Research Overview
The theme that ties all of our research projects together is conservation. Our group works to develop scientifically-sound conservation strategies to protect and enhance fisheries resources. Typically, this involves defining how individual fish or fish populations respond to external stressors, and then using this knowledge to develop sustainable conservation strategies.
Research projects we perform encompass a range of levels of organization, with a focus on animal physiology. Projects can include responses such as how different genes respond to stressors, but can also include monitoring the movement of free-swimming animals in the wild with remote telemetry. Projects typically include a mix of field and laboratory components, as well as a mix of ‘basic’ and ‘applied’ science.
Students interested in graduate opportunities should contact me with a CV and transcript (unofficial transcripts are OK), and I encourage you to contact me even without a specific project in mind.
Current Research Projects
Linking reproduction with conservation for nesting Bass
This project seeks to quantify how angling during the spring spawning period affects the characteristics of individual nesting bass. This work takes advantage of a data set collected at the same locations over a 30 year time period. Our findings will inform the development of no-fishing sanctuaries currently being piloted in eastern Ontario.
Current Project
Deterring the spread of invasive carp
Invasive bigheaded carp are one of the most prominent invasive species in North America, causing a number of problems for aquatic ecosystems. Our work in this area seeks to develop novel conservation strategies to deter the spread of several species of invasive carps.
Current Project
Improving fish passage in the Mississippi River
Many Mississippi fishes make large-scale movements throughout their lives. Unfortunately, fish passage structures do not incorporate the swimming behavior or performance of these fishes into their design. Our group is using both field and laboratory studies to develop biologically-informed design parameters to improve fishways on the Mississippi River.
Current Project
Improving management strategies for paddlefish
Paddlefish are an iconic and rare species in the Mississippi that are targeted by both recreational anglers and commercial harvesters. Our work in this area seeks to develop evidence-based management recommendations to conserve and enhance paddlefish populations across their range.
Current Project
Conservation of Ogaa (walleye) populations in Mille Lacs
Ogaa (walleye) in Mille Lacs lake are important culturally, economically and recreationally. Recently, Ogaa populations have experienced declines, but the mechanism for this decline has not been identified. This project uses a combination of field and laboratory experiments to understand how factors such as climate change and predation by northern pike may be contributing to Ogaa declines.
Current Project
Using movement ecology to improve conservation strategies for walleye
Habitat loss, among other threats, has decreased recruitment for walleye across their range. Walleye use the same spawning sites year after year, so identifying and protecting those areas may be vital for maintaining populations for the future. This project utilizes acoustic telemetry to track fish movements during their spawning season to identify important spawning areas in Mille Lacs Lake, MN so that management actions may be taken to protect these areas.
Current ProjectPast Research Projects
Impacts of Rain-driven Hypoxia on Urban Fishes
Quantifying the impact of wet weather-induced oxygen depletion on fish behavior and physiology in urban environments. Using acoustic telemetry and laboratory experiments to understand how dissolved oxygen fluctuations affect largemouth bass in the Chicago Area Waterways System.
Completed
Factors Affecting Vulnerability to Angling
This project seeks to answer a very simple question: why do fish strike fishing lures? The answer to this question would be of interest to anglers, but also to managers and conservationists that are looking to conserve and protect valuable fish populations.
Completed
Control of Invasive Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake
Non-native lake trout are a threat to many aspects of the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park. Our work in this area used telemetry to identify spawning areas for lake trout in an effort to facilitate lake trout suppression efforts to conserve Yellowstone ecosystems.
Completed
Climate Change Impacts on Nearshore Marine Communities
Work at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, The Bahamas, quantified the impacts of climate change stressors, including increased temperature, increased salinity and reduced pH, on mangrove fish communities.
Completed
Integrating physiological tools into ecological restoration
One of the greatest threats to freshwater fishes is habitat degradation. Our work seeks to define how landscape-level changes impact individual freshwater fish, and how that information can be used to help with conservation and restoration.
Completed
Improving fish care at live release angling tournaments
Fish caught in live-release angling tournaments can experience a range of different stressors and challenges. Our group has worked for many years to understand the source and magnitude of these challenges, and to also recommend practices for anglers to follow to minimize the impacts of tournaments on individual fish and fish populations, thereby allowing tournaments to continue into the future.
Completed