Staff Profile
Photo for Mark Minton

Biography

I am a Quantitative Ecologist in the Marine Invasions Research Laboratory and Senior Analyst for the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse (NBIC). I have a broad interest in invasive species and understanding why some introductions succeed, while most fail.  More specifically, I am interested in the vectors by which non-native species are introduced into a new range and the factors that affect establishment with an eye towards vector management.

Contact Information

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

647 Contees Wharf Road

Edgewater, MD 21037-0028

e. mintonm@si.edu ׀ t. 443-482-2307

 

Research Interests

Establishment of nonindigenous species; population ecology of small populations; vector ecology and management.

 

Education

Ph.D. Botany, Washington State University (2003)

M.S. Statistics, Washington State University (2002)

B.S. Environmental Science, University of Denver (1994)

 

Current Projects

  1. Describing patterns of ballast water movement via shipping as a vector for the introduction of aquatic NIS
  2. Relating ballast water movement with international trade
  3. Shipping networks and implications for aquatic NIS
  4. Potential impacts of vector management on the likelihood of NIS introductions

Publications

  • Davidson, Ian C., Scianni, Christopher, Minton, Mark S. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2018). A history of ship specialization and consequences for marine invasions, management, and policy. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55 (4) , 1799-1811. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13114
  • Davidson, Ian C., Scianni, Christopher, Minton, Mark S. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2018). A history of ship specialization and consequences for marine invasions, management and policy. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55 (4) , 1799-1811. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13114
  • Miller, A. Whitman, Davidson, Ian C., Minton, Mark S., Steves, Brian, Moser, Cameron S., Drake, Lisa A. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2018). Evaluation of wetted surface area of commercial ships as biofouling habitat flux to the United States . Biological Invasions, 20 (8) , 1977-1990. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-018-1672-9
  • Blakeslee, April M. H., Kamakukra, Yumi, Onufrey, Jaclyn, Makino, Wataru, Urabe, Jotaro, Park, Susan, Keogh, Carolyn L., Miller, A. Whitman, Minton, Mark S., Carlton, James T. and Miura, Osamu. (2017). Reconstructing the Invasion History of the Asian shorecrab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus (De Haan 1835) in the Western Atlantic. Marine Biology, 164 (3) , 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3069-1
  • Blakeslee, April M. H., Kamakura, Yumi, Onufrey, Jaclyn, Makino, Wataru, Urabe, Jotaro, Park, Susan, Keogh, Carolyn L., Miller, A. W., Minton, Mark S., Carlton, James T. and Miura, Osamu. (2017). Erratum to: Reconstructing the Invasion History of the Asian shorecrab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus (De Haan 1835) in the Western Atlantic. Marine Biology, 164 (4) , 88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3117-x
  • Carney, Katharine J., Minton, Mark S., Holzer, Kimberly K., Miller, A. W., McCann, Linda D. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2017). Evaluating the combined effects of ballast water management and trade dynamics on transfers of marine organisms by ships. PloS One, 12 (3) , 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0172468
  • Davidson, Ian C., Minton, Mark S., Carney, Katharine J., Miller, A. W. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2017). Pioneering patterns of ballast treatment in the emerging era of marine vector management. Marine Policy, 78 , 158-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.01.021
  • Holzer, Kimberly K., Muirhead, Jim R., Minton, Mark S., Carney, Katharine J., Miller, A. W. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2017). Potential effects of LNG trade shift on transfer of ballast water and biota by ships. Science of The Total Environment, 580 , 1470-1474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.125
  • Verna, Danielle E., Harris, Bradley P., Holzer, Kimberly K. and Minton, Mark S. (2016). Ballast-borne marine invasive species: exploring the risk to coastal Alaska, USA. Management of Biological Invasions, 7 , 199-211.
  • Minton, Mark S., Miller, A. Whitman and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2015). Implications of Ship Type on Delivery and Management of Ballast Water. Biological Invasions in Changing Ecosystems: Vectors, Ecological Impacts, Management, and Predictions (343-364) De Gruyter .
  • Muirhead, Jim R., Minton, Mark S., Miller, A. Whitman and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2015). Projected effects of the Panama Canal expansion on shipping traffic and biological invasions. Diversity & Distributions, 21 (1) , 75-87. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12260
  • Reusser, Deborah A., Lee, Henry, II, Frazier, Melanie, Ruiz, Gregory M., Fofonoff, Paul W., Minton, Mark S. and Miller, A. Whitman. (2013). Per capita invasion probabilities: an empirical model to predict rates of invasion via ballast water . Ecological Applications, 23 (2) , 321-330. https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1637.1
  • Ruiz, Gregory M., Fofonoff, Paul W., Ashton, Gail, Minton, Mark S. and Miller, A. Whitman. (2013). Geographic variation in marine invasions among large estuaries: effects of ships and time. Ecological Applications, 23 (2) , 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1660.1
  • Miller, A. Whitman, Minton, Mark S. and Ruiz, Gregory M. (2011). Geographic Limitations and Regional Differences in Ships' Ballast Water Management to Reduce Marine Invasions in the Contiguous United States . Bioscience, 61 (11) , 880-887. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2011.61.11.7
  • Minton, Mark S. and Mack, Richard N. (2010). Naturalization of plant populations: the role of cultivation and population size and density. Oecologia, 164 (2) , 399-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-010-1667-4

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