Research
Technical Assistance
Graduate education
Cooperative Research Units
The Cooperative Research Units program was established in 1935—and codified by Congress in 1960— with a tripartite mission to enhance graduate education in fisheries and wildlife sciences, facilitate applied research for fish and wildlife resources, and transfer technical knowledge to natural resource agencies.
Today, there are 43 units located in 41 States, at 44 host universities, with a national program office located at the U.S. Geological Survey headquarters in Reston, Virginia.
Our website is currently undergoing a major update. Be sure to visit regularly for the latest enhancements.
Where's our Science?
Where's our Science?
We support 43 units in 41 states, at 44 host universities, with a Program office at USGS National Center.
Meet Our Scientists
Meet Our Scientists
CRU Scientists have a broad and impressive range of expertise.
10-year Overview
10-year Overview
Supporting Fish and Wildlife agency partners for natural resource management since 1935.
News
EcoNews | Winter 2026 - Vol. 7 | Issue 1
EcoNews | Winter 2026 - Vol. 7 | Issue 1
Finding and defending grassland cores using spatial covariance
Finding and defending grassland cores using spatial covariance
Tight Lines: Evaluating Rainbow Trout Fishing in Oklahoma
Tight Lines: Evaluating Rainbow Trout Fishing in Oklahoma
Publications
Waterfowl move less in heterogeneous and human-populated landscapes, with implications for spread of avian influenza viruses Waterfowl move less in heterogeneous and human-populated landscapes, with implications for spread of avian influenza viruses
Animal movements contribute to the spread of infectious diseases and are driven in part by environmental conditions. We investigated the links among the environment, animal movement, and infectious disease dynamics in waterfowl, which are among the primary wildlife hosts of avian influenza viruses. By combining telemetry data on 4606 individuals from 26 waterfowl species with data on...
Plasticity in the reproductive biology of Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus virginalis bouvieri in Yellowstone Lake following lake trout Salvelinus namaycush invasion Plasticity in the reproductive biology of Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus virginalis bouvieri in Yellowstone Lake following lake trout Salvelinus namaycush invasion
Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus virginalis bouvieri in Yellowstone Lake are the focus of intensive conservation efforts due to the threat of predation by invasive lake trout Salvelinus namaycush. Suppression gillnetting has reduced the abundance of predatory lake trout, and the Yellowstone cutthroat trout population is recovering. Long-term monitoring indicates the size...
Igniting the transition from water quality to biological condition and ecological health Igniting the transition from water quality to biological condition and ecological health
Karr (1981), which introduced the index of biotic (or biological) integrity (IBI) has been cited more often (>4,500 times) than any other paper in Fisheries. In this essay, we reflect on the historical context of this seminal publication and its broad, continuing impact on the management of natural resources, especially freshwater ecosystems.
Science
Cooperative Research Unit Locations
To explore our Unit locations, please click the "Study Area" map icon on the right.
Where Land Meets Sea: USGS Science for Resilient Coastal Habitats
USGS coastal science plays a critical role in supporting the effective, science-based management of coastal ecosystems, where the biodiversity of land and sea meet. It provides managers with the information they need to make sound decisions. Through cutting-edge research, predictive modeling, and decision-support tools, USGS empowers resource managers to make informed, science-based choices. From...
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Ecosystems Land Change Science Program, Land Management Research Program, Science and Decisions Center, Species Management Research Program, California Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Western Fisheries Research Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Invasive flathead catfish now top predators in Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania
New study suggests that smallmouth bass and channel catfish are changing what they eat to avoid having to compete with or being eaten by the invader
