Scientists Continue Their Study of the Santa Ana Sucker
Santa Ana Sucker (Pantosteus santaanae) being measured in PIT tag study
Tidal Wetlands
Loss of tidal wetland habitat in the San Francisco Estuary affects fish and other aquatic organisms.
Longfin Smelt
Longfin Smelt is a threatened species found in waters along the Pacific coast. Its complex life cycle makes it vulnerable in both freshwater and at sea.
Sacramento Splittail
Spinal deformities in California native fish species, the Sacramento Splittail, are now attributed to exposure to the chemical element selenium.
The California Water Science Center's Aquatic Ecology Group is making great strides in research and reporting.
The Aquatic Ecology Group at the US Geological Survey’s California Water Science Center is a team of scientists working to solve important natural science challenges facing society.
Our research covers all aspects of aquatic ecology with a focus on freshwater, estuarine and marine fishes and environments. Particular topics include:
- Water resources
- Threatened and endangered species
- Fish habitat
- Food web dynamics
- Climate change
- Drought
We work closely with scientists in other disciplines at USGS to tackle challenges with comprehensive, interdisciplinary research. A particular strength of our group is the ability to use new technology to generate novel solutions to natural resource problems. We also maintain active collaborations with many federal, state, and local agencies, and universities.
We pursue innovative solutions to a diverse array of natural resource problems through applied research. A large portion of our research is field-based and incorporates elements of behavioral, population, and community ecology. Individual projects range from the biology and ecology of individual species to the effects of climate change on ecosystems.
Santa Ana River Native Fish Study
Bay-Delta Catchability Study
Hydrologic and Aquatic Ecology Studies at Clear Lake, California
Studying Threatened Fish Species in Clear Lake, CA
Longfin Smelt Distribution in the Coastal Pacific Ocean
Development of a spatially explicit ecosystem model to explore physiochemical drivers of step changes in POD species abundance and distribution in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay
Mapping Sturgeon Spawning Habitat in the Lower San Joaquin River
Delta sediment measurements to support numerical modeling of turbidity
Modeling in support of development of biocriteria for wadeable California streams and rivers
The role of the alien clam Corbicula fluminea in the regulation of organic carbon in the San Joaquin River watershed
Implementing New Acoustic Monitoring Techniques in the Trinity River
Role Nutrients Play in Fish Death Rates at Rodeo Lagoon
Below are publications associated with the Aquatic Ecology Group
Estuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Estuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
Resistance and resilience of pelagic and littoral fishes to drought in the San Francisco Estuary Resistance and resilience of pelagic and littoral fishes to drought in the San Francisco Estuary
Hydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment Hydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment
Sacramento pikeminnow migration record Sacramento pikeminnow migration record
Characterizing benthic macroinvertebrate and algal biological condition gradient models for California wadeable Streams, USA Characterizing benthic macroinvertebrate and algal biological condition gradient models for California wadeable Streams, USA
Cryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes Cryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes
First record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch First record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch
Resolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary Resolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary
Dissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid Dissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid
Strontium isotopes reveal ephemeral streams used for spawning and rearing by an imperiled potamodromous cyprinid--Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi Strontium isotopes reveal ephemeral streams used for spawning and rearing by an imperiled potamodromous cyprinid--Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi
Using the Distinct Population Segment concept to protect fishes with low levels of genomic differentiation: conservation of an endemic minnow (Hitch, Lavinia exilicauda) Using the Distinct Population Segment concept to protect fishes with low levels of genomic differentiation: conservation of an endemic minnow (Hitch, Lavinia exilicauda)
Fish-habitat relationships along the estuarine gradient of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Implications for habitat restoration Fish-habitat relationships along the estuarine gradient of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Implications for habitat restoration
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Scientists Continue Their Study of the Santa Ana Sucker Scientists Continue Their Study of the Santa Ana Sucker
The following list of partners have helped make the work of the Aquatic Ecology Group possible.
The California Water Science Center's Aquatic Ecology Group is making great strides in research and reporting.
The Aquatic Ecology Group at the US Geological Survey’s California Water Science Center is a team of scientists working to solve important natural science challenges facing society.
Our research covers all aspects of aquatic ecology with a focus on freshwater, estuarine and marine fishes and environments. Particular topics include:
- Water resources
- Threatened and endangered species
- Fish habitat
- Food web dynamics
- Climate change
- Drought
We work closely with scientists in other disciplines at USGS to tackle challenges with comprehensive, interdisciplinary research. A particular strength of our group is the ability to use new technology to generate novel solutions to natural resource problems. We also maintain active collaborations with many federal, state, and local agencies, and universities.
We pursue innovative solutions to a diverse array of natural resource problems through applied research. A large portion of our research is field-based and incorporates elements of behavioral, population, and community ecology. Individual projects range from the biology and ecology of individual species to the effects of climate change on ecosystems.
Santa Ana River Native Fish Study
Bay-Delta Catchability Study
Hydrologic and Aquatic Ecology Studies at Clear Lake, California
Studying Threatened Fish Species in Clear Lake, CA
Longfin Smelt Distribution in the Coastal Pacific Ocean
Development of a spatially explicit ecosystem model to explore physiochemical drivers of step changes in POD species abundance and distribution in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Bay
Mapping Sturgeon Spawning Habitat in the Lower San Joaquin River
Delta sediment measurements to support numerical modeling of turbidity
Modeling in support of development of biocriteria for wadeable California streams and rivers
The role of the alien clam Corbicula fluminea in the regulation of organic carbon in the San Joaquin River watershed
Implementing New Acoustic Monitoring Techniques in the Trinity River
Role Nutrients Play in Fish Death Rates at Rodeo Lagoon
Below are publications associated with the Aquatic Ecology Group
Estuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) Estuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
Resistance and resilience of pelagic and littoral fishes to drought in the San Francisco Estuary Resistance and resilience of pelagic and littoral fishes to drought in the San Francisco Estuary
Hydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment Hydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment
Sacramento pikeminnow migration record Sacramento pikeminnow migration record
Characterizing benthic macroinvertebrate and algal biological condition gradient models for California wadeable Streams, USA Characterizing benthic macroinvertebrate and algal biological condition gradient models for California wadeable Streams, USA
Cryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes Cryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes
First record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch First record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch
Resolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary Resolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary
Dissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid Dissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid
Strontium isotopes reveal ephemeral streams used for spawning and rearing by an imperiled potamodromous cyprinid--Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi Strontium isotopes reveal ephemeral streams used for spawning and rearing by an imperiled potamodromous cyprinid--Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi
Using the Distinct Population Segment concept to protect fishes with low levels of genomic differentiation: conservation of an endemic minnow (Hitch, Lavinia exilicauda) Using the Distinct Population Segment concept to protect fishes with low levels of genomic differentiation: conservation of an endemic minnow (Hitch, Lavinia exilicauda)
Fish-habitat relationships along the estuarine gradient of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Implications for habitat restoration Fish-habitat relationships along the estuarine gradient of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California: Implications for habitat restoration
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Scientists Continue Their Study of the Santa Ana Sucker Scientists Continue Their Study of the Santa Ana Sucker
The following list of partners have helped make the work of the Aquatic Ecology Group possible.