Expert Consultants for Aquatic Invertebrates

Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. is a woman-owned small business in Western Oregon.

Over the past 40 years, we have developed and maintained relationships with many of the leading freshwater invertebrate specialists in North America and the world, and we routinely consult with taxonomic specialists to verify identifications.

At Aquatic Biology Associates, we conscientiously archive and curate invertebrate specimens from projects that are of value to the wider scientific community. We regularly donate invertebrate specimens to North American specialists to aid taxonomic revisions and life history studies and routinely deposit valuable specimens at museum repositories worldwide.

Our clients include federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. We also serve tribal communities, various state natural resource agencies, counties, cities, private industry, conservation and irrigation districts, citizen and nonprofit groups, universities, K-12 schools, and museums.

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Aquatic Biology Associates Team

Mary Jo Wevers, Ph.D.

CEO

About Mary Jo

Mary Jo received her B.A. in Aquatic Biology in 1976 from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she studied freshwater and marine ecosystems and was employed as a research technician at the UCSB Marine Science Center. After moving to Oregon in 1977, Mary Jo worked as an analytical chemist in a lake eutrophication project at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She obtained her M.S. in Fisheries at Oregon State University, studying macroinvertebrate communities in streams. The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife then employed her as a Senior Research Assistant on several watershed and stream projects. Mary Jo earned her Ph.D. at Oregon State University, examining life history strategies of Pacific salmon, and was hired by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to write fish management plans for the Bonneville Power Administration. In 1995, she joined her husband, Bob Wisseman, in his consulting business, which they incorporated under the name Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. Mary Jo continues working in her roles as CEO, CFO, and General Manager of Aquatic Biology Associates.

Robert W. Wisseman, M.S.

Senior Scientist

About Robert

Bob received his B.A. in Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State College in Washington in 1976. He participated in bioassessment studies of an urban lake in Tacoma and intertidal invertebrate studies in the Nisqually Delta Estuary. In 1987, he received his M.S. in Aquatic Entomology from Oregon State University. Although caddisflies were the focus of his thesis and published papers, Bob gained broad experience in stream ecology. Using benthic invertebrate communities in freshwater to assess biological integrity was an emerging field in the 1980s. Bob was actively engaged in this effort from the beginning. With his knowledge of freshwater invertebrates’ taxonomy and biology, Bob began consulting as a sole proprietor in 1984. In 1995, Bob’s wife, Mary Jo, joined his business, and Aquatic Biology Associates, Inc. was formally incorporated. Bob is a recognized expert in western North American caddisflies (Trichoptera).

Barbara Hayford, Ph.D.

Chironomid Taxonomist

About Barbara

Barbara earned a B.S. in Biology and English from Metropolitan State University, Denver, and an M.S. in Applied Natural Science from Colorado State University, Pueblo. She worked on thermal spring ecology for her M.S. Thesis under Scott Herrman and Jim Sublette. Barbara left the Rocky Mountain Region and headed to Lawrence, Kansas, where she completed a Ph.D. in Entomology under Len Ferrington at the University of Kansas. Her doctoral dissertation focused on alpha taxonomy and phylogeny of Paratendipes (Diptera: Chironomidae). Before teaching in the Nebraska State College System, she served as the Assistant Director of the Central Plains Center for Bioassessment at the Kansas Biological Survey under Don Huggins. Her other work includes NSF-funded surveys of macroinvertebrates in Mongolia, production taxonomy with Rhithron Associates, Inc., and directing two small natural history museums. Barbara’s research interests include biodiversity analysis, particularly of chironomids, general freshwater ecology, and Diptera in phytotelmata. Currently, she is searching for elusive marine midges along the coasts of the Pacific Northwest.

Testimonials

Aquatic Biology Associates has performed our taxonomic analysis for the City of Seattle for the past 16 years. I have been very pleased with the high quality of both work and technical assistance. Bob Wisseman has always been willing to explain various aspects of the process, from the best way to preserve and ship the samples to the interpretation of the results...
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Laura Reed
Senior Environmental Analyst, Seattle Public Utilities, Washington
Aquatic Biology Associates has performed our taxonomic analysis for the City of Seattle for the past 16 years. I have been very pleased with the high quality of both work and technical assistance. Bob Wisseman has always been willing to explain various aspects of the process, from the best way to preserve and ship the samples to the interpretation of the results. Our samples tend to be different from other areas’ samples since the sample sites are highly urbanized, but that has never been a problem for this lab. I’ve always felt that ABA was willing to go the extra distance to make sure the City got the maximum value out of their biological sampling efforts.
Laura Reed
Senior Environmental Analyst, Seattle Public Utilities, Washington
I found ABA, Inc. very easy to deal with, competent, and reasonably priced. They were very flexible in terms of inputting our data into a web-based database, which they had not done before. They have been very accessible for help and advice through either the phone or email.
Mike Papa
Water Quality, City of Everett, Washington
I found ABA, Inc. very easy to deal with, competent, and reasonably priced. They were very flexible in terms of inputting our data into a web-based database, which they had not done before. They have been very accessible for help and advice through either the phone or email.
Mike Papa
Water Quality, City of Everett, Washington
Mary Jo began acquiring her knowledge and experience of Pacific Northwest watersheds and streams at the Oak Creek Laboratory of Biology as a graduate student and project supervisor. During this time, Mary Jo conducted her own research, supervised and assisted other graduate students, and managed undergraduates working in the field and laboratory on stream toxicology and watershed classification projects. She has extensive experience managing complex ...
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Robert Hoffman
Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey (retired)
Mary Jo began acquiring her knowledge and experience of Pacific Northwest watersheds and streams at the Oak Creek Laboratory of Biology as a graduate student and project supervisor. During this time, Mary Jo conducted her own research, supervised and assisted other graduate students, and managed undergraduates working in the field and laboratory on stream toxicology and watershed classification projects. She has extensive experience managing complex projects, tracking them, and paying attention to details while maintaining high standards.
Robert Hoffman
Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey (retired)
San Marino Environmental Associates has used ABA for many years and has found them to produce high-quality, accurate work in a timely manner at reasonable prices.
Jonathan N. Baskin, Ph.D.
San Marino Environmental Associates, California
San Marino Environmental Associates has used ABA for many years and has found them to produce high-quality, accurate work in a timely manner at reasonable prices.
Jonathan N. Baskin, Ph.D.
San Marino Environmental Associates, California
As a small volunteer group, the Cloud Peak Chapter of Wilderness Watch is especially grateful for the helpful, professional attitude of Aquatic Biology Associates. At the startup of our multi-year project, we needed detailed help in many ways, and ABA got us through all the steps from A to Z. ABA’s excellent reputation in the...
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Karen Ferguson
Cloud Peak Wilderness Watch
As a small volunteer group, the Cloud Peak Chapter of Wilderness Watch is especially grateful for the helpful, professional attitude of Aquatic Biology Associates. At the startup of our multi-year project, we needed detailed help in many ways, and ABA got us through all the steps from A to Z. ABA’s excellent reputation in the field of macroinvertebrate analysis also ensured acceptance of our data.
Karen Ferguson
Cloud Peak Wilderness Watch
I’ve worked with Mary Jo Wevers at ABA for over 25 years. Throughout that time, ABA has provided excellent service and timely processing of aquatic macroinvertebrate samples while I was a manager of the biomonitoring section for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and for work I’ve performed as an independent consultant. Mary Jo and ABA have been a pleasure to work...
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Rick Hafele
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
I’ve worked with Mary Jo Wevers at ABA for over 25 years. Throughout that time, ABA has provided excellent service and timely processing of aquatic macroinvertebrate samples while I was a manager of the biomonitoring section for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and for work I’ve performed as an independent consultant. Mary Jo and ABA have been a pleasure to work with and continue to provide excellent service and results.
Rick Hafele
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
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