Alexander Zale, PhD (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
The Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (est. 1963) is a partnership among the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana State University, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Environmental DNA data, fish abundance data, and stream habitat data from northwest Montana and northeast Washington and southern British Columbia, Canada Environmental DNA data, fish abundance data, and stream habitat data from northwest Montana and northeast Washington and southern British Columbia, Canada
Field estimates of the abundance of two trout species (bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout) in Montana and rainbow trout in Washington and British Columbia were collected in concert with environmental DNA samples (eDNA) to evaluate if eDNA copy numbers correlated with abundance of trout. In addition, stream habitat data including channel units (pools, riffles), substrate, large...
Filter Total Items: 44
Spatial and temporal variability of movements among sympatric salmonids in an unfragmented inland watershed Spatial and temporal variability of movements among sympatric salmonids in an unfragmented inland watershed
Objective Our aim was to determine the movement patterns of three abundant salmonids—Brown Trout Salmo trutta, Mountain Whitefish Prosopium williamsoni, and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss—in the Smith River watershed of Montana.Methods We tagged 7172 fish with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, monitored their movements past 15 stationary PIT arrays over 4 years, and located...
Authors
Michael J. Lance, T. David Ritter, Alexander V. Zale, Grant G. Grisak, Jason A. Mullen, Stephen J. Walsh, Kurt C. Heim, Robert Al-Chokhachy
A scaled Denil fishway for upstream passage of Arctic Grayling A scaled Denil fishway for upstream passage of Arctic Grayling
Denil fishways have been used with varying success to help fish pass impediments to upstream passage such as low head dams or irrigation diversion structures. They have been tested for hydraulic and fish passage performance in laboratory and field settings, usually with only minor modifications to the fishway geometry or dimensions. We tested a reduced (0.6) scale prototype of the...
Authors
Katey Plymesser, Matt Blank, Megan Conley, Kevin Kappenman, Joel Cahoon, David Dockery, Alexander V. Zale
Synthesis of climate and ecological science to support grassland management priorities in the North Central Region Synthesis of climate and ecological science to support grassland management priorities in the North Central Region
Grasslands in the Great Plains are of ecological, economic, and cultural importance in the United States. In response to a need to understand how climate change and variability will impact grassland ecosystems and their management in the 21st century, the U.S. Geological Survey North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center led a synthesis of peer-reviewed climate and ecology literature...
Authors
Christine D. Miller Hesed, Heather M. Yocum, Imtiaz Rangwala, Amy Symstad, Jeff M. Martin, Kevin Ellison, David J. A. Wood, Marissa Ahlering, Katherine J. Chase, Shelley Crausbay, Ana D. Davidson, Julie L. Elliott, Jim Giocomo, David Hoover, Toni Klemm, David A. Lightfoot, Owen P. McKenna, Brian W. Miller, Danika Mosher, R. Chelsea Nagy, Jesse B. Nippert, Jeremy Pittman, Lauren M. Porensky, Jilmarie Stephens, Alexander V. Zale
Diet composition and resource overlap of sympatric native and introduced salmonids across neighboring streams during a peak discharge event Diet composition and resource overlap of sympatric native and introduced salmonids across neighboring streams during a peak discharge event
Species assemblages composed of non-native and native fishes are found in freshwater systems throughout the world, and interactions such as interspecific competition that may negatively affect native species are expected when non-native species are present. In the Smith River watershed, Montana, rainbow trout were introduced by 1930. Native mountain whitefish and non-native rainbow trout...
Authors
Tanner L. Cox, Michael J. Lance, Lindsey K. Albertson, Michelle A. Briggs, Adeline J. Dutton, Alexander V. Zale
Aerial application of organic pellets eliminates Lake Trout recruitment from a primary spawning reef in Yellowstone Lake Aerial application of organic pellets eliminates Lake Trout recruitment from a primary spawning reef in Yellowstone Lake
Invasive Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush in the Yellowstone Lake ecosystem have been gillnetted since 1995 to suppress the population and allow for recovery of native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri. Although gillnetting is effective (Lake Trout population growth rate λ ≤ 0.6 during 2012–2022), the effort only targets free-swimming, age-2 and older Lake Trout...
Authors
Todd M. Koel, Philip D. Doepke, Drew J. MacDonald, Nathan A. Thomas, Cody W. Vender, Hayley C. Glassic, Alex S. Poole, Christopher S. Guy, Alexander V. Zale
Rotenone induces mortality of invasive Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos Rotenone induces mortality of invasive Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos
Objective Nonnative fish, including Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, are actively invading lakes and streams and threatening Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii and other native species in the western United States. Programs have been implemented to suppress invasive trout using netting, trapping, electrofishing, angling, or other traditional capture methods...
Authors
Alex S. Poole, Todd M. Koel, Alexander V. Zale, Molly A. H. Webb
The importance of phenology and thermal exposure to early life history success of nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the Yellowstone River The importance of phenology and thermal exposure to early life history success of nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the Yellowstone River
Knowledge of potential spread by introduced species is critical to effective management and conservation. The Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu is an example of a fish that has been introduced globally, often spreads after introduction, and has substantial predatory impacts on fish assemblages. Nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the free-flowing Yellowstone River, Montana, have expanded...
Authors
Nicholas S. Voss, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Adam Sepulveda, Christine E. Verhille, Michael P. Ruggles, Alexander V. Zale
Attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of Arctic Grayling, trout, and suckers at Denil fishways in the Big Hole River basin, Montana Attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of Arctic Grayling, trout, and suckers at Denil fishways in the Big Hole River basin, Montana
The Big Hole River basin in southwestern Montana supports the only indigenous, self‐sustaining fluvial population of Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus in the conterminous United States, but the basin is fragmented by numerous low‐head irrigation diversion dams. Denil fishways at 63 diversion dams provide Arctic Grayling and other fishes opportunities for year‐round access to critical...
Authors
Ben Triano, Kevin M. Kappenman, Thomas E. McMahon, Matt Blank, Kurt C. Heim, Albert E. Parker, Alexander V. Zale, Nolan Platt, Katey Plymesser
Evaluation of remote site incubators to incubate wild- and hatchery-origin Westslope Cutthroat Trout embryos Evaluation of remote site incubators to incubate wild- and hatchery-origin Westslope Cutthroat Trout embryos
Fish managers must weigh trade-offs among cost, speed, efficiency, and ecological adaptation when deciding how to translocate native salmonids to either establish or genetically augment populations. Remote site incubators (RSIs) appear to be a reasonable strategy, but large-scale evaluations of this method have been limited. We used 129 RSIs to incubate >35,700 eyed embryos of Westslope...
Authors
Bradley B. Shepard, Patrick Clancey, Lee M. Nelson, Carter Kruse, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Daniel Drinan, Alexander V. Zale
Movements of selected minnows between the lower Yellowstone River and its tributaries Movements of selected minnows between the lower Yellowstone River and its tributaries
Reduced population connectivity has been implicated as a cause of decreased distributions and abundances of many Great Plains fishes. However, scant empirical evidence quantifying movement and relating the contribution of spatial linkages to population abundances and resilience exists. We used otolith microchemistry analysis to characterize the movements of western silvery minnows...
Authors
Michael B. Duncan, Robert G. Bramblett, Alexander V. Zale
It’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams It’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams
The potential to provide inferences about fish abundance from environmental (e)DNA samples has generated great interest. However, the accuracy of these abundance estimates is often low and variable across species and space. A plausible refinement is the use of common aquatic habitat monitoring data to account for attributes that influence eDNA dynamics. We therefore evaluated the...
Authors
Adam Sepulveda, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Matthew Laramie, Kyle Crapster, Ladd Knotek, Brian T. Miller, Alexander V. Zale, David S. Pilliod
Groundwater upwelling regulates thermal hydrodynamics and salmonid movements during high-temperature events at a montane tributary confluence Groundwater upwelling regulates thermal hydrodynamics and salmonid movements during high-temperature events at a montane tributary confluence
The Smith River is a popular recreational sport fishery in western Montana, but salmonid abundances there are thought to be artificially limited by riparian land-use alterations, irrigation water withdrawals, and high summer water temperatures. We used integrated networks of temperature loggers, PIT tag antenna stations, and in situ temperature mapping to investigate the thermal...
Authors
Thomas David Ritter, Alexander V. Zale, Grant Grisak, Michael J. Lance
Science and Products
Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
The Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (est. 1963) is a partnership among the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana State University, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Environmental DNA data, fish abundance data, and stream habitat data from northwest Montana and northeast Washington and southern British Columbia, Canada Environmental DNA data, fish abundance data, and stream habitat data from northwest Montana and northeast Washington and southern British Columbia, Canada
Field estimates of the abundance of two trout species (bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout) in Montana and rainbow trout in Washington and British Columbia were collected in concert with environmental DNA samples (eDNA) to evaluate if eDNA copy numbers correlated with abundance of trout. In addition, stream habitat data including channel units (pools, riffles), substrate, large...
Filter Total Items: 44
Spatial and temporal variability of movements among sympatric salmonids in an unfragmented inland watershed Spatial and temporal variability of movements among sympatric salmonids in an unfragmented inland watershed
Objective Our aim was to determine the movement patterns of three abundant salmonids—Brown Trout Salmo trutta, Mountain Whitefish Prosopium williamsoni, and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss—in the Smith River watershed of Montana.Methods We tagged 7172 fish with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, monitored their movements past 15 stationary PIT arrays over 4 years, and located...
Authors
Michael J. Lance, T. David Ritter, Alexander V. Zale, Grant G. Grisak, Jason A. Mullen, Stephen J. Walsh, Kurt C. Heim, Robert Al-Chokhachy
A scaled Denil fishway for upstream passage of Arctic Grayling A scaled Denil fishway for upstream passage of Arctic Grayling
Denil fishways have been used with varying success to help fish pass impediments to upstream passage such as low head dams or irrigation diversion structures. They have been tested for hydraulic and fish passage performance in laboratory and field settings, usually with only minor modifications to the fishway geometry or dimensions. We tested a reduced (0.6) scale prototype of the...
Authors
Katey Plymesser, Matt Blank, Megan Conley, Kevin Kappenman, Joel Cahoon, David Dockery, Alexander V. Zale
Synthesis of climate and ecological science to support grassland management priorities in the North Central Region Synthesis of climate and ecological science to support grassland management priorities in the North Central Region
Grasslands in the Great Plains are of ecological, economic, and cultural importance in the United States. In response to a need to understand how climate change and variability will impact grassland ecosystems and their management in the 21st century, the U.S. Geological Survey North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center led a synthesis of peer-reviewed climate and ecology literature...
Authors
Christine D. Miller Hesed, Heather M. Yocum, Imtiaz Rangwala, Amy Symstad, Jeff M. Martin, Kevin Ellison, David J. A. Wood, Marissa Ahlering, Katherine J. Chase, Shelley Crausbay, Ana D. Davidson, Julie L. Elliott, Jim Giocomo, David Hoover, Toni Klemm, David A. Lightfoot, Owen P. McKenna, Brian W. Miller, Danika Mosher, R. Chelsea Nagy, Jesse B. Nippert, Jeremy Pittman, Lauren M. Porensky, Jilmarie Stephens, Alexander V. Zale
Diet composition and resource overlap of sympatric native and introduced salmonids across neighboring streams during a peak discharge event Diet composition and resource overlap of sympatric native and introduced salmonids across neighboring streams during a peak discharge event
Species assemblages composed of non-native and native fishes are found in freshwater systems throughout the world, and interactions such as interspecific competition that may negatively affect native species are expected when non-native species are present. In the Smith River watershed, Montana, rainbow trout were introduced by 1930. Native mountain whitefish and non-native rainbow trout...
Authors
Tanner L. Cox, Michael J. Lance, Lindsey K. Albertson, Michelle A. Briggs, Adeline J. Dutton, Alexander V. Zale
Aerial application of organic pellets eliminates Lake Trout recruitment from a primary spawning reef in Yellowstone Lake Aerial application of organic pellets eliminates Lake Trout recruitment from a primary spawning reef in Yellowstone Lake
Invasive Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush in the Yellowstone Lake ecosystem have been gillnetted since 1995 to suppress the population and allow for recovery of native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri. Although gillnetting is effective (Lake Trout population growth rate λ ≤ 0.6 during 2012–2022), the effort only targets free-swimming, age-2 and older Lake Trout...
Authors
Todd M. Koel, Philip D. Doepke, Drew J. MacDonald, Nathan A. Thomas, Cody W. Vender, Hayley C. Glassic, Alex S. Poole, Christopher S. Guy, Alexander V. Zale
Rotenone induces mortality of invasive Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos Rotenone induces mortality of invasive Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos
Objective Nonnative fish, including Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, are actively invading lakes and streams and threatening Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii and other native species in the western United States. Programs have been implemented to suppress invasive trout using netting, trapping, electrofishing, angling, or other traditional capture methods...
Authors
Alex S. Poole, Todd M. Koel, Alexander V. Zale, Molly A. H. Webb
The importance of phenology and thermal exposure to early life history success of nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the Yellowstone River The importance of phenology and thermal exposure to early life history success of nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the Yellowstone River
Knowledge of potential spread by introduced species is critical to effective management and conservation. The Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu is an example of a fish that has been introduced globally, often spreads after introduction, and has substantial predatory impacts on fish assemblages. Nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the free-flowing Yellowstone River, Montana, have expanded...
Authors
Nicholas S. Voss, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Adam Sepulveda, Christine E. Verhille, Michael P. Ruggles, Alexander V. Zale
Attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of Arctic Grayling, trout, and suckers at Denil fishways in the Big Hole River basin, Montana Attraction, entrance, and passage efficiency of Arctic Grayling, trout, and suckers at Denil fishways in the Big Hole River basin, Montana
The Big Hole River basin in southwestern Montana supports the only indigenous, self‐sustaining fluvial population of Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus in the conterminous United States, but the basin is fragmented by numerous low‐head irrigation diversion dams. Denil fishways at 63 diversion dams provide Arctic Grayling and other fishes opportunities for year‐round access to critical...
Authors
Ben Triano, Kevin M. Kappenman, Thomas E. McMahon, Matt Blank, Kurt C. Heim, Albert E. Parker, Alexander V. Zale, Nolan Platt, Katey Plymesser
Evaluation of remote site incubators to incubate wild- and hatchery-origin Westslope Cutthroat Trout embryos Evaluation of remote site incubators to incubate wild- and hatchery-origin Westslope Cutthroat Trout embryos
Fish managers must weigh trade-offs among cost, speed, efficiency, and ecological adaptation when deciding how to translocate native salmonids to either establish or genetically augment populations. Remote site incubators (RSIs) appear to be a reasonable strategy, but large-scale evaluations of this method have been limited. We used 129 RSIs to incubate >35,700 eyed embryos of Westslope...
Authors
Bradley B. Shepard, Patrick Clancey, Lee M. Nelson, Carter Kruse, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Daniel Drinan, Alexander V. Zale
Movements of selected minnows between the lower Yellowstone River and its tributaries Movements of selected minnows between the lower Yellowstone River and its tributaries
Reduced population connectivity has been implicated as a cause of decreased distributions and abundances of many Great Plains fishes. However, scant empirical evidence quantifying movement and relating the contribution of spatial linkages to population abundances and resilience exists. We used otolith microchemistry analysis to characterize the movements of western silvery minnows...
Authors
Michael B. Duncan, Robert G. Bramblett, Alexander V. Zale
It’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams It’s complicated…environmental DNA as a predictor of trout and char abundance in streams
The potential to provide inferences about fish abundance from environmental (e)DNA samples has generated great interest. However, the accuracy of these abundance estimates is often low and variable across species and space. A plausible refinement is the use of common aquatic habitat monitoring data to account for attributes that influence eDNA dynamics. We therefore evaluated the...
Authors
Adam Sepulveda, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Matthew Laramie, Kyle Crapster, Ladd Knotek, Brian T. Miller, Alexander V. Zale, David S. Pilliod
Groundwater upwelling regulates thermal hydrodynamics and salmonid movements during high-temperature events at a montane tributary confluence Groundwater upwelling regulates thermal hydrodynamics and salmonid movements during high-temperature events at a montane tributary confluence
The Smith River is a popular recreational sport fishery in western Montana, but salmonid abundances there are thought to be artificially limited by riparian land-use alterations, irrigation water withdrawals, and high summer water temperatures. We used integrated networks of temperature loggers, PIT tag antenna stations, and in situ temperature mapping to investigate the thermal...
Authors
Thomas David Ritter, Alexander V. Zale, Grant Grisak, Michael J. Lance