U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
05/06/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/06/2021 15:34
Aquatic Botany journal features biologist Damian Walter’s ERDC-U project
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory Research Biologist Dr. Nathan Harms co-authored a journal article as one of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Walla Walla District Wildlife Biologist Damien Walter's 2019 ERDC University mentors.
With credit to the ERDC-Environmental Laboratory's Aquatic Ecology and Invasive Species Branch and USACE Walla Walla District, the article, 'Influence of Butomus umbellatus L. lineage and age on leaf chemistry and performance of a generalist caterpillar' recently appeared in Aquatic Botany, an international scientific journal that focuses on applied and fundamental research about macroscopic submerged, floating and emergent plants in marine and freshwater ecosystems.
During his six-month research project, Walter experimented on the growth, sediment preference and feeding pressure responses of the invasive species, flowering rush.
His goals were to determine how to eradicate the plants using chemical control methods for an aquatic river reservoir system. Walter directs the district's mitigation and environmental stewardship programs for wildlife habitat management.