David Kazyak, Ph.D.
Dave Kazyak is a Supervisory Research Fish Biologist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center in Kearneysville, WV.
Dave Kazyak is a Supervisory Research Fish Biologist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center leads a conservation genetics and genomics research team. His research applies quantitative approaches in conservation genetics and population dynamics to provide decision-relevant information for imperiled species. Dave Kazyak's current projects use cutting-edge genetics tools to identify biologically-appropriate management units, measure rates of gene flow, and characterize how isolation, genetic drift, and hatchery supplementation impact wild populations. He also is working to develop novel approaches to census imperiled fishes, including techniques using combinations of acoustic telemetry, side-scan sonar, and genetics.
Professional Experience
2017-Present. U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center. Research Fish Biologist.
2015-2017. U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center (Integrated Statistics Contractor) - Postdoctoral Scientist.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2015. University of Maryland (Marine Estuarine and Environmental Science)
M.S. 2011. University of Maine (Wildlife Ecology)
B.S. 2008. Frostburg State University (Wildlife and Fisheries)
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society
North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 47
Genetic population assignments of Atlantic sturgeon provided to National Marine Fisheries Service, 2022 Genetic population assignments of Atlantic sturgeon provided to National Marine Fisheries Service, 2022
Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus (Atlantic sturgeon) were once abundant and supported large-scale fisheries throughout much of the east coast of the United States. However, historic overharvest and habitat loss resulted in dramatic declines in abundance and eventual listing under the Endangered Species Act of the United States. As part of this listing, Atlantic sturgeon populations were...
Authors
Shannon White, Robin Johnson, Barbara Lubinski, Michael Eackles, David Kazyak
Is now the time? Review of genetic rescue as a conservation tool for brook trout Is now the time? Review of genetic rescue as a conservation tool for brook trout
Brook trout populations have been declining throughout their native range in the east coast of the United States. Many populations are now distributed in small, isolated habitat patches where low genetic diversity and high rates of inbreeding reduce contemporary viability and long-term adaptive potential. Although human-assisted gene flow could theoretically improve conservation outcomes...
Authors
Shannon White, Jacob Rash, David Kazyak
U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27 U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research has supported management of Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (bighead carp), Mylopharyngodon piceus (black carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp), and H. molitrix (silver carp), hereafter referred to collectively as invasive carps, for over a decade. This strategic framework identifies thematic research areas to guide funding decisions for USGS...
Authors
Duane Chapman, Jon Amberg, Robin Calfee, Enrika Hlavacek, Jon Hortness, P. Jackson, David C. Kazyak, Brent Knights, James Roberts
Utilization of genetic data to inform native Brook Trout conservation in North Carolina Utilization of genetic data to inform native Brook Trout conservation in North Carolina
As North Carolina’s only native salmonid, Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis is a fish of considerable ecological and cultural significance in the state, but anthropogenic alterations to the landscape and introductions of nonnative salmonids have fragmented and reduced its native range. As a result, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has enacted numerous efforts to...
Authors
Jacob Rash, David C. Kazyak, Shannon White, Barbara Lubinski
Decades of global sturgeon conservation efforts are threatened by an expanding captive culture industry Decades of global sturgeon conservation efforts are threatened by an expanding captive culture industry
After centuries of overexploitation and habitat loss, many of the world's sturgeon (Acipenseridae) populations are at the brink of extinction. Although significant resources are invested into the conservation and restoration of imperiled sturgeons, the burgeoning commercial culture industry poses an imminent threat to the persistence of many populations. In the past decade, the number...
Authors
Shannon White, Dewayne Fox, Tamar Beridze, Stephania Bolden, Robin Johnson, Thomas Savoy, Fleur Scheele, Andrea D Schreier, David C. Kazyak
Conservation genetics and wild trout: Evolving opportunities to support management Conservation genetics and wild trout: Evolving opportunities to support management
It is increasingly apparent that our planet is undergoing rapid, unprecedented environmental change. These changes are already impacting wild trout populations, leading to declines in occupancy and abundance across increasingly fragmented landscapes. Many changes are projected to intensify in the coming decades, which are likely to be crucial to the future of many wild populations. While...
Authors
David C. Kazyak, Shannon White, N. Mamoozadeh, John Hargrove, Mariah Meek
Benefits of genetic data for the design of Brook Trout translocation efforts Benefits of genetic data for the design of Brook Trout translocation efforts
With wild trout populations in decline, many conservation practitioners are evaluating the feasibility of incorporating reintroduction and genetic rescue into management frameworks. As interest in these conservation tools continues to grow, so too has the need for rigorous science to evaluate translocation success and improve the efficacy of future efforts. From this, it has become...
Authors
Shannon White, Thomas Johnson, Jacob Rash, Barbara Lubinski, David C. Kazyak
Multispecies approaches to status assessments in support of endangered species classifications Multispecies approaches to status assessments in support of endangered species classifications
Multispecies risk assessments have developed within many international conservation programs, reflecting a widespread need for efficiency. Under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA), multispecies assessments ultimately lead to species-level listing decisions. Although this approach provides opportunities for improved efficiency, it also risks overwhelming or biasing the...
Authors
Daniel Fitzgerald, Mary Freeman, Kelly Maloney, John Young, Amanda Rosenberger, David C. Kazyak, David Smith
Evaluating sources of bias in pedigree-based estimates of breeding population size Evaluating sources of bias in pedigree-based estimates of breeding population size
Applications of genetic-based estimates of population size are expanding, especially for species for which traditional demographic estimation methods are intractable due to the rarity of adult encounters. Estimates of breeding population size (NS) are particularly amenable to genetic-based approaches as the parameter can be estimated using pedigrees reconstructed from genetic data...
Authors
Shannon White, Nicholas Sard, Harold M Brundage III, Robin Johnson, Barbara Lubinski, Michael Eackles, Ian Park, Dewayne Fox, David C. Kazyak
Population genetics of three at-risk tiger beetles Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. d. media, and Ellipsoptera puritana Population genetics of three at-risk tiger beetles Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. d. media, and Ellipsoptera puritana
Many tiger beetles (Family Cicindelidae) are critically imperiled due to their dependence on small patches of suitable habitat that are frequently threatened by natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In the eastern United States, conservation of three tiger beetles - Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. dorsalis media, and Ellipsoptera puritana - has been inhibited by the absence of...
Authors
David C. Kazyak, Aaron Aunins, Shannon White, Michael Eackles, C. Knisley
Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: A case study in brook trout Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: A case study in brook trout
Widespread extirpation of native fish populations has led to a rise in species reintroduction efforts worldwide. Most efforts have relied on demographic data alone to guide project design and evaluate success. However, the genetic characteristics of many imperiled fish populations including low diversity, local adaptation, and hatchery introgression emphasize the importance of genetic...
Authors
Shannon White, Thomas Johnson, Jacob Rash, Barbara Lubinski, David C. Kazyak
Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout
Throughout their range, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) occupy thousands of disjunct drainages with varying levels of disturbance, which presents substantial challenges for conservation. Within the southern Appalachian Mountains, fragmentation and genetic drift have been identified as key threats to the genetic diversity of the Brook Trout populations. In addition, extensive historic...
Authors
John Hargrove, David Kazyak, Barbara Lubinski, Karli M. Rogers, Olivia Bowers, Kurt Fesenmyer, Jim Habera, Jason Henegar
Non-USGS Publications**
Hilderbrand RH, Kazyak DC. 2017. Spatiotemporal patterns of Brook Trout abundance and implications for stream monitoring. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37:353-362.
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, King TL, Keller SR, Chhatre VE. 2016. Hiding in plain sight: a case for cryptic metapopulations in Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). PLOS ONE 11(1): e0146295. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146295
Kazyak DC, Sell MT, Cooper R, Hilderbrand RH. 2016. A comparison of catchability and mortality with circle and J hooks for stream-dwelling Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis. North American Journal of Fisheries
Management 36:259-266
Management 36:259-266
Sell MT, Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Heft AA, Cooper RM. 2016. A comparison of circle hook size on hooking success, deep hooking rate, and post release mortality of hatchery-reared Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 36:254-258
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Keller SK, Colaw M, Holloway AE, Morgan RP, King TL. 2015. Spatial structure of morphological and neutral genetic variation in Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144:480-490
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Sell MT. 2014. Growth variation in a Mid-Atlantic Brook Trout population. Proceedings of Wild Trout XI. Supplement:350-356
Sell MT, Heft AA, Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Morgan RP. 2014. Short-term and seasonal movements of eastern Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Savage River watershed, Garrett County, Maryland. Proceedings of Wild Trout XI. Supplement:357-362
Stranko SA, Ashton MJ, Hilderbrand RH, Weglein SL, Kazyak DC, Kilian JV. 2014. Fish and benthic macroinvertebrate densities in small streams with and without American Eels. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 143:700-708
Kazyak DC, Letcher BH, Zydlewski J, O'Donnell MJ. 2013. Growth variability of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) in coastal Maine. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. doi: 10.1111/eff.12105
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Holloway AE. 2013. Rapid visual assessment to determine sex in Brook Trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 33:665-668
Kazyak DC, Zydlewski J. 2012. High-density polyethylene: a new material for pass-over PIT antennas. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 32:49-52
Strain, GF, Kazyak DC. Raesly R. 2012. Headwaters and headlamps: a comparison of nocturnal and diurnal surveys to estimate richness, abundance, and detection of streamside salamanders. Herpetological Review 43:26-30
**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: 47
Genetic population assignments of Atlantic sturgeon provided to National Marine Fisheries Service, 2022 Genetic population assignments of Atlantic sturgeon provided to National Marine Fisheries Service, 2022
Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus (Atlantic sturgeon) were once abundant and supported large-scale fisheries throughout much of the east coast of the United States. However, historic overharvest and habitat loss resulted in dramatic declines in abundance and eventual listing under the Endangered Species Act of the United States. As part of this listing, Atlantic sturgeon populations were...
Authors
Shannon White, Robin Johnson, Barbara Lubinski, Michael Eackles, David Kazyak
Is now the time? Review of genetic rescue as a conservation tool for brook trout Is now the time? Review of genetic rescue as a conservation tool for brook trout
Brook trout populations have been declining throughout their native range in the east coast of the United States. Many populations are now distributed in small, isolated habitat patches where low genetic diversity and high rates of inbreeding reduce contemporary viability and long-term adaptive potential. Although human-assisted gene flow could theoretically improve conservation outcomes...
Authors
Shannon White, Jacob Rash, David Kazyak
U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27 U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research has supported management of Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (bighead carp), Mylopharyngodon piceus (black carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp), and H. molitrix (silver carp), hereafter referred to collectively as invasive carps, for over a decade. This strategic framework identifies thematic research areas to guide funding decisions for USGS...
Authors
Duane Chapman, Jon Amberg, Robin Calfee, Enrika Hlavacek, Jon Hortness, P. Jackson, David C. Kazyak, Brent Knights, James Roberts
Utilization of genetic data to inform native Brook Trout conservation in North Carolina Utilization of genetic data to inform native Brook Trout conservation in North Carolina
As North Carolina’s only native salmonid, Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis is a fish of considerable ecological and cultural significance in the state, but anthropogenic alterations to the landscape and introductions of nonnative salmonids have fragmented and reduced its native range. As a result, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has enacted numerous efforts to...
Authors
Jacob Rash, David C. Kazyak, Shannon White, Barbara Lubinski
Decades of global sturgeon conservation efforts are threatened by an expanding captive culture industry Decades of global sturgeon conservation efforts are threatened by an expanding captive culture industry
After centuries of overexploitation and habitat loss, many of the world's sturgeon (Acipenseridae) populations are at the brink of extinction. Although significant resources are invested into the conservation and restoration of imperiled sturgeons, the burgeoning commercial culture industry poses an imminent threat to the persistence of many populations. In the past decade, the number...
Authors
Shannon White, Dewayne Fox, Tamar Beridze, Stephania Bolden, Robin Johnson, Thomas Savoy, Fleur Scheele, Andrea D Schreier, David C. Kazyak
Conservation genetics and wild trout: Evolving opportunities to support management Conservation genetics and wild trout: Evolving opportunities to support management
It is increasingly apparent that our planet is undergoing rapid, unprecedented environmental change. These changes are already impacting wild trout populations, leading to declines in occupancy and abundance across increasingly fragmented landscapes. Many changes are projected to intensify in the coming decades, which are likely to be crucial to the future of many wild populations. While...
Authors
David C. Kazyak, Shannon White, N. Mamoozadeh, John Hargrove, Mariah Meek
Benefits of genetic data for the design of Brook Trout translocation efforts Benefits of genetic data for the design of Brook Trout translocation efforts
With wild trout populations in decline, many conservation practitioners are evaluating the feasibility of incorporating reintroduction and genetic rescue into management frameworks. As interest in these conservation tools continues to grow, so too has the need for rigorous science to evaluate translocation success and improve the efficacy of future efforts. From this, it has become...
Authors
Shannon White, Thomas Johnson, Jacob Rash, Barbara Lubinski, David C. Kazyak
Multispecies approaches to status assessments in support of endangered species classifications Multispecies approaches to status assessments in support of endangered species classifications
Multispecies risk assessments have developed within many international conservation programs, reflecting a widespread need for efficiency. Under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA), multispecies assessments ultimately lead to species-level listing decisions. Although this approach provides opportunities for improved efficiency, it also risks overwhelming or biasing the...
Authors
Daniel Fitzgerald, Mary Freeman, Kelly Maloney, John Young, Amanda Rosenberger, David C. Kazyak, David Smith
Evaluating sources of bias in pedigree-based estimates of breeding population size Evaluating sources of bias in pedigree-based estimates of breeding population size
Applications of genetic-based estimates of population size are expanding, especially for species for which traditional demographic estimation methods are intractable due to the rarity of adult encounters. Estimates of breeding population size (NS) are particularly amenable to genetic-based approaches as the parameter can be estimated using pedigrees reconstructed from genetic data...
Authors
Shannon White, Nicholas Sard, Harold M Brundage III, Robin Johnson, Barbara Lubinski, Michael Eackles, Ian Park, Dewayne Fox, David C. Kazyak
Population genetics of three at-risk tiger beetles Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. d. media, and Ellipsoptera puritana Population genetics of three at-risk tiger beetles Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. d. media, and Ellipsoptera puritana
Many tiger beetles (Family Cicindelidae) are critically imperiled due to their dependence on small patches of suitable habitat that are frequently threatened by natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In the eastern United States, conservation of three tiger beetles - Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, H. dorsalis media, and Ellipsoptera puritana - has been inhibited by the absence of...
Authors
David C. Kazyak, Aaron Aunins, Shannon White, Michael Eackles, C. Knisley
Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: A case study in brook trout Using genetic data to advance stream fish reintroduction science: A case study in brook trout
Widespread extirpation of native fish populations has led to a rise in species reintroduction efforts worldwide. Most efforts have relied on demographic data alone to guide project design and evaluate success. However, the genetic characteristics of many imperiled fish populations including low diversity, local adaptation, and hatchery introgression emphasize the importance of genetic...
Authors
Shannon White, Thomas Johnson, Jacob Rash, Barbara Lubinski, David C. Kazyak
Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout
Throughout their range, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) occupy thousands of disjunct drainages with varying levels of disturbance, which presents substantial challenges for conservation. Within the southern Appalachian Mountains, fragmentation and genetic drift have been identified as key threats to the genetic diversity of the Brook Trout populations. In addition, extensive historic...
Authors
John Hargrove, David Kazyak, Barbara Lubinski, Karli M. Rogers, Olivia Bowers, Kurt Fesenmyer, Jim Habera, Jason Henegar
Non-USGS Publications**
Hilderbrand RH, Kazyak DC. 2017. Spatiotemporal patterns of Brook Trout abundance and implications for stream monitoring. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37:353-362.
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, King TL, Keller SR, Chhatre VE. 2016. Hiding in plain sight: a case for cryptic metapopulations in Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). PLOS ONE 11(1): e0146295. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0146295
Kazyak DC, Sell MT, Cooper R, Hilderbrand RH. 2016. A comparison of catchability and mortality with circle and J hooks for stream-dwelling Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis. North American Journal of Fisheries
Management 36:259-266
Management 36:259-266
Sell MT, Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Heft AA, Cooper RM. 2016. A comparison of circle hook size on hooking success, deep hooking rate, and post release mortality of hatchery-reared Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 36:254-258
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Keller SK, Colaw M, Holloway AE, Morgan RP, King TL. 2015. Spatial structure of morphological and neutral genetic variation in Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144:480-490
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Sell MT. 2014. Growth variation in a Mid-Atlantic Brook Trout population. Proceedings of Wild Trout XI. Supplement:350-356
Sell MT, Heft AA, Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Morgan RP. 2014. Short-term and seasonal movements of eastern Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the upper Savage River watershed, Garrett County, Maryland. Proceedings of Wild Trout XI. Supplement:357-362
Stranko SA, Ashton MJ, Hilderbrand RH, Weglein SL, Kazyak DC, Kilian JV. 2014. Fish and benthic macroinvertebrate densities in small streams with and without American Eels. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 143:700-708
Kazyak DC, Letcher BH, Zydlewski J, O'Donnell MJ. 2013. Growth variability of brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) in coastal Maine. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. doi: 10.1111/eff.12105
Kazyak DC, Hilderbrand RH, Holloway AE. 2013. Rapid visual assessment to determine sex in Brook Trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 33:665-668
Kazyak DC, Zydlewski J. 2012. High-density polyethylene: a new material for pass-over PIT antennas. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 32:49-52
Strain, GF, Kazyak DC. Raesly R. 2012. Headwaters and headlamps: a comparison of nocturnal and diurnal surveys to estimate richness, abundance, and detection of streamside salamanders. Herpetological Review 43:26-30
**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