Program Faculty

The Systems Ecology Intercollegiate Graduate Program is comprised of a collective group of faculty from across campus who advise and guide students accepted to the Systems Ecology graduate program. Faculty come from across campus,  ranging from the W.A. Franke College of Forestry, the Division of Biological Sciences, The School of Business, School of Journalism,  Departments of Environmental Science, Geography, Economics. University faculty apply to become part of the Systems Ecology faculty, and are accepted based on their topical area of research and teaching relevant to systems ecology, and scholarly performance. View the Faculty Guidelines.


Matthew Church

Professor

Contact

Office
Flathead Lake Biological Station Rm 115
Phone
406-872-4506
Email
matt.church@flbs.umt.edu
Curriculum Vitae
View/Download CV

Education

2003                The College of William and Mary, Ph.D., Marine Science

1999                The College of William and Mary, M.Sc., Marine Science

1994                The Evergreen State College, B.Sc.

Courses Taught

Recent List of Courses Taught:

  • Spring 2022, BIOM 415, “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana
  • Summer 2021, BIOE 400, “Aquatic Microbial Ecology”, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana
  • Spring 2021, BIOM 415, “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana
  • Fall 2020, BIOE 370, General Ecology, University of Montana
  • Spring 2020. BIOM 415, “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana
  • Summer 2019, BIOE 400 "Aquatic Microbial Ecology”, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana
  • Spring 2019, BIOM 415 “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana
  • Summer 2018,  BIOB 491 “Aquatic Microbial Ecology”, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana 
  • Spring 2018, BIOM 415 “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana
  • Summer 2017, BIOB 491 “Aquatic Microbial Ecology”, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana
  • Spring 2017, BIOM 415 “Microbial Ecology, Diversity, and Evolution”, University of Montana

Research Interests

Microbial ecology, aquatic nitrogen cycling, organic matter cycling by microorganisms

Projects

  • SCOPE ALOHA: Mineralization, stoichiometry, and microbial metabolism in the subtropical North Pacific. PI: Church, M.J. (University of Montana). Funding agency: Simons Foundation. 
  • Collaborative Research: Influence of phosphorus deficiency on enigmatic biological methane production in oxic freshwater lakes. PI: Church, M.J. (University of Montana), co-PIs: Dore, J. (Montana State University), Devlin, S. (University of Montana). Funding agency: National Science Foundation. 
  • Collaborative Research: RoL: The rules of life were made to be broken - Connecting physiology, evolutionary ecology, and mathematics to identify a Growth Rate Rule. PI: J. Elser (University of Montana), co-PIs: M. Church (University of Montana), Y. Khang (Arizona State University), P. Jeyasingh (Oklahoma State University). Funding agency: National Science Foundation.
  • SCC-PG: Leveraging community partnerships and intelligent technologies to address septic system water quality risks in the Flathead Basin. PI: S. Halverson (UM), co-PIs: N. Nelson, M. Church (FLBS, UM). Funding agency: National Science Foundation. 

 

Publications

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (2020-2022)

Single underline indicates graduate student working under Church’s mentorship; asterisk (*) indicates post-doc working under Church’s mentorship.

Published Articles and Chapters

Barone, B.#Church, M.J.#, Dugenne, M., Hawco, N.J., Jahn, O. White, A.E., John, S.G., Follows, M.J., DeLong, E.F., Karl, D.M. 2022. Biogeochemical dynamics in adjacent mesoscale eddies of opposite polarity. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 36: https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007115.  indicates authors contributed equally.

Ross, A.M., Peoples, L.M., Bilbrey, E.M., Church, M.J. 2022. Draft metagenome-assembled genomes from methane-rich Echo Lake, Montana. Microbial Resource Announcements. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01112-21.

Hawco, N.J., Barone, B., Church, M.J., Babcock-Adams, L., Repeta, D.J., Wear, E.*, Foreman, R.H., Björkman, K.M., Bent, S., Van Mooy, B.A.S., Sheyn, U., DeLong, E.F., Acker, M., Kelly, R.L., Nelson, A., Ranieri, J., Clemente, T., Karl, D.M., John, S.G. 2022. Iron depletion in the deep chlorophyll maximum: mesoscale eddies as natural iron fertilization experiments. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007112

Wan, X.S., Sheng, H.-X., Ward, B.B., Church, M.J., Zou, W, Li, X., HutchinsD.A., Dai, M. Kao, S.-J. 2022. Phytoplankton-nitrifier interactions control the geographic distribution of nitrite in the upper ocean. Global Biogeochemical Cycles.  https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007072

Böttjer, D., White, A.E., Björkman, K.M., Church, M.J., Poulos, S., Shimabukuru, E., Rii, Y.M., Riebesell, U., Letelier, R.M., Karl, D.M. 2022. Effects of nutrient enrichments on oligotrophic phytoplankton communities: A mesocosm experiment near Hawai‘i. In press. Aquatic Microbial Ecology

Rii, Y.M., Peoples, L.M*, Karl, D.M., Church, M.J. 2021. Seasonality and episodic variation in picoeukaryote diversity and structure reveals community resilience to disturbances in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.Limnology and Oceanography. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11916

Church, M.J.Kyi, E., Hall, R.O., Karl, D.M., Lindh, M.*, Nelson, A., and E.K. Wear*. 2021. Production and diversity of microorganisms associated with sinking particles in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. Limnology and Oceanography 66: 3255-3270. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11877

Pendergraph, D.P., J. Ranieri, L. Ermatinger, A. Baumann, A.L. Metcalf, T. H. DeLuca, M.J. Church. 2021. Differentiating sources of fecal contamination to wilderness waters using droplet digital PCR and fecal indicator bacteria methods. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine 32: 332-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2021.04.007

Wear, E.K.*, M.J. Church, B.N. Orcutt, C.N. Shulse, M.V. Lindh, C.R. Smith. 2021. Bacterial and archaeal communities in the abyssal Clarion-Clipperton Zone: Emerging patterns and considerations for future monitoring studies. Frontiers in Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.634803

Karl, D. M. R.M. Letelier, R.R. Bidigare, K.M. Björkman, M.J. Church, J.E. Dore, A.E. White. 2021. Seasonal-to-decadal scale variability in primary production and particulate matter export at Station ALOHA. Progress in Oceanography 195: 102563.

Wear, E.K.*, Carlson, C.A., Church, M.J. 2020. Bacterioplankton use of phytoplankton lysates across a cyclone-anticyclone eddy dipole impacts the turnover and production of semi-labile organic matter in the photic zone. Limnology and Oceanography 65: 1608-1622. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11409

Affiliations

2016-present   Graduate Faculty, Ecology and Evolution, University of Montana

2018-present   Affiliate Graduate Faculty, Systems Ecology, University of Montana

2018-present   Affiliate Graduate Faculty, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii

 

Professional Experience

2019-present   Professor, Division of Biological Sciences, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana

2016-2019       Associate Professor, Division of Biological Sciences, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana

2016                Professor, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii

2011-2016       Associate Professor (with tenure), Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii

2007-2011       Assistant Professor, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii

2004-2007       Assistant Researcher, University of Hawaii