David B Bunnell
Biography
I am a Research Fishery Biologist at the Great Lakes Science Center, and Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan. I am the Principal Investigator (PI) for multiple projects that study community and ecosystem-level processes within the Great Lakes and at the global scale. In short, my research seeks to understand the ecological factors (e.g., resources, climate, predation) that can explain or predict fish biomass, consistent with an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries science and management.
Education
Ph.D. 2002. The Ohio State University; Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Columbus, OH. Dissertation Title: “Exploring mechanisms regulating recruitment of white crappie in Ohio reservoirs.”
M.S. 1997. Clemson University; Fisheries Biology, Clemson, SC. Thesis title: “Diel movement of brown trout in a southern Appalachian river.”
B.S. 1995. Centre College, Magna cum laude; Biology, Danville, KY.
Professional Experience
October 2004 – present. Research Fishery Biologist, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
August 2003 – October 2004. Assistant Research Scientist, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, Maryland.
August 2002 – August 2003. Post-doctoral researcher, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Wheatley, Ontario.
July 1997 – December 2002. Graduate Research Associate, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Columbus, Ohio.
July 1995 – May 1997. Graduate Research Associate, Clemson University Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson, SC.
Publications
Science and Products
Quantifying the Impacts of Climate Change on Fish Growth and Production to Enable Sustainable Management of Diverse Inland Fisheries
Fisheries managers in Midwestern lakes and reservoirs are tasked with balancing multiple management objectives to help maintain healthy fish populations across a landscape of diverse lakes. As part of this, managers monitor fish growth and survival. Growth rates in particular are indicators of population health, and directly influence the effectiveness of regulations designed to protect...
Improving National Estimates of Inland Recreational Harvest Using State Angler Survey Data
Recreational fishing dominates inland fisheries in the United States. In 2016 alone, more than 30.1 million Americans identified as freshwater anglers and spent nearly $30 billion on freshwater fishing trips. While recreational freshwater fishing can be catch-and-release, a large portion is consumptive. In fact, evidence suggests that recreational fisheries yield more than ten times that of...
Webinar: Predicted Climate Change Effects on Fisheries Habitat and Production in the Great Lakes
View this webinar to learn more about fisheries management in the Great Lakes.
Forecasting Climate Change Induced Effects on Recreational and Commercial Fish Populations in the Great Lakes
Great Lakes fishery managers and stakeholders have little information regarding how climate change could affect the management and conservation of fish populations, including those of high recreational and commercial value. Scientists from the US Geological Survey (USGS) worked closely with state management agencies and the National Wildlife Federation to complete several objectives that...
Bunnell interviewed on Lake Michigan smelt fishery
Lake Michigan Smelt Fishery
Bunnell speaks at Lake Michigan Illinois DNR public meeting
The Effect of Environmental Changes on Prey Fish in Lake Michigan.
Changing Tides: Lake Michigan Could Best Support Lake Trout and Steelhead
Invasive mussels and less nutrients from tributaries have altered the Lake Michigan ecosystem making it more conducive to the stocking of lake trout and steelhead than Chinook salmon, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey and Michigan State University study.