Johanna Kraus, PhD
Dr. Johanna M. Kraus is a Research Ecologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.
She studies effects of anthropogenic stressors on food webs, biodiversity and environmental health in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. She began her career with the USGS in 2011 researching how trace metals from acid rock drainage impact adult aquatic insect emergence and contaminant flux to terrestrial insectivores near mountain streams. Since then, her research has uncovered when and where contaminants may impact aquatic and terrestrial food webs using large empirical field studies, laboratory manipulations and conceptual modelling. Dr. Kraus received her B.A. in Biology from Brown University and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Virginia.
Professional Experience
Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, 2016 - present
Mendenhall Research Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey 2011- 2015
Post-doctoral Researcher, Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2007-2010
Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology, Washington and Lee University, 2006-2007
National Science Foundation EAPSI Fellow, Japan, 2006
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Biology, University of Virginia, 2006
B.A., Biology, Brown University, honors, magna cum laude, 1998
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 34
Isotopic insights into biological regulation of zinc in contaminated systems
Aquatic organisms use a variety of biogeochemical reactions to regulate essential and non-essential trace metals. Many of these mechanisms can lead to isotopic fractionation, thus measurement of metal isotopes may yield insights into the processes by which organisms respond to metal exposure. We illustrate these concepts with two case studies, one involving an intra- and the other an...
Authors
Richard B. Wanty, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Jeff S. Wesner, David C Walters, Travis Schmidt, Francesca Podda, Giovanni De Giudici, Craig A. Stricker, Johanna M. Kraus, Pierfranco Lattanzi, Ruth E. Wolf, Rosa Cidu
Aquatic pollution increases use of terrestrial prey subsidies by stream fish
Stream food webs are connected with their riparian zones through cross-ecosystem movements of energy and nutrients. The use and impact of terrestrial subsidies on aquatic consumers is determined in part by in situ biomass of aquatic prey. Thus, stressors such as aquatic pollutants that greatly reduce aquatic secondary production could increase the need for and reliance of stream...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Justin Pomeranz, Andrew Todd, David C Walters, Travis Schmidt, Richard B. Wanty
Metamorphosis alters contaminants and chemical tracers in insects: implications for food webs
Insects are integral to most freshwater and terrestrial food webs, but due to their accumulation of environmental pollutants they are also contaminant vectors that threaten reproduction, development, and survival of consumers. Metamorphosis from larvae to adult can cause large chemical changes in insects, altering contaminant concentrations and fractionation of chemical tracers used to...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, David C Walters, Jeff S. Wesner, Craig A. Stricker, Travis Schmidt, Robert E. Zuellig
Metamorphosis enhances the effects of metal exposure on the mayfly, Centroptilum triangulifer
The response of larval aquatic insects to stressors such as metals is used to assess the ecological condition of streams worldwide. However, nearly all larval insects metamorphose from aquatic larvae to winged adults, and recent surveys indicate that adults may be a more sensitive indicator of stream metal toxicity than larvae. One hypothesis to explain this pattern is that insects...
Authors
Jeff S. Wesner, Johanna M. Kraus, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, William H. Clements
Cross-ecosystem impacts of stream pollution reduce resource and contaminant flux to riparian food webs
The effects of aquatic contaminants are propagated across ecosystem boundaries by aquatic insects that export resources and contaminants to terrestrial food webs; however, the mechanisms driving these effects are poorly understood. We examined how emergence, contaminant concentration, and total contaminant flux by adult aquatic insects changed over a gradient of bioavailable metals in...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, Richard B. Wanty, Robert E. Zuellig, Ruth E. Wolf
Emergence flux declines disproportionately to larval density along a stream metals gradient
Effects of contaminants on adult aquatic insect emergence are less well understood than effects on insect larvae. We compared responses of larval density and adult emergence along a metal contamination gradient. Nonlinear threshold responses were generally observed for larvae and emergers. Larval densities decreased significantly at low metal concentrations but precipitously at...
Authors
Travis Schmidt, Johanna M. Kraus, David C Walters, Richard B. Wanty
Transfer of trace metals from streams to terrestrial food webs by emerging aquatic insects in mineralized alpine ecosystems
No abstract available.
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Richard B. Wanty, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, Craig A. Stricker
Variation in active and passive resource inputs to experimental pools: mechanisms and possible consequences for food webs
1. Cross-ecosystem movements of resources, including detritus, nutrients and living prey, can strongly influence food web dynamics in recipient habitats. Variation in resource inputs is thought to be driven by factors external to the recipient habitat (e.g. donor habitat productivity and boundary conditions). However, inputs of or by ‘active’ living resources may be strongly influenced...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Leanna T. Pletcher, James R. Vonesh
Feedbacks between community assembly and habitat selection shape variation in local colonization
1. Non-consumptive effects of predators are increasingly recognized as important drivers of community assembly and structure. Specifically, habitat selection responses to top predators during colonization and oviposition can lead to large differences in aquatic community structure, composition and diversity. 2. These differences among communities due to predators may develop as...
Authors
J.M. Kraus, James R. Vonesh
Diet shift of lentic dragonfly larvae in response to reduced terrestrial prey subsidies
Inputs of terrestrial plant detritus and nutrients play an important role in aquatic food webs, but the importance of terrestrial prey inputs in determining aquatic predator distribution and abundance has been appreciated only recently. I examined the numerical, biomass, and diet responses of a common predator, dragonfly larvae, to experimental reduction of terrestrial arthropod input...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus
Non-USGS Publications**
Wanty R.B., L.S. Balistrieri, J.S. Wesner, D.M. Walters, T.S. Schmidt, F. Podda, G. De Giudici, C.A. Stricker, J.M. Kraus, P. Lattanzi, R.E. Wolf, R. Cidu. 2015. Isotopic insights into biological regulation of zinc in contaminated systems. 11th Applied Isotope Geochemistry Conference, AIG-11 BRGM. Procedia Earth and Planetary Science 13: 60-63.
Vonesh, J.R., J.M. Kraus. 2009. Pesticide alters habitat selection and aquatic community composition. Oecologia 160: 379–385.
Vonesh, J.R., J.M. Kraus, S. Rosenberg, and J.M. Chase. 2009. Predator effects on aquatic community assembly: disentangling the roles of habitat selection and post-colonization processes. Oikos 118: 1219-1229.
Ahrens L., and J.M. Kraus. 2006. Wolf spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) movement along a pond-forest boundary. Journal of Arachnology 34: 532-539.
Kraus J.M., and D. H. Morse. 2005. Seasonal habitat shift in an intertidal wolf spider: proximal cues associated with migration and substrate preference. Journal of Arachnology 33:110–123.
Deyrup M., J.M. Kraus, and T. Eisner. 2004. A Florida caterpillar and other arthropods inhabiting the webs of a subsocial spider (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae; Araneida: Theridiidae). Florida Entomologist 87:554-558.
Church S.A.P., J.M. Kraus, J.C. Mitchell, D.R. Church, and D.R. Taylor. 2003. Evidence for multiple pleistocene refugia in the postglacial expansion of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum. Evolution 57: 372–383.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 34
Isotopic insights into biological regulation of zinc in contaminated systems
Aquatic organisms use a variety of biogeochemical reactions to regulate essential and non-essential trace metals. Many of these mechanisms can lead to isotopic fractionation, thus measurement of metal isotopes may yield insights into the processes by which organisms respond to metal exposure. We illustrate these concepts with two case studies, one involving an intra- and the other an...
Authors
Richard B. Wanty, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Jeff S. Wesner, David C Walters, Travis Schmidt, Francesca Podda, Giovanni De Giudici, Craig A. Stricker, Johanna M. Kraus, Pierfranco Lattanzi, Ruth E. Wolf, Rosa Cidu
Aquatic pollution increases use of terrestrial prey subsidies by stream fish
Stream food webs are connected with their riparian zones through cross-ecosystem movements of energy and nutrients. The use and impact of terrestrial subsidies on aquatic consumers is determined in part by in situ biomass of aquatic prey. Thus, stressors such as aquatic pollutants that greatly reduce aquatic secondary production could increase the need for and reliance of stream...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Justin Pomeranz, Andrew Todd, David C Walters, Travis Schmidt, Richard B. Wanty
Metamorphosis alters contaminants and chemical tracers in insects: implications for food webs
Insects are integral to most freshwater and terrestrial food webs, but due to their accumulation of environmental pollutants they are also contaminant vectors that threaten reproduction, development, and survival of consumers. Metamorphosis from larvae to adult can cause large chemical changes in insects, altering contaminant concentrations and fractionation of chemical tracers used to...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, David C Walters, Jeff S. Wesner, Craig A. Stricker, Travis Schmidt, Robert E. Zuellig
Metamorphosis enhances the effects of metal exposure on the mayfly, Centroptilum triangulifer
The response of larval aquatic insects to stressors such as metals is used to assess the ecological condition of streams worldwide. However, nearly all larval insects metamorphose from aquatic larvae to winged adults, and recent surveys indicate that adults may be a more sensitive indicator of stream metal toxicity than larvae. One hypothesis to explain this pattern is that insects...
Authors
Jeff S. Wesner, Johanna M. Kraus, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, William H. Clements
Cross-ecosystem impacts of stream pollution reduce resource and contaminant flux to riparian food webs
The effects of aquatic contaminants are propagated across ecosystem boundaries by aquatic insects that export resources and contaminants to terrestrial food webs; however, the mechanisms driving these effects are poorly understood. We examined how emergence, contaminant concentration, and total contaminant flux by adult aquatic insects changed over a gradient of bioavailable metals in...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, Richard B. Wanty, Robert E. Zuellig, Ruth E. Wolf
Emergence flux declines disproportionately to larval density along a stream metals gradient
Effects of contaminants on adult aquatic insect emergence are less well understood than effects on insect larvae. We compared responses of larval density and adult emergence along a metal contamination gradient. Nonlinear threshold responses were generally observed for larvae and emergers. Larval densities decreased significantly at low metal concentrations but precipitously at...
Authors
Travis Schmidt, Johanna M. Kraus, David C Walters, Richard B. Wanty
Transfer of trace metals from streams to terrestrial food webs by emerging aquatic insects in mineralized alpine ecosystems
No abstract available.
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Richard B. Wanty, Travis Schmidt, David C Walters, Craig A. Stricker
Variation in active and passive resource inputs to experimental pools: mechanisms and possible consequences for food webs
1. Cross-ecosystem movements of resources, including detritus, nutrients and living prey, can strongly influence food web dynamics in recipient habitats. Variation in resource inputs is thought to be driven by factors external to the recipient habitat (e.g. donor habitat productivity and boundary conditions). However, inputs of or by ‘active’ living resources may be strongly influenced...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus, Leanna T. Pletcher, James R. Vonesh
Feedbacks between community assembly and habitat selection shape variation in local colonization
1. Non-consumptive effects of predators are increasingly recognized as important drivers of community assembly and structure. Specifically, habitat selection responses to top predators during colonization and oviposition can lead to large differences in aquatic community structure, composition and diversity. 2. These differences among communities due to predators may develop as...
Authors
J.M. Kraus, James R. Vonesh
Diet shift of lentic dragonfly larvae in response to reduced terrestrial prey subsidies
Inputs of terrestrial plant detritus and nutrients play an important role in aquatic food webs, but the importance of terrestrial prey inputs in determining aquatic predator distribution and abundance has been appreciated only recently. I examined the numerical, biomass, and diet responses of a common predator, dragonfly larvae, to experimental reduction of terrestrial arthropod input...
Authors
Johanna M. Kraus
Non-USGS Publications**
Wanty R.B., L.S. Balistrieri, J.S. Wesner, D.M. Walters, T.S. Schmidt, F. Podda, G. De Giudici, C.A. Stricker, J.M. Kraus, P. Lattanzi, R.E. Wolf, R. Cidu. 2015. Isotopic insights into biological regulation of zinc in contaminated systems. 11th Applied Isotope Geochemistry Conference, AIG-11 BRGM. Procedia Earth and Planetary Science 13: 60-63.
Vonesh, J.R., J.M. Kraus. 2009. Pesticide alters habitat selection and aquatic community composition. Oecologia 160: 379–385.
Vonesh, J.R., J.M. Kraus, S. Rosenberg, and J.M. Chase. 2009. Predator effects on aquatic community assembly: disentangling the roles of habitat selection and post-colonization processes. Oikos 118: 1219-1229.
Ahrens L., and J.M. Kraus. 2006. Wolf spider (Araneae: Lycosidae) movement along a pond-forest boundary. Journal of Arachnology 34: 532-539.
Kraus J.M., and D. H. Morse. 2005. Seasonal habitat shift in an intertidal wolf spider: proximal cues associated with migration and substrate preference. Journal of Arachnology 33:110–123.
Deyrup M., J.M. Kraus, and T. Eisner. 2004. A Florida caterpillar and other arthropods inhabiting the webs of a subsocial spider (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae; Araneida: Theridiidae). Florida Entomologist 87:554-558.
Church S.A.P., J.M. Kraus, J.C. Mitchell, D.R. Church, and D.R. Taylor. 2003. Evidence for multiple pleistocene refugia in the postglacial expansion of the eastern tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum. Evolution 57: 372–383.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.