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Investigating the effect of oil spills
on the environment and public health.
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Behzad Mortazavi

The University of Alabama

Department of Biological Sciences

Box 870344
Tuscaloosa , AL  35487  

bmortazavi@ua.edu

Project List:

Alabama Center for Ecological Resilience (ACER)

Year 5-7 Consortia Grants (RFP-IV)Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Task Lead

Determining the Degradation Rate Constants of the Hydrocarbons from the Macondo Well and Weathered Oil in Alabama Beaches and Marshes

Year One Block Grant - The Alabama Marine Environmental Science ConsortiumRole: Principal Investigator, Project Data Point of Contact

Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil/Dispersant Pollution on Ecosystem Functioning: Assessing C and N Dynamics in Salt Marshes along an Exposure Gradient

Year One Block Grant - The Alabama Marine Environmental Science ConsortiumRole: Co-Principal Investigator

Microbial Responses to Hydrocarbon and Dispersant-Lab and Field-based Studies

Year One Block Grant - The Alabama Marine Environmental Science ConsortiumRole: Co-Principal Investigator

Impacts of the Deep Horizon Oil Spill on Ecosystem Structure and Function in Alabama's Marine Waters

Year One Block Grant - The Northern Gulf InstituteRole: Co-Principal Investigator, Task Lead, Task Data Contact

Publications & Presentations:

Journal Articles - 8

2019

Urakawa, H., Rajan, S., Feeney, M. E., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2019). Ecological response of nitrification to oil spills and its impact on the nitrogen cycle: Ecological response of nitrification to oil spills. Environ Microbiol, 21(1), 18–33.

2018

Tatariw, C., Flournoy, N., Kleinhuizen, A. A., Tollette, D., Overton, E. B., Sobecky, P. A., et al. (2018). Salt marsh denitrification is impacted by oiling intensity six years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Environmental Pollution, 243, 1606–1614.

2017

Hinshaw, S. E., Tatariw, C., Flournoy, N., Kleinhuizen, A., Taylor, C., Sobecky, P. A., et al. (2017). Vegetation Loss Decreases Salt Marsh Denitrification Capacity: Implications for Marsh Erosion. Environ. Sci. Technol., 51(15), 8245–8253.

2013

Mortazavi, B., Horel, A., Anders, J. S., Mirjafari, A., Beazley, M. J., & Sobecky, P. A. (2013). Enhancing the biodegradation of oil in sandy sediments with choline: A naturally methylated nitrogen compound. Environmental Pollution, 182, 53–62.
Mortazavi, B., Horel, A., Beazley, M. J., & Sobecky, P. A. (2013). Intrinsic rates of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in Gulf of Mexico intertidal sandy sediments and its enhancement by organic substrates. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 224-245, 537–544.

2012

Beazley, M. J., Martinez, R. J., Rajan, S., Powell, J., Piceno, Y. M., Tom, L. M., et al. (2012). Microbial Community Analysis of a Coastal Salt Marsh Affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. PLoS ONE, 7(7), e41305.
Horel, A., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2012). Seasonal Monitoring of Hydrocarbon Degraders in Alabama Marine Ecosystems Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Water Air Soil Pollut, 223(6), 3145–3154.
Horel, A., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2012). Responses of microbial community from northern gulf of mexico sandy sediments following exposure to Deepwater horizon crude oil. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 31(5), 1004–1011.

Conference Presentations - 48

2019

Crawford, P., Whitehurst, P., Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2019). Using Functional Marker Genes to Characterize Denitrifying Microbial Populations in Oil-Impacted Barrier Islands. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19: Poster.
Flournoy, N. Y., Crawford, P., Kleinhuizen, A., Tatariw, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2019). Predicting Disturbance-driven impact on Ecosystem Services in Coastal Wetlands in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Crawford, P., Sobecky, P., & Mortazavi, B. (2019). The effect of Avicennia germinans expansion on salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19: Poster.
Whitehurst, P., Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Crawford, P., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2019). Microbial Community Structure and Diversity of Avicennia germinans and Spartina alterniflora associated Sediments in Northern Gulf of Mexico Salt Marsh Habitats. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2019. New Orleans, LA : 02/04/19-02/07/19: Poster.

2018

Crawford, P., Whitehurst, P., Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2018). Using Functional Marker Genes to Characterize Denitrifying Microbial Populations in Oil-Impacted Barrier Islands. In 2018 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/05/18-09/07/18: Poster.
Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Crawford, P., Flournoy, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2018). Resilience and Recovery: A Three Year Biodiversity Assessment of oil-impacted Salt Marsh and the Effect on Denitrifying Microbial Communities. In 2018 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/05/18-09/07/18.
Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Crawford, P., Whitehurst, P., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). Quantification of Functional Marker Genes for Denitrifying Microbial Populations in the Chandeleur Islands Impacted by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. In 3rd Annual Water Policy Summit. Tuscaloosa, AL : 03/27/18-03/29/18: Poster.
Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Crawford, P., Whitehurst, P., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). Quantification of Functional Marker Genes for Denitrifying Microbial Populations in the Chandeleur Islands Impacted by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Rajan, S., Crawford, P., Tatariw, C., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). Predicting Disturbance-drive Impacts on Ecosystem Services in Coastal Wetlands. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Crawford, P., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). Does black mangrove expansion alter salt marsh nitrogen removal capacity? In 2018 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/05/18-09/07/18.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Rajan, S., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). Salt marsh resilience in the Anthropocene: Evaluating N removal in response to human-driven disturbances. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18.
Tatariw, C., Tollette, D., Ledford, T., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Crawford, P., et al. (2018). The effect of black mangrove on salt marsh nitrogen removal capacity. In 2018 AGU Fall Meeting. Washington, DC : 12/10/18-12/14/18: Poster.
Tollette, D., Tatariw, C., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). The effects of crude oil on northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2018. New Orleans, LA : 02/05/18-02/08/18: Poster.
Tollette, D., Tatariw, C., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). The effects of crude oil on northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In Benthic Ecology Meeting 2018. Corpus Christi, TX : 03/28/18-03/30/18: Poster.
Tollette, D., Tatariw, C., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). The effects of crude oil on northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In Gulf of Mexico Graduate Student Symposium 2018. Dauphin Island, AL : 03/02/18-03/04/18: Poster.
Tollette, D., Tatariw, C., & Mortazavi, B. (2018). The effects of crude oil on northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In 2018 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/05/18-09/07/18: Poster.

2017

Ballentine, W. M., Dorgan, K. M., Gadeken, K., Mortazavi, B., Parker, R., Kiskaddon, E., et al. (2017). Effects of Macrofauna on Oxygen Consumption and Nutrient Fluxes in Sediments. In 46th Benthic Ecology Meeting. Myrtle Beach, SC : 04/12/17-04/16/17: Poster.
Crawford, P., Flournoy, N., Tatariw, C., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). Quantification of Functional Marker Genes for Denitrifying Microbial Populations in the Chandeleur Islands Impacted by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. In 2017 AGU Fall Meeting. New Orleans, LA : 12/11/17-12/15/17: Poster.
Crawford, P., Flournoy, N., Taylor, C., Hinshaw, S., Kleinhuizen, A., Sobecky, P., et al. (2017). A Temporal Study of Nitrogen Cycling in a Deep water Horizon Impacted Coastal Marsh System. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Flournoy, N., Taylor, C., Tatariw, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2017). Quantification of functional marker genes for denitrifying microbial populations in the Chandeleur Islands impacted by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In 2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/06/17-09/08/17.
Flournoy, N. Y., Rajan, S., Taylor, C., Crawford, P., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2017). Microbial Community Response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Metagenomic Insights into Northern Gulf of Mexico Saltmarsh Ecosystems. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Kleinhuizen, A., Mortazavi, B., Hughes, R., Scheffel, W., & Tatariw, C. (2017). Effects of Oil Additions and Salt Marsh Vegetation Diversity on the Cycling and Removal of Nitrogen. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Michael, H. L., Crawford, P., Rajan, S., Sobecky, P., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). Enrichment of Marine Microbial Mats associated with Salt Marsh Plants Exposed to Oil Amendments. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Rajan, S., Crawford, P., Kleinhuizen, A., Tatariw, C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2017). Predicted Disturbance-Driven Impacts on Ecosystem Services in Coastal Wetlands. In 2017 AGU Fall Meeting. New Orleans, LA : 12/11/17-12/15/17: Poster.
Rajan, S., Crawford, P., Kleinhuizen, A.;T., C., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2017). Predicted Disturbance-Driven Impacts on Ecosystem Services in Coastal Wetlands. In 2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/06/17-09/08/17: Poster.
Tatariw, C., Flournoy, N., Rajan, S., Kleinhuizen, A., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). Does Avicennia germinans expansion alter salt marsh nitrogen removal capacity? In Cerf 2017. Providence, RI : 11/05/17-11/09/17.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2017). Spatiotemporal Dynamics in Sediment Nitrogen Cycling in Salt Marshes Impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17: Poster.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Rajan, S., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). Does Avicennia germinans expansion alter salt marsh nitrogen removal capacity? In 2017 AGU Fall Meeting. New Orleans, LA : 12/11/17-12/15/17: Poster.
Tatariw, C., Kleinhuizen, A., Flournoy, N., Sobecky, P. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). Assessing the long-term impact of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill on salt marsh nitrogen removal. In 2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/06/17-09/08/17: Poster.
Tollette, D., Tatariw, C., & Mortazavi, B. (2017). The effects of crude oil on northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh nitrogen cycling. In 2017 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/06/17-09/08/17: Poster.
Zerebecki, R. A., Hughes, R. A., Heck, K. L., Cebrian, J., Mortazavi, B., Sobecky, P., et al. (2017). Plant diversity impacts Spartina alterniflora resilience to Deepwater Horizon oil pollution. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2017. New Orleans, LA : 02/06/17-02/09/17.

2016

Crawford, P., Flournoy, N., Tayolor, C., Hinshaw, S., Kleinhuizen, A., Sobecky, P., et al. (2016). A Temporal Study of Nitrogen Cycling in a Deepwater-Horizon Impacted Coastal Marsh System. In Gulf Estuarine Research Society Meeting. Pensacola Beach, FL : 11/03/16-11/05/16: Poster.
Crawford, P., Flournoy, N., Tayolor, C., Hinshaw, S., Kleinhuizen, A., Sobecky, P., et al. (2016). A Temporal Study of Nitrogen Cycling in a Deepwater-Horizon Impacted Coastal Marsh System. In Bays and Bayous Symposium. Biloxi, MS : 11/30/16-12/01/16: Poster.
Crawford, P., Flournoy, N. Y., Taylor, C., Hinshaw, S. E., Kleinhuizen, A., Sobecky, P. A., et al. (2016). A temporal study of nitrogen cycling in a Deepwater-Horizon impacted coastal marsh system. In 2016 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/08/16-09/09/16: Poster.
Flournoy, N. Y., Rajan, S., Taylor, C., Crawford, P., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. A. (2016). Metagenomic insights into microbial communities response to oiling events in Northern Gulf of Mexico saltmarsh ecosystems. In 2016 Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, AL : 09/08/16-09/09/16.
Hinshaw, S., Kleinhuizen, A., Rajan S., Flournoy, N. Y., Crawford, P., Sobecky, P. A., et al. (2016). Denitrification rates in Deepwater Horizon impacted salt marshes. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2016. Tampa, FL : 02/01/16-02/04/16.
Hughes, A. R., Heck, K., Cebrian, J., Mortazavi, B., Sobecky, P., Flournoy, N., et al. (2016). Impacts of Deepwater Horizon Oil Pollution on Wetlands Resiliency. In Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference 2016. Tampa, FL : 02/01/16-02/04/16: Poster.
Hughes, A. R., Heck, K., Cebrian, J., Mortazavi, B., Sobecky, P., Flournoy, N., et al. (2016). Impacts of Deepwater Horizon Oil Pollution on Wetlands Resiliency. In Benthic Ecology Meeting. Portland, ME : 03/16/16-03/29/16: Poster.

2012

Mortazavi, B., Horel, A., Sobecky, P., Powell, J., & Beazley, M. (2012). Naturally occurring marine organic substrates enhance microbial degradation of Macondo well crude oil. In American Chemical Society Meeting. San Diego, CA, March 25-29, 2012.
Mortazavi, B., Horel, A., Sobecky, P., Powell, J., & Beazley, M. (2012). Naturally occurring marine organic substrates enhance microbial degradation of Macondo well crude oil. In Ocean Sciences Meeting 2012. Salt Lake City, UT: 02/19/12-02/24/12.

2011

Horel, A., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2011). Characterization of hydrocarbon degraders from coastal Alabama marsh sediments. In Benthic Ecology Annual Meeting 2011. Mobile, AL : 03/16/11-03/20/11.
Horel, A., Mortazavi, B., & Sobecky, P. (2011). Enhancing biodegradation of crude oil from the Macondo Well in Alabama Beaches. In Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Meeting. Pensacola, FL, April 26-28, 2011.
Mortazavi, B., Ortmann, A., Wang, L., & Bernard, R. (2011). Nitrification and Denitrification Potential Along a Vegetation Gradient in a Saltmarsh Ecosystem. In Benthic Ecology Annual Meeting 2011. Mobile, AL : 03/16/11-03/20/11.
Mortazavi, B., Horel, A., Sobecky, P., Powell, J., & Beazley, M. (2011). Naturally occurring marine organic substrates enhance microbial degradation of Macondo well crude oil. In Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference. Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach, FL, November 6-10, 2011.
Powell, J., Rajan, S., Beazley, M., Martinez, R., Piceno, Y., Andersen, G., et al. (2011). Assessing seasonal and potential hydrocarbon influences on coastal Alabama Vibrio population dynamics. In American Society for Microbiology Meeting. New Orleans, LA, May 2011.
Rajan, S., Beazley, M., Powell, J., Martinez, R., Piceno, Y., Andersen, G., et al. (2011). Coastal AL Microbial Responses to Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. In American Society for Microbiology Meeting. New Orleans, LA, May 2011.
Schneider, D. M., Cherry, J. A., & Mortazavi, B. (2011). Impact of hydrocarbon contamination on nitrification-denitrification processes in Juncus roemerianus and Spartina alterniflora salt marshes. In Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference. Daytona Beach, FL, November 6-10, 2011.
Sobecky, P., Beazley, M., Martinez, R., Rajan, S., Powell, J., Piceno, Y., et al. (2011). Coastal Alabama Bacterial Community Responses to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. In American Society for Microbiology Meeting. New Orleans, LA, July 24-28, 2011.