Amanda S Ackiss, PhD
Amanda Ackiss, PhD, is a Fisheries Biologist based in Ann Arbor, MI.
Professional Experience
Fish Biologist, 2020-Present, USGS - Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI.
Postdoctoral Scholar, 2018-2020 - USGS Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Ecological Sciences, Old Dominion University 2017.
B.A. Media Studies, University of Virginia 2002.
Science and Products
Early life coregonines collected from Lake Superior in 2019-2021 genotyped with GT-seq and the references used for genetic assignment Early life coregonines collected from Lake Superior in 2019-2021 genotyped with GT-seq and the references used for genetic assignment
This data release contains sample information for a project using genotyping-in-thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) to identify to species early life coregonine fishes that were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from Lake Superior in 2019-2021. Sample data are provided for both the larval and age-1 coregonines that underwent genetic identification and the reference fishes collected...
Sample information for fishes in the Coregonus artedi species complex that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing Sample information for fishes in the Coregonus artedi species complex that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing
This data release contains sample information for Coregonus artedi, Coregonus hoyi, Coregonus kiyi, and Coregonus zenithicus collected from Lake Nipigon and the Laurentian Great Lakes that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) for population genetic analysis. Sample information includes: the National Center for Biotechnology Institute BioProject...
Great Lakes-Wide Dataset of Historical Coregonine Stocking Events Great Lakes-Wide Dataset of Historical Coregonine Stocking Events
This dataset is the result of coordinated efforts to compile data associated with stocking events for whitefishes and ciscoes (members of the Coregoninae subfamily) of Great Lakes origin. The dataset includes more than 4,700 records associated with coregonine stocking, from over 150 information sources, spanning the years 1870 - 2022. The compiled information includes species, quantities...
Filter Total Items: 21
A genomic tool to tackle cryptic diversity demonstrates the potential for off-target use of GT-seq panels A genomic tool to tackle cryptic diversity demonstrates the potential for off-target use of GT-seq panels
A comprehensive understanding of life history is vital to successful species conservation and management. When different life history stages are accompanied by considerable morphological or cryptic variation, such as the egg and larval phases exhibited by most fishes, genomic tools are essential for identifying species so that early-life ecology questions can be studied. Genotyping-in...
Authors
Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Mark R. Vinson, Ann J. Ropp, Kristen M. Gruenthal, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft, Joseph V. Siegel, Wendylee Stott, Daniel L. Yule, Wesley A. Larson
Two hundred years of historical spawning and nursery data for coregonine fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes Two hundred years of historical spawning and nursery data for coregonine fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Historical data can provide critical ecological information for species across the globe, many of which are facing unprecedented rates of ecosystem change. Yet, historical information related to freshwater species, especially fishes, remains scattered, often in original formats, and underutilized for informing conservation and restoration activities. Here, we present a Data Descriptor...
Authors
Cory O. Brant, Sofia Silvis, David H. Bennion, Chris Castiglione, Kieran Tyrrell, Karissa Hannahs, Michael Slattery, David Bunnell, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Ralph W. Tingley, Katelyn King, Karen M. Alofs, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Charles R. Bronte, Jason Smith, Matthew Herbert
Describing the seasonal abundance and growth rates of larval fishes across productivity gradients in Lake Huron in 2017 Describing the seasonal abundance and growth rates of larval fishes across productivity gradients in Lake Huron in 2017
Several of the Laurentian Great Lakes, including Lake Huron, have undergone oligotrophication in the past decades and prey fish biomass has concomitantly declined. One potential mechanism to explain declines in prey fish is slower growth and lower survival at the larval stage. To determine whether reduced productivity affects the growth of larval fish, we sampled larval fishes and their
Authors
David B. Bunnell, Lauren A. Eaton, Patricia M. Dieter, Paris D. Collingsworth, Joel C. Hoffman, Mark D. Rowe, Wendylee Stott, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Edward S. Rutherford
Epigenetics in captivity: Restoring wild phenotypes in captive-reared salmonids Epigenetics in captivity: Restoring wild phenotypes in captive-reared salmonids
Captive rearing is a common practice for the stocking, conservation, and supplementation of fish species worldwide, but captive-reared fish can exhibit altered phenotypes leading to reduced fitness in nature compared to wild conspecifics. In salmonids, certain studies have found limited genetic differentiation between wild and captive-reared fish. However, documented changes in gene...
Authors
Tia Attfield, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Andreas Luek, Brian Meagher, Hayley Nuetzel, Ilana Koch, Julien April, Kristy Wakeling, Kyle Wellband, Raphael Bouchard, Sarah J. Lehnhert, Shawn R. Narum, Timothy Healy, Trevor E. Pitcher, Clare J. Venney
Spatial units to support Lake Erie Cisco Coregonus artedi restoration Spatial units to support Lake Erie Cisco Coregonus artedi restoration
At the request of the Lake Erie Committee, spatial units for Lake Erie Cisco were delineated during spring 2024. Spatial units correspond to the reproductive habitat of extirpated (unoccupied spatial units) and extant (occupied spatial units) populations. Spatial units were delineated using a Council of Lake Committees-endorsed method that involves synthesizing data for evaluation by a...
Authors
Joshua P. Egan, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Andrew M. Muir
Day versus night relations between larval lake whitefish, cisco, and zooplankton onshore in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior Day versus night relations between larval lake whitefish, cisco, and zooplankton onshore in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior
Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) populations in the upper Great Lakes have undergone declines in the past two decades, particularly in Lakes Michigan and Huron. However, cisco (Coregonus artedi) are recovering in parts of the Great Lakes. Population declines are hypothesized to be due, in part, to reduced zooplankton prey in areas that serve as critical habitat for larval...
Authors
Simon D.D. Freemon, Jason B. Smith, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Halle N. Freeman, Chris R. Hessell, Jory Jonas, Chad J. LaFaver, Erik J. Olsen, Jonathan P. Doubek
Drowned river mouth lakes are winter foraging habitats for the expanding Lake Michigan cisco Coregonus artedi population Drowned river mouth lakes are winter foraging habitats for the expanding Lake Michigan cisco Coregonus artedi population
Characterizing fish movements is required for understanding habitat use, energy flow, and trophic structure and can inform fisheries management. Drowned river mouth (DRM) lakes are productive inland habitats in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin used by migratory fishes. Despite recognition of their ecological connections to the Great Lakes, the value of DRM lakes as seasonal habitats is...
Authors
Ralph W. Tingley, Darryl W. Hondorp, Benjamin A. Turschak, Steven A. Pothoven, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Jory Jonas, William W. Fetzer, Benjamin Scott Leonhardt, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Jeff Elliott, Lindsie Ann Egedy, Cory O. Brant, Lynn Benes, Kendra Kozlauskos, Renee Renauer-Bova, Ann J. Ropp
Sunburned after a day at the beach? Investigation of ultraviolet radiation tissue damage on larval Lake Whitefish and Alewife across lake Michigan nursery habitats of varying water clarities Sunburned after a day at the beach? Investigation of ultraviolet radiation tissue damage on larval Lake Whitefish and Alewife across lake Michigan nursery habitats of varying water clarities
No abstract available.
Authors
Maddie Tomczak, Nicole Lynn Berry, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Cory O. Brant, Ben S Breaker, Robin L. DeBruyne, Patricia M. Dieter, Lindsie Ann Egedy, Madison Ellenbeck, Greg Faneuff, Brandon Gerig, Paul Glyshaw, Tomas O. Hook, Josh Hug, Jory Jonas, Kae Skubik, Elizabeth M. Mette, Gary Michaud, Steven A. Pothoven, Stacy A Provo, Jennifer A. Schumacher, Taylor Skiles, Jason B. Smith, Ralph W. Tingley, Andrew Tucker, Ben Turschak, Les D. Warren
Lake Ontario spring prey fish bottom trawl survey and Alewife assessment, 2025 Lake Ontario spring prey fish bottom trawl survey and Alewife assessment, 2025
The multi-agency Lake Ontario spring prey fish survey quantifies changes in pelagic prey fish populations, in particular Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, which are the primary prey supporting the lake’s sport fishes. The 2025 survey included 230 trawls in the main lake and embayments and sampled depths from 5.5 to 245 m (15 – 810 ft). The survey captured 504,541 fish from 33 species with a...
Authors
Brian Weidel, Jessica Goretzke, Jeremy P. Holden, Emma Bloomfield, Scott David Stahl, Olivia Margaret Mitchinson, Brian O’Malley, Nicole Lynn Berry, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Amanda Susanne Ackiss
Declines and shifts in morphological diversity of ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) in lakes Huron and Michigan, 1917–2019 Declines and shifts in morphological diversity of ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) in lakes Huron and Michigan, 1917–2019
Ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) were historically abundant and ecologically important in Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystems. Despite well-documented declines in their abundance and taxonomic diversity, declines in morphological diversity remain understudied. This knowledge gap is especially pertinent for lakes Michigan and Huron, which have each lost six of eight historical species. Improved...
Authors
Paul W. Fedorowicz, Yu-Chun Kao, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Andrew Edgar Honsey
Origin of the Laurentian Great Lakes fish fauna through upward adaptive radiation cascade prior to the Last Glacial Maximum Origin of the Laurentian Great Lakes fish fauna through upward adaptive radiation cascade prior to the Last Glacial Maximum
The evolutionary histories of adaptive radiations can be marked by dramatic demographic fluctuations. However, the demographic histories of ecologically-linked co-diversifying lineages remain understudied. The Laurentian Great Lakes provide a unique system of two such radiations that are dispersed across depth gradients with a predator-prey relationship. We show that the North American...
Authors
Nathan J.C. Backenstose, Daniel J. MacGuigan, Christopher A. Osborne, Moises A. Bernal, Elizabeth K. Thomas, Eric Normandeau, Daniel L. Yule, Wendylee Stott, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Victor A. Albert, Louis Bernatchez, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft
Larval coregonine density and diet composition along beaches of northern Lake Michigan Larval coregonine density and diet composition along beaches of northern Lake Michigan
Recent oligotrophication in Lake Michigan has contributed to reduced biomass of spring zooplankton and a shift in the zooplankton assemblage toward more calanoid copepods. These changes have likely altered prey availability for first feeding native fish species that hatch in early spring, including coregonines. While spring zooplankton density and community composition are routinely...
Authors
Marissa Cubbage, Tomas O. Hook, David Bunnell, Patricia M. Dieter, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Paris D. Collingsworth
Science and Products
Early life coregonines collected from Lake Superior in 2019-2021 genotyped with GT-seq and the references used for genetic assignment Early life coregonines collected from Lake Superior in 2019-2021 genotyped with GT-seq and the references used for genetic assignment
This data release contains sample information for a project using genotyping-in-thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) to identify to species early life coregonine fishes that were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from Lake Superior in 2019-2021. Sample data are provided for both the larval and age-1 coregonines that underwent genetic identification and the reference fishes collected...
Sample information for fishes in the Coregonus artedi species complex that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing Sample information for fishes in the Coregonus artedi species complex that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing
This data release contains sample information for Coregonus artedi, Coregonus hoyi, Coregonus kiyi, and Coregonus zenithicus collected from Lake Nipigon and the Laurentian Great Lakes that have been genotyped with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) for population genetic analysis. Sample information includes: the National Center for Biotechnology Institute BioProject...
Great Lakes-Wide Dataset of Historical Coregonine Stocking Events Great Lakes-Wide Dataset of Historical Coregonine Stocking Events
This dataset is the result of coordinated efforts to compile data associated with stocking events for whitefishes and ciscoes (members of the Coregoninae subfamily) of Great Lakes origin. The dataset includes more than 4,700 records associated with coregonine stocking, from over 150 information sources, spanning the years 1870 - 2022. The compiled information includes species, quantities...
Filter Total Items: 21
A genomic tool to tackle cryptic diversity demonstrates the potential for off-target use of GT-seq panels A genomic tool to tackle cryptic diversity demonstrates the potential for off-target use of GT-seq panels
A comprehensive understanding of life history is vital to successful species conservation and management. When different life history stages are accompanied by considerable morphological or cryptic variation, such as the egg and larval phases exhibited by most fishes, genomic tools are essential for identifying species so that early-life ecology questions can be studied. Genotyping-in...
Authors
Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Mark R. Vinson, Ann J. Ropp, Kristen M. Gruenthal, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft, Joseph V. Siegel, Wendylee Stott, Daniel L. Yule, Wesley A. Larson
Two hundred years of historical spawning and nursery data for coregonine fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes Two hundred years of historical spawning and nursery data for coregonine fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Historical data can provide critical ecological information for species across the globe, many of which are facing unprecedented rates of ecosystem change. Yet, historical information related to freshwater species, especially fishes, remains scattered, often in original formats, and underutilized for informing conservation and restoration activities. Here, we present a Data Descriptor...
Authors
Cory O. Brant, Sofia Silvis, David H. Bennion, Chris Castiglione, Kieran Tyrrell, Karissa Hannahs, Michael Slattery, David Bunnell, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Ralph W. Tingley, Katelyn King, Karen M. Alofs, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Charles R. Bronte, Jason Smith, Matthew Herbert
Describing the seasonal abundance and growth rates of larval fishes across productivity gradients in Lake Huron in 2017 Describing the seasonal abundance and growth rates of larval fishes across productivity gradients in Lake Huron in 2017
Several of the Laurentian Great Lakes, including Lake Huron, have undergone oligotrophication in the past decades and prey fish biomass has concomitantly declined. One potential mechanism to explain declines in prey fish is slower growth and lower survival at the larval stage. To determine whether reduced productivity affects the growth of larval fish, we sampled larval fishes and their
Authors
David B. Bunnell, Lauren A. Eaton, Patricia M. Dieter, Paris D. Collingsworth, Joel C. Hoffman, Mark D. Rowe, Wendylee Stott, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Edward S. Rutherford
Epigenetics in captivity: Restoring wild phenotypes in captive-reared salmonids Epigenetics in captivity: Restoring wild phenotypes in captive-reared salmonids
Captive rearing is a common practice for the stocking, conservation, and supplementation of fish species worldwide, but captive-reared fish can exhibit altered phenotypes leading to reduced fitness in nature compared to wild conspecifics. In salmonids, certain studies have found limited genetic differentiation between wild and captive-reared fish. However, documented changes in gene...
Authors
Tia Attfield, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Andreas Luek, Brian Meagher, Hayley Nuetzel, Ilana Koch, Julien April, Kristy Wakeling, Kyle Wellband, Raphael Bouchard, Sarah J. Lehnhert, Shawn R. Narum, Timothy Healy, Trevor E. Pitcher, Clare J. Venney
Spatial units to support Lake Erie Cisco Coregonus artedi restoration Spatial units to support Lake Erie Cisco Coregonus artedi restoration
At the request of the Lake Erie Committee, spatial units for Lake Erie Cisco were delineated during spring 2024. Spatial units correspond to the reproductive habitat of extirpated (unoccupied spatial units) and extant (occupied spatial units) populations. Spatial units were delineated using a Council of Lake Committees-endorsed method that involves synthesizing data for evaluation by a...
Authors
Joshua P. Egan, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Andrew M. Muir
Day versus night relations between larval lake whitefish, cisco, and zooplankton onshore in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior Day versus night relations between larval lake whitefish, cisco, and zooplankton onshore in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior
Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) populations in the upper Great Lakes have undergone declines in the past two decades, particularly in Lakes Michigan and Huron. However, cisco (Coregonus artedi) are recovering in parts of the Great Lakes. Population declines are hypothesized to be due, in part, to reduced zooplankton prey in areas that serve as critical habitat for larval...
Authors
Simon D.D. Freemon, Jason B. Smith, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Halle N. Freeman, Chris R. Hessell, Jory Jonas, Chad J. LaFaver, Erik J. Olsen, Jonathan P. Doubek
Drowned river mouth lakes are winter foraging habitats for the expanding Lake Michigan cisco Coregonus artedi population Drowned river mouth lakes are winter foraging habitats for the expanding Lake Michigan cisco Coregonus artedi population
Characterizing fish movements is required for understanding habitat use, energy flow, and trophic structure and can inform fisheries management. Drowned river mouth (DRM) lakes are productive inland habitats in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin used by migratory fishes. Despite recognition of their ecological connections to the Great Lakes, the value of DRM lakes as seasonal habitats is...
Authors
Ralph W. Tingley, Darryl W. Hondorp, Benjamin A. Turschak, Steven A. Pothoven, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Jory Jonas, William W. Fetzer, Benjamin Scott Leonhardt, Andrew Edgar Honsey, Jeff Elliott, Lindsie Ann Egedy, Cory O. Brant, Lynn Benes, Kendra Kozlauskos, Renee Renauer-Bova, Ann J. Ropp
Sunburned after a day at the beach? Investigation of ultraviolet radiation tissue damage on larval Lake Whitefish and Alewife across lake Michigan nursery habitats of varying water clarities Sunburned after a day at the beach? Investigation of ultraviolet radiation tissue damage on larval Lake Whitefish and Alewife across lake Michigan nursery habitats of varying water clarities
No abstract available.
Authors
Maddie Tomczak, Nicole Lynn Berry, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Cory O. Brant, Ben S Breaker, Robin L. DeBruyne, Patricia M. Dieter, Lindsie Ann Egedy, Madison Ellenbeck, Greg Faneuff, Brandon Gerig, Paul Glyshaw, Tomas O. Hook, Josh Hug, Jory Jonas, Kae Skubik, Elizabeth M. Mette, Gary Michaud, Steven A. Pothoven, Stacy A Provo, Jennifer A. Schumacher, Taylor Skiles, Jason B. Smith, Ralph W. Tingley, Andrew Tucker, Ben Turschak, Les D. Warren
Lake Ontario spring prey fish bottom trawl survey and Alewife assessment, 2025 Lake Ontario spring prey fish bottom trawl survey and Alewife assessment, 2025
The multi-agency Lake Ontario spring prey fish survey quantifies changes in pelagic prey fish populations, in particular Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, which are the primary prey supporting the lake’s sport fishes. The 2025 survey included 230 trawls in the main lake and embayments and sampled depths from 5.5 to 245 m (15 – 810 ft). The survey captured 504,541 fish from 33 species with a...
Authors
Brian Weidel, Jessica Goretzke, Jeremy P. Holden, Emma Bloomfield, Scott David Stahl, Olivia Margaret Mitchinson, Brian O’Malley, Nicole Lynn Berry, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Amanda Susanne Ackiss
Declines and shifts in morphological diversity of ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) in lakes Huron and Michigan, 1917–2019 Declines and shifts in morphological diversity of ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) in lakes Huron and Michigan, 1917–2019
Ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) were historically abundant and ecologically important in Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystems. Despite well-documented declines in their abundance and taxonomic diversity, declines in morphological diversity remain understudied. This knowledge gap is especially pertinent for lakes Michigan and Huron, which have each lost six of eight historical species. Improved...
Authors
Paul W. Fedorowicz, Yu-Chun Kao, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Katie Victoria Anweiler, Andrew Edgar Honsey
Origin of the Laurentian Great Lakes fish fauna through upward adaptive radiation cascade prior to the Last Glacial Maximum Origin of the Laurentian Great Lakes fish fauna through upward adaptive radiation cascade prior to the Last Glacial Maximum
The evolutionary histories of adaptive radiations can be marked by dramatic demographic fluctuations. However, the demographic histories of ecologically-linked co-diversifying lineages remain understudied. The Laurentian Great Lakes provide a unique system of two such radiations that are dispersed across depth gradients with a predator-prey relationship. We show that the North American...
Authors
Nathan J.C. Backenstose, Daniel J. MacGuigan, Christopher A. Osborne, Moises A. Bernal, Elizabeth K. Thomas, Eric Normandeau, Daniel L. Yule, Wendylee Stott, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Victor A. Albert, Louis Bernatchez, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft
Larval coregonine density and diet composition along beaches of northern Lake Michigan Larval coregonine density and diet composition along beaches of northern Lake Michigan
Recent oligotrophication in Lake Michigan has contributed to reduced biomass of spring zooplankton and a shift in the zooplankton assemblage toward more calanoid copepods. These changes have likely altered prey availability for first feeding native fish species that hatch in early spring, including coregonines. While spring zooplankton density and community composition are routinely...
Authors
Marissa Cubbage, Tomas O. Hook, David Bunnell, Patricia M. Dieter, Amanda Susanne Ackiss, Paris D. Collingsworth