Mark Olson

Mark Olson is a Professor of Biology at Franklin & Marshall College, specializing in freshwater ecology, nutrient cycling, and climate change impacts on alpine ecosystems. His research focuses on predator-prey dynamics, UV radiation effects on aquatic organisms, and long-term monitoring of mountain lakes.

• Education: B.Sc. (University of Alberta, Zoology), Ph.D. (Michigan State University, Zoology)

Olson co-leads the Fischer-Olson Lab with Janet Fischer, conducting systematic studies in Yoho and Banff National Parks. Their work explores how glacial retreat, vegetation changes, and dissolved organic matter influence lake transparency and plankton communities. Recent projects use high-frequency sensors to analyze real-time ecosystem fluctuations.

Their research spans experimental ecology, including UV defense mechanisms in fish (1996-2006), nutrient dynamics from migratory birds (1998-1999), and contemporary climate forcing indices (2014). Publications highlight ontogenetic niche shifts in fish (1992-1996), stage-structured community interactions (1993), and mesocosm experiments on DOM impacts (2015, 2016).

Teaching includes courses on sustainability (FND 111T), ecology (BIO 323), and biostatistics (BIO 210), integrating fieldwork with theoretical frameworks.