A-to-Z Index

Steve Cresawn

Joanna Mott

Department Head
Professor of Biology

B.S. - University of Aston in Birmingham, U.K.
M.S. – University of Waterloo, Canada
Ph.D. – Texas A&M University

Email – mottjb@jmu.edu
Phone - 540 568-6733
Fax - 540 568-3333
Office - Bioscience 2001C
Research Interests:
My recent research has focused on microbial aspects of fresh and marine water quality and animal
sources of fecal contamination affecting watersheds. This involves characterizing (antibiotic resistance
and carbon source profiling) bacteria normally found in the intestinal tracts of animals such as E. coli
and enterococci, using PCR and qPCR to detect host-specific genetic markers, and examining persistence
of fecal bacteria in soils and sediments, as well as surface waters. We are presently conducting
experiments to determine how well enterococci can survive in soils and later contaminate waters,
under a range of environmental conditions. My students are also sampling a creek and an artificial lake
for water quality and characterizing geese fecal bacteria. I have also been working with the estuarine
pathogen Vibrio vulnificus, which causes severe wound infections, comparing environmental strains with
clinical strains isolated from patients, for antibiotic resistance, tolerance to heavy metals and virulence
factors. Other interests include ecology of fungi, plant-microbe interactions, specifically mycorrhizae,
which are beneficial relationships between fungi and plant roots in which plants are assisted with the
uptake of inorganic nutrients and the fungal partner is provided with organic nutrients, and free-living
nematodes in the environment.
Research Interests:
My recent research has focused on microbial aspects of fresh and marine water quality and animalsources of fecal contamination affecting watersheds. This involves characterizing (antibiotic resistanceand carbon source profiling) bacteria normally found in the intestinal tracts of animals such as E. coliand enterococci, using PCR and qPCR to detect host-specific genetic markers, and examining persistenceof fecal bacteria in soils and sediments, as well as surface waters. We are presently conductingexperiments to determine how well enterococci can survive in soils and later contaminate waters,under a range of environmental conditions. My students are also sampling a creek and an artificial lakefor water quality and characterizing geese fecal bacteria. I have also been working with the estuarinepathogen Vibrio vulnificus, which causes severe wound infections, comparing environmental strains withclinical strains isolated from patients, for antibiotic resistance, tolerance to heavy metals and virulencefactors. Other interests include ecology of fungi, plant-microbe interactions, specifically mycorrhizae,which are beneficial relationships between fungi and plant roots in which plants are assisted with theuptake of inorganic nutrients and the fungal partner is provided with organic nutrients, and free-livingnematodes in the environment.

 

Selected Recent Publications and Reports:

*student

Shi*, L., G.W. Stunz, K.V. Gordon, G.W. Buck and J.B. Mott. 2012. Vibrio vulnificus concentrations in Sport-Fish mucus from the South Texas Coastal Bend. J. Appl. Microbiol. To be submitted.

Gordon, K.V., M. Brownell, S. Wang, J.E. Lepo, J. Mott, R. Nathaniel, M. Kilgen, K.N. Hellein, E. Kennedy and V.J. Harwood. 2012. Correlation of human-associated microbial source tracking targets with fecal indicator bacteria concentrations in Gulf of Mexico waters. Water Res. Accepted.

Mott, J.B. and A.K. Smith. 2011. Chapter 3: Library based methods. In: Bacteria Source Tracking. Eds. C. Hagedorn, V. Harwood and A. Blanch. Spring Verlag. Invited chapter. pp. 31-59.

Gooch-Moore J., K.D. Goodwin, C. Dorsey, R.D. Ellender, J.B. Mott, M. Ornelas, C. Sinigalliano, B. Vincent, D. Whiting, S.H. Wolfe; Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA), Water Quality Priority Issue Team,

GOMA Pathogens Workgroup Writing Team. 2011. New USEPA water quality criteria by 2012: GOMA concerns and recommendations. J. Water Health. 9: 718-733.

Smith*, A., B. Sterba-Boatwright and J. Mott. 2010. Novel application of Random Forests for bacteria source tracking analysis. Water Res. 44: 4067-4076

Mott, J., M. Lindsey*, R. Sealy* and A. Smith*. 2010. Detection of human contamination in Corpus Christi Bay (Ropes and Cole Parks). Final report for The Texas General Land Office and Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program.

Ramirez*, G.D., G.W. Buck, K.V. Gordon and J.B. Mott. 2009. Incidence of Vibrio vulnificus in estuarine waters of the south Texas Coastal Bend region. J. Appl. Microbiol. 107: 2047-2053.

Mott, J., R. Hay, A. Smith* and M. Hoch*. 2009. Oso Creek Bacteria Contamination Investigation. Final Report for CBBEP Contract Number: 0816. June 2009. 64 pp.

Mott, J. and R. Hay. 2008. Phased approach to addressing a bacteria TMDL for a South Texas watershed. Proceedings. AWRA 2008 Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA Nov. 17-20, 2008.

Mott, J., R. Lehman and A. Smith*. 2008. Bacteria source tracking on the Mission and Aransas Rivers, Tidal. Final Report for CBBEP Contract Number 0630. Dec. 2008. 55pp.

Mott, J. and A. Smith*. 2008. Study to Investigate Sources of E. coli Isolated from Cedar Lakes. TGLO Contract Number 06-039. Final Summary Report submitted to the Texas General Land Office. August 2008. 34 pp.

Mott, J., G. Ramirez*, and G. Buck. 2008 Vibrio vulnificus monitoring in recreational waters. Final Report submitted to Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program for CBBEP Contract Number: 0624. Feb 2008. 83 pp.

Casarez, E.A., S.D. Pillai, J.B. Mott, M. Vargas, K.E. Dean, and G.D. DiGiovanni. 2007. Direct comparison of four bacterial source tracking methods and use of composite data sets. J. Appl. Microbiol. 103: 350-364.

Mott, J., R. Hay, Z. Campbell* and R. Carden*. 2007 Monitoring and Modeling of the Oso Creek and Oso Bay Watershed, Texas for a Bacteria TMDL. Proceedings of the 15th National NPS Monitoring Workshop. Monitoring for Decision Making (USEPA). August 27-30, 2007. Austin, Texas

Di Giovanni, G.D., E. A. Casarez, J.B. Mott, and S.D. Pillai. 2007. Comparison of Four Library-Dependent E. coli Source Tracking Methods for the Identification of Human and Animal Fecal Pollution in Texas. Proceedings of the 15th National NPS Monitoring Workshop. Monitoring for Decision Making (USEPA). August 27-30, 2007. Austin, Texas

Hay, R., J. Mott, Z. Campbell*, R. Carden*. 2007. Role of dry weather loading in attaining bacteria TMDL goals for Oso Creek and Oso Bay Watershed, Texas. Proceedings AWRA Annual Water Resources Conference, November 12-15, 2007. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Imam, S. Q*., C. Gonzalez Rivera*, G. W. Buck, J.B. Mott, and G. Ramirez. 2007. Differential response of Vibrio vulnificus isolates from south Texas waters to oxidative stress. Journal of Young Investigators Apr 2007; * undergraduate authors; online at http://www.jyi.org/research/re.php?id=966

Mott, J., G. Buck, A. Smith* and G. Ramirez*. 2007. Investigation of Vibrio vulnificus in Estuarine Waters of the Coastal Bend Region of Texas. TGLO Contract Number 07-323. Final Summary Report submitted to Texas General Land Office. 31 pp.

Mott, J., B. Froeschke* and A. Smith*. 2007. Assessment of Sediments as a Source of Fecal Bacteria (A pilot study). Final Summary Report for CBBEP Contract Number: 0625. Submitted to Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program. 59 pp.

Moore, D.F., M.H. Zhowandai, D. M. Ferguson, C. McGee, J.B. Mott and C.J. Stewart*. 2006. Comparison of 16S rRNA sequencing with conventional and commercial phenotypic techniques for identification of environmental enterococci. J. Appl. Microbiol. 100:1272-1281

DiGiovanni, G.D., E.A. Casarez, J.B. Mott, and S.D. Pillai. 2006. Comparison of Four Library-Dependent E. coli Source Tracking Methods for the Identification of Human and Animal Fecal Pollution American Water Works Association Water Quality Technology Conference, November 5-9, 2006, Denver, Colorado. Peer reviewed proceedings paper.

Parsons, TAMU-AREC-EP, TAMU-CC (Mott), TAMU. 2006. Assessment of bacterial sources impactingLake Waco and Belton Lake. Final report submitted to Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board. 2005, Final version Feb. 2006.