Diatoms of North America
Meredith Tyree Polaskey
Taxon Contributor
Medical Student Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. - Martin Luther King Jr.
I graduated with my M.S. in Environmental Studies in 2017, where I examined how new counting protocols could produce better statistical models of water quality at less cost than traditional protocols. I previously worked as the lead analyst on an EPA project of northeast lakes to produce a diatom voucher flora for the region, with the aim of improving taxonomic consistency among analysts and producing more cohesive, analytically useful datasets. I then worked on a USGS grant aimed at improving diatom taxonomic consistency within stream biological assessments throughout the United States.
I am currently a medical student at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Diatoms are no longer my primary focus of research, but I remain infatuated with these fascinating organisms and believe they are important bioassessment tools to monitor and protect our water resources.
Projects
Species contributed
Achnanthidium crassum | Achnanthidium rosenstockii | Adlafia suchlandtii | Aneumastus carolinianus | Aulacoseira newjerseyana | Cavinula jaernefeltii | Cavinula lapidosa | Cavinula variostriata | Chamaepinnularia hassiaca | Diploneis abscondita | Diploneis boldtiana | Diploneis calcilacustris | Diploneis galloprovincialis | Diploneis mollenhaueri | Diploneis potapovae | Diploneis puella | Diploneis puellafallax | Diploneis texana | Encyonopsis thumensis | Eolimna aboensis | Frustulia pseudomagaliesmontana | Genkalia digitulus | Gomphonema apuncto | Gomphonema christensenii | Gomphonema insularum | Gomphonema manubrium | Gomphonema pseudosphaerophorum | Gomphonema sphaerophorum | Gyrosigma obscurum | Hantzschia amphioxys | Humidophila perpusilla | Luticola minor | Luticola mobiliensis | Mayamaea cahabaensis | Navicula ingenua | Navicula kotschyi | Neidium densestriatum | Neidium hitchcockii | Neidium pseudodensestriatum | Nitzschia siliqua | Pinnularia brauniana | Pinnularia cuneicephala | Pinnularia formica | Pinnularia scotica | Psammothidium rossii | Sellaphora disjuncta | Stauroneis staurolineata
Species reviewed
Cymbella fontinalis | Cymbella vulgata | Gomphonema duplipunctatum | Gomphonema eileencoxiae | Surirella undulata