Roman N. Zajac
Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Science
Coordinator, M.S. Environmental Science Program

Email: rzajac@newhaven.edu Phone: 203-932-7114 Fax: 203-931-6097

As coordinator of the M.S. Program in Environmental Science I’d like to thank you for visiting our WebPages. Over the past six years we have strived to develop a top-notch master’s program in environmental science here at UNH, with a suite of up-to-date and hands on courses that provide excellent preparation for a career in this field. We have a great group of students with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences. My own scientific interests are

Educational Background:

• B.S. 1975, Tufts University, Biology
• M.S. 1981, The University of Connecticut, Zoology
• Ph.D. 1985, The University of Connecticut, Ecology

Fields of Specialization: 

• Marine and Estuarine Ecology
• Invertebrate Zoology
• Environmental Science
• Assessment and Management
• Development and Application of Geographic Information Systems

Associations:

• Visiting Scientist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, England
• Board of Directors - Quinnipiac River Watershed Association
• Member, EPA Long Island Sound Study Technical Advisory Committee
• NATO Advanced Research Conference (summer 1997)

Current Research Interests:

Currently I am working on several projects, including:

1) investigating large-scale patterns and processes in seafloor communities in Long Island Sound using a variety of underwater remote sensing techniques (side scan sonar, remotely operated vehicle with video),

2) the effects of natural and man-made disturbances on the benthic fauna of estuaries,

3) estuarine restoration, and

4) the life history and demography of marine fauna relative to different types and scales of disturbances.

Selected Publications:

Zajac, R.N., and R.B. Whitlatch. 1982. Responses of estuarine infauna to disturbance. I.Spatial and temporal variation of initial recolonization. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 10: 1-14.

Zajac, R.N. and R.B. Whitlatch. 1985. A hierarchical approach to modeling soft-bottom successional dynamics. In: Proceedings of the 19th European Mar. Biol. Symp., P.E.Gibbs (ed), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp. 265-276.

Zajac, R.N. 1986. Effects of intra-specific density and food levels on growth and reproduction in an infaunal polychaete, Polydora ligni. Journal of Marine Research. 44: 319-329

Zajac, R.N., and R.B. Whitlatch. 1988. The population ecology of Nephtys incisa in central Long Island Sound prior to and following disturbance. Estuaries 11: 117-133

Osman, R.W., R.B. Whitlatch and R.N. Zajac. 1989. Effects of resident species on recruitment into a community: larval settlement versus post-settlement mortality in the oyster Crassostrea virginica. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 54: 61-73

Zajac, R.N., R.B. Whitlatch and R.W. Osman. 1989. Effects of interspecific density and food supply on survivorship and growth of newly settled benthos. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 56: 127-132

Zajac, R.N. and R.B. Whitlatch. 1989. Natural and disturbance induced demographic variation in an infaunal polychaete, Nephtys incisa. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 57: 89-102

Zajac, R. and R.B. Whitlatch. 1991. Demographic aspects of infaunal patch dynamics. American Zoologist. 31:808-820

Zajac, R.N. 1991. Population ecology of Polydora ligni (Polychaeta, Spionidae). I. Seasonal variation in population characteristics and reproductive activity. Marine Ecology - Progress Series 77: 197-206

Zajac, R.N. 1991. Population ecology of Polydora ligni (Polychaeta, Spionidae). II. Seasonal demographic variation and its potential impact on life history evolution. Marine Ecology - Progress Series 77:207-220

Zajac, R.N. 1993. Benthic ecology of Long Island Sound: A short history, a tentative model and a benthoscape approach. p. 117 in: M.S. Van Patten (ed.) Long Island Sound Research Conference Proceedings, Connecticut Sea Grant Program, Groton CT, Publication No. CT-SG-