Janice Albers, PhD
Janice Albers is a Fish Biologist with interests in researching how humans impact fish species; positive impacts such as river restoration activities, as well as negative impacts such as with rare or invasive fish species.
In the past Janice has studied fish behavior, trends in threatened and endangered fish species, impacts from human activities on aquatic communities, and fish bioenergetics and population dynamics. Currently she is researching and understanding invasive carp movements in the Mississippi River Basin.
Professional Experience
2023 – Present, Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin
2018-2022 – Doctoral Research Student, Michigan State University, Fisheries and Wildlife Dept., East Lansing, Michigan
2001-2017 – Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Michigan State University, Fisheries and Wildlife/Environmental Toxicology, 2022
M.S. Fish and Wildlife, University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001
B.S. Biology and Water Resources, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, 1997
Affiliations and Memberships*
Society for Ecological Restoration
American Fisheries Society
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 13
Examining the soundscape at a navigational lock (Lock 19, Keokuk, IA) Examining the soundscape at a navigational lock (Lock 19, Keokuk, IA)
In this study, passive acoustic monitoring was conducted at Lock No. 19 near Keokuk, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River between 20 June – 26 August 2019 to coincide with peak navigation use. Sound pressure levels were calculated from .wav files collected with passive SoundTrap hydrophones at six locations in the downstream lock approach. This data set consists of the location and...
Summarized model outputs for a predator-prey-competitor model for Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus in the Lower Missouri River Summarized model outputs for a predator-prey-competitor model for Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus in the Lower Missouri River
Data represents summarized model outputs for various simulation scenarios performed used the Fish community bioenergetics model published at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P1XAZ6K9. A number of scenarios were explored to address specific queries regarding sturgeon-chub-invertebrate dynamics in the lower Missouri River. Data include a simulated pallid sturgeon maximum weight over time under...
Chub whole body calorimetry, feeding trial ration, and chironomid weights to develop inputs for a bioenergetics community model Chub whole body calorimetry, feeding trial ration, and chironomid weights to develop inputs for a bioenergetics community model
A series of laboratory studies were conducted to understand Sicklefin and Shoal Chub feeding rates and maximum ration. Data included determination of Chironomid weight, estimated by taking weights and counts of approximately 5 grams of laboratory cultured chironomids. Chub maximum ration was determined by finding the feeding rate of dry commercial fish food that thar resulted in complete
Occupancy model coefficients and observed co-occurrence simulations for sicklefin chub, sturgeon chub, and associated fishes in the Missouri River Occupancy model coefficients and observed co-occurrence simulations for sicklefin chub, sturgeon chub, and associated fishes in the Missouri River
Extant population monitoring and habitat assessment data sets of benthic species were used as inputs for occupancy models focused on Sicklefin and Sturgeon chub with the goals of describing temporal, spatial, and environmental factors associated with occupancy patterns of each chub species, assessing co-occurrence of the two species, and determining relationships between co-occurrence...
Human use and activities at two urban riparian forest restoration sites in Indiana, USA, May-Sept, 2016 Human use and activities at two urban riparian forest restoration sites in Indiana, USA, May-Sept, 2016
The data consists of date and time of use, activity and number of individuals visiting specific sites. This data was collected by using camera traps to monitor visitors of two mitigation areas that are being restored to riparian forests.
Data Release for Lock 19 Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (UADS) Study: Interim Project Update Data Release for Lock 19 Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (UADS) Study: Interim Project Update
The Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System is an experimental deterrent that utilizes underwater sounds to deter invasive carps. An experimental deployment and evaluation of a UADS is currently being conducted at Lock 19 on the Mississippi River, near Keokuk, Iowa. This dataset includes information derived from two telemetry arrays (i.e., 307 kHz HTI and 69 kHz VEMCO) deployed at and...
Filter Total Items: 34
Understanding predator-prey-competitor dynamics between Lower Missouri River Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus using a population—bioenergetics model ensemble Understanding predator-prey-competitor dynamics between Lower Missouri River Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus using a population—bioenergetics model ensemble
The pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus is a long-lived, endangered fish in the Missouri River. Individuals become piscivorous as adults, so recruitment from stocking or reproduction could reduce populations of prey, including Macrhybopsis chubs. We constructed an individual- and age-based, multi-species, predator-prey-competitor model (IAMP) to represent the benthic community...
Authors
Mark L. Wildhaber, Janice L. Albers, Nicholas S. Green
Studies to assess natural resource recovery and evaluate monitoring methods for restored bottomland hardwood forests Studies to assess natural resource recovery and evaluate monitoring methods for restored bottomland hardwood forests
The Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration process assesses natural resource injury due to oil or chemical spills and calculates the damages to compensate the public for those injuries. Ecological restoration provides a means for recovering resources injured or lost due to contamination from oil or chemical spills by restoring the injured site after remediation, or acquiring...
Authors
Michael J. Hooper, Matthew Struckhoff, John P. Isanhart, Janice L. Albers, Keith Grabner, Nicholas S. Green, Bethany K. Kunz, M. Victoria McDonald, Benjamin M West
Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA
Vegetation communities in restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana were studied 6–21 years after restoration to assess progress toward restoration objectives. The study focused on four sites that were restored to compensate for resource injuries after contaminant releases. The restored sites were compared with four reference-site conditions, including crops...
Authors
Matthew Struckhoff, Keith Grabner, Janice L. Albers, Michael J. Hooper
Sicklefin Chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) and Sturgeon Chub (M. gelida) temporal and spatial patterns from extant population monitoring and habitat data spanning 23 Years Sicklefin Chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) and Sturgeon Chub (M. gelida) temporal and spatial patterns from extant population monitoring and habitat data spanning 23 Years
Sicklefin (Macrhybopsis meeki) and sturgeon chub (M. gelida) historically occurred throughout the Missouri River (MR), in some tributaries, and Mississippi River downstream of the MR. They have been species of U.S. state-level conservation concern and U.S. Endangered Species Act listing candidates since the 1990s. We applied analytical approaches from occupancy modeling to correlation to
Authors
Mark L. Wildhaber, Benjamin M West, Kendell Ray Bennett, Jack Howard May, Janice L. Albers, Nicholas S. Green
Efficient mammal biodiversity surveys for ecological restoration monitoring Efficient mammal biodiversity surveys for ecological restoration monitoring
Efficient biodiversity surveys are critical for successful restoration monitoring and management. We studied the effect of varying sampling effort on the observed species richness of surveys of small mammals (trapping transects), bats (passive acoustic detection), and medium to large mammals (trail cameras). Field studies provided mammalian biodiversity data for 4 bottomland hardwood...
Authors
Nicholas S. Green, Mark L. Wildhaber, Janice L. Albers, Thomas W. Pettit, Michael J. Hooper
Visitor use and activities detected using trail cameras at forest restoration sites Visitor use and activities detected using trail cameras at forest restoration sites
We used trail cameras to monitor human visits and activities at two sites in northeast Indiana being restored to bottomland hardwood forests. These sites, managed as nature preserves, are close to cities, where trails and parking lots have been added for ease of access. In this study, trail cameras were successfully used to capture visitation rates and activity types. The two sites had...
Authors
Janice L. Albers, Mark L. Wildhaber, Nicholas S. Green, Matthew Struckhoff, Michael J. Hooper
Fully stochasticized age-structured population-bioenergetics model ensemble for application to communities Fully stochasticized age-structured population-bioenergetics model ensemble for application to communities
his is an R program for simulating multiple fish populations using species-specific projection matrices, interaction matrices, and bioenergetics submodels with hierarchical stochasticity. This program was designed to model the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and associated fish species in the Lower Missouri River (Wildhaber et al. 2024), but it should be sufficiently general to...
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 13
Examining the soundscape at a navigational lock (Lock 19, Keokuk, IA) Examining the soundscape at a navigational lock (Lock 19, Keokuk, IA)
In this study, passive acoustic monitoring was conducted at Lock No. 19 near Keokuk, Iowa on the Upper Mississippi River between 20 June – 26 August 2019 to coincide with peak navigation use. Sound pressure levels were calculated from .wav files collected with passive SoundTrap hydrophones at six locations in the downstream lock approach. This data set consists of the location and...
Summarized model outputs for a predator-prey-competitor model for Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus in the Lower Missouri River Summarized model outputs for a predator-prey-competitor model for Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus in the Lower Missouri River
Data represents summarized model outputs for various simulation scenarios performed used the Fish community bioenergetics model published at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P1XAZ6K9. A number of scenarios were explored to address specific queries regarding sturgeon-chub-invertebrate dynamics in the lower Missouri River. Data include a simulated pallid sturgeon maximum weight over time under...
Chub whole body calorimetry, feeding trial ration, and chironomid weights to develop inputs for a bioenergetics community model Chub whole body calorimetry, feeding trial ration, and chironomid weights to develop inputs for a bioenergetics community model
A series of laboratory studies were conducted to understand Sicklefin and Shoal Chub feeding rates and maximum ration. Data included determination of Chironomid weight, estimated by taking weights and counts of approximately 5 grams of laboratory cultured chironomids. Chub maximum ration was determined by finding the feeding rate of dry commercial fish food that thar resulted in complete
Occupancy model coefficients and observed co-occurrence simulations for sicklefin chub, sturgeon chub, and associated fishes in the Missouri River Occupancy model coefficients and observed co-occurrence simulations for sicklefin chub, sturgeon chub, and associated fishes in the Missouri River
Extant population monitoring and habitat assessment data sets of benthic species were used as inputs for occupancy models focused on Sicklefin and Sturgeon chub with the goals of describing temporal, spatial, and environmental factors associated with occupancy patterns of each chub species, assessing co-occurrence of the two species, and determining relationships between co-occurrence...
Human use and activities at two urban riparian forest restoration sites in Indiana, USA, May-Sept, 2016 Human use and activities at two urban riparian forest restoration sites in Indiana, USA, May-Sept, 2016
The data consists of date and time of use, activity and number of individuals visiting specific sites. This data was collected by using camera traps to monitor visitors of two mitigation areas that are being restored to riparian forests.
Data Release for Lock 19 Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (UADS) Study: Interim Project Update Data Release for Lock 19 Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (UADS) Study: Interim Project Update
The Underwater Acoustic Deterrent System is an experimental deterrent that utilizes underwater sounds to deter invasive carps. An experimental deployment and evaluation of a UADS is currently being conducted at Lock 19 on the Mississippi River, near Keokuk, Iowa. This dataset includes information derived from two telemetry arrays (i.e., 307 kHz HTI and 69 kHz VEMCO) deployed at and...
Filter Total Items: 34
Understanding predator-prey-competitor dynamics between Lower Missouri River Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus using a population—bioenergetics model ensemble Understanding predator-prey-competitor dynamics between Lower Missouri River Macrhybopsis and Scaphirhynchus using a population—bioenergetics model ensemble
The pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus is a long-lived, endangered fish in the Missouri River. Individuals become piscivorous as adults, so recruitment from stocking or reproduction could reduce populations of prey, including Macrhybopsis chubs. We constructed an individual- and age-based, multi-species, predator-prey-competitor model (IAMP) to represent the benthic community...
Authors
Mark L. Wildhaber, Janice L. Albers, Nicholas S. Green
Studies to assess natural resource recovery and evaluate monitoring methods for restored bottomland hardwood forests Studies to assess natural resource recovery and evaluate monitoring methods for restored bottomland hardwood forests
The Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration process assesses natural resource injury due to oil or chemical spills and calculates the damages to compensate the public for those injuries. Ecological restoration provides a means for recovering resources injured or lost due to contamination from oil or chemical spills by restoring the injured site after remediation, or acquiring...
Authors
Michael J. Hooper, Matthew Struckhoff, John P. Isanhart, Janice L. Albers, Keith Grabner, Nicholas S. Green, Bethany K. Kunz, M. Victoria McDonald, Benjamin M West
Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA
Vegetation communities in restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana were studied 6–21 years after restoration to assess progress toward restoration objectives. The study focused on four sites that were restored to compensate for resource injuries after contaminant releases. The restored sites were compared with four reference-site conditions, including crops...
Authors
Matthew Struckhoff, Keith Grabner, Janice L. Albers, Michael J. Hooper
Sicklefin Chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) and Sturgeon Chub (M. gelida) temporal and spatial patterns from extant population monitoring and habitat data spanning 23 Years Sicklefin Chub (Macrhybopsis meeki) and Sturgeon Chub (M. gelida) temporal and spatial patterns from extant population monitoring and habitat data spanning 23 Years
Sicklefin (Macrhybopsis meeki) and sturgeon chub (M. gelida) historically occurred throughout the Missouri River (MR), in some tributaries, and Mississippi River downstream of the MR. They have been species of U.S. state-level conservation concern and U.S. Endangered Species Act listing candidates since the 1990s. We applied analytical approaches from occupancy modeling to correlation to
Authors
Mark L. Wildhaber, Benjamin M West, Kendell Ray Bennett, Jack Howard May, Janice L. Albers, Nicholas S. Green
Efficient mammal biodiversity surveys for ecological restoration monitoring Efficient mammal biodiversity surveys for ecological restoration monitoring
Efficient biodiversity surveys are critical for successful restoration monitoring and management. We studied the effect of varying sampling effort on the observed species richness of surveys of small mammals (trapping transects), bats (passive acoustic detection), and medium to large mammals (trail cameras). Field studies provided mammalian biodiversity data for 4 bottomland hardwood...
Authors
Nicholas S. Green, Mark L. Wildhaber, Janice L. Albers, Thomas W. Pettit, Michael J. Hooper
Visitor use and activities detected using trail cameras at forest restoration sites Visitor use and activities detected using trail cameras at forest restoration sites
We used trail cameras to monitor human visits and activities at two sites in northeast Indiana being restored to bottomland hardwood forests. These sites, managed as nature preserves, are close to cities, where trails and parking lots have been added for ease of access. In this study, trail cameras were successfully used to capture visitation rates and activity types. The two sites had...
Authors
Janice L. Albers, Mark L. Wildhaber, Nicholas S. Green, Matthew Struckhoff, Michael J. Hooper
Fully stochasticized age-structured population-bioenergetics model ensemble for application to communities Fully stochasticized age-structured population-bioenergetics model ensemble for application to communities
his is an R program for simulating multiple fish populations using species-specific projection matrices, interaction matrices, and bioenergetics submodels with hierarchical stochasticity. This program was designed to model the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) and associated fish species in the Lower Missouri River (Wildhaber et al. 2024), but it should be sufficiently general to...
*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