Benjamin H Letcher
Ben Letcher is an Ecologist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center in Turners Falls, Massachusetts.
Ben is a population ecologist focusing on stream habitats, science communication and the development of data systems. A collection of data systems and interactive data visualization tools can be found in our EcoSHEDS environment.
Professional Experience
1995-now USGS, Ecology section leader, Anadromous Fish Research Center, Turners, Falls, MA, and adjunct professor Department of Natural Resources
Conservation, University of Massachusetts - Amherst1994-1995 Oak Ridge Postdoctoral Fellow (with Dr. David Conover) State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY
1992-1994 Electric Power Research Institute Fellow, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1990-1992 Wisconsin Sea Grant Fellow, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1987-1990 URI-USEPA Cooperative Research Fellow, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
1986-1987 Research Assistant, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA.
1985-1986 Research Assistant, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Education and Certifications
PhD, 1994, NC State, Zoology with statistics and modeling minor
M.S. 1990, URI School of Oceanography, biological option
B.S. 1985, Trinity College, Biology
Science and Products
Population response to habitat fragmentation in a stream-dwelling brook trout population
Early discrimination of Atlantic salmon smolt age: Time course of the relative effectiveness of body size and shape
Growth rate differences between resident native brook trout and non-native brown trout
Influence of beaver activity on summer growth and condition of age-2 Atlantic salmon parr
Diel and seasonal variation in food habits of Atlantic salmon parr in a small stream
Remote monitoring of fish in small streams: A unified approach using PIT tags
Electroshocking and PIT tagging of juvenile Atlantic salmon: Are there interactive effects on growth and survival?
Interaction of rearing environment and reproductive tactic on gene expression profiles in Atlantic salmon
A field test of the extent of bias in selection estimates after accounting for emigration
Alternative life histories shape brain gene expression profiles in males of the same population
Comparison of genetic diversity in the recently founded Connecticut River Atlantic salmon population to that of its primary donor stock, Maine's Penobscot River
Long-term consequences of variation in timing and manner of fry introduction on juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) growth, survival, and life-history expression
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 92
Population response to habitat fragmentation in a stream-dwelling brook trout population
Fragmentation can strongly influence population persistence and expression of life-history strategies in spatially-structured populations. In this study, we directly estimated size-specific dispersal, growth, and survival of stream-dwelling brook trout in a stream network with connected and naturally-isolated tributaries. We used multiple-generation, individual-based data to develop and parameteriAuthorsB. H. Letcher, K.H. Nislow, J.A. Coombs, M. J. O'Donnell, T.L. DubreuilEarly discrimination of Atlantic salmon smolt age: Time course of the relative effectiveness of body size and shape
The goal of this study was to test the relative effectiveness of morphological measurements and body size in predicting the smolt age of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and to determine the time course of body size and shape differences between smolt ages. Analyses were conducted on age-0 to age-2 fish that were stocked as fry in the West Brook, Massachusetts and on laboratory-raised age-0 to age-1 fiAuthorsJ.H. Pearlstein, B. H. Letcher, M. ObedzinskiGrowth rate differences between resident native brook trout and non-native brown trout
Between species and across season variation in growth was examined by tagging and recapturing individual brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta across seasons in a small stream (West Brook, Massachusetts, U.S.A.). Detailed information on body size and growth are presented to (1) test whether the two species differed in growth within seasons and (2) characterize the seasonalAuthorsS.M. Carlson, A.P. Hendry, B. H. LetcherInfluence of beaver activity on summer growth and condition of age-2 Atlantic salmon parr
The activity of beavers Castor canadensis in freshwater environments can have considerable localized impacts on the physical and biological components of riparian ecosystems. By changing the habitat of a stream, beaver dams can cause spatial variation in growth opportunity that may have direct consequences for the growth of resident fish. In a small stream in eastern Canada, we studied the effectsAuthorsDouglas B. Sigourney, B. H. Letcher, R.A. CunjakDiel and seasonal variation in food habits of Atlantic salmon parr in a small stream
The diel and seasonal food habits of young-of-year (YOY) and post-young-of-year (PYOY) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr were assayed over the course of 11 months in the West Brook, Massachusetts USA. Gut fullness of YOY salmon did not vary significantly among months. PYOY salmon exhibited significant seasonal differences in gut fullness, with peak fullness occurring in the spring and late fall.AuthorsM. Grader, B. H. LetcherRemote monitoring of fish in small streams: A unified approach using PIT tags
Accurate assessments of fish populations are often limited by re-observation or recapture events. Since the early 1990s, passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) have been used to understand the biology of many fish species. Until recently, PIT applications in small streams have been limited to physical recapture events. To maximize recapture probability, we constructed PIT antenna arrays in smaAuthorsG.B. Zydlewski, G. Horton, T. Dubreuil, B. Letcher, S. Casey, Joseph D. ZydlewskiElectroshocking and PIT tagging of juvenile Atlantic salmon: Are there interactive effects on growth and survival?
Electroshocking and tagging of fish with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are two commonly used methods for conducting mark-recapture studies in freshwater environments and are frequently used in combination. We conducted an experiment to test for the effects of electroshocking, tagging, and a combination of electroshocking plus tagging on the growth and survival of Atlantic salmon SalmoAuthorsDouglas B. Sigourney, G.E. Horton, T.L. Dubreuil, A.M. Varaday, B. H. LetcherInteraction of rearing environment and reproductive tactic on gene expression profiles in Atlantic salmon
Organisms that share the same genotype can develop into divergent phenotypes, depending on environmental conditions. In Atlantic salmon, young males of the same age can be found either as sneakers or immature males that are future anadromous fish. Just as the organism-level phenotype varies between divergent male developmental trajectories, brain gene expression is expected to vary as well. We hypAuthorsN. Aubin-Horth, B. H. Letcher, H.A. HofmannA field test of the extent of bias in selection estimates after accounting for emigration
Question: To what extent does trait-dependent emigration bias selection estimates in a natural system? Organisms: Two freshwater cohorts of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) juveniles. Field site: A 1 km stretch of a small stream (West Brook) in western Massachusetts. USA from which emigration could be detected continuously. Methods: Estimated viability selection differentials for body size either incAuthorsB. H. Letcher, G.E. Horton, T.L. Dubreuil, M. J. O'DonnellAlternative life histories shape brain gene expression profiles in males of the same population
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) undergo spectacular marine migrations before homing to spawn in natal rivers. However, males that grow fastest early in life can adopt an alternative 'sneaker' tactic by maturing earlier at greatly reduced size without leaving freshwater. While the ultimate evolutionary causes have been well studied, virtually nothing is known about the molecular bases of this developAuthorsN. Aubin-Horth, C.R. Landry, B. H. Letcher, H.A. HofmannComparison of genetic diversity in the recently founded Connecticut River Atlantic salmon population to that of its primary donor stock, Maine's Penobscot River
Anadromous Atlantic salmon returning to the Connecticut River (CR) from 1996 to 1999 were assayed for variability at nine microsatellite DNA loci. Heterozygosity and allele frequencies were compared to the anadromous Atlantic salmon returning to Maine's Penobscot River from 1998 to 2000. The Penobscot River was the primary source of the salmon used to found the previously extirpated population inAuthorsA.P. Spidle, T.L. King, B. H. LetcherLong-term consequences of variation in timing and manner of fry introduction on juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) growth, survival, and life-history expression
We tested the influence of introduction time and the manner of introduction on growth, survival, and life-history expression of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Introduction treatments included three fry stocking times and stream rearing of embryos. Despite poor growth conditions during the early stocking period, early-stocked fish were larger throughout the entire study period, likely the result ofAuthorsB. H. Letcher, T. Dubreuil, M. J. O'Donnell, M. Obedzinski, K. Griswold, K.H. Nislow - Science
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