Chet F. Rakocinski, Ph.D.
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
703 East Beach Drive
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
703 East Beach Drive
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Phone: (228) 872-4284
Fax: (228) 872-4204
chet.rakocinski@usm.edu
Position
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Associate Professor - Department of Coastal Sciences
o Benthic Ecology Program
Adjunct Professor with o USM Department of Biological Sciences
o University of Mississippi, Department of Biology
Education
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Ph.D., 1986, Biology (Zoology emphasis), The University of Southern
Mississippi
M.S., 1977, Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University
B.S., 1974, Biological Sciences, chemistry minor, Northern Illinois University
Research Interests
My research centers on benthic ecology and fisheries ecology in marine, estuarine, and freshwater
habitats. My overarching goal is to carry out an integrated research program to examine
processes affecting macrobenthic communities, recruitment dynamics, and trophic relationships
between fishes and macroinvertebrates. Research efforts address macrobenthic responses to
environmental change and anthropogenic alteration, recruitment ecology of early life-stages of
estuarine dependent fisheries species, habitat use, trophic ecology, and the effects of biotic
interactions on trophic relationships. For my doctoral research I examined feeding tactics, preysize use, and habitat relationships of primitive stream-dwelling darters.
Presently, I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Coastal Sciences at the USM Gulf
Coast Research Laboratory, where I have been engaged as a PI or Co-PI on various research
projects, including a recently completed 4-year EPA STAR grant to develop macrobenthic
ecoindicators of estuarine condition for the northern Gulf of Mexico, studies of the determination
of geographic sources of juvenile nursery habitat using otolith microchemistry, and macrobenthic
responses to marsh restoration. I am also actively engaged in collaborative research with my
students and colleagues in such areas as estuarine trophic ecology, habitat assessment and early
recruitment dynamics. For two years I was a postdoctoral research associate with the Coastal
Fisheries Institute of Louisiana State University; where I coordinated research efforts to examine
recruitment, microhabitat use, and habitat-specific variation in early growth of postlarval and
juvenile fishes occupying marsh-edge habitats in coastal Louisiana. Formerly, I have been a PI or
Co-PI for several biomonitoring projects funded by the EPA and the National Park Service that
elucidated both natural and anthropogenic impacts on macrofaunal assemblages in the northern
Gulf of Mexico. Previously, I also have participated in studies of the effects of environmental
fluctuation on the early recruitment of estuarine-dependent fishes using an approach that
integrates laboratory and field studies of early growth of juvenile fishes. Other efforts include
studies of blue crab recruitment dynamics and of anthropogenic and physiographic effects on
seagrass and associated fauna. I have used both multivariate and experimental methods to
identify changes in aquatic assemblages in response to altered ecological conditions. I believe in
an eclectic and balanced approach using a combination of field and laboratory experiments, in
conjunction with simulation modeling.
Teaching Experience
My teaching experience is extensive: as Instructor at the USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
(GCRL), as an Assistant Professor and Instructor for the University of Mississippi, and presently
as an Associate Professor in the Department of Coastal Sciences of the University of Southern
Mississippi. As a lecturer, I have developed a wide range of courses, including Data Analysis in
the Coastal Sciences, Benthic Ecology, Marine Ecology, Marine Ichthyology, Biology of Fishes,
General Zoology, Genetics, Comparative Anatomy, and Introductory Biology. Since 1995, I
have intermittently co-coordinated the Marine Ecology Discussion Group at GCRL. The Summer
Field Program course, Marine Ecology, has been under my stewardship since 1999. I developed
the format for the graduate core course, Coastal Processes II, for the USM Department of Coastal
Sciences, which I have co-taught since spring 2000. In addition, I developed graduate courses in
Benthic Ecology and Data Analysis for the USM Department of Coastal Sciences. In the
summers of 2003 and 2005, I taught Fishes of the Tropics for the Study Abroad Program of the
University of Mississippi in Belize. My teaching style is structured and interactive. I maintain
that the learning process is best facilitated by the development of conceptual frameworks and
critical thinking skills.
Professional Work Experience
Associate Professor – USM Department of Coastal Sciences
(16 August 2003 – present)
Assistant Professor – USM Department of Coastal Sciences
(16 August 2000 – 15 August 2003)
Associate Research Scientist – USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
(1 July 1995 – 15 August 2003)
Researcher – USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
(1 October 1990 – 1 July 1995)
Research Associate – LSU Coastal Fisheries Institute
(1 October 1988 – 30 September 1990)
Assistant Professor – University of Mississippi Dept of Biology
(1 August 1987 – 31 July 1988)
Research Associate – USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
(1 September 1986 – 31 July 1987)
Instructor – USM Dept Biological Sciences
(1 September 1985 – 31 July 1986)
Laboratory Teaching Assistant – USM Dept Biological Sciences
(1 September 1981 – 31 July 1985)
Research Assistant – USM Dept Biological Sciences
(1 January 1979 – 31 July 1980)
Research Assistant – NIU Department of Communication
(1 September 1977 – 31 October 1978)
Research Assistant – NIU Department of Biology
(1 September 1975 – 31 July 1977)
Graduate Students Directed
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Michael A. Abney, Summer 1998, M.S. Biological Sciences, USM; Thesis Title:
Phenotypic plasticity in the life-history traits of Gambusia puncticulata
puncticulata (Poeciliidae) from the Cayman Islands, BWI.
Janet Cote, Summer 1999, M.S. Marine Science, USM; Thesis Title: Prey
selection by juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, between two micrograzing
gastropods, Astyris lunata and Bittiolum varium, within estuarine seagrass habitat.
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Dena Greene Vincent, Fall 2001, M.S. Biological Sciences, USM; Thesis Title:
The influence of pollution stress on the growth of juvenile fishes and the
evaluation of associated bioassessment techniques. 2000 MS-AL National Sea
Grant Scholar.
Glenn A Zapfe, Summer 2002, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM; Thesis Title:
Effects of Marsh Access on the Feeding Success and Growth of Juvenile Spot,
Leiostomus xanthurus.
Donna Marie Drury McCall, Spring 2004, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM;
Dissertation Title: Effects of grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.) density
manipulations and nutrient enrichment on widgeongrass (Ruppia maritima)
condition, epiphyte load, and epiphyte functional groups. National Estuarine
Research Reserve Graduate Fellow, 2001-2003.
College of Science and Technology Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, 2004.
Deborah Nicole Vivian, Summer 2005, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM; Thesis
Title: Examining habitat function of a restored salt marsh using post-larval
killifish (Funduls grandis Baird and Girard). 2002 MS-AL National Sea Grant
Scholar. 2003 Recipient of the Lytle Scholarship.
Heather Joy Ferguson, Summer, 2006., M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM; Thesis
Title: Comparison of subtidal and intertidal macrobenthic communities between
created and natural marshes in the Davis Bayou, Mississippi.
Sarah E. Turner, Summer 2008, M.S. Coastal Sciences, USM; Thesis Title:
Trophic relations of juvenile Gray Triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) and Planehead
Filefish (Monacanthus hispidus) within Sargassum habitat.
Lauren A. Littleton, Spring 2010, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM; Thesis Title:
Differences in feeding performance between hatchery-reared and wild juvenile
Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus. College of Science and Technology
Outstanding Masters Student Award, 2009.
Committee Member for Graduated Students
Doug Snyder, Autumn 1997, M.S. Biological Sciences, USM.
Kathy E. VanderKooy, Autumn 1997, M.S. Biological Sciences, USM.
Read Hendon, Summer 1998, M.S. Biological Sciences, USM.
Lisa Phelps, Autumn 1999, M.S., Marine Science, USM.
Virginia Shervette Autumn 2000, M.S., Biological Sciences, USM.
Windsor Aguirre, Autumn 2000, M.S., Biological Sciences, USM.
Greg Fulling, Spring 2001, Ph.D., Biological Sciences, USM.
Andre Soto, Spring 2001, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Nicole Opel, Spring 2002, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Nicole M. Crochet, Spring 2002, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Kersten N. Wheeler, Summer 2002, , M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Carol Cleveland, Autumn 2002, Ph.D., Biology, University of Mississippi.
Eric R. Hoffmayer, Spring 2003, Ph.D., Biology, University of Mississippi.
Brian Alford, Summer 2004, M.S., Biological Sciences,USM.
Marisa Weber, Autumn 2004, M.S., Biological Sciences, USM.
Melissa Partyka, Summer 2005, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Robin McCall, Summer 2005, Ph.D., Marine Science, USM.
Amanda Vincent, Spring 2006, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Samantha Griffith, Summer 2006, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Melissa Cook, Spring 2007, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Jerry McLelland, Spring 2008, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Tiandao Li, Autumn 2008, Ph.D., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Paul Grammer, Autumn 2008, M.S., Coastal Sciences, USM.
Selected Publications
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Rakocinski, C.F. 2009. Linking allometric macrobenthic processes to
hypoxia using the Peters mass balance model. Journal of Marine Biology
and Ecology – Special Hypoxia Issue 381: S13-S20.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2009.07.005
Drury McCall, D., C.F. Rakocinski and J. L. Pinckney. 2009. Effects of
grass shrimp versus nutrient addition on functional groups of epiphytic
algae associated with Ruppia maritima growth stages. Marine Ecology
Progress Series 379: 151-162. doi: 10.3354/meps07877
Comyns, B.H., C.F. Rakocinski,, M.S. Peterson and A. Shiller. 2008.
Otolith chemistry of juvenile spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)
reflects local natal regions of coastal Mississippi. Marine Ecology
Progress Series 371: 243-252. doi: 10.3354/meps07604
Ferguson, H.J. and C.F. Rakocinski. 2008. Macroinfaunal functional
metrics for tracking marsh restoration: Implementing a practical
approach. Wetlands Ecology and Management 16: 277-289.
doi:10.1007/s11273-008-9088-4
Rakocinski, C.F., C.A. Moncreiff, M.S. Peterson, K.E. VanderKooy and
T.A. Randall. 2008. Habitat condition and associated macrofauna reflect
differences between protected and exposed seagrass landscapes. Gulf and
Caribbean Research 20: 11-19.
Zapfe, G.A.and C.F Rakocinski. 2008. Coherent growth and diet patterns
in juvenile spot (Leiostomus xanthurus Lacepéde) reflect effects of
hydrology on access to shoreline habitat. Fisheries Research 91: 107-111.
doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2007.12.014
Drury McCall, D. and C.F. Rakocinski. 2007. Grass shrimp
(Palaemonetes spp.) play a pivotal trophic role in enhancing Ruppia
maritima. Ecology 88: 618-624.
Rakocinski, C.F., M.S. Peterson, B.H. Comyns, G.A. Zapfe and G.L.
Fulling. 2006. Do abiotic fluctuations drive the early growth of juvenile
spot (Leiostomus xanthurus)? Fisheries Research 82: 186-193.
Rakocinski, C.F. and G.A. Zapfe. 2005. Chapter 20. Macrobenthic
process indicators of estuarine condition. In: Estuarine Indicators S.A.
Bortone [ed]. pp. 315-331. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Rakocinski, C.F. and D. Drury McCall. 2005. Early blue crab
recruitment to alternative nursery habitats in Mississippi USA. Journal of
Shellfish Research 24: 253-259.
Shervette, V.R., H.M. Perry, C.F. Rakocinski and P.M. Biesiot. 2004.
Recruitment of post-settlement stone crab Menippe adina juveniles in
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Mississippi Sound: Factors influencing shelter occupation. Journal of
Crustacean Biology 24: 652- 665.
Niemi, G.J., D. Wardrop, R. Brooks, S. Anderson, V. Brady, H. Paerl, C.
Rakocinski, M. Brouwer, B. Levinson and M. McDonald. 2004. Rationale
for a new generation of ecological indicators for coastal waters.
Environmental Health Perspectives 112: 979-986
Peterson, M.S., B.H. Comyns, C.F. Rakocinski and G.L Fulling. 2004.
Defining the fundamental physiological niche of young estuarine fishes
and it’s relationship to understanding distribution, vital metrics, and
optimal nursery conditions. Environmental Biology of Fishes 71: 143-149.
Abney, M.A. and C.F. Rakocinski. 2004. Phenotypic plasticity in the lifehistory traits of Gambusia puncticulata puncticulata ( Poeciliidae ) from
the Cayman Islands, British West Indies. Environmental Biology of Fishes
70: 67-79.
Rakocinski, C.F. , H.M. Perry, M.A. Abney and K.M. Larsen. 2003. Softsediment recruitment dynamics of early blue crab stages in Mississippi
Sound . Special Issue devoted to the Proceedings of the 2000 Blue Crab
Symposium. Bulletin of Marine Science 72: 393-408.
Rakocinski, C.F., B.H. Comyns, M.S. Peterson and G.A. Zapfe. 2002.
Field growth responses of juvenile white trout ( Cynoscion arenarius ) to
continuous variation in physical habitat conditions. Proceedings of the
Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute 53: 623-635.
Cote, J., C.F. Rakocinski and T.A. Randall. 2001. Feeding efficiency by
juvenile blue crabs on two common species of micrograzer snails. Journal
of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 264: 189-208.
Rakocinski, C.F., B.H. Comyns, and M.S. Peterson. 2000. Relating
environmental fluctuation and the early growth of estuarine fishes:
ontogenetic standardization. Transactions of the American Fisheries
Society 129: 210-221.
Rakocinski, C.F., S.S. Brown, G.R. Gaston, R.W. Heard, W.W. Walker,
and J.K. Summers. 2000. Species-abundance-biomass responses to
sediment chemical contamination. Journal of Aquatic Ecosystem Stress
and Recovery 7: 201-214.
VanderKooy, K.E., C.F. Rakocinski and R.W. Heard. 2000. Trophic
relationships of three sunfishes ( Lepomis spp .) in a tidal estuarine bayou.
Estuaries 23: 621-632.
Peterson, M.S., B.H. Comyns, C.F. Rakocinski and G.L. Fulling. 1999.
Does salinity affect somatic growth in early juvenile Atlantic croaker,
Micropogonias undulatus (Linnaeus)? Journal of Experimental Marine
Biology and Ecology : 238: 199-207.
Gaston, G.R., C.F. Rakocinski, S.S. Brown and C.M. Cleveland. 1998.
Trophic structure in estuaries: response of macrobenthos to natural and
contaminant gradients. Marine and Freshwater Research 49 833-846.
Baltz, D.M., J.W. Fleeger, C.F. Rakocinski and J.N. McCall. 1998. Food,
density, and microhabitat: factors affecting growth and recruitment
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potential of juvenile saltmarsh fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 53:
89-103.
Rakocinski, C.F., M.S. Peterson, S.J. VanderKooy and G.J. Crego . 1997.
Biodiversity patterns of littoral tidal river fishes in the Gulf Coastal Plain
region of Mississippi. Gulf of Mexico Science 1997(1): 2-16.
Rakocinski, C.F., S.S. Brown, G.R. Gaston, R.W. Heard, W.W. Walker
and J.K. Summers. 1997. Macrobenthic responses to natural and
contaminant-related gradients in northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries.
Ecological Applications 7: 1278-1298.
Rakocinski, C.F. 1997. Interaction between darter predation and lotic
disturbance in a southeastern Gulf Coastal-Plain stream, USA . Journal of
Freshwater Ecology 12: 341-354.
Rakocinski, C.F., J. Lyczkowski-Shultz and S.L. Richardson. 1996.
Ichthyoplankton assemblage structure in Mississippi Sound as revealed by
Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
43: 237-257.
Rakocinski, C.F., M. R. Milligan, R. W. Heard and T. L. Deardorff.
1996. Comparative evaluation of macrobenthic assemblages from the
Sulphur River Arkansas in relation to pulp mill effluent. In : Servos, M.
R., K. R. Munkittrick and G. J. Van Der Kraak (editors). Environmental
Fate and Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents : pp. 533-547.
Rakocinski, C.F., R. W. Heard, S. E. LeCroy, J. A. McLelland, and T.
Simons. 1996. Responses by macrobenthic assemblages to extensive
beach restoration at Perdido Key, Florida, U.S.A. Journal of Coastal
Research 12(1): 326-353.
Rakocinski, C.F., R. W. Heard, S. E. LeCroy, J. A. McLelland and T.
Simons. 1993. Seaward change and zonation of the sandy-shore
macrofauna at Perdido Key, Florida, USA . Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf
Science 36(1): 81-104.
Baltz, D. M., C.F. Rakocinski and J. W. Fleeger. 1993. Microhabitat use
by marsh-edge fishes in a Louisiana estuary. Environmental Biology of
Fishes 36: 109-126.
Rakocinski, C.F., D. M. Baltz and J. W. Fleeger. 1992. Correspondence
between environmental gradients and the community structure of marshedge fishes in a Louisiana estuary. Marine Ecology Progress Series 80:
135-148.
Rakocinski, C.F. 1991. Prey-size relationships and feeding tactics of
primitive stream-dwelling darters. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and
Aquatic Sciences: 48: 681-693.