Brian C Weidel, PhD
Brian Weidel is a research fishery biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center where he leads collaborative research on prey fishes and native fish restoration ecology.
Brian works with state and provincial agencies in Lake Ontario to annually assess prey fish stocks, like Alewife, which informs the decisions that sustain that lake’s world class trout and salmon fisheries. Brian’s research also addresses prey fish conservation for species like Deepwater Sculpin, a bottom-dwelling fish that inhabits depths from 80 – 240 meters (165-792 feet) and is prey for native predators including Burbot and Lake Trout. This species was likely extirpated from Lake Ontario for decades, but the research done by Brian and colleagues has documented the remarkable natural recovery of the species. Most recently Brian joined a multi-agency international effort to study and restore Great Lakes fishes from the genus Coregonus. Populations of Cisco, Lake Whitefish, and Bloater were among the Great Lakes’ most abundant fishes prior to European colonization and supported critical fisheries; but human driven changes have caused extirpations and population declines. Brian’s research is among the to quantify how habitats and conditions influence incubation success for these species that spawn in late fall and winter and emerge from the lake bottom substrates just after ice out. Research teams are evaluating the efficacy of rehabilitating lake spawning habitat substrates for improving reproduction and evaluating these actions as potential tools for coregonine restoration and conservation.
Professional Experience
Research Fishery Biologist, United States Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Ontario Biological Station, 2010 – present
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wisconsin, Madison 2009 - 2010
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin, Madison 2005 - 2008
Graduate Research Assistant, Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, 2000 - 2003
Research Assistant, Cornell University, Adirondack Fishery Research Program, 1998 - 2000
Research Assistant, Cornell University, Cornell Biological Field Station, 1997 - 1998
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Limnology and Marine Science, Center for Limnology, Univerisity of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009
M.S. in Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, 2003
B.S. in Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, 1997
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Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2020
Angler-caught salmonid diets illustrate Lake Ontario Alewife population and predator-prey dynamics
Stationary hydroacoustics demonstrates vessel avoidance biases during mobile hydroacoustic surveys of alewife in Lake Ontario
Dynamics of the seasonal migration of Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814) and implications for the Lake Ontario food web
Comparison of specimen- and image-based morphometrics in Cisco
Benthic habitat is an integral part of freshwater Mysis ecology
A synthesis of the biology and ecology of sculpin species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and implications for the adaptive capacity of the benthic ecosystem
A century of intermittent eco‐evolutionary feedbacks resulted in novel trait combinations in invasive Great Lakes alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Lake Ontario spring prey fish assessment
Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2019
Bloater restoration
Lake Ontario fall benthic prey fish assessment
Non-USGS Publications**
**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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Filter Total Items: 112Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2020
Each year we report on the progress toward rehabilitation of the Lake Ontario lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population, including the results of stocking, annual assessment surveys, creel surveys, and evidence of natural reproduction observed from standard surveys performed by USGS and NYSDEC. Response to the COVID-19 pandemic limited survey effort such that spring and summer bottom trawl surAuthorsBrian F. Lantry, Brian C. Weidel, Scott P. Minihkeim, Michael J. Connerton, Jessica Goretzke, Dimitry Gorsky, Christopher OsborneAngler-caught salmonid diets illustrate Lake Ontario Alewife population and predator-prey dynamics
Lake Ontario fisheries decision makers use information about the status and trajectory of prey fish populations, such as alewife, for salmonid sport fish management. In 2020, the April bottom trawl survey, typically used to assess alewife, was canceled the day after it began due to Coronavirus health concerns. This prompted NYSDEC and USGS science teams to initiate a diet study using angler-collecAuthorsBrian C. Weidel, Scott P. Minihkeim, Michael Connerton, Christopher Legard, Nicholas Farese, Christopher Osborne, Jana LantryStationary hydroacoustics demonstrates vessel avoidance biases during mobile hydroacoustic surveys of alewife in Lake Ontario
Mobile hydroacoustic surveys are routinely used to estimate pelagic fish abundance. In the Great Lakes, alewife are commonly surveyed with mobile hydroacoustics, however, their behavior often has them associated with epilimnetic habitats which increases the potential for vessel avoidance to bias hydroacoustic observations. Abundance estimates from mobile hydroacoustic surveys are typically made usAuthorsConner Elliot, Jeremy Holden, Michael Connerton, Brian C. Weidel, Bruce TuftsDynamics of the seasonal migration of Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814) and implications for the Lake Ontario food web
Seasonal migrations of fish populations can have large effects on lake nutrient budgets and food web dynamics, but the addition of a migrating non‐native species may alter these dynamics. The Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) arrived in Lake Ontario (USA/Canada) about 20 years ago with a documented history of annual offshore–inshore migrations in its native range. Here we combined nearshore, fixAuthorsChris Pennuto, Knut Mehler, Brian C. Weidel, Brian F. Lantry, Eric BruestleComparison of specimen- and image-based morphometrics in Cisco
Morphometric data from fish are typically generated using one of two methods: direct measurements made on a specimen or extraction of distances from a digital picture. We compared data on 12 morphometrics collected with these two methods on the same collection of Cisco Coregonus artedi from Lake Ontario, North America, to assess the degree of bias in measurements made directly on a specimen- vs. aAuthorsBrian O'Malley, Joseph Schmitt, Jeremy P. Holden, Brian C. WeidelBenthic habitat is an integral part of freshwater Mysis ecology
Diel vertical migration (DVM) is common in aquatic organisms. The trade‐off between reduced predation risk in deeper, darker waters during the day and increased foraging opportunities closer to the surface at night is a leading hypothesis for DVM behaviour.Diel vertical migration behaviour has dominated research and assessment frameworks for Mysis , an omnivorous mid‐trophic level macroinvertebratAuthorsJason D. Stockwell, Brian O'Malley, Sture Hansson, Rosie C Chapina, Lars G. Rudstam, Brian C. WeidelA synthesis of the biology and ecology of sculpin species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and implications for the adaptive capacity of the benthic ecosystem
The Laurentian Great Lakes have experienced recent ecosystem changes that could lead to reductions in adaptive capacity and ultimately a loss of biodiversity and production throughout the food web. Observed changes in Great Lakes benthic communities include declines of native species and widespread success of invasive species like dreissenid mussels in all but Lake Superior. Understanding the ecolAuthorsKelly F. Robinson, Charles R. Bronte, David Bunnell, Peter T. Euclide, Darryl W. Hondorp, John J. Janssen, Matthew S. Kornis, Derek H. Ogle, Will Otte, Stephen Riley, Mark Vinson, Shea L. Volkel, Brian C. WeidelA century of intermittent eco‐evolutionary feedbacks resulted in novel trait combinations in invasive Great Lakes alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Species introductions provide opportunities to quantify rates and patterns of evolutionary change in response to novel environments. Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are native to the East Coast of North America where they ascend coastal rivers to spawn in lakes and then return to the ocean. Some populations have become landlocked within the last 350 years and diverged phenotypically from their ancAuthorsShelby Smith, Eric Palkovacs, Brian C. Weidel, David Bunnell, Andrew W. Jones, Devin BloomLake Ontario spring prey fish assessment
No abstract available.AuthorsJeremy P. Holden, Brian C. Weidel, Michael J. ConnertonLake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario, 2019
Each year we report on the progress toward rehabilitation of the Lake Ontario lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population, including the results of stocking, annual assessment surveys, creel surveys, and evidence of natural reproduction observed from all standard surveys performed by USGS and NYSDEC. The catch per unit effort of adult lake trout in gill nets increased each year from 2008-2014, reAuthorsBrian F. Lantry, Stacy Furgal, Brian C. Weidel, Michael Connerton, Dimitry Gorsky, Christopher OsborneBloater restoration
No abstract available.AuthorsJeremy P. Holden, Erin Brown, Brian C. Weidel, Michael J. Connerton, Brian O'Malley, C. OsborneLake Ontario fall benthic prey fish assessment
No abstract available.AuthorsJeremy P. Holden, Brian C. Weidel, Michael J. Connerton, Brian P. O'Malley, C. OsborneNon-USGS Publications**
Weidel, B. C., S.R. Carpenter, J.F. Kitchell, M.J. Vander Zanden. 2011. Rates and components of carbon turnover in fish muscle: insights from bioenergetics models and a whole-lake 13C addition. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 68:387-399.Tetzlaff, J.C., Roth, B.R., Weidel, B.M., and J.F. Kitchell. 2011. Predation by native sunfishes (Lepomis spp.) on the invasive crayfish Orconectes rusticus in four northern Wisconsin lakes. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. 20:133-143.Carpenter, S.R., J.J. Cole, M.L. Pace, R.D. Batt, W.A. Brock, T. Cline, J. Coloso, J.R. Hodgson, J.F. Kitchell, D.A. Seekell, L. Smith and B. Weidel. 2011. Early warnings of regime shifts: A whole-ecosystem experiment. Science 332: 1079-1082.Robinson, J.M., D.C Josephson, B.C. Weidel and C.E. Kraft. 2010. Influence of variable interannual summer water temperatures on brook trout growth, consumption, reproduction, and mortality in an unstratified Adirondack lake. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 139:685-699.Solomon, C.T., J. Cole, R. Doucett, M. Pace, N. Preston, L. Smith, and B. Weidel. 2009. The influence of dietary water on the hydrogen stable isotope ratio in aquatic consumers. Oecologia 161:313-324.Jensen, O., D. Gilroy, Z. Hogan, B. Allen, T. Hrabik, B. Weidel, S. Chandra, and M.J. Vander Zanden, 2009. Evaluating recreational fisheries for an endangered species: a case study of taimen, Hucho taimen, in Mongolia. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 66:1707-1718.Biggs, R., Diebel, M., Gilroy, D., Kamarainen, A., Kornis, M., Preston, N., Schmitz, J. Uejio, C., Van De Bogert, M., Weidel, B., West, P., Zaks, D. and S. Carpenter 2009. Preparing for the future: Teaching scenario planning at the graduate level. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.Weidel, B., S. Carpenter, J. Cole, J. Hodgson, Kitchell, M. Pace, and C. Solomon. 2008 Carbon sources supporting fish growth in a north temperate lake. Aquatic Sciences. 70: 446-458.Zipkin, E., Sullivan, P., Cooch, E., Kraft, C., Shuter, B., Weidel, B. 2008. Overcompensatory response of a smallmouth bass population to harvest: release from competition? Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Society 65:2279-2292.Josephson, D., J. Robinson, B. Weidel and C. Kraft. 2008. Long-term retention and visibility of visible implant elastomer tags in brook trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 28:1758-1761.Weidel, B., Ushikubo, T., Carpenter, S., Kita, N., Cole, J., Kitchell, J., Pace M., Valley, J. 2007. Diary of a bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): daily δ13C and δ18O records in otoliths by ion microprobe. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 64:1641-1645.Pace, M.L., S.R. Carpenter, J.J. Cole, J.J. Coloso, J.F. Kitchell, J.R. Hodgson, J.J. Middelburg, N.D. Preston, C.T. Solomon, and B.C. Weidel. 2007. Does terrestrial organic carbon subsidize the planktonic food web in a clear-water lake? Limnology and Oceanography 52: 2177-2189.Weidel, B.C., Josephson, D.C., and Kraft, C.E. 2007. Fish community response to removal of introduced smallmouth bass in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 178: 778-789Lepak, J.M., C.E. Kraft, and B.C. Weidel. 2006. Rapid food web recovery in response to removal of an introduced apex predator. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63: 569-575.Weidel, B.C., D.C. Josephson, C.C. Krueger. 2000. Diet and prey selection of naturalized smallmouth bass in an oligotrophic Adirondack lake. J. Freshwater Ecol. 15:411-420.Cline, T., D. Seekell, S. Carpenter, J. Hodgson, J. Kitchell, M.L. Pace, B. Weidel. 2014. Early warnings of regime shifts: evaluation of spatial indicators from a whole‐ecosystem experiment. Ecosphere 5(8).Cline, T.J., B.C. Weidel, J.F. Kitchell, and J.R. Hodgson. 2012. Growth response of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to catch-and-release angling: a 27-year mark-recapture study. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 69:224-230. 10.1139/f2011-150.Ahrenstorff, T.D., O.P. Jensen, B.C. Weidel, B. Mendsaikhan, and T.R. Hrabik. 2012. Abundance, spatial distribution, and diet of endangered Hovsgol grayling (Thymallus nigrescens). Environmental Biology of Fishes.Tetzlaff, J.C., Roth, B.R., Weidel, B.M., and J.F. Kitchell. 2011. Predation by native sunfishes (Lepomis spp.) on the invasive crayfish Orconectes rusticus in four northern Wisconsin lakes. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. 20:133-143.**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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