Darrin Hunt

Darrin Hunt

@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Educator, scientist, runner. Supporter of labor and human rights. Assistant professor of Environment and Sustainability at Shenandoah University.

1.8K followers659 following168 posts

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Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

I'm so happy to see everyone over here! If we haven't met, my name is Darrin and I'm an aquatic ecologist. I work in streams mainly, but also do some stuff in wetlands and with green stormwater infrastructure. Here are some fun pictures! #unloading #shocking #rock #sasquatch

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Is habitat everything? This is a major stream restoration project in a (surprise, surprise) now defunct landfill. I’ve been investigating this site well before the restoration project began, and haven’t ever seen mayflies. But, with a new, aggressive riffle - there they are!

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

I’m super proud to share this new article, hot off the @freshwaterscience.bsky.social press, investigating how mussel shell deposition mediates macroinvertebrates in urban and rural stream systems. There are a few surprises here! Check it out! www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

journals.uchicago.eduHabitat context mediates macroinvertebrate responses to Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) shell deposits | Freshwater ScienceAbstract The Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) has invaded surface waters throughout North America, and it alters benthic habitats by depositing dense layers of shells. Although these shell deposits can increase habitat complexity in some systems, they may also lead to habitat homogenization, particularly in streams with coarse substrates. We sought to understand how these shell deposits may affect macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Rouge and Huron watersheds (Michigan, USA; August 2017). We examined whether shell deposit density is related to macroinvertebrate community diversity and relative abundance and if those relationships might differ between rural and urban streams, noting changes in taxa sensitive to habitat structure, such as Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera (mayflies and caddisflies). In one rural stream, the % abundance of specific mayfly and caddisfly families decreased with increasing shell density, suggesting a localized negative response to shell-induced substrate changes. However, this pattern was not consistently observed across other rural streams, indicating that site-specific factors may mediate these effects. Regardless, shell deposits in urban streams, where baseline habitat complexity is often low, may offer structural refuge and benefit specific invertebrate taxa. Our findings highlight the context-dependent nature of Zebra Mussel relationships with stream invertebrate community metrics and suggest that the ecological consequences of shell deposits may vary with stream habitat characteristics.
Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Got out to Shenandoah Universoty’s Cool Spring Campus. It’s a 200 acre forest that has been recovering since the 00s next to Rolling Ridge Conservancy, a forest recovering since the 50s. Really pretty streams and cool bugs.

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

My student and I hosted the math department at Shenandoah University to talk about how machine learning can help identify populations of macroinvertebrates. A great experience with a super curious group of students (and instructors)!

Darrin Hunt reposted

Katie O'Reilly
@drkatfish.bsky.social

NOAA's National Mussel Watch Program - which has used invasive zebra + quagga mussels to track contaminants in the #GreatLakes since 1992 - finds that PFAS are ubiquitous in the lakes, with mussels in Lake Michigan having the highest average PFAS concentrations www.bridgemi.com/michigan-env...

bridgemi.comStudy of invasive mussels finds PFAS is nearly everywhere in the Great Lakes | Bridge MichiganA recent report that PFAS contamination is widespread in Great Lakes mussels give a clearer picture of where the chemicals are concentrated.

Darrin Hunt reposted

Jeremy Berg
@jeremymberg.bsky.social

I updated my funding curves last night. Here are the results for new and competitive renewal grants. The rate of investment has dropped substantially. This is apparently due to a requirement for DOGE review. I am calling this effect the "Downward DOGE" 1/2

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

#SFS2025! Let’s talk about urban groundwater! Come see me at 2:45 at the Intermittent, Ephemeral Systems and Surfacewater/Groundwater Interactions 2.0 superhub. Let’s mellow out with a little interdisciplinary science as we discuss Green Stormwater-Informed Urban Groundwater monitoring Networks!

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

I’m finally working on publishing the last chapter of my dissertation. My favorite chapter… Why am I sad to let this one out there? It feels too final. Anyone else go through this publishing the final chapter of their dissertation? Oof…

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Trying a new thang! A class, group project where students are arranged by their performance in the course. Not sure if this is good idea or not. We will see. Group names are: the pixies, dinosaur jr., sonic youth, the screaming trees, the meat puppets, and a tribe called quest. #itwasthe90s

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Both of these guys are off to grad school in fall 2025. One is currently looking at reassembly of macroinvert communities after weather events in urban, ag and mountain streams. He just tightened up his sampling strategy in response to the crazy weather in the south. Good idea! I’m a proud momma.

Darrin Hunt reposted

Margaret Docker
@margaretdocker.bsky.social

If you’re a sucker for #suckers (and other #catostomids, #gars, #bowfin, etc.), check out our special issue on Underappreciated #NativeFishes: link.springer.com/journal/1064..., my final issue of EBFI as Editor-in-Chief with Guest Editors Alec Lackmann, Doug Watkinson & @solomonrdavid.bsky.social

link.springer.comlink.springer.com
Matthew L. Miller@matthewlmiller.bsky.social

There's a sucker (myth) born every minute. These are not trash fish. Suckers are native fishes found across N. America. They are essential parts of the ecosystem. They're cool fishes to pursue. Photo by Joel Sartore, of a largescale sucker I caught for him to photograph (and release).

Darrin Hunt reposted

Dr. Dawn Wright
@deepseadawn.bsky.social

Underrepresented undergraduate & graduate students in STEM majors! Apply soon for the US DOE Mickey Leland Energy 10-week summer research internship on minimizing env impacts of fossil fuels & industry while working to achieve net-zero emissions. Geology students needed! orise.orau.gov/mlef/ ⚒️ 🧪

Darrin Hunt
@benthicbuddy.bsky.social

Assorted macroinvertebrates for #invertfest. The isopod pic was taken by a student and is one of my faves. Pretty, pretty coloration. Can we love an isopod? Are they charismatic? Rizz havin’?

Darrin Hunt reposted

Rosa Ritunnano
@rritunnano.bsky.social

Instead of listing my publications, as the year draws to an end, I want to shine the spotlight on the commonplace assumption that productivity must always increase. Good research is disruptive and thinking time is central to high quality scholarship and necessary for disruptive research.