by Kristen Goodhue
This is the second of two In Memoriam tributes, honoring two long-time staff members who passed away while still employed at our center over the last decade. As the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center enters its 60th year, we recognize that many of our achievements would not have been possible without their hard work and passion. (Read the first In Memoriam to SERC’s former executive officer, Bob Gallagher, here.)
Over 500 aquatic species have entered the U.S. from abroad—and Paul Fofonoff could name almost all of them. He could also name nearly every tree, flower, animal or shrub on one of his hikes or paddling trips. During his three decades at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), he earned a reputation as a walking encyclopedia for wildlife.
Fofonoff devoted his career to marine biology. He worked as a staff scientist for SERC’s Marine Invasions Research Lab for 30 years, before his unexpected death in May 2024. But unlike many marine scientists, Fofonoff knew almost as much about life on land as life in the ocean.
The Call of the Sea
Born in 1952, Paul Fofonoff was the oldest child of oceanographer Nicholas Fofonoff and his wife, Mabel. The sea laid an early claim to his childhood. He spent the first 10 years of his life on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, with his three siblings. In 1960 the family spent a summer in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, while his father did research at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
“That was Paul’s (and my) ‘Walden’ summer…a rustic cabin on the edge of a wild punch bowl pond, ‘Crooked Pond’ in Hatchville,” said his sister, Stephanie Fofonoff. “With Paul’s affinity for all life, flora and fauna, I can only imagine the influence that summer had on his eight-year-old mind!”
In 1962 the family moved to Massachusetts permanently, when Nicholas Fofonoff received a staff position at Woods Hole. 10-year-old Paul Fofonoff would remain in New England for the next 32 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Clark University and a master’s in zoology from the University of Rhode Island. After a few years as a research technician, he obtained his Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. In 1994, he joined SERC’s fledging Marine Invasions Laboratory headed by Greg Ruiz.
“I had the good fortune to find and recruit Paul at the launch of our program on marine invasions,” Ruiz said. “He was a perfect fit, bringing remarkable depth and breadth of knowledge about marine biota with stunning detail. Paul’s rare talents and immense passion for natural history were immediately evident to everyone at SERC and beyond.”
In 1995, Fofonoff began a master project that would last the rest of his career: a database known as NEMESIS. The name stands for “National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System.” It’s an online database with information on over 500 nonnative species in the U.S. Profile pages detail how a species arrived, how far it’s spread and what impacts it may have (if any).
NEMESIS focuses on saltwater invaders like green crabs, the green seaweed Dead Man’s fingers, and the “rock vomit” tunicate that invaded Alaska. At first, Fofonoff envisioned tracking freshwater creatures as well. But since the Smithsonian had a partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to track aquatic invaders, they decided to split the work. The USGS would focus on freshwater species.
“I’ve mostly left mammals, reptiles and amphibians to USGS, though it’s hard to resist a good Burmese python story,” Fofonoff wrote of the project in 2023.
NEMESIS also includes examples of unsuccessful invasions. These include cases where a species failed to gain a foothold, its establishment is uncertain or it was wiped out.
“Failed species can tell you about vectors, factors affecting establishment, etc.,” Fofonoff wrote. “And when a species is eradicated…that’s a big story.”
Since its creation, the original NEMESIS has spawned several progeny. They include CalNEMO (for California), PanNEMO (for Panama), GalNEMO (for the Galápagos) and CocoNEMO (for the Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica).
A Naturalist For Life
Outside the Smithsonian, Fofonoff led a second life as an outdoors guide. For decades he served with the Appalachian Mountain Club, a conservation and outdoors group that has been active since 1876. Fofonoff led hikes, backpacking treks and paddling trips across the mid-Atlantic. His hiking tour of SERC became an annual tradition.
Wherever he journeyed, Fofonoff had a keen appreciation for the deeper stories in the landscape. Journal entries from his trips—which he shared with co-workers, fellow hikers and paddlers—were peppered with nature and wildlife photos. But he also reflected on how the landscape had changed, or why a certain plant was vital for birds or other animals.
“When Paul looked at nature, he saw a world far more detailed and complex than most people,” said Jim Carlton, an emeritus marine biologist at Williams College who pioneered much of the research on marine invasions.
Whitman Miller, a SERC biologist who shared an office trailer with Fofonoff for many years, likened him to the natural historians of the 18th or 19th centuries. Such experts, with vast and broad knowledge about the natural world, are increasingly rare in the current era of specialization.
“We don’t come across these people very often,” Miller said. “And I always feel grateful that this natural historian crossed paths with me.”
Paul is survived by his three siblings—Stephanie (husband Bob), Timothy (wife Margaret and their children Rebecca and Alexander) and Nicholas David, along with many Canadian cousins. His work will continue through the approximately 40 members of SERC’s Marine Invasions Lab and his fellow outdoor leaders at the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Read more:
Bob Gallagher, Executive Officer and Environmental Steward (1954-2020)
