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Amy Benson

Amy Benson is a retired Fishery Biologist at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.

Amy Benson began her career in Pennsylvania with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1991, she transferred to a U.S. Geological Survey laboratory in Florida to help develop a geographic information system on invasive aquatic species. Amy retired from USGS in 2021.

 

Education and Certifications

  • B.S., The Pennsylvania State University

    M.S., The Pennsylvania State University

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 16

Review of the invasive Asian clam Corbicula spp. (Bivalvia: Cyrenidae) distribution in North America, 1924–2019

The bivalve Corbicula is one of the most successful aquatic mollusk invaders in the world. Since being intro­duced to North America from its native range in Asia, it has dispersed widely over a large portion of the continent from southern Canada to Panama. The first evidence of its introduc­tion in the Western Hemisphere was discovered in 1924 in British Columbia, Canada. A review of distribution
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Introduction of the Oriental Weatherfish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor, 1842) in the United States

Although this fish had been present in the then United States (US) territory of Hawaii since the late 19th century, a growing number of collections in the contiguous US over a century later in the 2000s is noteworthy. The Oriental Weatherfish, also often referred to as the weather loach or dojo, is native to eastern Asia from Siberia to Vietnam thus covering a wide climatic range from subtropical
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Status of the major aquaculture carps of China in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin

There is concern of economic and environmental damage occuring if any of the four major aquacultured carp species of China, black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus, bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, silver carp H. molitrix, or grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, were to establish in the Laurentian Great Lakes. All four are reproducing in the Mississippi River Basin. We review the status of these
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Ecosystems, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Fire disturbance influences endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammopiza maritima mirabilis) relative bird count

Periodicity of fire disturbance is a known driver of ecosystem function and is reported as important in both promoting and maintaining viable breeding habitat for the endangered Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima mirabilis; CSSS). In south Florida, the CSSS serves as a fine-scale indicator of the marl and mixed-marl prairie communities of the Florida Everglades. The CSSS distribution i
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Snakehead fishes (Channa spp.) in the USA

The introduction of snakeheads from their origins in Asia is relatively recent to the conterminous United States with the first of many collections beginning in the late 1990s. For decades they have been commercially fished and aquacultured around the world for human food and, to a lesser degree, for the aquarium trade. Over a dozen snakehead species known to be of economic importance outside the
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Introduction and dispersal of non-native bullseye snakehead Channa marulius (Hamilton, 1822) in the canal system of southeastern Florida, USA

An established population of bullseye snakehead (Channa marulius), a large predatory fish from southeastern Asia, was identified for the first time in North America from waters in southeastern Florida, USA, in the year 2000. Since then, it has dispersed throughout the extensive canal system in the area from West Palm Beach south to Miramar. Collection data were compiled to determine the extent of
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Book review: Biology and management of invasive quagga and zebra mussels in the western United States

Water is a precious and limited commodity in the western United States and its conveyance is extremely important. Therefore, it is critical to do as much as possible to prevent the spread of two species of dreissenid mussels, both non-native and highly invasive aquatic species already well-established in the eastern half of the United States. This book addresses the occurrences of the two dreissen
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mechanisms of aquatic species invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative region

Invasive species are a global issue, and the southeastern United States is not immune to the problems they present. Therefore, various analyses using modeling and exploratory statistics were performed on the U.S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database with the primary objective of determining the most appropriate use of presence-only data as related to invasive species in t
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Walter Rowe Courtenay, Jr. (1933–2014)

WALTER R. COURTENAY, JR., ichthyologist and retired professor, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, died in Gainesville, Florida, on 30 January 2014 at age 80. Walt was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on 6 November 1933, son of Walter and Emily Courtenay. Walt's interest in fish began at a young age as evidenced by a childhood diary in which at 13 years of age he wrote about his first catc
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Tracking an unprecedented invasion

No abstract available.
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mechanisms of aquatic species invasions across the SALCC - an update

The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database (NAS; nas.er.usgs.gov) is a comprehensive tool for demonstrating where and when nonindigenous species have been sighted across the U.S. Information in the database is used for state-level invasive species management plans, to focus monitoring efforts, for public education, predictive modeling, and for avoiding unintentional introductions during inter
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Climate controls the distribution of a widespread invasive species: Implications for future range expansion

1. Two dominant drivers of species distributions are climate and habitat, both of which are changing rapidly. Understanding the relative importance of variables that can control distributions is critical, especially for invasive species that may spread rapidly and have strong effects on ecosystems. 2. Here, we examine the relative importance of climate and habitat variables in controlling the dist
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Ecosystems, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Benson, A.J., C.J. Jacono, P.L. Fuller, L.R. McKercher, and M.M. Richerson. 2004. Summary report of nonindigenous aquatic species in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5. U.S. Geological Survey, Gainesville, FL.
Baker, P. and A. Benson. 2002. Habitat and ecology of green mussels, Perna viridis, in Florida. Journal of Shellfish Research 21:424-425.
Benson, A.J., P.L. Fuller, and C.C. Jacono. 2001. Summary report of nonindigenous aquatic species in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 4. U.S. Geological Survey, Gainesville, FL.
Benson, A. J. 2000. Documenting over a century of aquatic introductions in the United States. Pages 1-31 In: Claudi, R. and J.H. Leach (eds.), Nonindigenous Freshwater Organisms: Vectors, Biology and Impacts. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, Florida.
Benson, A. J. and C. P. Boydstun. 1995. Invasion of the zebra mussel in the United States. Pages 445-446 In: LaRoe, E.T. et al. (eds.) Our living resources: a report to the nation on the distribution, abundance, and health of U.S. plants, animals, and ecosystems. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, DC. 530 pp.
Boydstun, C. P. and A. J. Benson. 1993. A geographic information system (GIS) for tracking zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in the United States. Proceedings: Third International Zebra Mussel Conference, 1993. Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, California. Section 1, p. 103-110.
Carline, R. F., A. J. Benson, and H. Rothenbacher. 1987. Long-term effects of treated domestic wastewater on brown trout. Water Research 21(11): 1409-1415.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database and Website (NAS)

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program

Welcome to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) information resource for the United States Geological Survey. Located at Gainesville, Florida, this site has been established as a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The program provides scientific reports, online/realtime queries, spatial data sets, distribution maps, and general...
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Invasive Species Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program

Welcome to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) information resource for the United States Geological Survey. Located at Gainesville, Florida, this site has been established as a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The program provides scientific reports, online/realtime queries, spatial data sets, distribution maps, and general...
Learn More
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Mechanisms of Aquatic Species Invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SALCC)

USGS scientists study the mechanisms of aquatic species invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SALCC) with the help of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database (NAS).
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Ecosystems, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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Mechanisms of Aquatic Species Invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SALCC)

USGS scientists study the mechanisms of aquatic species invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SALCC) with the help of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database (NAS).
Learn More

Corbicula spp. locations in the United States from 1964 to 2019

The dataset consists of Corbicula (Asian clam) collection locations from rivers and streams of the United States.
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Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Snakehead fishes in the United States of America

This dataset contains information on all snakehead fishes found in the United States. It is a subset of a larger database, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database (NAS). This information resource is an established central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The NAS website provides scientific reports, online/real-time queries, spatial data s
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Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Observations of bullseye snakehead (Channa marulius) in Florida

This dataset contains information on the Bullseye Snakehead fish found only in southeastern Florida. It is a subset of a larger database, the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database (NAS). This information resource is an established central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The NAS website provides scientific reports, online/real-time queries,
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Mechanisms of aquatic species invasions across the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative region

Various analyses using modeling techniques and exploratory statistics were performed on the U.S. Geological Survey Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database with the primary objective of determining the most appropriate use of presence-only data as it relates to invasive species in the South Atlantic Landscape Conservation Cooperative region from southern Virginia to northern Florida.
By
Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Image: Zebra Mussel
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Image: Zebra Mussels
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Image: Zebra Mussels
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Image: Zebra Mussel
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Image: Zebra Mussel
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