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SCIENCE TOPICS

ABOUT THE ALASKA
SCIENCE CENTER

Brenda E. Ballachey

Title: Research Physiologist
Address: 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508-4626
Phone: (403) 288-9184
Fax: (907) 786-7150
Email: bballachey@usgs.gov

Image of Brenda E. Ballachey

Education and/or Training

Ph.D.1985Oregon State University, Corvallis, ORAnimal Breeding and Genetics
M.S.1980Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, COAnimal Sciences
B.S.1974Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, COAnimal Science

Areas of Specialization and/or Research Interests

Population status and indices of population condition; population, physiological and ecological effects of oil exposure on marine mammals and coastal ecosystems; environmental toxicology, physiology and genetics of marine mammals.

Professional Experience

1990 - PresentResearch Physiologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1989 - 1990Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1987 - 1989Staff Officer, Board on Agriculture, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.
1986 - 1987Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota
1985 - 1985Instructor, Department of Animal Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
1981 - 1985Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Animal Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
1977 - 1980Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Animal Science, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado

Professional Activities and/or Memberships

Society for Marine Mammalogy
The Wildlife Society
Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Significant Recent Publications

Monson, D. H., C. McCormick, and B. E. Ballachey. In review. Chemical restraint of Northern sea otters: Results of past field studies. J. Zoo Wildl. Medicine.

Monson, D. H., D. F. Doak, B. E. Ballachey, A. Johnson, and J. L. Bodkin. 2000. Long-term impacts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on sea otters, assessed through age-dependent mortality patterns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 97:6562-6567.

Bodkin, J. L., B. E. Ballachey, M. A. Cronin and K.T. Scribner. 1999. Population demographics and genetic diversity in remnant and translocated populations of sea otters. Conserv. Biol. 13:1378-1385.

Bickham, J. W., J. A. Mazet, J. Blake, M. J. Smolen, Y. Lou and B. E. Ballachey. 1998. Flow-cytometric determination of genotoxic effects of exposure to petroleum in mink and sea otters. Ecotoxicology 7:191-199.

Udevitz, M. S., and B. E. Ballachey. 1998. Estimating survival rates with age-structure data. J. Wildl. Manage. 62:779-792.

Jay, C.V., T.L. Olson, G.W. Garner, and B.E. Ballachey. 1998. Response of Pacific walruses to disturbances from capture and handling activities at a haul-out in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Mar. Mamm. Sci. 14(4):819-828.

Ballachey, B. E., and K. A. Kloecker. 1997. Hydrocarbons in hair, livers, and intestines of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) found dead along the path of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report (Marine Mammal Study 6-3), U.S. Fish & Wildl. Serv., Anchorage, AK.

Ballachey, B. E., and K. A. Kloecker. 1997. Hydrocarbon residues in tissues of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) collected following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report (Marine Mammal Study 6-16), U.S. Fish & Wildl. Serv., Anchorage, AK.

Ballachey, B. E., and K. A. Kloecker. 1997. Hydrocarbon residues in tissues of sea otters (Enhydra lutris) collected from southeast Alaska. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report (Marine Mammal Study 6-2), U.S. Fish & Wildl. Serv., Anchorage, AK.

Scribner, K.T., J. Bodkin, B. Ballachey, S.R. Fain, M.A. Cronin, and M. Sanchez. 1997. Population genetic studies of the sea otter (Enhydra lutris): a review and interpretation of available data. Society for Marine Mammology. Special Publication 3:197-208. [PDF file - 305KB]

Cronin, M.A., J.L. Bodkin, B.E. Ballachey, J.A. Estes and J.C. Patton. 1996. Mitochondrial-DNA variation among subspecies and populations of sea otters (Enhydra lutris). J. Mammal. 77(2):546-557. [PDF file - 359KB]

Loughlin, T., B. Ballachey, B. Wright. 1996. Overview of studies to determine injury caused by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill to marine mammals. Pages 798-808 in S.D. Rice, R.B. Spies, D.A. Wolfe, and B.A. Wright, eds. Proceedings of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill symposium. American Fisheries Society Symposium 18.

Rebar, A. H., B. E. Ballachey, D. L. Bruden, and K. A. Kloecker. 1996. Hematology and clinical chemistry of sea otters captured in Prince William Sound, Alaska following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill State/Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Final Report (Marine Mammal Study 6-17), U.S. Fish & Wildl. Serv., Anchorage, AK.

Bodkin, J. L. and B. E. Ballachey. 1996. Monitoring the status of wild sea otter populations: field studies and techniques. Endangered Species Update, University of Michigan 13(12):14-20. [PDF file - 1.7MB]

DeGange, A. R., B. E. Ballachey and K. Bayha. 1995. A guide for oil spills involving fur-bearing marine mammals. Chapter 14 in: T.M. Williams and R.W. Davis, Eds. Emergency Care and Rehabilitation of Oiled Sea Otters, Univ of Alaska Press..

Rebar, A. H. Lipscomb, R. K. Harris and B. E. Ballachey. 1995. Clinical and clinical laboratory correlates in sea otter dying acutely in rehabilitation centers. Vet. Clin. Path. 32:346-350.

Ballachey, B. E., J. L. Bodkin and A. R. DeGange. 1994. An overview of sea otter studies. Pages 47-59 in T. Loughlin (ed.) Marine Mammals and the Exxon Valdez. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. [PDF file - 356KB]

Lipscomb, T. P., R. K. Harris, A. H. Rebar, B. E. Ballachey and R. J. Haebler. 1994. Pathology of sea otters. T.R. Loughlin, Ed. In Marine Mammals and the Exxon Valdez, Chap 16. Academic Press.

Mulcahy, D. M. and B. E. Ballachey. 1994. Hydrocarbon residues in sea otters. Chapter 18 in: T.R. Loughlin, Ed. Marine mammals and the Exxon Valdez. Academic Press.

Stegeman, J. J., B. E. Ballachey, J. Bickham, B. Hocker, S. Kennedy, H. Thompson and D. Vethaak. 1993. Implementation of biomarker-based studies. Chapter 3 in: D.B. Peakall and L.R. Shugart, Eds. Strategy for Biomaker Research and Application in the Assessment of Environmental Health. Springer-Verlag, Belgium.

Lipscomb, T. P., R. K. Harris, R. B. Moeller, J. M. Pletcher, R. J. Haebler and B. E. Ballachey. 1993. Histopathologic lesions in sea otters exposed to crude oil. Vet. Path. 30:1-11.

Websites of Interest

Mechanisms of impact and potential recovery of nearshore vertebrate predators from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Biomarkers of contaminant exposure in vertebrates
Processes structuring coastal marine communities in Alaska

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