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Douglass, Sarah Alee

Associate Research Scientist, Malacology

Illinois Natural History Survey

Address and Contact Information

1816 S. Oak Street

M/C 652

Champaign, IL 61820

(217) 300-4018

Current Projects

I am a malacologist that specializes in freshwater mollusks for the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) in the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My primary work in the Urban Biotic Assessment Program involves conducting biological assessments of rare and threatened freshwater mollusks in areas slated for construction activities within Tollway corridors in northern Illinois. I pursue other research projects with native and non-native mollusks as time and funding allows. Currently, I have a few environmental DNA (eDNA) projects with mussels, fish, and mudpuppies. I also have projects involving distribution assessments and recruitment surveys for federally listed mussels located in east central Illinois watersheds.

Research Biography

Illinois Experts Profile

Research Interests

My broad research interests include the conservation of freshwater mussels and riverine ecosystems, environmental DNA, and community science. Quite a bit of my work focuses on rare species distributions and status assessments through traditional field surveys and eDNA techniques. I am very interested in long-term population dynamics in mussel communities and whether certain rare species' populations are persisting. Future work will involve studying benthic ectotherm thermal ecology and stream temperature changes in response to a changing climate and how that may affect mussel populations statewide.