Patrick Baker

Department of Fisheries
and Aquatic Sciences

Patrick Baker

Research Assistant Professor

Ph.D., Marine Science, 1994
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
The College of William and Mary

M.S., Biology, 1988
Oregon Institute of Marine Biology
University of Oregon

B.S. Biology, 1986
Seattle Pacific University

Patrick Baker studies the biogeography and ecology of marine and freshwater invertebrates, and the ecology of biological invasions, with bivalve mollusks as model systems. In the past, he has conducted research on oyster larval and juvenile biology in Chesapeake Bay, including behavioral studies on larvae settling from the plankton to the benthos. He has studied the ecology of endangered native freshwater mussels in Minnesota, and the ecology of the invasive zebra mussel.

In Florida, Dr. Baker studies the distribution and ecology of the Asian green mussel, a recent invader. He is currently interested in how their spread within the United States will be affected by human alterations to the environment. He also studies the ecology of Florida oyster reefs and, in collaboration with other groups, has studied genetic diversity and structure of cultured and wild clams. Outside of Florida, Dr. Baker conducts research on a small oyster native to the Pacific coast, where recent geological changes and human impacts have resulted in a complex pattern of population invasion and extirpation in the past few thousand years.

E-mail: pkbaker@ufl.edu

Phone: 352-392-9617 ext. 281

Web Site: http://greenmussel.ifas.ufl.edu/

Green mussels in Tampa Bay
(photo by Jon Fajans).

More Photos Below!

Selected publications

Baker, P., Fajans, J., and Baker, S.M. Accepted Pending Revision. Habitat dominance and demographics of a nonindigenous tropical bivalve, Perna viridis, in a subtropical Gulf of Mexico estuary. Estuaries and Coasts.

Baker, P., Fajans, J.S., Arnold, W.S., Ingrao, D.A., Marelli, D.C., and Baker. S.M. 2007. Range and dispersal of a tropical marine invader, the Asian green mussel, Perna viridis, in subtropical waters of the southeastern United States. J. Shellfish Res. 26: 345-355.

Bergquist, D.C., Hale, J.A., Baker, P., and Baker, S.M. 2006. Development of ecosystem indicators for the Suwannee River estuary: oyster reef habitat quality along a salinity gradient. Estuaries and Coasts 29: 353-360.

Baker, P. 2006. Chapter 31. Issues in Marine Conservation. 385-416. In Sturm, C.F., T.A. Pearce, and A. Valdes (eds.). The Mollusks: A Guide to Their Study, Collection, and Preservation. Universal Publishers, Inc., Boca Raton, FL. xii + 445 pp. 101 ill.

Baker, S.M., Baker, P., and Heuberger, D. 2005. Impacts of short-term salinity declines on juvenile northern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria. J. Shellfish Res. 24: 29-33.

Barber, B.J., Fajans. J.S., Baker, S.M., and Baker, P.K. 2005. Gametogenesis in the non-native green mussel, Perna viridis, and the native scorched mussel, Brachiodontes exustus, in Tampa Bay, Florida. J. Shellfish Res. 24: 1087-1095.

Baker, P. 2003. Two species of oyster larvae show different depth distributions in a shallow, well-mixed estuary. J. Shellfish Res. 22: 233-236.

Baker, P. and Mann, R. 2003. Late stage bivalve larvae in a well-mixed estuary are not inert particles. Estuaries 26: 837-845.

Baker, P., N. Terwilliger, and N. Richmond. In Press. Re-establishment of a native oyster, following a natural local extinction. Proc. 1st Natl. Conf. Marine Bioinvasions, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. PDF

Akcakaya, R. and P. Baker. 1998. Zebra mussel demography and modeling: prelimin ary analysisof population data from Upper Midwest Rivers. Final Report (Applied Biomathematics).US. Army Corps of Engineers. Sept., 1988. 25 pp. PDF

Baker, P., and R. Mann. 1998. Response of settling oyster larvae, Crassostrea virginica, to specific portions of the visible light spectrum. J. Shellfish Res. 17:1081-1083 PDF

Baker, P. 1997. Settlement site selection by oyster larvae, Crassostrea virginica: evidence for geotaxis. J. Shellfish Res. 16:125-128. PDF

Baker, P. and R. Mann. 1997. The postlarval phase of bivalve mollusks: a review of functional ecology and new records of postlarval drifting of Chesapeake Bay bivalves. Bull. Mar. Sci. 61:409-430. PDF

Baker, P. 1995. Review of the ecology and fishery of the Olympia oyster, Ostrea lurida, with annotated bibliography. J. SHellfish Res. 14:501-518.

Baker, P. 1994. Competency to settle in oyster larvae, Crassostrea virginica: wild versus hatchery-reared larvae. Aquaculture 122:161-169.

	Dr. Baker teaching a class in invertebrate zoology on the Oregon Coast. The group is looking at tidepool animals. The class is from the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (part of the University of Oregon).
	Nonindigenous green mussels, Perna viridis, covering a crab trap in Tampa Bay, Florida. Green mussels are native to tropical Asia, where they are a fishery and aquaculture species, but can be a pest in parts of Florida. (Photo by A. Benson.)
	Students in Dr. Baker's invertebrate class are dissecting squid. The class is at Southampton College, part of the University of Long Island.
	Cultured northern hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria, showing the wildtype color phenotype on the left, and clams that are homozygous (top, middle) and heterozygous for the notata shell color phenotypes, which are common in culture. (Photo by P. Baker.)

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