Maria A. Faust
Research Microbiologist
National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. 20560-0534
faust.maria@nmnh.si.edu
Research Interests
My research career is dedicated bridging taxonomic and ecological studies to understand microbial interactions of dinoflagellate microalgae in tropical, marine, shallow-water, mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. I am investigating the systematics of dinoflagellate taxa, their comparative morphology, physiology of harmful and non toxic species of the Atlantic Caribbean Barrier Reef, Belize, and Indian River Estuary, Florida, ecosystems. These aquatic habitats provide access to diverse populations of dinoflagellates, and a great opportunity for understanding biodiversity and phylogeny of dinoflagellates. I am developing the premier U.S. Dinoflagellate Worldwide Collection and The Type Registry of Marine Dinoflagellates, both, part of the U.S. National Dinoflagellate Collection, the only research collection in any museum. I am an internationally recognized taxonomic expert of dinoflagellates; a teacher and adviser of marine biologists working on toxic algae; and involved to develop computerized information technology for identifying 'Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates ' .
Current Research Projects
Two major investigations include: 1. The associations of dinoflagellates at the Pelican Cays Archipelago, Belize, and 2. Dynamics of photosynthetic and heterotrophic dinoflagellates in the aquatic food web at the Indian River Estuary, Florida.
Current or Projected Exhibits
Dino-Linneaus: Species Identification and Data Storage of Dinoflagellates.
Recent Publications
Faust, M.A. 1995. Observation of sand-dwelling toxic dinoflagellates (Dinophyceae) from widely differing sites, including two new species. J. Phycology 31:996-1003.
Faust, M.A. & Gulledge, R.A. 1996. Associations of microalgae and meiofauna in floating detritus at a mangrove island, Twin Cays, Belize. J. Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 197:159-75.
Faust, M.A. 1997. Three new benthic Prorocentrum (Dinophyceae) from Belize: P. norrrisianum sp. nov., P. tropicalis sp. nov. and P. reticulatum sp. nov. J. Phycology 33:851-58.
Faust, M.A. 1998. Morphology and life cycle events in Pyrophacus steinii
(Schiller) Wall & Dale (Dinophyceae). J. Phycology 34: 173-79.
Faust, M.A. 1998. Mixotrophy in tropical benthic dinoflagellates. In Harmful Algae. (eds.) B. Reguera, J. Blanco, M.L. Fernandez, & T. Watt, Xunta de Galicia and IOC Commission of UNESCO, Paris, France. pp.390-3.
Faust, M.A., J. Larsen & O. Moestrup. 1999. ICES Identification Leaflets for Plankton. Potentially Toxic Phytoplankton 3: Genus Prorocentrum, Dinophyceae. (ed.) J.A. Lindsley, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Copenhagen, Denmark. pp.1-24. Tl. 8.
Chrost, R.J. & Faust, M.A, 1999. Consequences of solar radiation on bacterial secondary production and growth rates in subtropical coastal waters (Atlantic Coral Reef off Belize, Central America). Aquatic Micribial Ecology 20: 39-48.
Faust, M.A. 1999. Three new Ostreopsis species (Dinophyceae): O. marinus sp. nov., O. belizeanus sp. nov. and O. caribbeanus sp. nov. Phycologia 38: 92-99.
Chinain, M., Faust, M.A. & Pauillac, S. 1999. Morphology and molecular analyses of three toxic species of Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae): G. pacificus sp. nov., G. australes sp. nov, & G. polynensiensis sp. nov. J. Phycology 35: 1282-96.
Faust, M.A. 2000. Dinoflagellate associations in the Pelican Cays, Belize. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 473, Special Volume, Smithsonian Institution, NMNH, Washington D.C.
Faust, M.A. & Gulledge, R.A. 2000. Monograph:Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates. World Biodiversity Database: CD-ROM Series. Publisher, Expert Center for Taxonomic Identification , University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands and UNESCO.