University of Charleston

University of Charleston

Mark Watson
Contact Info

markwatson@ucwv.edu

304-357-4744

Associate Professor of Biology
Biology Program Director
Natural Science Department Chair

  • Undergraduate education B.S. Biology and Botany, Marshall University, Huntington WV 1986
  • Graduate Education M.S. Biology, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 1988
  • PhD. Botany, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 1996
  • Additional Education: Post Doctoral Fellowship, Biology Department, Penn State University, State College PA.

Publications

  1. White, A.R., H.W. Elmore, M.B. Watson and J.P. Gill (1989) Purification and Partial Characterization of Polysaccharides From Coconut Milk  Annals of Botany 64: 205-209.
  2. Watson M.B., A.R. White; H.W. Elmore (1990) Extracellular polysaccharides from Pteridium aquilinum suspension cultures. Phytochemistry  29: 3815-3818.
  3. Watson, M.B. and R.L. Malmberg (1996) Regulation of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh arginine decarboxylase by potassium deficiency stress. Plant Physiol. 111:  1077-1083.
  4. Malik, V., Watson, M.B., and Malmberg, R.L. (1996) A tobacco ornithine decarboxylase partial cDNA clone.  J. Plant Biochem. Biotech. 5: 109-112.
  5. Watson, M.B., Yu, W., Galloway, G., and Malmberg, R.L. (1997) Isolation and characterization of a second arginine decarboxylase cDNA from Arabidopsis (Accession No.  AF009647)  (PGR97-114).  Plant Physiol.  114:  1569
  6. Watson, M.B., Emory, K.K., Piatak, R.M., and R.L. Malmberg (1998) Arginine decarboxylase (polyamine synthesis) mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana exhibit altered root growth.  Plant J. 13: 231-239.
  7. Malmberg, R.L., M.B. Watson, G. Galloway, and W. Yu (1998) Molecular genetic analysis of plant polyamines. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 17: 199-224.
  8. Jiaxu Li, Xi-Qing Wang, Mark B. Watson, and Sarah M. Assmann. (2000) Regulation of Abscisic Acid-Induced Stomatal Closure and Anion Channels by GuardCell AAPK Kinase.  Science 2000 287: 300-303.
  9. Pauley, T.K., J. Mitchell, M.B. Watson. (2001) The First Reported Population of the Erythristic Phase of Plethodon cinereus in Pennsylvania.  Northeastern Naturalist  8(3):  355-358.
  10. Watson, M.B. and T. K. Pauley (2005)  Ambystoma barbouri (Kraus and Petranka, 1989), Streamside Salamander In: Amphibian Declines The Conservation Status of United States Species.  ed.  Micheal Lannoo.  University of California Press.  p 603-605.
  11. Watson, M.B., T. K. Pauley and C.D. Camp (2005)  Desmognathus quadramaculatus (Holbrook, 1840), Black-bellied Salamander In: Amphibian Declines The Conservation Status of United States Species.  ed.  Micheal Lannoo.  University of California Press.  p 723-726.
  12. T. K. Pauley and Watson, M.B.  (2005)  Eurycea cirrigera (Green 1830),Southern Two-lined Salamander In: Amphibian Declines The Conservation Status of United States Species.  ed.  Micheal Lannoo.  University of California Press.  p 740-743.
  13. Sutton, W. B., M.B. Watson, S. Raimondo and T.K. Pauley (2005) Chapter 7, Salamander Studies. In:  Long-term evaluation of the effects of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, Gypsi Moth Nucleopholyhedrosis Virus Product Gypchek, and Entomophaga maimaiga on nontarget organisms in mixed broadleaf-pine forests in the Central Applachians.  Eds. J.S. Strazanac and L. Butler.  USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. Morgantown. p 67-77.
  14. Pauley, T.K., M.B. Watson, J.N. Kochenderfer and M. Little (2006) Response of Salamanders to experimental acidification treatments.  In.  Environmental Pollution:  The Fernow Watershed Acidification Study.  Eds M.B Adams, D.R. DeWalle and J.L. Hom:  Springer, Netherlands.  p189-206.
  15. Watson, M. B. and T. K. Pauley. 2006. Spatial distribution of turtles along the Great Kanawha River, West Virginia. Proceedings West Virginia Academy of Science 78:14-25.

Expected Publications

  1. Atlas of West Virginia Amphibians and Reptiles T. K. Pauley and M.B. Watson.  (in preparation).  Funded by the WVDNR.

Current Student Projects

  1. Effects of triclosan, an antimicrobial personal care product, on the life history of various fern species.

Past Student Projects

  1. Resistance Testing of E. coli, a common cause of urinary tract infections (Ashley Ferguson)
  2. The effect of an invasive species, Polygonum cuspidatum, on species reichness of salamanders of a tributary of Ferry Branch ,WV (Samuel Trip King III)
  3. Fecal Coliform Bacteria Study for the Kanawha River (Matthew Messina)
  4. Antibiotic Resistant populations of fecal microbes residing in run-off water associates with livestock on antibiotics (Edward Craft)
  5. The Determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration of Hibiclens TM and Germ-X® of seven medically important microorganisms.  (Samantha Meyers)
  6. Investigating if a soil related cause is the reason for an unusually low survival rate of Abies balsamea (Canaan Fir) at the Whipkey Christmas Tree Farm of Charleston, West Virginia (Brenten Whipkey)
  7. A quantitative comparison of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus between swimming pools and hot tubs (Ashley Jones)
  8. Investigation of a Listerine antiseptic on Streptococcus mutans in college-aged students (Ashley Clay)
  9. The Affects of Northern and Southern Mountain Slope Aspects on Salamander Populations (James Spencer)

My research interests include the conservation biology related to woodland salamanders, especially in regards to habitat destruction and invasive plant species. I am also interested in effects of pollutants on the life cycles of pteridophytes. Other interests: My extracurricular activities, besides spending time with my family, include participating in Church activities, Fishing, Hunting, Photography and playing traditional music. My favorite instruments to play are the Mandolin, Tin Whistle and Irish Bouzouki. As a Botanist, I am also always in search of that new flower or plant that I don’t know!