John J. Hutchens Jr.

John J. Hutchens Jr. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology at Coastal Carolina University. His research focuses on aquatic and wetland ecosystems, particularly examining how human activities affect benthic macroinvertebrate communities and ecosystem processes.

• Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia
• M.S. in Biology from Virginia Tech
• B.S. in Biology from Virginia Tech

Dr. Hutchens' work spans stream and wetland ecology, with specific interests in:

• Human impacts on aquatic systems
• Benthic macroinvertebrate ecology
• Leaf litter decomposition dynamics
• Carnivorous plant prey interactions
• Terrestrial-aquatic linkages
• Ecological restoration methodologies

Recent publications reveal trends in freshwater conservation, with studies on:

• Age-0 fish distribution in habitat restoration
• Drought effects on wetland macroconsumers
• Standardized river bioassessment protocols
• Shoreline development impacts on marshes
• Invasive species dynamics in aquatic habitats
• Methodological advances in stream organic matter analysis

Dr. Hutchens has held academic positions at Coastal Carolina University since 1989, including:

• Professor (current)
• Associate Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Postdoctoral research at EPA and Natural Resources Research Institute