Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Elise Irwin, PhD

Biologist - Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Headquarters

Research Interests

Dr. Irwin is the leader of a broad research program in fisheries ecology with emphasis on reduction of uncertainty regarding how anthropomorphic changes in riverine and other aquatic environments affect biological processes of aquatic species. Thematically her research has primarily investigated how management, landscape patterns and disturbance regimes affect biological processes in aquatic systems, with two main areas of focus: 1) effects of spatial and temporal arrangement of riverine habitat on population parameters of fishes and, 2) definition and reduction of uncertainty regarding functional relations between hydrologic and chemical characteristics of riverine environments and fish distribution, abundance and/or growth of fish and invertebrates.

Teaching Interests

Dr. Irwin teaches a course on management of river systems at Auburn University. The course is inter-disciplinary and covers topics related to managing rivers for multiple uses. Dr. Irwin also teaches courses on Structured Decision Making and Adaptive Management at the National Conservation Training Center.

 

Professional Experience

  • Biologist, Cooperative Research Units Program Headquarters, 2021-

  • Assistant Unit Leader, Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 1995-2021

Education and Certifications

  • Ph D North Carolina State University 1994

  • MS Tennessee Technological University 1989

  • BS Delaware State College 1987

Science and Products

link
Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment-Dauphin Workflow

Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment

This project is a collaborative effort between the USGS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the State of Alabama funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to investigate viable, sustainable restoration options that protect and restore the natural resources of Dauphin Island, Alabama. The project is focused on restoration options that protect and restore habitat and living...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
link

Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment

This project is a collaborative effort between the USGS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the State of Alabama funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to investigate viable, sustainable restoration options that protect and restore the natural resources of Dauphin Island, Alabama. The project is focused on restoration options that protect and restore habitat and living...
Learn More
link
Cape Lookout National Seashore

Protecting Cultural Resources in the Face of Climate Change

Climate change doesn’t just threaten our natural resources—it threatens our cultural resources, too. Cultural resources represent evidence of past human activity, such as archeological sites, or are of significance to a group of people traditionally associated with the resource, such as Native American ceremonial sites. Climate change is challenging the long-term persistence of many cultural res
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Protecting Cultural Resources in the Face of Climate Change

Climate change doesn’t just threaten our natural resources—it threatens our cultural resources, too. Cultural resources represent evidence of past human activity, such as archeological sites, or are of significance to a group of people traditionally associated with the resource, such as Native American ceremonial sites. Climate change is challenging the long-term persistence of many cultural res
Learn More

Data from: Decision science for management of coastal ecosystems

Coastal management decisions are complex and include challenging tradeoffs. Decision science offers a useful framework to address such complex problems. We illustrate the process with several coastal restoration studies. Our capstone example is based on a recent barrier island restoration assessment project at Dauphin Island, Alabama, which included the development of geomorphological and ecologic
By
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico
Filter Total Items: 24

At-a-Glance—Summary of the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Unit Program Year in Review

IntroductionEstablished in 1935, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (CRU) program is a unique partnership among the USGS, State Fish and Wildlife agencies, host universities, the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As of 2023, there are 43 CRUs in 41 states that fall under three supervisory regions and a Nati
Authors
Caroline E. Murphy, Elise R. Irwin, Dawn E. Childs, Donald E. Dennerline, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Pollinator conservation and climate science at the U.S. Geological Survey

Introduction Ecosystems—whether agricultural, urban, or natural—depend on pollinators, great and small. Pollinators in the form of bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and even moths provide vital, but often invisible services, from contributing to biodiverse terrestrial wildlife and plant communities to supporting healthy watersheds. Pollinator declines worldwide have been noted as land-use and climat
Authors
Elise R. Irwin, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Cooperative Research Units, Alaska Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

The bee lab

IntroductionThe U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Bee Lab is a collaborative interagency joint venture and international leader for bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) identification, survey design, quantification of bee and plant interrelations, and development and maintenance of occurrence databases. Each of these objectives supports native bee conservation by providing critical data and tools for the United
Authors
Sam Droege, Elise R. Irwin, Jenn Malpass, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
By
Cooperative Research Units, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Decision science as a framework for combining geomorphological and ecological modeling for the management of coastal systems

The loss of ecosystem services due to climate change and coastal development is projected to have significant impacts on local economies and conservation of natural resources. Consequently, there has been an increase in coastal management activities such as living shorelines, oyster reef restoration, marsh restoration, beach and dune nourishment, and revegetation projects. Coastal management decis
Authors
Julien Martin, Matthew S. Richardson, Davina Passeri, Nicholas Enwright, Simeon Yurek, James Flocks, Mitchell Eaton, Sara Zeigler, Hadi Charkhgard, Bradley James Udell, Elise R. Irwin
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Cooperative Research Units, Eastern Ecological Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program—2022 year in review

Established in 1935, the CRU program is a unique cooperative partnership among State Fish and Wildlife agencies, host universities, Wildlife Management Institute, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Designed to meet the scientific needs of natural resource management agencies and to produce trained wildlife management professionals, the program has grown from the origin
Authors
Elise R. Irwin, Donald E. Dennerline, J. Barry Grand, Jonathan R. Mawdsley
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units

Identifying monitoring information needs that support the management of fish in large rivers

Management actions intended to benefit fish in large rivers can directly or indirectly affect multiple ecosystem components. Without consideration of the effects of management on non-target ecosystem components, unintended consequences may limit management efficacy. Monitoring can help clarify the effects of management actions, including on non-target ecosystem components, but only if data are col
Authors
Timothy Counihan, Kristen L. Bouska, Shannon K. Brewer, R. B. Jacobson, Andrew F. Casper, Colin G. Chapman, Ian R. Waite, Kenneth R. Sheehan, Mark Pyron, Elise R. Irwin, Karen Riva-Murray, Alexa McKerrow, Jennifer M. Bayer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Species Management Research Program, New York Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL)

Toward improved prediction of streamflow effects on freshwater fishes

Understanding the effects of hydrology on fish populations is essential to managing for native fish conservation. However, despite decades of research illustrating streamflow influences on fish habitat, reproduction and survival, biologists remain challenged when tasked with predicting how fish populations will respond to changes in flow regimes. This uncertainty stems from insufficient understand
Authors
Mary Freeman, Kevin R. Bestgen, Daren Carlisle, Emmanuel A. Frimpong, Nathan R. Franssen, Ketih B. Gido, Elise R. Irwin, Yoichiro Kanno, Charles H. Luce, S. Kyle McKay, Meryl C. Mims, Julian D. Olden, N. LeRoy Poff, David L. Propst, Laura Rack, Allison H. Roy, Edward S. Stowe, Annika W. Walters, Seth J. Wenger
By
Cooperative Research Units, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Estimating nitrogen removal services of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Eastern oysters have been acknowledged for their important contribution to human well-being by providing goods and services including nitrogen removal from water bodies. In this study, we integrated daily environmental data (2008–2016) and filtration rate model parameter uncertainty to estimate nitrogen removal from denitrification and nitrogen burial services provided by the current extent of oys
Authors
Quan Lai, Elise R. Irwin, Yaoqi Zhang
By
Cooperative Research Units

Decision analysis of restoration actions for faunal conservation and other stakeholder values: Dauphin Island, Alabama

Dauphin Island is a barrier island located in the northern Gulf of Mexico and serves as the only barrier island providing protection to much of the State of Alabama’s coastal natural resources. The ecosystem spans over 3,500 acres of barrier island habitat including, beach, dune, overwash fans, intertidal wetlands, maritime forest and freshwater ponds. In addition, Dauphin Island provides protecti
Authors
Elise R. Irwin, K. Ouellette Coffman, E. S. Godsey, Nicholas Enwright, M. Clint Lloyd, K. Joyner, Q. T. Lai
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Gulf of Mexico

Quantifying harvestable fish and crustacean production and associated economic values provided by oyster reefs

Quantifying ecosystem services can provide information to justify conservation and restoration decisions so as to allocate limited resources effectively. Consequently, decision makers and public typically ask for simple and understandable information with confidence regarding the availability of the services and the probable economic value. Here, we compiled published information on density enhanc
Authors
QT Lai, Elise R. Irwin, Yawen Zhang
By
Cooperative Research Units

Adaptive management of flows from R.L. Harris Dam (Tallapoosa River, Alabama)—Stakeholder process and use of biological monitoring data for decision making

Adaptive management has been applied to problems with multiple conflicting objectives in various natural resources settings to learn how management actions affect divergent values regarding system response. Hydropower applications have only recently begun to emerge in the field, yet in the specific example reported herein, stakeholders invested in determining the best management alternatives for a
Authors
Elise R. Irwin, Mary Freeman, James Peterson, Kathryn D.M. Kennedy, M. Clint Lloyd, Kristie M. Ouellette Coffman, Ely Kosnicki, Tom Hess
By
Cooperative Research Units

Can data from disparate long-term fish monitoring programs be used to increase our understanding of regional and continental trends in large river assemblages?

Understanding trends in the diverse resources provided by large rivers will help balance tradeoffs among stakeholders and inform strategies to mitigate the effects of landscape scale stressors such as climate change and invasive species. Absent a cohesive coordinated effort to assess trends in important large river resources, a logical starting point is to assess our ability to draw inferences fro
Authors
Timothy D. Counihan, Ian R. Waite, Andrew F. Casper, David L. Ward, Jennifer S. Sauer, Elise R. Irwin, Colin G. Chapman, Brian Ickes, Craig P. Paukert, John J. Kosovich, Jennifer M. Bayer
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Cooperative Research Units, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Species Management Research Program, Oregon Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL)

Non-USGS Publications**

Irwin, E.R. and T.P. Goar. 2015. Spatial and temporal variation in recruitment and growth of Channel Catfish Alabama bass and Tallapoosa Bass in the Tallapoosa River and associated tributaries. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS -116, Washington, D.C.
Irwin, E. R. Defining Ecological and Economical Hydropower Operations: a Framework for Managing Dam Releases to Meet Multiple Conflicting Objectives. Journal of Energy Challenges and Mechanics 1 (3): Article 5.
Mitchell, M. S., J. A. Gude, N. Anderson, J. Ramsey, M. Thompson, M. Sullivan, V. Edwards, C. Gower, J. F. Cochrane, E. Irwin, and T. Walshe. 2013. Using structured decision making to manage disease risk for Montana wildlife. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37:107-114.
Olive, J.A., H.L. Schramm, Jr., P.D. Gerard, E. Irwin. 2011. An evaluation of agreement between pectoral spines and otoliths for estimating ages of catfishes. American Fisheries Society Symposium 77:679-688.
Martin, B. M. and E. R. Irwin. 2011. A Digital Underwater Video Camera System for Aquatic Research. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:1365-1369
Irwin, E. R. and K. D. M. Kennedy. 2009. Engaging stakeholders for adaptive management using structured decision analysis. Proceedings of the Third Conference on Research in the Watersheds.
Hayer, C-A., and E. R. Irwin. Influence of gravel mining and other factors on detection probabilities of Coastal Plain Fishes in the Mobile River Basin, Alabama. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.
Population Demographics of Hiodon tergisus (Mooneye) in the Lower Tallapoosa River. Southeastern Naturalist 6:461-470.
Peterson, J., C. Moore, S. Wenger, K. Kennedy, E. Irwin, and M. Freeman. 2007. Adaptive management applied to aquatic natural resources. Chapter 6.4 in Proceedings of the 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 27-29, Athens.
Jeff Boxrucker & Elise Irwin (2002) Challenges of Crappie Management Continuing into the 21st Century, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 22:4, 1334-1339, DOI: 10.1577/1548-8675(2002)022<1334:COCMCI>2.0.CO;2
Buckmeier, D. L., E. R. Irwin, R. K. Betsill and J. A. Prentice. 2002. Validity of otoliths and pectoral spines for estimating ages of channel catfish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22:934-942.
Irwin, E. R., and M. C. Freeman. 2002. A proposal for adaptive maqnagement to conserve biotic integrity in a regulated segment of the Tallapoosa River, Alabama (U. S. A. ). Conservation Biology 16:1212-1222
Ferrara, A. M., and E. R. Irwin. 2001. A standardized procedure for internal sex identification in Lepisostidae. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 21:530-535.
Freeman, M. C., Z. Bowen, K. Bovee and E. Irwin. 2001. Flow and habitat effects on juvenile fish abundance in natural and altered flow regimes. Ecological Applications 2001:179-190.
Henry, T. B., E. R. Irwin, J. M. Grizzle, W. G. Brumbaugh and M. L. Wildhaber. 2001. Gill lesions and death of bluegill in an acid mine drainage mixing zone. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 20:1304-1311.
Buckmeier, D. L., and E. R. Irwin. 2000. An evaluation of soft visual implant tag retention and anchor tag retention in channel catfish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:296-299.

**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