I work on various aspects of the ecology of invertebrates from freshwater wetlands. In particular, I am interested in the roles that invertebrates play in wetland food webs including predator-prey relationships and plant-invertebrate interaction. Because many wetland invertebrates are important components of bird and fish diets, I often interact with wildlife biologists. Much of my work takes place in habitats that are being managed for waterfowl and waterbirds. I have a long-standing interest in mosquito ecology, and work to devise ecologically sound strategies to manage these populations in marshes.

Students that work under my supervision will initially collaborate with me on one of my projects. They will then be given the opportunity to develop and test their own hypotheses about wetland invertebrates. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged, and projects that utilize the strong tradition of aquatic and wetland research by other faculty at University of Georgia are especially welcome.

Selected Publications

Batzer, D. P. and D. Boix (eds.). 2016. Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands: An International Perspective on their Ecology. Springer Publishers, New York.

Pitt, D. B. and D. P. Batzer. 2015. Potential impacts on stream macroinvertebrates of an influx of woody debris from Eastern Hemlock demise. Forest Science 61:737-746.

Batzer, D. P., B. E. Taylor, A. E. DeBiase, S. E. Brantley, and R. Schultheis. 2015. Response of aquatic invertebrates to ecological rehabilitation of Southeastern USA depressional wetlands. Wetlands 35:803-813.

Holt, C. R., D. Pfitzer, C. Scalley, B. A. Caldwell, P. I. Capece, and D. P. Batzer. 2015. Longitudinal variation in macroinvertebrate assemblages below a large-scale hydroelectric dam. Hydrobiologia 755:13-26.

Holt, C. R., D. Pfitzer, C. Scalley, B. A. Caldwell, and D. P. Batzer. 2015. Macroinvertebrate community responses to annual flow variation from river regulation: an 11-year study. River Research and Applications 31:798-807.

Garnett, J. A. and D. P. Batzer. 2014. Longitudinal variation in community structure of floodplain fishes along two rivers of the southeastern USA. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 71:1291-1302.

Ruhí, A. and D. P. Batzer. 2014. Assessing congruence and surrogacy among wetland macroinvertebrate taxa towards efficiently measuring biodiversity. Wetlands 34:1061-1071.

Batzer, D. P. and R. R. Sharitz (eds.). 2014. Ecology of Freshwater and Estuarine Wetlands, 2nd ed. University of California Press, Berkeley, 361 pp.

Batzer, D. P. 2013. The seemly intractable ecological responses of invertebrates in wetlands: a review. Wetlands 33:1-15. 

Batzer, D. P. and A. Ruhi. 2013. Is there a core set of organisms that structure macroinvertebrate assemblages in freshwater wetlands? Freshwater Biology 88:1647-1659.

Ruhi, A., D. Boix, S. Gascón, J. Sala, and D. P. Batzer. 2013.  Functional and phylogenetic relatedness in temporary wetland invertebrates: current macroecological patterns and implications for future climatic change scenarios. PLoS-One 8 (11):e81739. Doi:10.81739. 14 pp.

Batzer, D. P., and A. Baldwin. 2012. Wetland habitats of North America: Ecology and Conservation Concerns. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Beganyi, S. R., and D. P. Batzer. 2011. Wildfire induced changes in aquatic invertebrate communities and mercury bioaccumulation in the Okefenokee Swamp. Hydrobiologia 669:237-247.

Bright, E. G., D. P. Batzer, and J. A. Garnett. 2010. Variation in invertebrate and fish communities across floodplain ecotones of the Altamaha and Savannah Rivers. Wetlands 30:1117-1128.

Taylor, A. N. and D. P. Batzer. 2010. Spatial and temporal variation in invertebrate consumer diets in forested and herbaceous wetlands. Hydrobiologia 651:145-159.

Braccia, A. and D. P. Batzer. 2008. Breakdown and invertebrate colonization of dead wood in wetland, upland, and river habitats. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38:2697-2704.

George, B. M. and D. P. Batzer. 2008. Spatial and temporal variations of mercury levels in Okefenokee invertebrates: Southeast Georgia. Environmental Pollution 152:484-490.

Batzer, D. P. and B. J. Palik. 2007. Variable response by aquatic invertebrates to experimental manipulations of leaf litter input into seasonal woodland ponds. Fundamental and Applied Limnology 168: 155-167.

Kratzer, E. B. and D. P. Batzer. 2007. Spatial ad temporal variation in aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, USA. Wetlands 27: 127-140.

Reese, E. G. and D. P. Batzer. 2007. Do invertebrate communities in floodplains change predictably along a river’s length? Freshwater Biology 52: 226-239.

Churchel, M. A. and D. P. Batzer. 2006. Recovery of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities from drought in Georgia Piedmont headwater streams. American Midland Naturalist 156: 259-272.

Batzer, D. P. and R. R. Sharitz (eds). 2006. Ecology of Freshwater and Estuarine Wetlands. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Batzer, D. P., B. M. George, and A. Braccia. 2005. Aquatic invertebrate responses to timber harvest in a bottomland hardwood wetland of South Carolina. Forest Science 51: 284-291.

Batzer, D. P., S. E. Dietz-Brantley, B. E. Taylor, and A. E. DeBiase. 2005. Evaluating regional differences in macroinvertebrate communities from forested depressional wetlands across eastern and central North America. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 23: 403-414.

Haggerty, S. M., D. P. Batzer, and C. R. Jackson. 2004. Macroinvertebrate response to logging in coastal headwater streams of Washington, U.S.A. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61: 529-537.

Rader, R. B., D. P. Batzer, and S. A. Wissinger (eds.). 2001. Biomonitoring and Management of North American Freshwater Wetlands. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Braccia, A. and D. P. Batzer. 2001. Invertebrates associated with woody debris in a southeastern forested floodplain wetland. Wetlands 21: 18-31.

Batzer, D. P., C. R. Jackson, and M. Mosner. 2000. Influences of riparian logging on plants and invertebrates in small, depressional wetlands of Georgia, U.S.A. Hydrobiologia 441: 123-132.

Batzer, D. P., C. R. Pusateri, and R. Vetter. 2000. Impacts of fish predation on marsh invertebrates: direct and indirect effects. Wetlands 20: 307-312.

Batzer, D. P., R. Rader, and S. A. Wissinger (eds.). 1999. Invertebrates in Freshwater Wetlands of North America: Ecology and Management. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Batzer, D. P. 1998. Trophic interactions among detritus, benthic midges, and predatory fish in a freshwater marsh. Ecology 79:1688-1698.

Batzer, D. P. and S. A. Wissinger. 1996. Ecology of insect communities in nontidal wetlands. Annual Review of Entomology 41: 75-100.

Batzer, D. P., M. McGee, V. H. Resh, and R. R. Smith. 1993. Characteristics of invertebrates consumed by mallards and prey response to wetland flooding schedules. Wetlands 13: 41-49.