Western Illinois University: Macomb Campus

Susan P. Romano, Assistant Professor

Plant Ecology and Geographic Information Systems

Cross-Disciplinary Assignment to the Departments of Biological Sciences and Geography
Research Fellow, Institute for Environmental Studies
Program Coordinator, Environmental GIS Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Contact Information:
309/298-3387
Waggoner Hall 283
S-Romano2@wiu.edu

Degrees:
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Ph.D., Plant Biology, 2006
Western Illinois University, M.S., Botany, 1990
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, B.S., Forest Resource Management, 1984

Courses Taught:

BIOL/GEOG 426(G) Conservation and Management of Natural Resources
BIOL 451/584, Ecological Techniques/Advanced Ecological Techniques
BOT 451(G), Plant Ecology
BIOL 501, Biometrics
BIOL 503, Biosystematics and Evolution
GEOG 508, GIS and Cartographic Design
GEOG 509, Fundamentals of GIS Analysis
GEOG 510, Environmental Impact Analysis

Research Interests:
Forest ecology; ecology of the riparian forest community; regulated river ecology; forest management and silviculture. My research addresses the ecology, conservation, and management of vegetation within large river systems.  This includes using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool to understand ecological relationships between the spatial genetic plant distributions at a landscape scale.  

Peer Review Publications

Moore, M., S.P. Romano, and T. Cook. 2010. Synthesis of Upper Mississippi River System submersed and emergent aquatic vegetation: Past, present, and future. Hydrobiologia 640:103–114. DOI 10.1007/s10750-009-0062-9

Romano, S.P. 2010. Our current understanding of the Upper Mississippi River System floodplain forest. Hydrobiologia (2010) 640:115–124. DOI 10.1007/s10750-009-0063-8

Romano, S.P., S.G. Baer, J.J. Zaczek, and K. Williard. 2009. Site modeling methods for detecting hydrologic alteration of flood frequency and flood duration in the floodplain below the Carlyle Dam, Lower Kaskaskia River, Illinois, USA. River Research and Applications 25: 975-984.

Romano, S., J. Zaczek, K. Williard, S. Baer, A. Carver, and J. Mangun. 2002. Riparian forest communities of the lower Kaskaskia River bottom. Thirteenth Central Hardwood Forest Conference Proceedings (Peer-reviewed), April 1-3, Urbana, Illinois.

General Publications and Reports

Andress, A. and S.P. Romano. 2011. Propagule Bank Composition of Proposed Drawdown Areas in Pool 18, Upper Mississippi River. Submitted to the US Geological Survey and the US Army Corps of Engineers, March 15, 2011.

Romano, S.P. and C. Kerofsky. 2009. The Wetlands Initiative Boltonia decurrens Survey, Hennepin & Hopper Lakes, Sue & Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, near Hennepin, Illinois. November 24, 2009.

Romano, M.A., S.P. Romano, and C.W. Kilpatrick. 2007. Report on Genetic Analyses of Vermont Wild Turkey Populations. Prepared for The Vermont Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation Turkey populations of Vermont. October 1, 2007.

Romano, S., M. Packer, C. Thailing, B. Fontenot, M. Wiant, J. Barr, V. Clark, and D. Johnson. 2005. Illinois River Road: Route of the Voyageurs Corridor Management Plan. Technical Report prepared as a component of the Illinois River Road Scenic Byway Application, Illinois Department of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration.

Rogers, S., T. Blackburn, D. Dieterman, H. Langrehr, J. Nelson, and S. Romano-Peitzmeier. 1998. 1991 annual status report: A summary of aquatic vegetation monitoring at selected locations in Pools 4, 8, 13, and 26 and La Grange Pool of the Upper Mississippi River System. U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Management Technical Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin, June 1998. LTRMP 98-P005. 21pp. + Appendixes A-B. (NTIS PB98-164510)

Rogers, S., T. Blackburn, H. Langrehr, J. Nelson, and S. Romano-Peitzmeier. 1998. 1992 annual status report: A summary of aquatic vegetation monitoring at selected locations in Pools 4, 8, 13, and 26 and La Grange Pool of the Upper Mississippi River System. U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Management Technical Center, Onalaska, Wisconsin, June 1998. LTRMP 98-P006. 24 pp. + Appendixes A-C. (NTIS PB98-164569)

Susan Romano, Ph.D. CV