Richard A. Snyder

Education

• B.S. Biology, College of Charleston, SC
• M.S., Ph.D. Zoology, University of Maryland

Research Interests

I am a broadly trained interdisciplinary ecologist focusing mostly on microbial ecology, especially eukaryotic microbes, from basic explorations of microbial diversity to applied aspects related to biofilm formation, water quality, disease, and response to pollutants. I have also worked with plant community ecology in coastal acidic bogs and barrier islands, and have conducted studies on the spatial and species-specific distributions and concentrations of metals (including Hg), PAHs, PCBs, and Dioxin-Furans in fish and shellfish.

As Director of VIMS’ Eastern Shore Laboratory, I am responsible for ensuring safe and effective access for visiting students and faculty to the spectacular coastal habitats of the Eastern Shore of Virginia and providing laboratory facilities for classroom and experimental work capitalizing on that access. I also feel obliged to explain complex science to the general public through media contacts and presentations and follow the dynamics of the science-society interface.

Current Projects

• Distribution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes with respect to physical and chemical oceanography and sediment properties across the continental shelf and slope of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.
• Linking single-celled protist morphology to rRNA sequences to improve the quality of online sequence databases

Selected Publications

Snyder, R.A., A.Vestal, C. Welch, G. Barnes, R. Pelot, M., M. Ederington-Hagy, and F. Hileman. 2014. PAH concentrations in Coquina (Donax spp.) on a sandy beach shoreline impacted by a marine oil spill. Marine Pollution Bulletin 83:87-91.

Moss, J. R. Snyder and J. Gordy. 2014. Effective concentration and detection of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Microsporidia from environmental matrices. Journal of Pathogens, doi:10.1155/2014/408204s.

Snyder, R.A., M. Ederington-Hagy, F. Hileman, J.A. Moss, L. Amick, R. Carruth, M. Head, J. Marks, and W.H. Jeffrey. 2014. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations across the Florida Panhandle continental shelf and slope after the BP MC 252 well failure. Marine Pollution Bulletin 89:201-208.

Allison, J.G., M. E. Wagner, M. McAllister, A. K. J. Ren, and R. A. Snyder. 2013. Sand bottom microalgal production and benthic nutrient fluxes on the northeastern Gulf of Mexico nearshore shelf. Gulf and Caribbean Research 25: 1-8.

Karouna-Renier, N.K. , R. A. Snyder, T. Lange, S. Gibson , J. G. Allison, M. G. Wagner, K. R. Rao. 2011. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) as vectors of contaminants to human consumers in northwest Florida. Marine Environmental Research 72:96-104.

Moss, JA., A. Nocker, and R.A. Snyder. 2010. Microbial characteristics of a submerged karst cave system in Northern Florida. Geomicrobiol. 28:8, 719-731

Karouna-Renier, N., R.A. Snyder, & K.R. Rao. (2007). Accumulation of organic and inorganic contaminants in shellfish collected in estuarine waters near Pensacola, Florida: Contamination profiles and risks to human consumers. Environmental Pollution 145:474-488.

Moss, J.A., A. Nocker, J.E. Lepo, & R.A. Snyder (2006). Stability and change in estuarine biofilm bacterial community diversity. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72:5679-5688

Nocker, A. J.E. Lepo, R.A. Snyder. (2004).Diversity of microbial biofilm communities associated with an oyster reef and an adjacent muddy-sand bottom habitat. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70:6834-6845.

Sipura, J., E. Lores, & R.A. Snyder. (2003). Effect of copepods on estuarine microbial plankton in short-term microcosms. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 33:181-190.

Snyder, R.A. & C.L. Boss. (2002). Recovery and Stability in Barrier Island Plant Communities. Journal of Coastal Research 18:530-536..

Lawrence, J.R. and R.A. Snyder. (1998). Feeding behavior and grazing impacts of a Euplotes sp. on attached bacteria. Canadian Journal of Microbioliology 44:623-629.

Snyder, R.A., Robarts, R.D., & Caldwell, D.E. (1994). [methyl- 3H]thymidine and 3H leucine incorporation in Vibrio spp. grown in nutrient limited continuous cultures. Can. Journal Microbiol. 40:375-381.

Snyder, R.A. & Brownlee, D.C. 1991. Nolaclusilis bicornis n.g., n.sp. (Tintinnina: Tintinnidiidae): a Tintinnine ciliate with novel lorica and cell morphology from the Chesapeake Bay estuary. J. Protozool. 38:583-589.

Ohman, M.D. & Snyder, R.A. 1991. Growth kinetics of the omnivorous oligotrich ciliate Strombidium sp. Limnol. Oceanogr 36:922-935.