Frederick Feyrer
Frederick Feyrer - California Water Science Center
I'm a Research Fish Biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's California Water Science Center in Sacramento, California. My research program is broadly focused on applied aquatic ecology with an emphasis on fishes. In general, my work aims to fill critical data gaps needed by fisheries and water resource managers to implement effective restoration and conservation measures for imperiled species and ecosystems. In particular, my work has focused on how aquatic ecosystems function at varying spatio-temporal scales and how this influences species-habitat relationships. Recent and active study topics span the range of life history studies of threatened and endangered species to the role of climate variability and climate change on species and communities.
To learn more about my work visit my USGS Program Website or my Google Scholar Profile.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 21
Isotopic Analysis of Clear Lake Hitch collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, 2017
This dataset includes data from isotopic analysis of eye and muscle tissue from fish collected in Clear Lake, Lake County, California during June and July 2017. This data release includes all biological measurements and fish taxa included in the analysis.
Otolith chemistry of fishes in Rodeo Lagoon, Marin County, California, 2016
The dataset includes multiple file types (CSV, ArcGIS shapefiles, and images), data relates to the elemental analysis of fish otoliths. Otoliths examined in this study were from randomly-sampled individual Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) and Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper) from the adult population of Rodeo Lagoon and Rodeo Creek, Marin County, California. The fish were collected in April
SmeltCam sampling in San Joaquin River and False River near Jersey Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, 2016
This dataset includes field data for fishes sampled using mid-water trawls and the SmeltCam during daylight hours in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, California. Sampling took place between February 8, 2016 and March 1, 2016. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa collected during sampling event.
Largemouth bass population assessment within flooded islands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Field and laboratory data collected for fishes sampled by boat electrofishing in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta, CA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters, body composition analyses, otoliths, and fish taxa included in the analysis.
Physical and Biological Drivers of Fish Populations in the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channel, California, 2016-2018
This dataset includes field and lab data for fish, vegetation, zooplankton, phytoplankton, fish diets, and stable isotopes collected during daylight hours in the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channel in the Northern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters, animal taxa, and isotope values included in the analysis.
Abundance and Distribution of Clear Lake Hitch in Clear Lake, Lake County, California, 2017-2022 (ver. 4.0, December 2022)
Field data for fishes sampled using bottom and surface gill nets during daylight hours in Clear Lake, California, USA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa included in the analysis.
Water Temperature of Selected Tributaries of Clear Lake, Lake County, California
The dataset includes water temperature and atmospheric pressure data collected from selected key tributaries Clear Lake, Lake County, California, used for spawning by the Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi): Kelsey Creek, Siegler Creek, Middle Creek, Adobe Creek, and Cole Creek. Data were collected with ONSET HOBO Model U20L-002 loggers.
Fishes of Ryer Island, Suisun Bay, California, 2016-2017
This data set includes field data for fishes sampled using gill nets and otter trawls during daylight hours in and around Ryer Island, Suisun Bay, California. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa included in the analysis.
Photographs and video clips of Clear Lake Hitch
This data release includes a collection of photographs and video clips. Above water observations were taken with with a Nikon D5300 digital camera and underwater observations were taken with a SOOCOO S100Pro digital camera. All observations were made on April 1, 2018 in Kelsey, Creek, Lake County, California. Further details can be found in: Feyrer, F. 2018. Rapid potamodromy into ephemeral stream
Filter Total Items: 39
Use of the smeltCam as an efficient fish sampling alternative within the San Francisco Estuary
Resource managers often rely on long-term monitoring surveys to detect trends in biological data. However, no survey gear is 100% efficient, and many sources of bias can be responsible for detecting or not detecting biological trends. The SmeltCam is an imaging apparatus developed as a potential sampling alternative to long-term trawling gear surveys within the San Francisco Estuary, California, t
Authors
Brock Huntsman, Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. Young
Estuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), a species of concern in the San Francisco Estuary, is in relatively low abundance due to a variety of factors. The purpose of our study was to identify the estuarine habitat used by White Sturgeon to aid in the conservation and management of the species locally and across its range. We seasonally sampled sub-adult and adult White Sturgeon in the central e
Authors
Oliver Patton, Veronica Larwood, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. Feyrer
Recruitment dynamics of non-native largemouth bass within the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta
Largemouth bass (LMB; Micropterus salmoides) recruitment is limited by a critical developmental period during early life stages, but this mechanism may be less important within non-native habitats. We conducted boat electrofishing surveys in four tidal lakes of California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (SSJD) from 2010 to 2011 to describe introduced LMB recruitment dynamics. We evaluated growth, p
Authors
Brock Huntsman, Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. Young, James A. Hobbs, Shawn Acuna, Joseph E. Kirsch, Brian Mahardja, Swee Teh
Inter-population differences in salinity tolerance of adult wild Sacramento splittail: osmoregulatory and metabolic responses to salinity
The Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) is composed of two genetically distinct populations endemic to the San Francisco Estuary (SFE). The allopatric upstream spawning habitat of the Central Valley (CV) population connects with the sympatric rearing grounds via relatively low salinity waters, whereas the San Pablo (SP) population must pass through the relatively high-salinity Upper
Authors
Christine E. Verhille, Theresa F. Dabruzzi, Dennis E. Cocherell, Brian Mahardja, Frederick V. Feyrer, Theodore C. Foin, Melinda R. Baerwald, Nann A. Fangue
Hydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment
Hydrodynamic processes can lead to the accumulation and/or dispersal of water column constituents, including sediment, phytoplankton, and particulate detritus. Using a combination of field observations and stable isotope tracing tools, we identified how hydrodynamic processes influenced physical habitat, pelagic communities, and food web structure in a freshwater tidal system. The pelagic habitat
Authors
Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. Feyrer, Paul Stumpner, Veronica Larwood, Oliver Patton, Larry R. Brown
Sacramento pikeminnow migration record
Sacramento Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus grandis is a potamodromous species endemic to mid- and low-elevation streams and rivers of Central and Northern California. Adults are known to undertake substantial migrations, typically associated with spawning, though few data exist on the extent of these migrations. Six Sacramento Pikeminnow implanted with passive integrated transponder tags in the Sacrament
Authors
Dennis A. Valentine, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. Feyrer
Cryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes
Bar-built coastal lagoons are dynamic ecosystems at the land-sea interface that are important habitats for a variety of species. This study examined the habitat ecology of two lagoon species, the endangered Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) and the Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper) by reconstructing individual life histories from patterns in the concentration of the element Sr (as ratioed to C
Authors
Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. Young, Darren Fong, Karin Limburg, Rachel Johnson
First record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch
No abstract available.
Authors
Jessica Catherine Kathan, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. Feyrer
Lifetime chronicles of selenium exposure linked to deformities in an imperiled migratory fish
Aquatic ecosystems worldwide face growing threats from elevated levels of contaminants from human activities. Toxic levels of selenium (Se) shown to cause deformities in birds, fish, and mammals can transfer from parents to progeny during embryonic development or accumulate through Se-enriched diets. For migratory species that move across landscapes, tracking exposure to elevated Se is vital to mi
Authors
Rachel C. Johnson, A. Robin Stewart, Karin Limburg, Rong Huang, Dennis E. Cocherell, Frederick V. Feyrer
Resolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary
Estuaries provide critical habitat for a vast array of fish and wildlife but are also a nexus for core economic activities that mobilize and concentrate contaminants that can threaten aquatic species. Selenium (Se), an essential element and potent reproductive toxin, is enriched in parts of the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) to levels known to cause toxicity, yet the risk of Se to species that inhabi
Authors
A. Robin Stewart, Frederick V. Feyrer, Rachel C. Johnson
Observations of the spawning ecology of the imperiled Clear Lake Hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi
Migrations for the purposes of reproduction are widely documented across the animal kingdom and are particularly common in fishes and other aquatic organisms (Dingle 2014). One important migration strategy in fishes is potamodromy, which is the movement from one location to another entirely within freshwater (Morais and Daverat 2016). Thurow (2016) estimated that worldwide there are approximatel
Authors
Frederick V. Feyrer
Dissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid
The Clear Lake Hitch is an imperiled minnow endemic to Clear Lake, Lake County, California, USA that is listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act (ESA) and is a candidate for listing under the United States ESA. It exhibits a potamodromous life cycle whereby adults, which reach up to 6+ years in age and over 350 mm in length, migrate into Clear Lake’s ephemeral tributaries
Authors
Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew Young, Oliver Patton, David E. Ayers
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 21
Isotopic Analysis of Clear Lake Hitch collected from Clear Lake, Lake County, California, 2017
This dataset includes data from isotopic analysis of eye and muscle tissue from fish collected in Clear Lake, Lake County, California during June and July 2017. This data release includes all biological measurements and fish taxa included in the analysis.Otolith chemistry of fishes in Rodeo Lagoon, Marin County, California, 2016
The dataset includes multiple file types (CSV, ArcGIS shapefiles, and images), data relates to the elemental analysis of fish otoliths. Otoliths examined in this study were from randomly-sampled individual Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) and Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper) from the adult population of Rodeo Lagoon and Rodeo Creek, Marin County, California. The fish were collected in AprilSmeltCam sampling in San Joaquin River and False River near Jersey Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, 2016
This dataset includes field data for fishes sampled using mid-water trawls and the SmeltCam during daylight hours in the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta, California. Sampling took place between February 8, 2016 and March 1, 2016. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa collected during sampling event.Largemouth bass population assessment within flooded islands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Field and laboratory data collected for fishes sampled by boat electrofishing in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta, CA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters, body composition analyses, otoliths, and fish taxa included in the analysis.Physical and Biological Drivers of Fish Populations in the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channel, California, 2016-2018
This dataset includes field and lab data for fish, vegetation, zooplankton, phytoplankton, fish diets, and stable isotopes collected during daylight hours in the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channel in the Northern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters, animal taxa, and isotope values included in the analysis.Abundance and Distribution of Clear Lake Hitch in Clear Lake, Lake County, California, 2017-2022 (ver. 4.0, December 2022)
Field data for fishes sampled using bottom and surface gill nets during daylight hours in Clear Lake, California, USA. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa included in the analysis.Water Temperature of Selected Tributaries of Clear Lake, Lake County, California
The dataset includes water temperature and atmospheric pressure data collected from selected key tributaries Clear Lake, Lake County, California, used for spawning by the Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi): Kelsey Creek, Siegler Creek, Middle Creek, Adobe Creek, and Cole Creek. Data were collected with ONSET HOBO Model U20L-002 loggers.Fishes of Ryer Island, Suisun Bay, California, 2016-2017
This data set includes field data for fishes sampled using gill nets and otter trawls during daylight hours in and around Ryer Island, Suisun Bay, California. This data release includes all measured environmental parameters and fish taxa included in the analysis.Photographs and video clips of Clear Lake Hitch
This data release includes a collection of photographs and video clips. Above water observations were taken with with a Nikon D5300 digital camera and underwater observations were taken with a SOOCOO S100Pro digital camera. All observations were made on April 1, 2018 in Kelsey, Creek, Lake County, California. Further details can be found in: Feyrer, F. 2018. Rapid potamodromy into ephemeral stream - Publications
Filter Total Items: 39
Use of the smeltCam as an efficient fish sampling alternative within the San Francisco Estuary
Resource managers often rely on long-term monitoring surveys to detect trends in biological data. However, no survey gear is 100% efficient, and many sources of bias can be responsible for detecting or not detecting biological trends. The SmeltCam is an imaging apparatus developed as a potential sampling alternative to long-term trawling gear surveys within the San Francisco Estuary, California, tAuthorsBrock Huntsman, Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. YoungEstuarine habitat use by White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)
White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), a species of concern in the San Francisco Estuary, is in relatively low abundance due to a variety of factors. The purpose of our study was to identify the estuarine habitat used by White Sturgeon to aid in the conservation and management of the species locally and across its range. We seasonally sampled sub-adult and adult White Sturgeon in the central eAuthorsOliver Patton, Veronica Larwood, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. FeyrerRecruitment dynamics of non-native largemouth bass within the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta
Largemouth bass (LMB; Micropterus salmoides) recruitment is limited by a critical developmental period during early life stages, but this mechanism may be less important within non-native habitats. We conducted boat electrofishing surveys in four tidal lakes of California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (SSJD) from 2010 to 2011 to describe introduced LMB recruitment dynamics. We evaluated growth, pAuthorsBrock Huntsman, Frederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. Young, James A. Hobbs, Shawn Acuna, Joseph E. Kirsch, Brian Mahardja, Swee TehInter-population differences in salinity tolerance of adult wild Sacramento splittail: osmoregulatory and metabolic responses to salinity
The Sacramento splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) is composed of two genetically distinct populations endemic to the San Francisco Estuary (SFE). The allopatric upstream spawning habitat of the Central Valley (CV) population connects with the sympatric rearing grounds via relatively low salinity waters, whereas the San Pablo (SP) population must pass through the relatively high-salinity UpperAuthorsChristine E. Verhille, Theresa F. Dabruzzi, Dennis E. Cocherell, Brian Mahardja, Frederick V. Feyrer, Theodore C. Foin, Melinda R. Baerwald, Nann A. FangueHydrodynamics drive pelagic communities and food web structure in a tidal environment
Hydrodynamic processes can lead to the accumulation and/or dispersal of water column constituents, including sediment, phytoplankton, and particulate detritus. Using a combination of field observations and stable isotope tracing tools, we identified how hydrodynamic processes influenced physical habitat, pelagic communities, and food web structure in a freshwater tidal system. The pelagic habitatAuthorsMatthew J. Young, Frederick V. Feyrer, Paul Stumpner, Veronica Larwood, Oliver Patton, Larry R. BrownSacramento pikeminnow migration record
Sacramento Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus grandis is a potamodromous species endemic to mid- and low-elevation streams and rivers of Central and Northern California. Adults are known to undertake substantial migrations, typically associated with spawning, though few data exist on the extent of these migrations. Six Sacramento Pikeminnow implanted with passive integrated transponder tags in the SacramentAuthorsDennis A. Valentine, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. FeyrerCryptic lives of conspicuous animals: Otolith chemistry chronicles life histories of coastal lagoon fishes
Bar-built coastal lagoons are dynamic ecosystems at the land-sea interface that are important habitats for a variety of species. This study examined the habitat ecology of two lagoon species, the endangered Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi) and the Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper) by reconstructing individual life histories from patterns in the concentration of the element Sr (as ratioed to CAuthorsFrederick V. Feyrer, Matthew J. Young, Darren Fong, Karin Limburg, Rachel JohnsonFirst record of pughead deformity in the threatened Clear Lake Hitch
No abstract available.AuthorsJessica Catherine Kathan, Matthew J. Young, Frederick V. FeyrerLifetime chronicles of selenium exposure linked to deformities in an imperiled migratory fish
Aquatic ecosystems worldwide face growing threats from elevated levels of contaminants from human activities. Toxic levels of selenium (Se) shown to cause deformities in birds, fish, and mammals can transfer from parents to progeny during embryonic development or accumulate through Se-enriched diets. For migratory species that move across landscapes, tracking exposure to elevated Se is vital to miAuthorsRachel C. Johnson, A. Robin Stewart, Karin Limburg, Rong Huang, Dennis E. Cocherell, Frederick V. FeyrerResolving selenium exposure risk: Spatial, temporal, and tissue-specific variability of an endemic fish in a large, dynamic estuary
Estuaries provide critical habitat for a vast array of fish and wildlife but are also a nexus for core economic activities that mobilize and concentrate contaminants that can threaten aquatic species. Selenium (Se), an essential element and potent reproductive toxin, is enriched in parts of the San Francisco Estuary (SFE) to levels known to cause toxicity, yet the risk of Se to species that inhabiAuthorsA. Robin Stewart, Frederick V. Feyrer, Rachel C. JohnsonObservations of the spawning ecology of the imperiled Clear Lake Hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi
Migrations for the purposes of reproduction are widely documented across the animal kingdom and are particularly common in fishes and other aquatic organisms (Dingle 2014). One important migration strategy in fishes is potamodromy, which is the movement from one location to another entirely within freshwater (Morais and Daverat 2016). Thurow (2016) estimated that worldwide there are approximatelAuthorsFrederick V. FeyrerDissolved oxygen controls summer habitat of Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), an imperilled potamodromous cyprinid
The Clear Lake Hitch is an imperiled minnow endemic to Clear Lake, Lake County, California, USA that is listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act (ESA) and is a candidate for listing under the United States ESA. It exhibits a potamodromous life cycle whereby adults, which reach up to 6+ years in age and over 350 mm in length, migrate into Clear Lake’s ephemeral tributariesAuthorsFrederick V. Feyrer, Matthew Young, Oliver Patton, David E. Ayers - News