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Ongoing Evaluation of the Effects of Watershed Disturbance; Development of Culturing Methods for Native Mayfly Testing

Mindy Yeager Armstead

Mindy Yeager Armstead, Associate Professor, Integrated Science and Technology

Areas of Expertise

18 years experience working as a consulting aquatic toxicologist addressing water quality issues in West Virginia streams and rivers. 3.0 years experience conducting research on the effects of mining related disturbance on stream fish and macroinvertebrate communities.

Watch this ARIES feature video about Dr. Yeager Armstead, her ARIES-sponsored research, and her graduate students.

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Professional Preparation

University of Charleston, Charleston, WV , Biology, B.Sc. , 1987

Marshall University, Huntington, WV, Biology , M.S., 1990

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, Biology, Ph.D., 1994

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, Ecotoxicology, Postdoc, 1994-1996

Appointments

2011 – present: Associate Professor, Integrated Science and Technology, Marshall University

2002 – 2014: Adjunct faculty, College of Information Technology and Engineering, Marshall

University

2007 – 2011: Adjunct faculty, Wheeling Jesuit University, Bold Program

 

Publications: 5 most relevant to the ARIES project

 

  1. Armstead, M. M. and J.L. Yeager. 2006. In-situ Toxicity Testing of Unionids. In Freshwater Bivalve Ecotoxicology, J. H. Van Hassel and J. L. Farris, Editors. CRC Press

 

  1. Armstead, M. M., Wilson, M., Keller, L., Kinney, J., McGill, K., Snyder, E. 2013. Methods for Evaluating the Effects of a Simulated Mine Effluent with Elevated Ionic Concentration to Field Collected Benthic Macroinvertebrates. In: Environmental Considerations in Energy Production Symposium, Charleston West Virginia. Edited by J. R. Craynon. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. Englewood, CO. 362-370. (Invited).

 

  1. Wilson, M., Armstead, M. M. 2012. A Reproductive and Trophic Transfer Study Associated With Selenium Concentrations in the Mud River Watershed. International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage. Ottawa, Canada.

 

  1. Vellaisamy V.S., J.J. Tomblin, M.M. Yeager Armstead, E.E. Murray. 2013. Selenium. (Sodium selenite) causes cytotoxicity and apoptotic mediated cell death in PLHC-1 fish cell line through DNA and mitochondrial membrane potential damage. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 87:80-88.

 

  1. Cherry, D.S., L.G. Rutherford, M.G. Dobbs, C.E. Zipper, J.C. Cairns, Jr., and M.M. Yeager. 1995. Acidic pH and Heavy Metal Impacts into Stream Watersheds and River Ecosystems by Abandoned Mined Lands, Powell River, Virginia. 1995 Powell River Project Research and Education Program Report. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia.

 

Publications: Other Publications

 

  1. Vellaisamy V.S., M.M. Yeager Armstead, M.M. Cohenford, E.E. Murray. 2013. Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) induces apoptosis and necrosis mediated cell death through mitochondrial membrane potential damage and elevated production of reactive oxygen species in PLHC-1 fish cell line. Chemosphere 90(3): 1201-9.

 

  1. Vellaisamy V.S., M.M. Yeager Armstead, E.E. Murray. 2013. Protective and antioxidant role of selenium on arsenic trioxide-induced oxidative stress and genotoxicity in the fish hepatoma cell line PLHC-1. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. Vol. 31(12): 2861-2869.

 

Funding

  1. 2011-2015: Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Science; Evaluation of Aquatic Community Health in Mining Influenced Streams. $500,000. Principal Investigator.
  2. 2012 – 2014 Armstead, M. M. (Supporting), Office of Surface Mining, Federal, “Assessing Geomorphic Reclamation in Valley Fill Design for West Virginia,” $19,834.00.

 

Synergistic Activities

  1. Currently developing culturing and testing protocols for native mayfly taxa from West Virginia streams to evaluate the effects of mining related discharges. Mayflies are declining in the mining region despite an apparent lack of toxicity of discharges with elevated dissolved solids to traditional toxicity testing organisms. Research is ongoing.
  2. Participant in First Annual Water Festival at Marshall University. My laboratory participated in the Water Festival, which attracts 4-5th grade students, by giving demonstrations on our research to the students cycling through in 20 minute intervals. We discussed water quality and conservation and demonstrated pH using household products. Additionally, the students learned about stream community health by looking at benthic macroinvertebrates under stereoscopes representing healthy versus degraded aquatic communities.
  3. Routinely host grade school students into the laboratory to learn about aquatic issues. Local grade schools and gifted programs bring their elementary aged students to my laboratory to learn about water quality and stream communities. The children measure water quality parameters and evaluate benthic macroinvertebrates using the Save Our Streams identification keys to determine if streams are healthy.

 

  1. Collaborators and Other Affiliations

Dr. Leslie Hopkins, West Virginia University

Dr. Paul Ziemkiewicz, Alison Anderson, West Virginia University

Dr. John Craynon, ARIES – Virginia Tech

 

 

To learn more about Dr. Armstrong, visit http://science.marshall.edu/myeager/default.html