Clint Muhlfeld, Ph.D.
I am a Research Aquatic Ecologist at the USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (NOROCK) in West Glacier, Montana. I currently serve as the Acting Center Director of NOROCK in Bozeman, Montana.
Research interests
As a Research Aquatic Ecologist, I study the ecology, evolution, and conservation of freshwater species and ecosystems. My research examines how climate variability, hydrologic change, biological invasions, and habitat alteration influence freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem processes, with particular expertise in cold-water biota. I have led ecological and evolutionary studies across freshwater systems ranging from glacier-fed mountain streams and large river networks to lakes, as well as regional and global assessments of trout and char. My research combines long-term ecological studies, field research, genetics, and quantitative modeling and draws on multiple disciplines, including ecology, fisheries science, genetics, and hydrology.
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
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
Filter Total Items: 96
USGS integrated drought science USGS integrated drought science
Authors
Andrea C. Ostroff, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Patrick M. Lambert, Nathaniel L. Booth, Shawn L. Carter, Jason M. Stoker, Michael J. Focazio
Temperature Temperature
Stream temperature has direct and indirect effects on stream ecology and is critical in determining both abiotic and biotic system responses across a hierarchy of spatial and temporal scales. Temperature variation is primarily driven by solar radiation, while landscape topography, geology, and stream reach scale ecosystem processes contribute to local variability. Spatiotemporal...
Authors
Leslie A. Jones, Clint C. Muhlfeld, F. Richard Hauer
Legacy introductions and climatic variation explain spatiotemporal patterns of invasive hybridization in a native trout Legacy introductions and climatic variation explain spatiotemporal patterns of invasive hybridization in a native trout
Hybridization between invasive and native species, a significant threat to worldwide biodiversity, is predicted to increase due to climate-induced expansions of invasive species. Long-term research and monitoring are crucial for understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that modulate the effects of invasive species. Using a large, multi-decade genetics dataset (N = 582...
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Ryan P. Kovach, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Stephen J. Amish, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Robb F. Leary, Winsor H. Lowe, Gordon Luikart, Phil Matson, David A. Schmetterling, Bradley B. Shepard, Peter A. H. Westley, Diane Whited, Andrew R. Whiteley, Fred W. Allendorf
Suppression of invasive lake trout in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park Suppression of invasive lake trout in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park
Fisheries managers have implemented suppression programmes to control non-native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), in several lakes throughout the western United States. This study determined the feasibility of experimentally suppressing lake trout using gillnets in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, for the conservation of threatened bull...
Authors
C. R. Fredenberg, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Christopher S. Guy, Vincent S. D'Angelo, Christopher C. Downs, John M. Syslo
Vive la résistance: genome-wide selection against introduced alleles in invasive hybrid zones Vive la résistance: genome-wide selection against introduced alleles in invasive hybrid zones
Evolutionary and ecological consequences of hybridization between native and invasive species are notoriously complicated because patterns of selection acting on non-native alleles can vary throughout the genome and across environments. Rapid advances in genomics now make it feasible to assess locus-specific and genome-wide patterns of natural selection acting on invasive introgression...
Authors
Ryan P. Kovach, Brian K. Hand, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Ted F. Cosart, Matthew C. Boyer, Helen H. Neville, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Stephen J. Amish, Kellie Carim, Shawn R. Narum, Winsor H. Lowe, Fred W. Allendorf, Gordon Luikart
Climate-induced glacier and snow loss imperils alpine stream insects Climate-induced glacier and snow loss imperils alpine stream insects
Climate warming is causing rapid loss of glaciers and snowpack in mountainous regions worldwide. These changes are predicted to negatively impact the habitats of many range-restricted species, particularly endemic, mountaintop species dependent on the unique thermal and hydrologic conditions found only in glacier-fed and snowmelt-driven alpine streams. Though progress has been made...
Authors
J. Joseph Giersch, Scott Hotaling, Ryan Kovach, Leslie A. Jones, Clint C. Muhlfeld
Assessments of species' vulnerability to climate change: From pseudo to science Assessments of species' vulnerability to climate change: From pseudo to science
Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) are important tools to plan for and mitigate potential impacts of climate change. However, CCVAs often lack scientific rigor, which can ultimately lead to poor conservation prioritization and associated ecological and economic costs. We discuss the need to improve comparability and consistency of CCVAs and either validate their findings or...
Authors
Alisa A. Wade, Brian K. Hand, Ryan Kovach, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Robin S. Waples, Gordon Luikart
Climate, invasive species and land use drive population dynamics of a cold-water specialist Climate, invasive species and land use drive population dynamics of a cold-water specialist
Climate change is an additional stressor in a complex suite of threats facing freshwater biodiversity, particularly for cold-water fishes. Research addressing the consequences of climate change on cold-water fish has generally focused on temperature limits defining spatial distributions, largely ignoring how climatic variation influences population dynamics in the context of other...
Authors
Ryan P. Kovach, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Diane C. Whited, David A. Schmetterling, Andrew M. Dux, Clint C. Muhlfeld
A framework for assessing the feasibility of native fish conservation translocations: Applications to threatened bull trout A framework for assessing the feasibility of native fish conservation translocations: Applications to threatened bull trout
There is an urgent need to consider more aggressive and direct interventions for the conservation of freshwater fishes that are threatened by invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. Conservation introduction (moving a species outside its indigenous range to other areas where conditions are predicted to be more suitable) is one type of translocation strategy that fisheries...
Authors
Benjamin T. Galloway, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Christopher S. Guy, Christopher C. Downs, Wade A. Fredenberg
Loss of genetic diversity and increased subdivision in an endemic Alpine Stonefly threatened by climate change Loss of genetic diversity and increased subdivision in an endemic Alpine Stonefly threatened by climate change
Much remains unknown about the genetic status and population connectivity of high-elevation and high-latitude freshwater invertebrates, which often persist near snow and ice masses that are disappearing due to climate change. Here we report on the conservation genetics of the meltwater stonefly Lednia tumana (Ricker) of Montana, USA, a cold-water obligate species. We sequenced 1530 bp of...
Authors
Steve Jordan, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Scott Hotalling, Liz Fanning, Tyler H. Tappenbeck, Gordon Luikart
Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes
Gravel-bed river floodplains in mountain landscapes disproportionately concentrate diverse habitats, nutrient cycling, productivity of biota, and species interactions. Although stream ecologists know that river channel and floodplain habitats used by aquatic organisms are maintained by hydrologic regimes that mobilize gravel-bed sediments, terrestrial ecologists have largely been unaware...
Authors
F. Richard Hauer, Harvey Locke, Victoria Dreitz, Mark Hebblewhite, Winsor Lowe, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Cara Nelson, Michael F. Proctor, Stewart B. Rood
Conservation of native Pacific trout diversity in western North America Conservation of native Pacific trout diversity in western North America
Pacific trout Oncorhynchus spp. in western North America are strongly valued in ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural views, and have been the subject of substantial research and conservation efforts. Despite this, the understanding of their evolutionary histories, overall diversity, and challenges to their conservation is incomplete. We review the state of knowledge on these important...
Authors
Brooke E. Penaluna, Alicia Abadia-Cardoso, Jason B. Dunham, Francisco J Garcia de Leon, Robert E. Gresswell, Arturo Ruiz Luna, Eric B. Taylor, Bradley B. Shepard, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Kevin R. Bestgen, Kevin H. Rogers, Marco A Escalante, Ernest R. Keeley, Gabriel Temple, Jack E. Williams, Kathleen Matthews, Ron Pierce, Richard L. Mayden, Ryan Kovach, John Carlos Garza, Kurt D. Fausch
Non-USGS Publications**
Muhlfeld, Clint C., Thomas E. McMahon, and Durae Belcer. 2009. Spatial and temporal dynamics of spawning between native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), introduced rainbow trout (O. mykiss), and their hybrids. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 66:1153-1168.
Muhlfeld, Clint C., Thomas E. McMahon, Matthew C. Boyer, and Robert E. Gresswell. 2009. Local-habitat, watershed, and biotic factors in the spread of hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 138:1036-1051.
Boyer, Matthew C., Clint C. Muhlfeld, and Fred Allendorf. 2008. Rainbow trout invasion and the spread of hybridization with westslope cutthroat trout. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65:658-669.
Muhlfeld, Clint C., David H. Bennett, Kirk Steinhorst, Brian Marotz, and Matthew C. Boyer. 2008. Using bioenergetics modeling to estimate consumption of native juvenile salmonids by nonnative northern pike in the upper Flathead River system, Montana. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:636-648.
**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
Filter Total Items: 24
Filter Total Items: 96
USGS integrated drought science USGS integrated drought science
Authors
Andrea C. Ostroff, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Patrick M. Lambert, Nathaniel L. Booth, Shawn L. Carter, Jason M. Stoker, Michael J. Focazio
Temperature Temperature
Stream temperature has direct and indirect effects on stream ecology and is critical in determining both abiotic and biotic system responses across a hierarchy of spatial and temporal scales. Temperature variation is primarily driven by solar radiation, while landscape topography, geology, and stream reach scale ecosystem processes contribute to local variability. Spatiotemporal...
Authors
Leslie A. Jones, Clint C. Muhlfeld, F. Richard Hauer
Legacy introductions and climatic variation explain spatiotemporal patterns of invasive hybridization in a native trout Legacy introductions and climatic variation explain spatiotemporal patterns of invasive hybridization in a native trout
Hybridization between invasive and native species, a significant threat to worldwide biodiversity, is predicted to increase due to climate-induced expansions of invasive species. Long-term research and monitoring are crucial for understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that modulate the effects of invasive species. Using a large, multi-decade genetics dataset (N = 582...
Authors
Clint C. Muhlfeld, Ryan P. Kovach, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Stephen J. Amish, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Robb F. Leary, Winsor H. Lowe, Gordon Luikart, Phil Matson, David A. Schmetterling, Bradley B. Shepard, Peter A. H. Westley, Diane Whited, Andrew R. Whiteley, Fred W. Allendorf
Suppression of invasive lake trout in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park Suppression of invasive lake trout in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park
Fisheries managers have implemented suppression programmes to control non-native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), in several lakes throughout the western United States. This study determined the feasibility of experimentally suppressing lake trout using gillnets in an isolated backcountry lake in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, for the conservation of threatened bull...
Authors
C. R. Fredenberg, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Christopher S. Guy, Vincent S. D'Angelo, Christopher C. Downs, John M. Syslo
Vive la résistance: genome-wide selection against introduced alleles in invasive hybrid zones Vive la résistance: genome-wide selection against introduced alleles in invasive hybrid zones
Evolutionary and ecological consequences of hybridization between native and invasive species are notoriously complicated because patterns of selection acting on non-native alleles can vary throughout the genome and across environments. Rapid advances in genomics now make it feasible to assess locus-specific and genome-wide patterns of natural selection acting on invasive introgression...
Authors
Ryan P. Kovach, Brian K. Hand, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Ted F. Cosart, Matthew C. Boyer, Helen H. Neville, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Stephen J. Amish, Kellie Carim, Shawn R. Narum, Winsor H. Lowe, Fred W. Allendorf, Gordon Luikart
Climate-induced glacier and snow loss imperils alpine stream insects Climate-induced glacier and snow loss imperils alpine stream insects
Climate warming is causing rapid loss of glaciers and snowpack in mountainous regions worldwide. These changes are predicted to negatively impact the habitats of many range-restricted species, particularly endemic, mountaintop species dependent on the unique thermal and hydrologic conditions found only in glacier-fed and snowmelt-driven alpine streams. Though progress has been made...
Authors
J. Joseph Giersch, Scott Hotaling, Ryan Kovach, Leslie A. Jones, Clint C. Muhlfeld
Assessments of species' vulnerability to climate change: From pseudo to science Assessments of species' vulnerability to climate change: From pseudo to science
Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) are important tools to plan for and mitigate potential impacts of climate change. However, CCVAs often lack scientific rigor, which can ultimately lead to poor conservation prioritization and associated ecological and economic costs. We discuss the need to improve comparability and consistency of CCVAs and either validate their findings or...
Authors
Alisa A. Wade, Brian K. Hand, Ryan Kovach, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Robin S. Waples, Gordon Luikart
Climate, invasive species and land use drive population dynamics of a cold-water specialist Climate, invasive species and land use drive population dynamics of a cold-water specialist
Climate change is an additional stressor in a complex suite of threats facing freshwater biodiversity, particularly for cold-water fishes. Research addressing the consequences of climate change on cold-water fish has generally focused on temperature limits defining spatial distributions, largely ignoring how climatic variation influences population dynamics in the context of other...
Authors
Ryan P. Kovach, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Diane C. Whited, David A. Schmetterling, Andrew M. Dux, Clint C. Muhlfeld
A framework for assessing the feasibility of native fish conservation translocations: Applications to threatened bull trout A framework for assessing the feasibility of native fish conservation translocations: Applications to threatened bull trout
There is an urgent need to consider more aggressive and direct interventions for the conservation of freshwater fishes that are threatened by invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change. Conservation introduction (moving a species outside its indigenous range to other areas where conditions are predicted to be more suitable) is one type of translocation strategy that fisheries...
Authors
Benjamin T. Galloway, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Christopher S. Guy, Christopher C. Downs, Wade A. Fredenberg
Loss of genetic diversity and increased subdivision in an endemic Alpine Stonefly threatened by climate change Loss of genetic diversity and increased subdivision in an endemic Alpine Stonefly threatened by climate change
Much remains unknown about the genetic status and population connectivity of high-elevation and high-latitude freshwater invertebrates, which often persist near snow and ice masses that are disappearing due to climate change. Here we report on the conservation genetics of the meltwater stonefly Lednia tumana (Ricker) of Montana, USA, a cold-water obligate species. We sequenced 1530 bp of...
Authors
Steve Jordan, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Scott Hotalling, Liz Fanning, Tyler H. Tappenbeck, Gordon Luikart
Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes Gravel-bed river floodplains are the ecological nexus of glaciated mountain landscapes
Gravel-bed river floodplains in mountain landscapes disproportionately concentrate diverse habitats, nutrient cycling, productivity of biota, and species interactions. Although stream ecologists know that river channel and floodplain habitats used by aquatic organisms are maintained by hydrologic regimes that mobilize gravel-bed sediments, terrestrial ecologists have largely been unaware...
Authors
F. Richard Hauer, Harvey Locke, Victoria Dreitz, Mark Hebblewhite, Winsor Lowe, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Cara Nelson, Michael F. Proctor, Stewart B. Rood
Conservation of native Pacific trout diversity in western North America Conservation of native Pacific trout diversity in western North America
Pacific trout Oncorhynchus spp. in western North America are strongly valued in ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural views, and have been the subject of substantial research and conservation efforts. Despite this, the understanding of their evolutionary histories, overall diversity, and challenges to their conservation is incomplete. We review the state of knowledge on these important...
Authors
Brooke E. Penaluna, Alicia Abadia-Cardoso, Jason B. Dunham, Francisco J Garcia de Leon, Robert E. Gresswell, Arturo Ruiz Luna, Eric B. Taylor, Bradley B. Shepard, Robert K. Al-Chokhachy, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Kevin R. Bestgen, Kevin H. Rogers, Marco A Escalante, Ernest R. Keeley, Gabriel Temple, Jack E. Williams, Kathleen Matthews, Ron Pierce, Richard L. Mayden, Ryan Kovach, John Carlos Garza, Kurt D. Fausch
Non-USGS Publications**
Muhlfeld, Clint C., Thomas E. McMahon, and Durae Belcer. 2009. Spatial and temporal dynamics of spawning between native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi), introduced rainbow trout (O. mykiss), and their hybrids. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 66:1153-1168.
Muhlfeld, Clint C., Thomas E. McMahon, Matthew C. Boyer, and Robert E. Gresswell. 2009. Local-habitat, watershed, and biotic factors in the spread of hybridization between native westslope cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 138:1036-1051.
Boyer, Matthew C., Clint C. Muhlfeld, and Fred Allendorf. 2008. Rainbow trout invasion and the spread of hybridization with westslope cutthroat trout. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65:658-669.
Muhlfeld, Clint C., David H. Bennett, Kirk Steinhorst, Brian Marotz, and Matthew C. Boyer. 2008. Using bioenergetics modeling to estimate consumption of native juvenile salmonids by nonnative northern pike in the upper Flathead River system, Montana. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 28:636-648.
**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.