iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 12h

Knoxville still puts on a good show! Thankful for an old group of friends that has stayed in touch & keeps making fun new memories together.

View from south Knoxville looking across the Tennessee River at night. The Henley Street bridge and many buildings across the river are brightly lit, and there are trees in the foreground

View from the back of a small, dark concert venue as a solo musician on stage pauses with headphones in one hand. Purple and green lasers make patterns across the top of a dancing audience.

Garage door mural of an opossum holding a not-to-scale 1982 world's fair sunsphere tower like a microphone

Nighttime view of the 1982 world's fair sunsphere in downtown Knoxville,TN. The street is brightly lit, blue lights are below the golden sunsphere, and a single light is on in a tall building in the foreground.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

New co-authored paper led by Jasmine Krause @hydrojaz.bsky.social! "A systematic review of the methods & magnitudes of dissolved #oxygen exchanges in streams and rivers" www.frontiersin.org/journals/wat... @wardhydro.bsky.social #WaDESFA 💧🌎🧪👩‍🔬

Image showing the relative magnitudes and ranges of whole-stream O2 fluxes (gross primary production & ecosystem respiration), water column O2 production & respiration, benthic O2 production & respiration, hyporheic O2 respiration & sediment O2 demand, and air-water gas exchange velocities. Water column fluxes are typically lower than whole-stream, benthic, or hyporheic fluxes (but [not shown in graph] rarely measured in the same time and place).

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Enjoyed getting lost in garden details for a bit this morning. Trying to take it all in as the mornings get cooler.... 🌱

Dark pink beautyberry clusters ripen along a branch with green leaves still attached

A bumblebee feeds upside down from one of the few small purple anise hyssop flowers that's still in bloom

Small drops of morning dew speckle a yellow-collared scape moth and a cluster of blue mistflowers (that the moth is sitting on)

Six dark blue, ripe berries hang among mostly empty stems on the underside of a Solomon's seal plant with large, green leaves

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

When the #HokieBird shows up for your PhD defense seminar....😂 Congrats to Dr. #Hokie Dexter Howard on a fantastic dissertation seminar & defense today! Check out his recent work on reservoir metabolism under variable ice cover doi.org/10.1029/2024... & DOM forecasting doi.org/10.1029/2025...! 💧🌎🧪

The hokie bird (Virginia Tech's maroon adult-sized turkey(!)) stands in front of a wall with projection screen, where a presentation slide shows photos and a graph of "Variable local hydrology in Carvins Cove", after interrupting the Q&A section of a man's PhD defense. The PhD candidate stands behind the presenter podium watching the hokie bird and smiling.

The hokie bird, after arriving during the Q&A section of a PhD defense seminar, stands next to now-Dr. Dexter Howard and a presentation slide projection of photos and graph of "Variable local hydrology in Carvins Cove". They are smiling at each other.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Hellbender (giant salamander) nesting season is in full swing! Having a blast working with this research team to understand the connections between water quality + hellbender behavior, nest success, & population dynamics to inform the conservation of declining populations. #BioGeoBender #PACSP💧🧪🌎

Two scientists record information about an aquatic salamander at a Virginia river

A state biologist holds a large tupperware container of hellbender salamander eggs that will be reared in the lab for future "headstart" release conservation actions.

A hellbender salamander in a clear plastic tub full of water

Two scientists on the bank of a river preparing to return a hellbender salamander to its nest

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A few highlights from our late summer garden (Blacksburg, VA, USA). Mornings are getting cooler & foggier! 🌱🦋

Red-banded hairstreak butterfly on a cluster of white onion flowers

Green monarch butterfly chrysalis hanging under a pawpaw tree leaf. The chrysalis has golden and black accent markings and is covered in morning dew drops.

Yellow-collared scape moth (with an orangish head, large black eyes, and black feathered antennae with a blue tint) on blue mistflower (actually closer to a light purple color!)

A "five color" pepper plant with purple, red, orange, and yellow peppers

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Great view from "the office" today. New River near McCoy Falls, VA. (Testing methods to advance our understanding of the environment trigger(s?) of filial cannibalism in eastern hellbenders!) #BioGeoBender 💧🌎🧪👩‍🔬

Panoramic view of an Appalachian river with rolling, forest-covered mountains and clear water

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Lovely views from yesterday's annual 4th float as the morning fog lifted & before the storms rolled in! We had to go a bit lower on the river due to drought conditions / low water levels this summer. Pembroke -> Bluff City, New River, VA

Reflection of blue sky and green mountain mirrored in a slow moving part of the river

A shallow, rocky section of the river where the water is clear enough to see the rocks on the bottom. View of forested mountains down river

White cliffs covered in green plants and tree stand above a ledge causing waves in the river

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Had a great time returning to support the UVA-Wise STEM Governor's School for #SWVA high school students & Aquatic Ecosystems professional development workshop for K-12 teachers with #VirginiaTech #SaltyCarbon collaborators! This year we assessed Camp Branch Creek in beautiful Breaks, VA. 💧🌎👩‍🔬🧪

People standing in and next to a forested stream estimating flow velocity using an orange float

Two women demonstrate macroinvertebrate sampling methods in a forested stream with undercut banks

People standing around a table near a stream picking macroinvertebrates from samples collected from riffles, runs, and snags

Four scientists pose for a photo at an area overlooking forested mountains and a river running through a canyon

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Hello from Stroubles Creek below the Duck Pond! This cute little turtle has claimed our dissolved oxygen sensor. 💧🌎👩‍🔬

A grumpy-faced tiny turtle sits under water on the screw cap for a PVC case covered in biofilm. The turtle's arms are about the same diameter as the rope used to secure the PVC case on the stream bottom.

Full view of the red-eared slider turtle under water. The turtle's head is about the same size as small "clam" shells on the stream bottom nearby. The turtle has a red patch of color behind its eyes and its shell is covered with yellow and green lines that create different patterns.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Fantastic talk today by @freshwaterscience.bsky.social Hynes Award winner Dr. Audrey Goeckner @pondgator.bsky.social on her award paper "Subtropical stormwater #ponds are more frequently net #nitrogen fixing compared to natural ponds" link.springer.com/article/10.1... #2026SFS #SFS2026 💧🌎👩‍🔬

Dr. Goeckner starting her talk with title slide "Characterizing N cycling processes in human-made ecosystems"

Dr. Goeckner showing that human-made ponds were more likely to N sources that natural ponds

Dr. Goeckner concluding her talk by stating that "Artificial ecosystems are still ecosystems and we need to start treating them that way"

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Another way to track the #2026SFS schedule thanks to the one and only Geoff Poole (I also miss The Grid!) #SFS2026 @freshwaterscience.bsky.social @sfs-src.bsky.social

QR code to access grid version of 2026 SFS schedule

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

#2026SFS opened last night with a thoughtful plenary from this year's @freshwaterscience.bsky.social Award of Excellence winner, Dr. Jen Tank! Dr. John Jackson's acceptance of his Environmental Stewardship Award was great too. Strong start to this week's meeting / freshwater reunion! #SFS2026

Dr. Jennifer Tank starting her award of excellence plenary talk with her title slide displayed above her. The title of her talk was "I thought I was studying streams -- tools, challenges, platforms, and what I really learned" and there is a cartoon of a tree with "The Tank Lab" written on the trunk and photos of her mentors at the roots of the tree.

Dr. John Jackson accepting his Environmental Stewardship Award with a slide encouraging the audience to "share your time, skills, values" because "The public needs SFS scientists if we want a cleaner, better future"

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I'm really looking forward to seeing folks at #2026SFS (the annual Society for #Freshwater #Science meeting) next week! Talks by lab members & collaborators are below. Please reach out if you'd like to connect in Spokane! @freshwaterscience.bsky.social @sfs-src.bsky.social @sfsemerge.bsky.social 💧🌎🧪

Hotchkiss Lab & Collaborators at #2026SFS:

Katherine X. Pérez Rivera et al. 18 May 11:30a 201ABC "lonic contributions to specific conductivity dynamics in an urbanized stream network"

Quinn Weigel et al. 18 May 2:00p 102AB "Severe storm response in central Appalachian streams: focusing on benthic macroinvertebrate community dynamics"

Sally Entrekin et al. 18 May 4:30p 102AB "Surface mining increases the contribution of chlorophyll a to aquatic insect food webs in central Appalachia"

Megan Underwood et al. 18 May 4:45p 102AB "Evaluating organic matter decomposition in headwater streams across a mining-induced salinity gradient throughout the central Appalachian coalfields"

Amaryllis Adey et al. 18 May 5:00p 102AB "Disentangling seasonal and interannual drivers of macroinvertebrate community responses to flow and specific conductance in central Appalachian streams"

Ashif Hasan Abir et al. 20 May 10:45p 202ABC "Dissolved organic carbon inputs to streams are shaped by soil respiration, riparian groundwater respiration, and subsurface weathering"

Robert S. Brown et al. 20 May 10:45p 201ABC How are changes in stream water N,:Ar and CH :Ar saturation ratios linked to estimates of ecosystem metabolism?

Michael C. Beall et al. 20 May 11:45p 201ABC "Quantifying stream metabolic stability to storm disturbance using integrated resistance and resilience methods"

Jonathan Behrens et al. 20 May 2:00p 201ABD "Pinpointing drivers of covariance, persistence, and synchrony in stream metabolism across a heterogeneous watershed"

Carla López Lloreda et al. 21 May 11:00a 202ABC "Linking oxygen and carbon dynamics to characterize dominant biogeochemical processes in headwater wetlands"

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Virginia Tech moved Friday finals to Sunday; email from dean gave us an option to still give a final today as long as it's offered on Sunday as well. Our vt canvas web address automatically redirects to our IT help site now. www.vt.edu/status.html

Message announcing Virginia Tech finals on Friday will move to Sunday due to Canvas outage

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Wonderful conversations at #wundergrad posters during today's Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research Conference. I enjoyed seeing what many of my Ecology students were up to while celebrating the posters of our lab members & research students! 💧🌎👩‍🔬 @globalchangevt.bsky.social @vt-science.bsky.social

Three women standing at a poster on dissolved oxygen dynamics above/below a retention pond before/during sediment dredging

Global Change Center grant awardee Andie Flota presents her poster on the dredging impacts of dissolved oxygen dynamics

Fralin Undergraduate Research Fellow Maddi Brown presents her poster on changes in water quality along a land use transition & the effects of salt pollution on microbial metabolism

Ariana Osborne and Charlene Lau presenting their poster on changes in water quality above/below a retention pond in an urbanizing stream network as their communication product for our Ecology of Local Waterways class

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Got to walk along Stroubles Creek & the Duck Pond on campus to take water quality samples with students yesterday, and we're already experiencing "it smells like summer 🤢" season! Collision (& fun patterns!) of pollen & algae at the Main Branch inlet.

Networked patterns of pollen surrounding clumps of green algae covering the surface of slow-flowing water.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

New paper in Ecosystems led by @biogeobob.bsky.social! Fun NSF-funded collaboration tracing the immediate & delayed whole-stream respiration of dissolved organic carbon using 13C-glucose & 13C-fescue leachate additions + 13C-DIC analyses w/ Michelle Baker & Stephen Plont. 💧🌎

Title, authors, and abstract of linked paper, "Dynamics of Respired Dissolved Organic Carbon in a Stream"

Figure 2 in Hall et al 2026 showing modeled immediate and delayed respiration of glucose and fescue leachate

Figure 5 in Hall et al summarizing the uptake rates and fate of glucose and plant leachate in a stream.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Things that make me sad on campus. Especially while measuring 900 - >1000us/cm (a proxy for salt concentrations) in the same Stroubles Creek watershed, including the campus 'Duck Pond'. The stress threshold for many freshwater organisms is ~350us/cm 😔💧🌎

Piles of bright teal rock salt below and on a few steps that are relatively dry and totally ice-free.

Piles of white rock salt surrounding a drain on a concrete walkway. There is a trail of meltwater draining from a small old snow pile outside of the photo frame, but the concrete is otherwise completely dry

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Enjoyed seeing early signs of spring in the garden yesterday (before the next cold snap)! I'm mostly adding native species these days, but I still have a soft spot for these early blooming ornamentals.

Three fower buds of lenten rose, growing from a ground covered in dry leaves, just starting to show color. The flower buds have white petals with dark pink edges.

Tulip leaves and early flower buds that have just emerged from the ground

Hyacinth leaves freshly emerged from the ground with the developing flower visible at the base

Purple crocus flower growing from the edge of a grassy area next to a large rock and dry leaves

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Are you working with #OpenData to advance #freshwater #biogeochemistry? Consider submitting an abstract to share your science in our special session at #2026SFS! Organized by Ashif H Abir, Wil Wollheim, me, & Kelly Aho @kellyaho.bsky.social. Abstracts due 16 Jan 2026. www.sfsannualmeeting.org 💧🌎🧪

Abstracts due: 16 January 2026

Special Session: Advances in freshwater biogeochemistry using open data across networks of sites

Conveners: Ashif Hasan Abir (UNH), Wil Wollheim (UNH), Erin Hotchkiss (VT), & Kelly Aho (BU)

With the increasing amount of data from research networks, expanding analytical capabilities and open science policies, there is a paradigm shift from single-site to macro-scale analyses incorporating many ecosystems to tackle knowledge gaps in freshwater biogeochemistry at regional to global scales. We welcome submissions that leverage publicly available data (continuous sensor measurements, field sampling or combination of both) collected across different spatial and temporal scales from multiple sites to advance freshwater biogeochemistry. We are particularly interested in studies utilizing established sensor and measurement networks such as the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) networks, Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON), and Critical Zone Observatories (CZO) for cross-scale studies. We welcome studies adopting interdisciplinary approaches that use standardized observations, coupled terrestrial and water measurements, high frequency sampling, process-based and/or machine learning models, or any combination of these approaches. Cross-scale studies addressing biogeochemical processes at the interface of terrestrial and aquatic systems such as riparian corridors, hyporheic zones, and different freshwater ecosystems are also encouraged. Throughout this session, we hope to stimulate innovative ideas, approaches and discussions to push our knowledge in freshwater biogeochemistry. To learn more, visit: www.sfsannualmeeting.org

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Happy to share a recently accepted, co-authored paper led by @shantanubhide.bsky.social in Water Research: 'Transit times link pollution sources to drinking water quality in a “One Water” system' www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 💧🌎

Graphical abstract detailing modeling framework of time varying pollution inputs and their travel time from water reclamation plant, to a drinking water reservoir, and then to a drinking water treatment plant in the 'one water' system used for this study

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

In case you're also up for a quick distraction (I was) - we have black swallowtails in the garden! Pictured: an adult butterfly on purple ironweed flowers & a caterpillar (1 of 3!) crawling down a dill plant stem 🌱

Black adult butterfly with white and yellow body and outer wing markings feeds on purple ironweed flowers

A bright green caterpillar with black stripes and yellow dots crawls down a green dill plant stem. The caterpillar's head and upper body are leaning away from the stem to feed on dill leaves

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

We may not have pets or kids (literally the first two questions everyone asked when we were moving in 😒), but..."FREE #PAWPAWS" helped us (re)connect with several folks in the neighborhood this weekend! 🌱💚

A cardboard sign and white cooler sit on a grassy area in front of a fig and paw paw tree. The sign reads "FREE PAWPAWS! Pawpaws are a native fruit that grows on trees in the Eastern US. They only stay ripe for a few days - enjoy quickly! (Seeds & skin are NOT edible.) - Erin & Richard."

Looking down at a pile of 17 ripe pawpaw fruits on the ground to the left with 2 paw paws that wild animals nibbled on the right. A few yellow goldenrod flowers are at the top of the frame.

Looking up at a cluster of 3 almost-ripe pawpaw fruits on a tree

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Views from Foster Falls, New River Trail State Park (VA, USA) 💧

View from the middle of a forested river transitioning from flat water to rocky ledges under more turbulent water

Bank view from the middle of a forested river transitioning from flat water to rocky ledges under more turbulent water

View from the middle of a forested river transitioning from flat water to a rocky ledge under turbulent water, churning around and over rocks

View looking upstream from the bank of a forested river. The spot is below rocky ledges, where the water is calmer and flows on either side of a rocky bar

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Mom's been reminiscing about how much time she's spent keeping them out of her lake/nature photos in the family text this AM. "except one time I got a moonrise exactly on top" RIP to that "you're almost home" landmark, even if it's long overdue!

The top of one of Bull Run steam plant's stacks, made of concrete with red, white, and red stripes around the top. The stack is positioned in the picture frame so that a brightly colored full moon appears to be sitting on top of it during moonrise.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Definitely feels like summer! I'm enjoying spending more time with the New River this year. Pembroke -> Bluff City (Hale's Landing), Virginia, USA

Early morning light shining on a cliff above a river with forested banks, plants in the foreground, and forested mountains in the background. A blue raft sits on the riverbank in the shade. The river water is calm enough to reflect the blue sky with a few white clouds.

A blue damselfly sits on a faded red strap next to a faded red (upside down) sticker on the metal bar of a raft that reads "Don't Move a Mussel / AIS" - the AIS stands for aquatic invasive species. An out of focus black spare oar is behind the bar.

Exposed bedrock of different shapes and angles extends from the edge of the river bank and is now visible as water levels drop. There are pools of disconnected water in the lower parts and weathered holes of the rock. The river and forested mountains are in the background of the photo and forested banks on both sides of the river. It's a sunny day with blue skies and a few white clouds.

View from the middle of the river at the edge of a ledge that extends across the bank and creates turbulent waves (a small rapid or "falls"). There are forested white cliffs above the river in the background.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Enjoyed being back on the New River in southwest Virginia. First float of the year after full leaf out & first time floating this section (Whitehorne -> Eggleston) after hurricane Helene.

View from the middle of the New River. The bedrock and sediments are visible through the clear water, and the river is calm enough to reflect the blue sky and clouds on the water surface. There are tree-covered banks and mountains in the background.

View from the middle of the New River in the morning. The river is calm enough to reflect the blue sky and sun on the water surface. There are tree-covered banks and mountains in the background with a little bit of fog in the distance.

View from the middle of the New River below a small shelf rapid with a few waves. The sky is blue with white puffy clouds. There are tree-covered banks and mountains in the background.

View from the middle of the New River looking toward a riverbank with exposed rock cliffs surrounded by green trees. The sky is blue.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Somehow managed to have more than an hour exploring this incredible river without any other humans nearby. Plenty of freshwater shrimp, birds, & anoles to keep me company! 💧Río Espíritu Santo, Bosque Nacional El Yunque, Puerto Rico

A clear river with large rocks and small cascades, surrounded by tropical green plants and trees on a sunny day with only a few clouds.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

Congrats to this year's @freshwaterscience.bsky.social Hynes Awardee, Dr. Laurel Genzoli! Laurel received this award for her recent paper, "Benthic cyanobacterial proliferations drive anatoxin production throughout the Klamath River watershed": www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.... 👩‍🔬🌎🧪💧

Dr. Laurel Genzoli posing with SFS president Dr. Dave Arscott after receiving her Hynes Award.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Got to nerd out about beautiful coastal Puerto Rican #wetlands yesterday with @carlalopezpr.bsky.social ! Carla is studying #freshwater wetland #carbon emissions & testing how those emissions may change with sea level rise. 💧🧪🌎👩‍🔬 #2025SFS @globalchangevt.bsky.social

Buttressed tree trunk in a tropical wetland

Brown anole lizard with an extended orange dewlap perched on a small tree trunk

Woman standing ankle deep in a wetland holding soil scooped up from under water and smiling

View looking down at a wetland with saplings, seeds, and underwater leaves. The water is still enough that there are also reflections of trees on the water surface

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Had a great time meeting with ~80 scientists, managers, & community organizers during the 7th Symposium on Urban Stream Ecology in San Juan, PR this week. Excited about next steps from our urban metabolism workshop w/@jonnybehrens.bsky.social + future collabs! 💧🌎🧪 www.urbanstreamecology.org #SUSE7

Lookout post from the Old San Juan wall at the edge of the island

A woman presents a slide about future community, scientific, and policymaker engagement to build an improved plan for the watershed of San Juan

A group of people poses for a photo after a workshop

rainy view walking along the edge of old San Juan on the way to La Perla. Multicolored buildings and palm trees line the left of the road and a building painted as the Puerto Rican flag is below the wall on the right

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Virginia -> Puerto Rico for the 7th Symposium on Urban Stream Ecology & 2025 annual meeting of @freshwaterscience.bsky.social! Looking forward to nerding out & catching up with new & old freshwater friends. Please reach out if you'd like to connect at #SUSE7 or #2025SFS!

View from an airplane flying over a meandering Virginia river in a valley next to a forested mountain ridge with fog still hovering above part of the river.

View from an airplane flying over part of Virginia with forested mountain ridges on the edge of a valley with small farms, houses, and a river that passed through the mountains

View from an airplane approaching the island of Puerto Rico surrounded by deep blue and turquoise water.

View from an airplane flying over a more industrialized part of Puerto Rico with patches of forest, two channelized rivers of different colors due to different levels of sediment in the water, and mountains in the background

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

I managed to not fly at all in 2024 (attended 2 conferences by train!), so it was strange & wonderful to be back in a window seat for a cross-country flight (IAD-SFO). Mostly cloudy, a few good views. Looking forward to catching up with an old friend & finding sabbatical inspiration in a new place.

View from above the cloud line looking down at a mountain range with snow-covered high elevations. Clouds cover part of the view, and the sky above the clouds is a clear blue.

View from above the cloud line looking down at a snow-covered mountain range. Clouds cover part of the landscape in the distance, and the sky above the clouds is a clear blue.

View looking down on different salt pond and marsh habitats on the California coast that are different shades of pink and green depending on their biological community.

View from a plane pulling into the gate of an airport with a rainbow and mostly cloudy sky in the background. There are raindrops on the window.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

Nice float on the James River near Buchanan, VA today. Bluebells are looking great & trees are starting to leaf out.

Clusters of bluebell flowers in front of a river

Two people in a blue raft float on the bank of a calm river just past parts of an old bridge that no longer crosses over the river. It's a partly cloudy day in early spring.

Two people in a blue raft float over a small riffle on a river - enough turbulence to see bubbles in the water but not enough to splash anyone going through it. The riverbank is forested with rocky edges, and leaves are just starting to open up on some trees.

Six people in two blue rafts float next to each other on a wide river. The riverbank is forested and there are mountains in the blackground. Leaves are just starting to open up on some trees.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Today, Virginia Tech's board of visitors voted to end all DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs, dissolving the Office for Inclusive Strategy & Excellence, InclusiveVT, student centers (e.g., Black, LGBTQ+, Indigenous), DEI committees, etc...🤬 Was glad to stand w/ friends & see a big turnout.

A large group of protestors fills the stairs and patio in front of Burruss Hall on Virginia Tech's campus on an early spring day.

A large group of protestors with signs stands around the edge of the pylons on Virginia Tech's campus on a cloudy spring day.

Picture from the first few rows in at the rally at the end of the march. The crowd faces speakers and observers in front of the stone building (hotel/conference center) where the board of visitors is meeting

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Back in VA for a week & enjoying the many signs of spring: daffodils, trillium, & blueberries in the garden + protests (Sunday was for standing up against privatization of our federal mail service with USPS union & community members)

Three clusters of daffodil plants flowering in a bed of mulch in front of a white house

A single trillium plant emerges from a bed of dried leaves. The plant has three leaves that are mottled green and purple.

Blueberry bush with early spring buds and leaves just starting to open

A person with a ponytail stands with a sign that says "fight like hell" at a protest

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Had a fun morning visit to East Fork Poplar Creek today to test methods & plan storm sampling with @jonnybehrens.bsky.social! Still a surprising amount of algae after a big storm / high flows over the weekend. 🧪💧🌎

View looking downstream from a large, forested stream on a blue sky day in early spring. The water is still cloudy from weekend storms, grass is starting to green up on the left bank, and trees haven't leafed out yet.

A smiling scientist wearing large gloves, sunglasses, and a sun hat is standing in a stream and holding a clump of filamentous algae over small dark glass vials.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

My research sabbatical time at ORNL continues to be a treat. Amazing people & scientists ++ today I got to visit Walker Branch, an important long-term study site for our understanding of how streams function (IYKYK & are a biogeochemistry/ecology nerd)! 💧🧪🌎

A small, blue shed stands to the right of a moss covered rock formation and beyond several stairs in a forested area where the ground is covered by fallen leaves and the trees haven't leafed out yet. To the right of the shed is a v-notched weir used to measure streamflow, with a small stream cascading down the concrete wall of the weir.

A small stream cascades down rocks that have been weathered by the water flow over time. The stream is in a forested area where the ground is covered by fallen leaves and the trees haven't leafed out yet.

A close up view of stream rocks under clear, flowing water. The rocks are covered in a thin layer of algal biofilms and many small stream snails grazing on the algae.

Old, weathered sign at the edge of a deciduous forest reads "AEC-ORNL / Ecology Field Studies / Water Resources Research Area / Land-Water Interaction"

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Took the long way to my destination to spend a bit of time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park today. No regrets. (And yes, of course I spent as much time as possible along streams & rivers!)

View of a river in the Smoky Mountains with clear turbulent water, large rocks, and trees on both banks

A small waterfall on a large smooth rock surrounded by moss and rhododendron

View from the edge of a river in the Smoky Mountains with clear turbulent water, large rocks, and vegetation on the opposite bank

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Today's backyard springtime phenology updates: bees started visiting the snowdrops & crocus flowers + the first yellow crocuses-in-the-grass started blooming. Nice little break from all of the horrible news. Now back to reality....

A bee visits the middle of five light purple crocus flowers in bloom. The flowers are growing through a layer of dried leaf cover.

A bee flies towards a cluster of four white snowdrop flowers in bloom. The flowers are growing through a layer of dried leaf cover.

A single yellow crocus flower blooms in a yard with dormant grass and a few fallen leaves

A bee collects nectar from a light purple crocus flower. The flower is growing through a layer of dried leaf cover.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

And now for...spring? Today's lunchtime walk around the garden brought the first backyard crocus sightings of the year + other early spring plants emerging from the melting snow & ice.

Two crocus flowers with purple and white petals and yellow center growing out of dormant grass

Two clusters of bulbed flower stems emerging from a ground covered in dried leaves and melting ice

The very top of two daffodil plant tips poke through the ground covered with dried leaves and melting ice. A few more green clusters are emerging from the ground in the background of the photo.

Single blades of wheat poke through a layer of snow and ice on raised garden beds

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

2nd snow day (VT classes were cancelled but I'm on a research sabbatical & not teaching) came with more ice/rain/sleet & and new views from the garden

Close up of a lichen- and moss-covered tree branch covered in a layer of ice with small icicles. There are more ice covered branches and icicles in the background.

Last summer's now-dried Joe Pye flowers covered in a layer of ice with snow in the background

A small pond surrounded with snow-covered cobbles. The water's surface is disrupted by raindrops and has a reflection of a nearby tree.

Mountain laurel evergreen leaves and buds covered in a layer of ice with small icicles. There are more ice covered leaves and icicles in the background.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Found some peace & sunlight today - it was a much needed recharge. The science will continue. The fight for human rights, equity, democracy, & a better future goes on.

A rocky stream with clear water in the foreground; a hill with mostly evergreen rhododendron bushes and bare deciduous trees is on the other side of the stream. There are glimpses of a blue sky with white clouds between the trees.

View looking down at a small vernal pond surrounded by dried, fallen leaves from deciduous trees. There are two moss-covered logs reaching into the pond and a reflection of a blue sky with white clouds in the pond water.

View of a colony of club moss on the forest floor with patches of dried, fallen leaves mixed in. There are mossy patches on the leaf-covered hillslopes in the distance. The trees are still bare for winter.

View of a rocky stream with clear water looking downstream from above. A hill with dried fallen leaves, rocks, and bare deciduous trees is on the right bank of the stream.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Season's greetings from Tennessee (& Mom's army of nutcrackers!)

Living room corner with a decorated Christmas tree and a fireplace mantel covered in nutcrackers. The front of the fireplace is covered by large poinsettias and there are lots of other holiday decorations all over the room, including a coffee mug on a table that reads "equal rights for snow women!"

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

Very ready to relax at home after a busy but fun week of connecting w/ amazing earth scientists at #AGU24. A favorite part of conferences now is meeting new early career colleagues, so thanks to all who reached out & shared your work! (Bonus: I got to travel by train for 2/2 meetings in 2024!) 🌎🧪👩‍🔬💧🚆

View from the pedestrian bridge above the Roanoke, VA train station at night with an Amtrak passenger train still at the station. Lots of cars are idling waiting to pick up passengers on the road next to the train station, and the outside of a tall building in the background is illuminated with red and green lights for the winter holiday season.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Looking forward to seeing LOTS of amazing science & scientists at #AGU24 next week! Reach out if you're going & would like to connect. One panel, several posters, & two talks I'm associated with are listed below. (Thurs will be busy!) #wetlands #streams #carbon #AGU #biogeochemistry #hydrology 💧🌎🧪👩‍🔬

Image with header that reads:

"AGU24
Washington, DC | 9-13 December 2024
What's next for Science
Hotchkiss Lab & Collaborators at AGU24"

Text below the header lists panels, posters, and talks Hotchkiss is participating in, leading, or coauthoring. Session IDs are listed below if you would like to search for them in the AGU program. Images on the right are logos for Virginia Tech, the Hotchkiss Lab, Reversing Freshwater Salinization, Delmarva Disco, and MacroCO2 projects.

Mon 9 Dec: 12:30-13:30 Marriot Marquis 1-2 - TH13D Panel.

Thurs 12 Dec: 8:30-12:20 Convention Posters B-C - Poster #s B41I-1407, B41N-1498, B41N-1504, & H41Q-0744.

Thurs 12 Dec: 16:00-16:10 talk # H44H-01 in 143 A-C.

Thurs 12 Dec: 16:42-16:52 talk # B44D-05 in 150 B.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

almost ready for the holiday season ("thanksgiving cactus" #houseplants have started to bloom!)

Small thanksgiving cactus houseplant with dark pink flowers in different stages of blooming. The plant is in a blue ceramic pot sitting on a wooden table.

Close-up of a flowering thanksgiving cactus houseplant with red flowers in different stages of blooming.

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Erin Hotchkiss @fluvialbenthos.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Happy to share this paper led by @carlalopezpr.bsky.social assessing drivers of #CO2 & #CH4 in headwater #wetlands! Recently published #OA in #Ecosystems: link.springer.com/article/10.1... #wetland #biogeochemistry #carbon #water #DelmarvaDisco 💧🧪🌎👩‍🔬

Fig 1 from the paper is a multi-panel plot showing the location of our study sites on the Delmarva peninsula of Maryland and within a landscape with many headwater headwater wetland complexes. The graph in the bottom right corner shows the range of wetland areas (<500, >5000 m2) and mean water levels (0.1-0.8m) at our core study sites.

Three panel plot showing (a) lower CO2 concentrations in wetland surface water compared to shallow groundwater adjacent to each study wetland, (b) higher CH4 concentrations in wetland surface water compared to shallow groundwater, and (c) positive relationships between CO2 and CH4 for surface water (R2 = 0.2) and shallow groundwater (R2 = 0.4).

Six panel plot showing (a) no relationship between wetland area and CO2, (b) a positive relationship between wetland perimeter:area and CO2, (c) a slightly positive relationship between height above drainage network [HAND] and CO2, (d) a negative relationship between wetland area and CH4, (e) a positive relationship between wetland perimeter:area and CH4, and (f) a positive relationship between height above drainage network [HAND] and CH4

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