USGS researchers tagging recently caught lake whitefish that will be released back into Lake Huron for an acoustic telemetry project to track fish movements. Photo credit: Chris Holbrook, USGS.
Christopher M Holbrook, PhD
Christopher Holbrook is a Research Fisheries Biologist based in Millersburg, MI.
Research Themes
My research supports native fish restoration and fishery management in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Most of my work uses fish tracking technology (telemetry) to fill gaps in knowledge of species ecology and population dynamics at scales or resolutions that could not be achieved with other methods. Current research projects focus on the following themes:
- Inform fisheries management, native species restoration, and invasive species control with better understanding of spatial ecology, demographics, and population dynamics.
- Develop and improve aquatic animal tracking methods and capabilities.
Professional Experience
2010 - Present. Research Fish Biologist. USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station
2007 - 2010. Fishery Biologist. USGS Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory
2005 - 2007. Graduate Research Assistant. University of Maine, Department of Biological Sciences
2002 - 2004. Biological Science Technician. NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Maine Field Station
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Fisheries and Wildlife. Michigan State University. 2015
M.S. Zoology. University of Maine. 2007
B.S. Zoology. University of Maine. 2004
Science and Products
Data releases by this scientist
Acoustic detection performance of gliding robotic fish in Higgins Lake, Michigan, USA, 2016-2018
An acoustic telemetry receiver was mounted on a gliding robotic fish, a novel type of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) during a series of field trials in a freshwater lake. Like underwater gliders, gliding robotic fish (dubbed GRACE, for Gliding-Robot-ACE) achieve locomotion primarily through buoyancy-driven gliding or spiraling. They are also equipped with an active tail fin that can provide e
Diel activity of newly metamorphosed juvenile sea lamprey in Carp River, MI 2011, Morpion Stream, Quebec 2014, and an artificial stream at Hammond Bay Biological Station 2014-2015
These data contain biodata, net catch, and detection records for juvenile sea lamprey sampled in natural streams in Michigan and Quebec, Canada and those stocked into an artificial stream at the USGS Hammond Bay Biological Station for monitoring diel activity. During October 31 through November 9, 2011 scientists collected downstream migrating juvenile sea lamprey from the Little Carp River, Michi
Tag Team
USGS researchers tagging recently caught lake whitefish that will be released back into Lake Huron for an acoustic telemetry project to track fish movements. Photo credit: Chris Holbrook, USGS.
Publications by this scientist
Filter Total Items: 49
Characterization of acoustic detection efficiency using an unmanned surface vessel as a mobile receiver platform
Studies involving acoustic telemetry typically use stationary acoustic receivers arranged in an array or grid. Unmanned surface vehicle (USV)-based mobile receivers offer advantages over the latter approach: the USV can be programmed to autonomously carry a receiver to and from target locations, more readily adapting to a survey’s spatial scope and scale. This work examines the acoustic detection
Authors
Eric M. Gaskell, Tyler Reid Funnell, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Xiaobo Tan
Positioning aquatic animals with acoustic transmitters
Geolocating aquatic animals with acoustic tags has been ongoing for decades, relying on the detection of acoustic signals at multiple receivers with known positions to calculate a 2D or 3D position, and ultimately recreate the path of an aquatic animal from detections at fixed stations.This method of underwater geolocation is evolving with new software and hardware options available to help invest
Authors
Robert J. Lennox, Kim Aarestrup, Josep Alós, Robert Arlinghaus, Eneko Aspillaga, Michael G. Bertram, Kim Birnie-Gauvin, Tomas Brodin, Steven J. Cooke, Lotte S. Dahlmo, Félicie Dhellemmes, Karl Ø. Gjelland, Gustav Hellström, Henry Hershey, Christopher Holbrook, Thomas Klefoth, Susan K. Lowerre-Barbieri, Christopher T. Monk, Cecilie Iden Nilsen, Ina Pauwels, Renanel Pickholtz, Marie Prchalová, Jan Reubens, Milan Říha, David Villegas-Ríos, Knut Wiik Vollset, Samuel Westrelin, Henrik Baktoft
Does hatchery rearing of lake trout affect their reproductive behavior in the wild?
Stocking of hatchery-reared fishes has been used with variable success as a management action to promote the recovery of populations and species. The practice has been controversial for several reasons, including uncertainty about whether the hatchery rearing experience may affect reproduction after release. Fine-scale acoustic telemetry was used during three spawning seasons to test whether hatch
Authors
Thomas Binder, Christopher Holbrook, Charles R. Bronte, Ji He, Charles Kreuger
Soft pressure sensor for underwater sea lamprey detection
In this paper, an economical and effective soft pressure sensor for underwater sea lamprey detection is proposed, which consists of an array of piezoresistive elements between two layers of perpendicular copper tape electrodes, forming a passive resistor network. With multiplexers, the apparent resistance corresponding to each pixel of the sensing matrix can be measured directly, where the pixel i
Authors
Hongyang Shi, Ian González-Afanador, Christopher Holbrook, Nelson Sepúlveda, Xiaobo Tan
Invasive sea lamprey detection and characterization using interdigitated electrode (IDE) contact sensor
The ability to monitor invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes is critical to protecting the region’s $ 7 billion USD fishing industry and preserving its biodiversity. Monitoring these invaders requires considerable fieldwork and human power, making remote lamprey detection systems attractive for their continuous monitoring capabilities and potential for
Authors
Ian González-Afanador, Hongyang Shi, Christopher Holbrook, Xiaobo Tan, Nelson Sepúlveda
Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) annual adult survival estimated from acoustic telemetry
Survival of adult fishes is critical to the conservation and management of wild populations, particularly for long-lived, slow to reproduce species. Most sturgeon species are of conservation concern, but their long lifespans and large ranges have made estimation of adult survival rates challenging. In this study, acoustic telemetry was used to track 205 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) tagged
Authors
Scott F. Colborne, Todd A. Hayden, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Charles C. Krueger
Measurement of suction pressure dynamics of sea lampreys, Petromyzon marinus
Species-specific monitoring activities represent fundamental tools for natural resource management and conservation but require techniques that target species-specific traits or markers. Sea lamprey, a destructive invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and conservation target in North America and Europe, is among very few fishes that possess and use oral suction, yet suction has not been e
Authors
Hongyang Shi, Christopher Holbrook, Yunqi Cao, Nelson Sepúlveda, Xiaobo Tan
Implications of tagging effects for interpreting the performance of sea lamprey traps in a large river
Abundance estimates can be crucial for managing species of economic concern. The accuracy of these estimates can depend on the methods used to track animals and to estimate abundance from tracking data. We tested experimentally if disparate estimates of trapping efficiency calculated for sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Canada could be explained by eff
Authors
Jessica Nelson, Andrew M. Rous, Adrienne R. McLean, Jessica Barber, Gale A Bravener, Christopher Holbrook, Robert L. McLaughlin
Characterization of acoustic detection efficiency using a gliding robotic fish as a mobile receiver platform
BackgroundAutonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and animal telemetry have become important tools for understanding the relationships between aquatic organisms and their environment, but more information is needed to guide the development and use of AUVs as effective animal tracking platforms. A forward-facing acoustic telemetry receiver (VR2Tx 69 kHz; VEMCO, Bedford, Nova Scotia) attached to a nov
Authors
Osama Ennasr, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Charles C. Krueger, Demetris Coleman, Pratap Solanki, John Thon, Xiaobo Tan
Detecting commonality in multidimensional fish movement histories using sequence analysis
BackgroundAcoustic telemetry, for tracking fish movement histories, is multidimensional capturing both spatial and temporal domains. Oftentimes, analyses of such data are limited to a single domain, one domain nested within the other, or ad hoc approaches that simultaneously consider both domains. Sequence analysis, on the other hand, offers a repeatable statistical framework that uses a sequence
Authors
Michael R. Lowe, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp
RAPTURE (RAD capture) panel facilitates analyses characterizing sea lamprey reproductive ecology and movement dynamics
Genomic tools are lacking for invasive and native populations of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Our objective was to discover single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci to conduct pedigree analyses to quantify reproductive contributions of adult sea lampreys and dispersion of sibling larval sea lampreys of different ages in Great Lakes tributaries. Additional applications of data were explored u
Authors
Nicholas Sard, Seth Smith, Jared Homola, Jeannette Kanefsky, Gale Bravener, Jean V. Adams, Christopher Holbrook, Peter J. Hrodey, Kevin Tallon, Kim T. Scribner
Sequence analysis and acoustic tracking individual lake sturgeon identifies multiple patterns of river-lake habitat use
Understanding the spatial ecology of sturgeon (Acipenseridae) has proven to be a challenge due to the life history characteristics of these fish, especially their long life span, intermittent spawning, and long‐distance migrations. Within the Huron‐Erie Corridor (HEC) of the Laurentian Great Lakes, habitat use of 247 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens ) was monitored over a three‐year period (201
Authors
Scott F. Colborne, Darryl W. Hondorp, Christopher Holbrook, Michael R. Lowe, James C. Boase, Justin A. Chiotti, Todd C. Wills, Edward F. Roseman, Charles C. Krueger
Non-USGS Publications**
Holbrook, C.M., Zydlewski, J., Gorsky, D., Shepard, S., and M.T. Kinnison. 2009. Movements of pre-spawn adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) near hydroelectric dams in the lower Penobscot River, Maine. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29: 495-505.
**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.
Science and Products
- Data
Data releases by this scientist
Acoustic detection performance of gliding robotic fish in Higgins Lake, Michigan, USA, 2016-2018
An acoustic telemetry receiver was mounted on a gliding robotic fish, a novel type of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) during a series of field trials in a freshwater lake. Like underwater gliders, gliding robotic fish (dubbed GRACE, for Gliding-Robot-ACE) achieve locomotion primarily through buoyancy-driven gliding or spiraling. They are also equipped with an active tail fin that can provide eDiel activity of newly metamorphosed juvenile sea lamprey in Carp River, MI 2011, Morpion Stream, Quebec 2014, and an artificial stream at Hammond Bay Biological Station 2014-2015
These data contain biodata, net catch, and detection records for juvenile sea lamprey sampled in natural streams in Michigan and Quebec, Canada and those stocked into an artificial stream at the USGS Hammond Bay Biological Station for monitoring diel activity. During October 31 through November 9, 2011 scientists collected downstream migrating juvenile sea lamprey from the Little Carp River, Michi - Multimedia
Tag Team
USGS researchers tagging recently caught lake whitefish that will be released back into Lake Huron for an acoustic telemetry project to track fish movements. Photo credit: Chris Holbrook, USGS.
USGS researchers tagging recently caught lake whitefish that will be released back into Lake Huron for an acoustic telemetry project to track fish movements. Photo credit: Chris Holbrook, USGS.
- Publications
Publications by this scientist
Filter Total Items: 49Characterization of acoustic detection efficiency using an unmanned surface vessel as a mobile receiver platform
Studies involving acoustic telemetry typically use stationary acoustic receivers arranged in an array or grid. Unmanned surface vehicle (USV)-based mobile receivers offer advantages over the latter approach: the USV can be programmed to autonomously carry a receiver to and from target locations, more readily adapting to a survey’s spatial scope and scale. This work examines the acoustic detectionAuthorsEric M. Gaskell, Tyler Reid Funnell, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Xiaobo TanPositioning aquatic animals with acoustic transmitters
Geolocating aquatic animals with acoustic tags has been ongoing for decades, relying on the detection of acoustic signals at multiple receivers with known positions to calculate a 2D or 3D position, and ultimately recreate the path of an aquatic animal from detections at fixed stations.This method of underwater geolocation is evolving with new software and hardware options available to help investAuthorsRobert J. Lennox, Kim Aarestrup, Josep Alós, Robert Arlinghaus, Eneko Aspillaga, Michael G. Bertram, Kim Birnie-Gauvin, Tomas Brodin, Steven J. Cooke, Lotte S. Dahlmo, Félicie Dhellemmes, Karl Ø. Gjelland, Gustav Hellström, Henry Hershey, Christopher Holbrook, Thomas Klefoth, Susan K. Lowerre-Barbieri, Christopher T. Monk, Cecilie Iden Nilsen, Ina Pauwels, Renanel Pickholtz, Marie Prchalová, Jan Reubens, Milan Říha, David Villegas-Ríos, Knut Wiik Vollset, Samuel Westrelin, Henrik BaktoftDoes hatchery rearing of lake trout affect their reproductive behavior in the wild?
Stocking of hatchery-reared fishes has been used with variable success as a management action to promote the recovery of populations and species. The practice has been controversial for several reasons, including uncertainty about whether the hatchery rearing experience may affect reproduction after release. Fine-scale acoustic telemetry was used during three spawning seasons to test whether hatchAuthorsThomas Binder, Christopher Holbrook, Charles R. Bronte, Ji He, Charles KreugerSoft pressure sensor for underwater sea lamprey detection
In this paper, an economical and effective soft pressure sensor for underwater sea lamprey detection is proposed, which consists of an array of piezoresistive elements between two layers of perpendicular copper tape electrodes, forming a passive resistor network. With multiplexers, the apparent resistance corresponding to each pixel of the sensing matrix can be measured directly, where the pixel iAuthorsHongyang Shi, Ian González-Afanador, Christopher Holbrook, Nelson Sepúlveda, Xiaobo TanInvasive sea lamprey detection and characterization using interdigitated electrode (IDE) contact sensor
The ability to monitor invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) populations in the Laurentian Great Lakes is critical to protecting the region’s $ 7 billion USD fishing industry and preserving its biodiversity. Monitoring these invaders requires considerable fieldwork and human power, making remote lamprey detection systems attractive for their continuous monitoring capabilities and potential forAuthorsIan González-Afanador, Hongyang Shi, Christopher Holbrook, Xiaobo Tan, Nelson SepúlvedaLake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) annual adult survival estimated from acoustic telemetry
Survival of adult fishes is critical to the conservation and management of wild populations, particularly for long-lived, slow to reproduce species. Most sturgeon species are of conservation concern, but their long lifespans and large ranges have made estimation of adult survival rates challenging. In this study, acoustic telemetry was used to track 205 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) taggedAuthorsScott F. Colborne, Todd A. Hayden, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Charles C. KruegerMeasurement of suction pressure dynamics of sea lampreys, Petromyzon marinus
Species-specific monitoring activities represent fundamental tools for natural resource management and conservation but require techniques that target species-specific traits or markers. Sea lamprey, a destructive invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and conservation target in North America and Europe, is among very few fishes that possess and use oral suction, yet suction has not been eAuthorsHongyang Shi, Christopher Holbrook, Yunqi Cao, Nelson Sepúlveda, Xiaobo TanImplications of tagging effects for interpreting the performance of sea lamprey traps in a large river
Abundance estimates can be crucial for managing species of economic concern. The accuracy of these estimates can depend on the methods used to track animals and to estimate abundance from tracking data. We tested experimentally if disparate estimates of trapping efficiency calculated for sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Canada could be explained by effAuthorsJessica Nelson, Andrew M. Rous, Adrienne R. McLean, Jessica Barber, Gale A Bravener, Christopher Holbrook, Robert L. McLaughlinCharacterization of acoustic detection efficiency using a gliding robotic fish as a mobile receiver platform
BackgroundAutonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and animal telemetry have become important tools for understanding the relationships between aquatic organisms and their environment, but more information is needed to guide the development and use of AUVs as effective animal tracking platforms. A forward-facing acoustic telemetry receiver (VR2Tx 69 kHz; VEMCO, Bedford, Nova Scotia) attached to a novAuthorsOsama Ennasr, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. Hondorp, Charles C. Krueger, Demetris Coleman, Pratap Solanki, John Thon, Xiaobo TanDetecting commonality in multidimensional fish movement histories using sequence analysis
BackgroundAcoustic telemetry, for tracking fish movement histories, is multidimensional capturing both spatial and temporal domains. Oftentimes, analyses of such data are limited to a single domain, one domain nested within the other, or ad hoc approaches that simultaneously consider both domains. Sequence analysis, on the other hand, offers a repeatable statistical framework that uses a sequenceAuthorsMichael R. Lowe, Christopher Holbrook, Darryl W. HondorpRAPTURE (RAD capture) panel facilitates analyses characterizing sea lamprey reproductive ecology and movement dynamics
Genomic tools are lacking for invasive and native populations of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). Our objective was to discover single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci to conduct pedigree analyses to quantify reproductive contributions of adult sea lampreys and dispersion of sibling larval sea lampreys of different ages in Great Lakes tributaries. Additional applications of data were explored uAuthorsNicholas Sard, Seth Smith, Jared Homola, Jeannette Kanefsky, Gale Bravener, Jean V. Adams, Christopher Holbrook, Peter J. Hrodey, Kevin Tallon, Kim T. ScribnerSequence analysis and acoustic tracking individual lake sturgeon identifies multiple patterns of river-lake habitat use
Understanding the spatial ecology of sturgeon (Acipenseridae) has proven to be a challenge due to the life history characteristics of these fish, especially their long life span, intermittent spawning, and long‐distance migrations. Within the Huron‐Erie Corridor (HEC) of the Laurentian Great Lakes, habitat use of 247 lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens ) was monitored over a three‐year period (201AuthorsScott F. Colborne, Darryl W. Hondorp, Christopher Holbrook, Michael R. Lowe, James C. Boase, Justin A. Chiotti, Todd C. Wills, Edward F. Roseman, Charles C. KruegerNon-USGS Publications**
Holbrook, C.M., Zydlewski, J., Gorsky, D., Shepard, S., and M.T. Kinnison. 2009. Movements of pre-spawn adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) near hydroelectric dams in the lower Penobscot River, Maine. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29: 495-505.**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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