Matthew J Cashman, Phd

My interdisciplinary research aims to improve the scientific practice of river management, most notably in ecological restorations, stream buffers, and hydropower.

My work bridges ecology, hydrology, and chemistry to examine how changing habitat affects the function of aquatic ecosystems. I am especially interested in the ways in which the nutritional quality of food resources affects aquatic ecosystem health. 

1. Cashman MJ, F Pilotto, G Harvey, G Wharton, and M.T. Pusch. 2016. Combined stable isotope and fatty acid analyses demonstrate that large wood increases the autochthonous trophic base of the macroinvertebrate assemblage. Freshwater Biology 61: 549-564.
2. Bruno MC, MJ Cashman, M Bruno, S Biffi, G Zolezzi. 2016. Responses of benthic invertebrates to repeated hydropeaking in semi-natural flume simulations. Ecohydrology 9: 68-82.
3. Cashman MJ, JD Wehr, and K Truhn. 2013. Elevated light and nutrients alter the nutritional quality of stream periphyton. Freshwater Biology 58: 1444-1457.
4. Seidel D, C Leuschner, C Scherber, F Beyer, T Wommelsdorf, MJ Cashman, and L Fehrmann. 2013. The relationship between tree species richness, canopy space exploration and productivity in a temperate broad-leaf mixed forest. Forest Ecology and Management 310: 366-374.
5. Cashman MJ, G Harvey, G Wharton, and MC Bruno. Hydropeaking and substrate limit periphyton nutritional quality in semi-natural flume simulations (Aquatic Sciences, Revision)
6. Cashman MJ, F Pilotto, G Wharton, and G Harvey. Wood as a habitat engineer (WIREs Water, Invited)
7. Cashman MJ, M Torres-Ruiz, K Truhn, AA Perrone, and JD Wehr. Light availability drives omnivory and basal resource use in contrasting stream food webs, as inferred by fatty acids, stable isotopes, and stoichiometry (In Prep)

1. Cashman MJ, F Pilotto, G Harvey, G Wharton, and MT Pusch. Society of Freshwater Science Annual Meeting 2015. Large wood enhances resource availability in a lowland river, as demonstrated by combined fatty acid and stable isotope analyses. (Poster)
2. Cashman MJ, G Harvey, G Wharton, B Maiolini, and MC Bruno. Northeast Algal Symposium 2015. Hydropeaking and substrate limit periphyton nutritional quality in an alpine stream. (Poster)
3. Cashman MJ, G Harvey, G Wharton, B Maiolini, and MC Bruno. International Symposium for Ecohydrualics 2014. Hydropeaking and substrate limit periphyton nutritional quality in an alpine stream. (Oral)
4. Cashman MJ, G Harvey, G Wharton, B Maiolini, and MC Bruno. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting 2014. Hydropeaking and substrate limit periphyton nutritional quality in an alpine stream. (Poster)
5. Maiolini B, MC Bruno, S Biffi, and MJ Cashman. European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2014. Drift induced by repeated hydropeaking waves in controlled conditions. (Poster)
6. Cashman MJ, G Harvey, G Wharton, B Maiolini, and MC Bruno. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2013. Effects of hydropeaking and substrate type on periphyton nutritional quality in an alpine stream. (Oral)
7. Cashman MJ, JD Wehr. Northeast Algal Symposium 2011. Biochemical composition of periphyton food quality as affected by light and nutrient availability. (Oral)
8. Cashman MJ, JD Wehr, and K Truhn. ASLO/NABS Summer Meeting 2010. Land-use and nutrient effects on benthic algal biomass, nutrient stoichiometry, and species composition in an urbanized watershed. (Poster)

• Society of Freshwater Science
• British Hydrological Society
• International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research
• The River Restoration Center
• Northeast Algal Society

• Freshwater Biology
• Aquatic Sciences
• Hydrobiologia
• Freshwater Science
• Biogeosciences
• Freshwater Ecology
• Water, Air, and Soil Pollution