Awards:

• President’s Award for Teaching Excellence. Georgian Court University. 2005
• Boyer Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology. The Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning. Florida Community College at Jacksonville.  2005
• Nominee: Ernest L. Boyer International Award for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology.  The Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning.  Florida Community College at Jacksonville 2005.
• Dean's Award for Innovative Use of Technology in the classroom, Georgian Court College, NJ  1998.
• Outstanding Faculty Award, Biology Department, Salisbury State University, MD 1997.

Publications:

• Burkitt, J and Wootton L. 2010. Effects of Disturbance and Age of Invasion on the Impact of the Invasive Sand Sedge, Carex kobomugi, on Native Dune Plant Populations in New Jersey's Coastal Dunes.  In Press. J. Coastal Research. 
• Wootton, LS.  2009. Waging War Against Invasive Species. The Jersey Shoreline.  Vol. 26 No. 2
• Wootton, L.S. First observation of Carex macrocephala on the Atlantic coast of North America.  Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 134(1): 126-134
• Wootton L, Halsey S, Bevaart K, McGough A, Ondreika J and Patel P. 2005.  When Invasive Species Have Benefits as Well as Costs:  Managing Carex kobomugi (Asiatic sand sedge) in New Jersey’s Coastal Dunes.  Biological Invasions 7:1017-27
• Wootton, LS. 2003.  Spread rate and changes in species diversity associated with the introduced Asiatic sand sedge, Carex kobomugi, in New Jersey coastal dune communities.  5-page Extended Abstract in Press for Coastal Zone 2003 Conference Proceedings.
• McGough A, Bevaart K, Ondreika J, Patel P, Wootton L.  2003.  Effectiveness of low-impact management strategies for eradication of Carex kobomugi (Asian sand sedge) from dune communities within New Jersey’s coastal parks.  5-page Extended Abstract in Press for Coastal Zone 2003 Conference Proceedings. 

Professional Presentations:

• Louise Wootton. 2010. Missed Connections and Misperceptions:  A Special Role for Estuaries and Coastal Ecosystems. In Bridging the Gap between Academia and the Public.  Spring Meeting of the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society.  Atlantic City, NJ. March 2010.
• Louise Wootton and Jim Burkitt. 2009. Assessing patterns in spread rate and direction of Carex kobomugi relative to known populations of endangered dune species in order to prioritize management actions for this species in New Jersey. Odum conference: Understanding and managing biological invasions as dynamic processes: Integrating information across space and time. Rensselaerville, NY
• Louise Wootton, Jodi Sisk and Amanda Traina. 2008.  Ready to Use Integrated Curriculum Unit Centered on the Invasive Plant, Phragmites australis.   New Jersey Science Teachers’ Convention.  Garden State Exhibit Center, Somerset, NJ
• Louise Wootton. 2006. Rapid Expansion of the Large-Headed Sedge, Carex macrocephala, at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Atlantic Estuarine Research Federation Fall Meeting.  Baltimore MD.
• Louise Wootton. 2006.  Carex macrocephala: A new threat to the ecology of New Jersey's coastal dunes?  Atlantic Estuarine Research Federation Spring Meeting.  Philadelphia, Pa.
• Susan Halsey, Courtney Rella and Louise Wootton.  2006.  Testing management strategies for the invasive Asiatic sand sedge Carex kobomugi, in New Jersey's coastal dunes.  Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section.
• Wootton, L.S. 2005. Motivating use of technology in a first year seminar class.  14th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning, Jacksonville, Florida.
• Wootton LS, Burkitt JW, VanWagner C, Myatt S.  2004. Use of GIS in assessing patterns of density and impacts on native diversity of the invasive sedge, Carex kobomugi in New Jersey coastal dunes. ASLO. Savannah GA.
• Louise Wootton. 2004.  When invasive species have benefits as well as costs: Managing Carex kobomugi (Asiatic Sand Sedge) in New Jersey's Coastal Dunes.  Horn Point Laboratory, Seminar Series. University of Maryland.
• Wootton, L.S.  2003.  Spread rate and changes in species diversity associated with the introduced Asian sand sedge, Carex kobomugi, in New Jersey coastal dune communities.  Coastal Zone 2003 Baltimore. (Given by Audrey McGough due to an illness in my family)
• Louise Wootton,  Katy Bevaart, Audrey McGough, Jason Ondreika, Purvi Patel and Susan Halsey. 2003.   Assessment of spread rates and effectiveness of management strategies for Carex kobomugi (Asiatic sand sedge) in two New Jersey coastal parks.  Third international conference on Marine Bioinvasions.  San Diego
• Wootton. Louise S.  1999.  Simulation of the dynamics of detrital decomposition in aquatic ecosystems using STELLA modeling.  New Jersey Academy of Science Annual Meeting.  Georgian Court College, NJ.
• Wootton, L.S.  1998. Influence of protein, energy and particle size upon the value of detrital materials as food sources for the estuarine amphipod Gammarus mucronatus.  New Jersey.  Academy of Science 1998 Annual Meeting.  Monmouth University, NJ.
  Co-Presentations with faculty colleagues
• Susan Halsey, Courtney Rella and Louise Wootton.  2006.  Testing management strategies for the invasive Asiatic sand sedge Carex kobomugi, in New Jersey's coastal dunes.  Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section.
• Emily Parker, Susan Halsey and Louise Wootton.  2005. Monitoring results of herbicide treatments and other techniques to manage Carex kobomugi (Asiatic Sand Sedge), an invasive plant species, in New Jersey's Coastal Dunes.  Geological Society of America, Joint Meeting of the Northeastern and SouthEastern Sections, Saratoga Springs.  NY.
• Susan Halsey and Louise Wootton.  2004. When policy drives management: strategies to eliminate Carex kobomugi (Asiatic Sand Sedge), and exotic invasive in dunes with within federal and state parks.   Geological Society of America, Joint Meeting of the Northeastern and SouthEastern Sections, Washington DC.
• Louise Wootton and Susan Halsey.  2003. Removal of an exotic invasive, Carex kobomugi (Asiatic sand sedge), from New Jersey’s coastal dunes:   Implications for coastal Dune Stability.   Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section.  Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Presentations my students have made:

• Louise Wootton, Jodi Sisk, Amanda Traina and Jennifer Mattiello.  2010.  Linking Water Conservation Education to Environmental Impacts in Local Watersheds.  25th Annual Meeting of the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE).  Princeton, NJ. 
• Louise Wootton, Jodi Sisk, Amanda Traina and Allison McGrath.  2010.  Teaching about Invasive Species Using an Integrated Curriculum Unit.  25th Annual Meeting of the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE).  Princeton, NJ. 
• Liza Baskin. 2009. Preliminary results of a study comparing the arthropod communities of the invasive Asiatic sand sedge (Carex kobomugi) and native American beach grass (Ammophila breviligulata) in New Jersey’s coastal dunes. Conference on Invasive Species in Coastal Dunes and Maritime Forests.  Lakewood, NJ
• Barbara Edelhauser.  2009.  The Influence of Nitrogen Deposition on the Competition between the Native Ammophila breviligulata and the Exotic, Invasive Carex kobomugi.   Conference on Invasive Species in Coastal Dunes and Maritime Forests.  Lakewood, NJ
• Kevin Mack. 2009.  Effect of the Asiatic Sand Sedge (Carex kobomugi) on the growth of seaside goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens.  Conference on Invasive Species in Coastal Dunes and Maritime Forests.  Lakewood, NJ.
• Jacqueline McCort. 2009. A modest proposal to remove Carex kobomugi from New Jersey's Coastal Dunes and to restore native vegetation in those areas. Conference on Invasive Species in Coastal Dunes and Maritime Forests.  Lakewood, NJ.
• Jim Burkitt and Louise Wootton.  2008. Role of habitat disturbance in determining invasion success for Carex kobomugi in New Jersey Coastal Dunes.  Spring Meeting of the Atlantic Estuarine Research Federation.  Lewes Delaware.
• Jessica Keiper  (co-mentored with Dr. Carolyn Bergman). 2008. Determination of  genetic variability in Carex kobomugi.  Annual Meeting of the New Jersey Academy of Sciences.  Kean University
• Parker, E and Wootton L. 2005.  Monitoring the Impact of Herbicide Application on Invasive and Native Plants in a New Jersey Coastal Dune System.  NJAS 50th Annual Meeting.  NJIT.
• Rella, C. Wootton L and Bologna P. 2005.  Determination of genetic differences between seagrasses growing in pristine versus eutrophied portions of Barnegat Bay.  TriBeta Annual Convention.  The College of New Jersey.
• Burkitt, James, Wootton, Louise, Parker, Emily, Rella, Courtney, Bevaart, Katy. 2004. Use of GIS technology to show the impact of the invasive Carex kobomugi  on species distribution, diversity and richness in a New Jersey coastal dune system.  Atlantic Estuarine Research Federation.  Meadowlands, NJ.
• McGough, Audrey, Wootton, Louise. 2004.  Effects of seagrass decomposition and litterbag location on feeding preferences of the amphipod Gammarus mucronatus.  Atlantic Estuarine Research Federation.  Meadowlands, NJ.
• Jim Burkitt, Louise Wootton, Sharon Myatt and Crystal VanWagner.  2004.  Illustrating differences in impact of the invasive Asiatic Sand Sedge Carex kobomugi on native species diversity and species richness in pristine versus human-impacted sand dune systems.  ASLO. Savannah GA.
• Crystal VanWagner, Sharon Myatt, Jim Burkitt, Louise Wootton.  2004. Impact of Carex kobomugi on plant species diversity and species richness in Island Beach State Park’s sand dune systems. NJAS.  Farleigh Dickenson University, NJ.
• Sharon Myatt, Crystal VanWagner, Jim Burkitt, Louise Wootton. 2004. Impact of Carex kobomugi, Asiatic sand sedge, on native species diversity and species richness in coastal dunes at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation area in New Jersey. NJAS Farleigh Dickenson University, NJ.
• Kara Hendry, Lindsey Vestyck, Marnie Richtmeyer and Louise Wootton. 2004.  Use of Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis as a tool for determining the genetic diversity within populations of the invasive Asiatic sand sedge, Carex kobomugi. NJAS. Farleigh Dickenson University, NJ. Note: This paper won the NJAS Award for Excellence in Marine and Coastal Science.
• Audrey McGough, Katy Bevaart, Jason Ondreika, Purvi Patel and Louise Wootton. 2003. Effectiveness of low-impact management strategies for eradication of Carex kobomugi (Asian sand sedge) from dune communities within New Jersey’s coastal parks.  Coastal Zone 2003 Baltimore.
• Audrey McGough and Louise Wootton 2002.  Zooplankton abundance and species composition in Northern Barnegat Bay.   New Jersey Academy of Sciences 2002 Annual Meeting.   Kean University.   Note: This paper won the NJAS Award for Excellence in Marine and Coastal Science.
• Azalea-Lisa Chandler and Louise S. Wootton. 2000. The effects of drainage overflow on  the water quality of Twilight Lake, Bayhead, New Jersey.  New Jersey Academy of Science 2000 Annual Meeting.  Georgian Court College, NJ.
• Robert W. Zimmerman and Louise S. Wootton.  1999.   Above-ground and below-ground biomass of Zostera marina in the central region of Barnegat Bay, NJ. New Jersey Academy of Science 1999 Annual Meeting.  Georgian Court College, NJ.

Other Presentations:

• Presented the Convocation address at GCU as Teacher of the Year.   Theme: “The thrill of being wrong”.  Fall 2005. 

Recent Grants:

• Wootton, L. and Gallagher C. 2006-2008. Increasing the public’s awareness of the invasive reed Phramgmites australis in New Jersey through public education and the creation of teaching resources for use in junior high school classrooms. $10,600.
• Wootton, L and Weber A.  2006.  Developing the proficiency to monitor PolyBrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) contamination levels in the Barnegat Bay.  ADEMAS.  $2,500.
• Bergman, C and Wootton, L. 2006-7.  Building opportunities for directed independent research for undergraduate.  $7,500.  Pfizer PURE grant
• Wootton, L and Weber A. 2005. Developing the proficiency to monitor PolyBrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) contamination levels in the Barnegat Bay.  New Jersey SeaGrant.  $5,000
• Rella, C. Wootton L and Bologna P. 2004. Determination of genetic differences between seagrasses growing in pristine versus eutrophied portions of Barnegat Bay.  $2,500. New Jersey Marine Science Consortium Undergraduate Senior Research Award
• Wootton, L.S. 2004. Use of GIS to map extent and monitor spread rates of Carex kobomugi in New Jersey.  $7,000.  Anderson Rogers Foundation.
• Wootton, LS.  2004.  Assessment of the distribution of Carex kobomugi (Asiatic Sand sedge) in coastal dune ecosystems in New Jersey and setting up long term monitoring of areas treated for this species’ removal.  $5,000. Georgian Court University Faculty Summer Research Grant.
• Wootton, L.  2004. Assessment of the distribution of Carex kobomugi (Asiatic Sand sedge) in coastal dune ecosystems in New Jersey and long term monitoring of areas treated for this species’ removal.  $2,500.  Ademas Foundation.
• Wootton, L.S. and Gross M.  2002-3.  Assessment of the Spread Rates and Mechanisms of Propogation/Expansion of Carex kobomugi stands in New Jersey Coastal Regions.   $5,000.  New Jersey Sea Grant Discretionary Funds.
• Wootton, L.S.  2002-3.  Assessment of the Spread Rates and Mechanisms of Propagation Expansion of Carex kobomugi stands in New Jersey Coastal Regions.  $5,000.  Georgian Court College Faculty Summer Research Grant Money.