Boaters fly fishing on the Missouri River in Montana
Clint Muhlfeld, Ph.D.
I am a Research Aquatic Ecologist for the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center stationed in Glacier National Park and Associate Research Professor at the University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station.
Research interests
My general research interests encompass the fields of aquatic ecology, fisheries biology, and conservation biology. My research goal is to understand how aquatic species interact with physical and biological templates over space and time to inform conservation and management. Specifically, my applied research focuses on assessing how human stressors – invasive species, habitat modification, and climate change – influence native salmonids and rare alpine macroinvertebrates in the Rocky Mountains of United States and Canada.
My research spans a range of scientific and conservation issues from examining evolutionary and ecological impacts of invasive species on native fishes, assessing life history and genetic diversity of native salmonids, assessing the status of threatened freshwater species, investigating the impacts of dams and barriers on aquatic species and ecosystems, developing quantitative models (e.g., stream temperature, instream flow/habitat, bioenergetics, riverscape connectivity, population viability) to predict species’ responses to environmental change, to understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change on freshwater species and ecosystems.
I particularly enjoy collaboration and multidisciplinary research, and advising and educating graduate students working on freshwater ecology and conservation biology projects. Currently, I actively participate on several regional, national, and international science teams that address natural resource issues facing aquatic ecosystems. My hope is that the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems will be conserved for future generations through research-informed management and education.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2008. Fish and Wildlife Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman
M.S. 1999. Fishery Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow
B.S. 1994. Aquatic Biology, University of Montana, Missoula; University of Maine, Orono
Affiliations and Memberships*
Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana
Science and Products
Climate change links fate of glaciers and rare alpine stream invertebrates in Glacier National Park
Assessing the Vulnerability of Native Trout in the Northern Rockies: Linking Science and Management for Climate Adaptation
Integrated Ecohydrological Science in the Northern Rocky Mountains — the variability of water availability and the effects on ecosystems
Experimental suppression of invasive lake trout: Implications for conservation of imperiled bull trout in Glacier National Park
Predicting Climate-Induced Expansions of Invasive Fish in the Pacific Northwest: Implications for Climate Adaptation of Native Salmon and Trout
Understanding Climate Impacts on Native and Invasive Fish for Conservation, Management, and Economic Goals in the Northern Rockies
Science in Glacier National Park
Western Waters Invasive Species and Disease Research Program
Climate Change Impacts on Invasive Species in the Northwest: A Synthesis and Path Forward
Translocation of imperiled fishes: Conservation introduction of threatened bull trout in Glacier National Park
Predicting climate change impacts on river ecosystems and salmonids across the Pacific Northwest: Combining vulnerability modeling, landscape genomics, and economic evaluations for conservation
Genetic status and distribution of native westslope cutthroat trout in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park alpine aquatic invertebrates, 2011-2013
Boaters fly fishing on the Missouri River in Montana
Fly fishing for trout in one on Montana's rivers.
Fly fishing for trout in one on Montana's rivers.
Researchers taking aquatic insect samples in a high-elevation Glacier National Park stream as part of ecohydrological monitoring efforts to study the effects of climate change on aquatic species and ecosystems.
Researchers taking aquatic insect samples in a high-elevation Glacier National Park stream as part of ecohydrological monitoring efforts to study the effects of climate change on aquatic species and ecosystems.
Angler holding a brown trout caught from a Montana River
Angler holding a brown trout caught from a Montana River
This is spawning westslope cutthroat trout captured in Langford Creek, North Fork Flathead River, Montana.
This is spawning westslope cutthroat trout captured in Langford Creek, North Fork Flathead River, Montana.
Mountain glaciers influence biogeochemical and ecological characteristics of high-elevation lakes across the northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Validation of a species-specific probe-based qPCR assay for the threatened meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, in environmental samples
High dispersal rates in hybrids drive expansion of maladaptive hybridization
Rapid SNP genotyping, sex identification, and hybrid-detection in threatened bull trout
Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery
Stream size, temperature, and density explain body sizes of freshwater salmonids across a range of climate conditions
Stoneflies in the genus Lednia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae): Sentinels of climate change impacts on mountain stream biodiversity
Climate change and expanding invasive species drive widespread declines of native trout in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Species invasion progressively disrupts the trophic structure of native food webs
Testing a generalizable machine learning workflow for aquatic invasive species on Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in northwest Montana
Influence of water temperature and biotic interactions on the distribution of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) in a population stronghold under climate change
Hybridization alters growth and migratory life-history expression of native trout
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.
Science and Products
Climate change links fate of glaciers and rare alpine stream invertebrates in Glacier National Park
Assessing the Vulnerability of Native Trout in the Northern Rockies: Linking Science and Management for Climate Adaptation
Integrated Ecohydrological Science in the Northern Rocky Mountains — the variability of water availability and the effects on ecosystems
Experimental suppression of invasive lake trout: Implications for conservation of imperiled bull trout in Glacier National Park
Predicting Climate-Induced Expansions of Invasive Fish in the Pacific Northwest: Implications for Climate Adaptation of Native Salmon and Trout
Understanding Climate Impacts on Native and Invasive Fish for Conservation, Management, and Economic Goals in the Northern Rockies
Science in Glacier National Park
Western Waters Invasive Species and Disease Research Program
Climate Change Impacts on Invasive Species in the Northwest: A Synthesis and Path Forward
Translocation of imperiled fishes: Conservation introduction of threatened bull trout in Glacier National Park
Predicting climate change impacts on river ecosystems and salmonids across the Pacific Northwest: Combining vulnerability modeling, landscape genomics, and economic evaluations for conservation
Genetic status and distribution of native westslope cutthroat trout in Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park alpine aquatic invertebrates, 2011-2013
Boaters fly fishing on the Missouri River in Montana
Boaters fly fishing on the Missouri River in Montana
Fly fishing for trout in one on Montana's rivers.
Fly fishing for trout in one on Montana's rivers.
Researchers taking aquatic insect samples in a high-elevation Glacier National Park stream as part of ecohydrological monitoring efforts to study the effects of climate change on aquatic species and ecosystems.
Researchers taking aquatic insect samples in a high-elevation Glacier National Park stream as part of ecohydrological monitoring efforts to study the effects of climate change on aquatic species and ecosystems.
Angler holding a brown trout caught from a Montana River
Angler holding a brown trout caught from a Montana River
This is spawning westslope cutthroat trout captured in Langford Creek, North Fork Flathead River, Montana.
This is spawning westslope cutthroat trout captured in Langford Creek, North Fork Flathead River, Montana.
Mountain glaciers influence biogeochemical and ecological characteristics of high-elevation lakes across the northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Validation of a species-specific probe-based qPCR assay for the threatened meltwater stonefly, Lednia tumana, in environmental samples
High dispersal rates in hybrids drive expansion of maladaptive hybridization
Rapid SNP genotyping, sex identification, and hybrid-detection in threatened bull trout
Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery
Stream size, temperature, and density explain body sizes of freshwater salmonids across a range of climate conditions
Stoneflies in the genus Lednia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae): Sentinels of climate change impacts on mountain stream biodiversity
Climate change and expanding invasive species drive widespread declines of native trout in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Species invasion progressively disrupts the trophic structure of native food webs
Testing a generalizable machine learning workflow for aquatic invasive species on Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in northwest Montana
Influence of water temperature and biotic interactions on the distribution of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) in a population stronghold under climate change
Hybridization alters growth and migratory life-history expression of native trout
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.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government