Brady Porter

Research in the Porter Lab integrates natural history and molecular techniques to explore various aspects of aquatic organisms, particularly fishes. The focus encompasses phylogenetic relationships, phylogeography, hybridization, conservation genetics, and the evolution of mating systems within freshwater ecosystems of the Eastern United States. Utilizing both field and laboratory methods, projects employ morphological and molecular analyses, including meristic, morphometric, osteological, and pigment biochemistry assessments, as well as microsatellites and DNA sequencing. These approaches contribute to understanding the genetic diversity and population dynamics of threatened and endangered species, such as Etheostoma darters in the upper Ohio River watershed.

Monitoring efforts in this watershed have revealed the distribution patterns of Etheostoma darters, indicating their utilization of tailwater habitats below navigational lock and dam installations. Electrified-benthic trawling techniques have been instrumental in documenting their presence, with species like E. camurum and E. tippecanoe showing expansion throughout the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. However, the distribution of E. maculatum remains limited and requires ongoing monitoring. These findings have led to the removal of all three darter species from the Pennsylvania imperiled fishes list, highlighting the efficacy of trawling methods in surveying river-inhabiting darters. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/26453854).  

In addition to distribution studies, the lab delves into the genetic and biochemical characterization of chromoprotein pigments found in darters. These pigments, crucial for camouflage, communication, and sexual selection, exhibit structural diversity across darter species. By investigating the genetic and functional properties of these pigments, particularly in the Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum), the research aims to enhance our understanding of pigment evolution in freshwater fishes.

Furthermore, the lab explores the impact of seasonal dietary shifts on avian gut microbiome communities, particularly during critical periods such as nesting/fledging and migration. Collaborative efforts involve banding birds in sustainable forest gaps to track dietary changes using fecal metabarcoding and stable isotope analyses. This multidisciplinary approach sheds light on how ecological and environmental factors influence avian gut microbiomes and facilitate energy demands during migration.