Staff Member
Sara Sweeten
Post Doc
Phone: (618) 841 - 0219
Email: sweeten@vt.edu
Biography
I have broad interests in measuring biological integrity of aquatic ecosystems. I have worked with stream habitat, fish, aquatic macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels, Wood turtles, and currently amphibians.
Most recently I have been working on the restoration of wild celery (Vallisneria americana) in multiple ecoregions using new propagation and transplant techniques. . The restoration of freshwater submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), in particular wild celery (Vallisneria americana) using novel techniques for propagation and transplanting.
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Sweeten, S.E., and W.M. Ford. 2015. Effects of Microhabitat and Land Use on Stream Salamander Abundance in the Southwest Virginia Coalfields. 2nd Proceedings of Environmental Considerations in Energy Production. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc, Englewood, Colorado, USA. 19 p.Considerations in Energy Production (in review). | Abstract | September 2015 |
| Sweeten, S.E., A. Silvis, and W.M. Ford. 2015. Seasonal Variability in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in the Southwest Virginia Coalfields. In the 2nd Proceedings of Environmental Considerations in Energy Production. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc, Englewood, Colorado, USA. 9 p. | September 2015 |
| Sweeten, S.E. and W.M. Ford. Effects of microhabitat and large-scale land use on stream salamander occupancy in the coalfields of Central Appalachia. Journal of Ecology and Natural Environment 8:129-141 | September 2016 |
| Sweeten, S.E. and W.M. Ford. 2016. Validation of a stream and riparian habitat assessment protocol using stream salamanders in the southwest Virginia coalfields. Journal of The American Society of Mining and Reclamation 5:45-46 | Abstract | Publisher Website | June 2016 |
| Jorge, M.H., W.M. Ford, S.E. Sweeten, S.R. Freeze, M.C. True, M. J. St. Germain, H.Taylor, K.M. Gorman1, M. J. Cherry, and E.P. Garrison. 2021. Winter Roost Selection of Lasiurine Tree Bats in a Pyric Landscape. PLoS ONE 16(2): e0245695. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245695 | February 2021 |
|
Jorge, M.H., S.E. Sweeten, M.C. True, S.R. Freeze, M.J. Cherry, E.P. Garrison, H. Taylor, K.M. Gorman and W.M. Ford. 2021. Fire, land cover and temperature drivers of bat activity in the winter. International Journal of Fire Ecology. (2021) 17:19 /doi.org/10.1186/s42408-021-00105-4 |
June 2021 |
| Project | Completion Date |
|---|---|
| Indices of Biological Integrity - Efficacy of Salamanders in Mined Landscapes of Appalachia | May 2014 |
| Post WNS bat ecology in the eastern United States | December 2028 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| True, M.C., W.M. Ford, E. Barr, S. Sweeten and R. Reynolds. 2020. Using the Motus wildlife tracking system. 2020 Northeastern Bat Working Group, Saratoga Springs, NY. January 15-18. | January 2020 |
| Sweeten, S.E. 2021. Wild Celery (Vallisneria americana) Restoration Overview and Results, 2019-2021 | November 2021 |
| Sweeten, S., W.M. Ford and J. Craynon. 2014. The effects of land use and microhabitat on stream salamander occupancy in the southwest Virginia Coalfields. Mid-Atlantic Regional Water Conference. Sheppardstown WV. | September 2014 |
| Sweeten, S. and W.M. Ford. 2015. Validation of a stream and riparian habitat assessment protocol using stream salamanders in the southwest Virginia coalfields. American Society of Mining and Reclamation, Lexington KY. | June 2015 |
| Sweeten, S. and W.M. Ford. 2015. The effects of land use and microhabitat on stream salamander occupancy in the southwest Virginia Coalfields. Virginia Wildlife Society, Natural Bridge, VA. | February 2015 |
| Sweeten, S and W.M. Ford. 2015. Validation of a stream and riparian habitat assessment protocol using stream salamanders in the southwest Virginia coalfields. 2015 JOINT NATIONAL CONFERENCE of ASMR and ARRI, Lexington KY. June 16, 2015.I | June 2015 |
| Silvis, A., S. Sweeten, W.M. Ford and A. Kniowski. 2016. POST WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME DISTRIBUTION OF NORTHERN LONG-EARED AND INDIANA BATS IN VIRGINIA. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13. | January 2016 |
| Powers, K.E., W. Orndorff, R. J. Reynolds, M. Short, T. Malabad, W.M. Ford, K. Kosič-Ficco and S. Sweeten. 2019. Gray bat activity in southwest Virginia. 2019 Northeast Bat Working Group Meeting, State College PA, January 16-18. | January 2019 |
| Muthersbaugh, M.S., A. Silvis, S.E. Sweeten, and W.M. Ford. 2017. Fall and spring activity of bat species in the central Appalachians around hibernacula. 2017 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network and Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals. Asheville, NC. Feb 16-17. | February 2017 |
| Muthersbaugh, M.A., S.E. Sweeten, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and L.V. Austin. 2016. Fall activity patterns of migratory and cave dwelling bats species in the central Appalachians. 23rd Annual Wildlife Society Conference, Raleigh, NC. October 15-19. | October 2016 |
| Muthersbaugh, M., S. Sweeten, A. Silvis, W.M. Ford and L. Austin. 2016. FALL ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF MIGRATORY AND CAVE DWELLING BAT SPECIES IN THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS. 2016 Northeast Bat Working Group, Baltimore MD. January 12-13. | January 2016 |
| Jorge, M., S.R. Freeze, K. Gorman, H. Taylor, M. True, S. Sweeten, M.J. Cherry and W.M. Ford. Bat winter day-roost site and foraging activity on a pyric landscape in northern Florida. 27th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Society. Sept 28- Oct 1. | September 2020 |
| <b>Jorge, M.J., M. True, S. Freeze, S. Sweeten, M.J. Cherry and W.M. Ford. 2020. Winter-day roosts of Seminole bats in north-cenral Florida: a burning question. Abstracts of the 30th Annual Colloquium on Conservation of Mammals in the Southeastern United States. Athens, GA. February 15</b> | February 2020 |