Petra Kranzfelder

Petra

Email: [email protected]

Curriculum Vitae (.pdf)

 

 

 

 

 

Education

Ph.D. in Entomology, University of Minnesota (expected 2016)

Thesis: Cumulative Effects of Coastal Watershed Land Use on Chironomidae Communities of Neotropical Estuaries of Costa Rica

M.S. in Entomology, University of Minnesota (January 2012)

Thesis: Comparison of Emergence and Taxonomic Composition of Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

B.A. in Biology, Colorado College (May 2009)

Research Interests

I am interested in taxonomy, systematics, and ecology of aquatic macroinvertebrates with a particular focus on non-biting midges of the family Chironomidae (Diptera). My research projects focus on biological monitoring of aquatic ecosystems using chironomid communities as bioindicators.  The goal of my dissertation research is to assess the cumulative effects of watershed land use on chironomid communities in estuaries of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.  I am currently involved in DNA barcoding projects of chironomids with the the Norwegian Barcode of Life (NorBOL).

cover of Tortuguero

 

 

Check out my identification guide to chironomids of Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica (available for free in English & Spanish versions).

 

Citation information: ResearchGate

 

Publications:

Kranzfelder, P. and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2016. Temporal and Spatial Variability of Chironomidae (Diptera) Species Emergence in a Neotropical Estuary. Freshwater Science. 35(2).

Kranzfelder, P., T. Ekrem, and E. Stur. 2015. Trace DNA from Insect Skins: A Comparison of Five Extraction Protocols and Direct PCR on Chironomid Pupal Exuviae. Molecular Ecology Resources 16(1): 353-363.

Kranzfelder, P., A.M. Anderson, A.T. Egan, J.E. Mazack, R.W. Bouchard Jr., M.M. Rufer, and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2015. Use of Chironomidae Surface-Floating Pupal Exuviae as a Rapid Bioasessment Protocol for Water Bodies. Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) 101: e52558.

Kranzfelder, P. and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2015. Characterization of Chironomidae (Diptera) Surface-Floating Pupal Exuviae Sample Sort Time from Coastal Tropical Aquatic Systems. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 87(3): 1-8.

Mazack, J.E., P. Kranzfelder, A.M. Anderson, R.W. Bouchard, and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2015. Survivorship and Longevity of Adult Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski, 1915 (Diptera: Chironomidae) at Controlled, Sub-Freezing Temperatures. Aquatic Insects. 1-8.

Anderson, A.M., P. Kranzfelder, A. Egan, and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2014. A Survey of Neotropical Chironomidae (Diptera) on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Florida Entomologist 97(1): 304-308.

Anderson, A.M., P. Kranzfelder, A. Egan, and L.C. Ferrington, Jr. 2014. The Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) of San Salvador Island: A Preliminary Survey and Look to the Future. Proceedings for the 15th Annual Conference of Natural History of the Bahamas.

Anderson, A.M., P. Kranzfelder, R.W. Bouchard Jr., and L.C. Ferrington Jr. 2013. Survivorship and Longevity of Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski (Diptera: Chironomidae) Under Snow. Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research. 45:e6.

Kranzfelder, P. 2012. Identification Guide and Key to the Chironomid Pupal Exuviae of Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. Available in English and Spanish.

 

Petra
testing water quality
Petra