Abigail J. Lynch, Ph.D.
Abigail (Abby) J. Lynch is a Research Fish Biologist with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center. Abby conducts science and science syntheses on the impacts of global change to inland fishes at local, national, and global scales. Her work aims to inform conservation and sustainable use and to help fishers, managers, and other practitioners adapt to change.
Collaborative Networks
Abby leads the National CASC's aquatics program and co-leads the CASC Fish Research Team. She is adjunct/affiliate faculty at Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, the University of Florida, and the University of Missouri.
She serves as the coordinator for the international 'InFish' research network, a steward for the Fish and Climate Change Database (FiCli), and an Associate Editor for Fisheries Management and Ecology.
Abby received her Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University on climate impacts to Great Lakes Lake Whitefish, M.S. in marine science on Atlantic Menhaden population genetics at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, and B.S. in biology and B.A. in English literature from the University of Virginia. She also served as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Fisheries Program.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
M.S. in Marine Science, College of William & Mary
B.S. in Biology, University of Virginia
B.A. in English, University of Virginia
Affiliations and Memberships*
IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group; IUCN Fisheries Expert Group
IPBES Global and Nexus Assessments (Fellow, Author)
2024 World Fisheries Congress International Program Committee (Co-chair)
UN International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 (International Steering Committee)
FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability (Advisory Board Member)
American Fisheries Society International Fisheries Section (Past-President)
Honors and Awards
Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Science and Products
Inland fish and fisheries integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
FiCli, the Fish and Climate Change Database, informs climate adaptation and management for freshwater fishes
InFish: A professional network to promote global conservation and responsible use of inland fish
Bending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: An emergency recovery plan
Adapting to climate change: Guidance for the management of inland glacial lake fisheries
Examining progress toward achieving the Ten Steps of the Rome Declaration on Responsible Inland Fisheries
Speaking the same language: Can the Sustainable Development Goals translate the needs of inland fisheries into irrigation decisions?
An integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
Fishing for conservation of freshwater tropical fish in the Anthropocene
New global high-resolution centerlines dataset of selected river systems
Long-term streamflow trends in Hawai‘i and implications for native stream fauna
Hypotheses from recent assessments of climate impacts to biodiversity and ecosystems in the United States
Science and Products
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Inland fish and fisheries integral to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Inland fish provide food for billions and livelihoods for millions of people worldwide and are integral to effective freshwater ecosystem function, yet the recognition of these services is notably absent in development discussions and policies, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How might the SDGs be enhanced if inland fishery services were integrated into policies anAuthorsAbigail Lynch, Vittoria Elliott, Sui C. Phang, Julie E. Claussen, Ian Harrison, Karen J. Murchie, E. Ashley Steel, Gretchen L. StokesFiCli, the Fish and Climate Change Database, informs climate adaptation and management for freshwater fishes
Inland fishes provide important ecosystem services to communities worldwide and are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Fish respond to climate change in diverse and nuanced ways, which creates challenges for practitioners of fish conservation, climate change adaptation, and management. Although climate change is known to affect fish globally, a comprehensive online, public datAuthorsTrevor J. Krabbenhoft, Bonnie Jean Evaline Myers, Jesse Wong, Cindy Chu, Ralph W. III Tingley, Jeffrey A. Falke, Thomas J. Kwak, Craig P. Paukert, Abigail LynchInFish: A professional network to promote global conservation and responsible use of inland fish
Inland fishes and fisheries make substantial contributions to individuals, society, and the environment in a changing global landscape that includes climate, water allocations, and societal changes. However, current limitations to valuing the services provided by inland fish and their fisheries often leaves them out of key decision‐making discussions. InFish is a voluntary professional network witAuthorsAbigail J Lynch, Devin M. Bartley, T. Douglas Beard, David Bunnell, Steve J. Cooke, Ian. G. Cowx, Simon Funge-Smith, Craig Paukert, Mark W. Rogers, William W. TaylorBending the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss: An emergency recovery plan
Despite their limited spatial extent, freshwater ecosystems host remarkable biodiversity, including one-third of all vertebrate species. This biodiversity is declining dramatically: Globally, wetlands are vanishing three times faster than forests, and freshwater vertebrate populations have fallen more than twice as steeply as terrestrial or marine populations. Threats to freshwater biodiversity arAuthorsDavid Tickner, Jeff Opperman, Robin Abell, Mike Acreman, Angela Arthington, Stuart E. Bunn, Steven J. Cooke, Will Darwall, Gavin Edwards, Ian Harrison, Kathy Hughes, Tim Jones, David Leclere, Abigail Lynch, Philip Leonard, Mike McClain, Pete McIntyre, Dean Muruven, Julian D. Olden, Steve Ormerod, James Robinson, Rebecca Tharme, Michele Thieme, Klement Tockner, Mark Wright, Lucy YoungAdapting to climate change: Guidance for the management of inland glacial lake fisheries
Climate change is altering glacial lake fisheries in the United States, presenting a complex challenge for fisheries managers. Here we provide a regional perspective to guide management of heterogeneous and yet interdependent fishery resources in glacial lakes of the upper Midwest. Our main objective was to promote the adaptation of inland glacial lakes fisheries management to climate change by ouAuthorsR.W. Tingley III, Craig Paukert, G. G. Sass, P. C. Jacobson, G. J. A. Hansen, Abigail Lynch, P. D. ShannonExamining progress toward achieving the Ten Steps of the Rome Declaration on Responsible Inland Fisheries
Inland capture fisheries provide food for nearly a billion people and are important in the livelihoods of millions of households worldwide. Although there are limitations to evaluating many of the contributions made by inland capture fisheries, there is growing recognition by the international community that these services make critical contributions, most notably to food security and livelihoodsAuthorsAbigail Lynch, Devin M. Bartley, Douglas Beard, Ian. G. Cowx, Simon Funge-Smith, William W. Taylor, Steve J. CookeSpeaking the same language: Can the Sustainable Development Goals translate the needs of inland fisheries into irrigation decisions?
Irrigated agriculture and inland fisheries both make important contributions to food security, nutrition, livelihoods, and well-being. Typically, in modern irrigation systems, these components operate independently. Some practices, commonly associated with water use and intensification of crop production, can be in direct conflict with and have adverse impacts on fisheries. Food security objectiveAuthorsAbigail Lynch, Lee J. Baumgartner, Craig A. Boys, John Conallin, Ian. G. Cowx, C. Max Finlayson, Paul A. Franklin, Zeb Hogan, John D. Koehn, Matthrew P. McCartney, Gordon C. O'Brien, Kaviphone Phouthavong, Luiz G. M. Silva, Chann Aun Tob, John Valbo-Jorgensen, An Vi Vu, Louise Whiting, Arif Wibowo, Phil DuncanAn integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
Climate change is increasing the severity and extent of extreme droughts events, posing a critical threat to freshwater ecosystems, particularly with increasing human demands for diminishing water supplies. Despite the importance of drought as a significant driver of ecological and evolutionary dynamics, current understanding of drought consequences for freshwater biodiversity is very limited. WAuthorsRyan Kovach, Jason B. Dunham, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Craig Snyder, Erik A. Beever, Gregory T. Pederson, Abigail Lynch, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Christopher P. Konrad, Kristin Jaeger, Alan H. Rea, Adam J. Sepulveda, Patrick M. Lambert, Jason M. Stoker, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. MuhlfeldFishing for conservation of freshwater tropical fish in the Anthropocene
1. Biodiversity and fisheries are two important assets of freshwater ecosystems that are currently at risk from external threats. Establishing an equitable resolution to these threats is a major challenge of the Anthropocene. 2. This is particularly pertinent in developing nations where hotspots for biodiversity converge with rapid, and often environmentally degrading, economic development, andAuthorsSui Chian Phang, Michael S. Cooperman, Abigail Lynch, Ashley Steel, Vittoria Elliott, Karen J. Murchie, Steven J. Cooke, Scott Dowd, Ian G. CowxNew global high-resolution centerlines dataset of selected river systems
We present the first high resolution (1:20,000) river centerlines shapefiles from 50 large rivers across the world. Rivers were selected based on the criteria of having more than 1000 km length and which have been reported to have a significant contribution to global fishery production. Since large rivers often span multiple countries, the degree of changes (i.e., anthropogenic or climate derived)AuthorsZeenatul Basher, Abigail Lynch, William W. TaylorLong-term streamflow trends in Hawai‘i and implications for native stream fauna
Climate change has fundamentally altered the water cycle in tropical islands, which is a critical driver of freshwater ecosystems. To examine how changes in streamflow regime have impacted habitat quality for native migratory aquatic species, we present a 50‐year (1967–2016) analysis of hydrologic records in 23 unregulated streams across the five largest Hawaiian Islands. For each stream, flow wasAuthorsH. M. Clilverd, Y.-P. Tsang, D. M. Infante, Abigail Lynch, A. M. StrauchHypotheses from recent assessments of climate impacts to biodiversity and ecosystems in the United States
Climate change poses multiple threats to biodiversity, and has already caused demonstrable impacts. We summarize key results from a recent national assessment of observed climate change impacts to terrestrial, marine, and freshwater ecosystems in the United States, and place results in the context of commonly articulated hypotheses about ecosystem response to climate change for global implicationsAuthorsShawn L. Carter, Abigail Lynch, Bonnie Myers, Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Laura M. Thompson - Web Tools
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government