figure a

I am pleased to announce that Thomas J. (Tom) Whitmore has been appointed co-editor of the Journal of Paleolimnology (JOPL). Tom is well known to the paleolimnology community as the founder and moderator of PALEOLIM, the Paleolimnology Forum listservice (Whitmore 1995), and as a frequent contributor to JOPL. He serves on the JOPL Board and is an ex officio member of the Executive Committee for the International Paleolimnology Association (IPA).

Tom is a paleolimnologist and diatomist who has worked extensively on subtropical and tropical lakes. He received his B.S. (1977) in Biological Sciences at the University of Connecticut, and completed both his M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. (1991) degrees in Zoology at the University of Florida, where he studied with the late Edward S. Deevey, Jr. While a graduate student, Tom developed diatom-based transfer functions for investigating past changes in trophic state and pH of Florida lakes (Whitmore 1989). He also explored ways to use sedimented diatoms to infer past macrophyte biomass in Florida’s shallow water bodies. Tom developed interest in editorial work during graduate school, and he studied scientific writing with the late Robert A. Wallace, who was the author of several widely used biology texts.

Tom has participated in paleolimnological research on lakes in Florida, Mexico, Guatemala, and China. His interests have included topics such as human-mediated soil erosion in watersheds of southwest China (Whitmore et al. 1994), heterogeneous sediment distribution in shallow, wind-stressed lake basins (Whitmore et al. 1996), water quality and sediment geochemistry of Yunnan lakes, China (Whitmore et al. 1997), anthropogenic alkalization of Florida lakes (Whitmore et al. 2006), and heavy-metals contamination of lake sediments in Florida (Whitmore et al. 2008).

From 1992 to 2003, Tom held research positions with the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Florida. Since that time, he has held research posts in the Environmental Science, Policy, and Geography Program at the University of South Florida, and in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Florida. I have known Tom since 1979 and have worked closely with him on many projects. We have co-authored 25 papers and collaborated on innumerable agency reports. I have the greatest respect for Tom’s writing ability. In addition to Tom’s professional accomplishments, he has maintained a deep interest in art for more than 20 years. He has had several photographic exhibits and is a relief printmaker.

From 1993 to 2007, JOPL flourished under co-editors John P. Smol and William M. Last. Their skillful editorial work raised the profile of the journal and led to a tremendous increase in the number of submissions. Consequently, the job of editor has grown considerably. I appreciate the wonderful support for Tom’s nomination from the JOPL Board of Advisors, and I am very grateful that Tom has accepted the invitation to work as co-editor. Please join me in welcoming him.