My research focuses on
► the ecological effects of invasive sea lampreys in the Laurentian Great Lakes,
► the assessment of other invasive and nuisance species,
► optimal survey design in aquatic systems, and
► ecosystem change and biotic integrity.
I also provide statistical expertise to the bi-national Great Lakes Fishery Commission to inform their sea lamprey control program.
Professional Experience
Fish Biologist, 2021-present
U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor MI
Statistician
U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor MI (1995-2021)
Great Lakes Fishery Commission, Ann Arbor MI (2000-present)
Biometrician, 1994
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Research, Monona WI
Peace Corps Volunteer, 1992-1993
U.S. Peace Corps, Menyamya High School, Papua New Guinea
Treaty Fisheries Database Coordinator, 1991
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Management, Madison WI
Research Assistant, 1985-1990
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Research, Fitchburg WI
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 2020
M.S. in Statistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990
B.S. in Biology, Bradley University, 1985
Honors and Awards
Vernon C. Applegate Award, 2007 – outstanding contributions to sea lamprey control
STAR Award, 2001 – outstanding contributions to the Sea Lamprey International Symposium II
James W. Moffett Publication Award, 1998 – outstanding scientific paper published in 1997
STAR Award, 1998 – exceptional contributions to interagency cooperative study, The development and implementation of an integrated (acoustic and trawl) prey fish assessment strategy for Lake Michigan
Science and Products
Pedigree analysis and estimates of effective breeding size characterize sea lamprey reproductive biology
Estimation of lake-scale stock-recruitment models for Great Lakes sea lampreys
Foreword: Control and conservation of lampreys beyond 2020 - Proceedings from the 3rd Sea Lamprey International Symposium (SLIS III)
Setting and tracking suppression targets for sea lampreys in the Great Lakes
Quantifying Great Lakes sea lamprey populations using an index of adults
Trade-offs between suppression and eradication of sea lampreys from the Great Lake
A review of an electric weir and fishway in a Great Lakes tributary from conception to termination
Investigating apparent misalignment of predator-prey dynamics: Great Lakes lake trout and sea lampreys
Winter severity, fish community, and availability to traps explain most of the variability in estimates of adult sea lamprey in Lake Superior
Using simulation to understand annual sea lamprey marking rates on lake trout
Evidence of host switching: Sea lampreys disproportionately attack Chinook salmon when lake trout abundance is low in Lake Ontario
Assessing the assumptions of classification agreement, accuracy, and predictable healing time of sea lamprey wounds on lake trout
Science and Products
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 78
Pedigree analysis and estimates of effective breeding size characterize sea lamprey reproductive biology
The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is an invasive species in the Great Lakes and the focus of a large control and assessment program. Current assessment methods provide information on the census size of spawning adult sea lamprey in a small number of streams, but information characterizing reproductive success of spawning adults is rarely available. We used RAD-capture sequencing to genotype sinEstimation of lake-scale stock-recruitment models for Great Lakes sea lampreys
Understanding recruitment dynamics is an essential part of effective fisheries management, whether the focus is on conservation, harvest policy development, or invasive species control. We developed a model that estimates lake-wide Ricker stock-recruitment relations for invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) in each of the five Laurentian Great Lakes to inform future control efforts. We fit adForeword: Control and conservation of lampreys beyond 2020 - Proceedings from the 3rd Sea Lamprey International Symposium (SLIS III)
Introduction to the special issue on the 3rd Sea Lamprey International Symposium. The compiled papers in this special issue consist of a combination of syntheses requested in advance of the symposium and perspectives that emerged from the symposium break-out discussions. These written contributions address the symposium goals of updating our understanding of sea lamprey control and research on lamSetting and tracking suppression targets for sea lampreys in the Great Lakes
In response to invasive species, the course of action taken by management agencies often evolves over a range of options from a do-nothing approach to suppression to complete eradication. As a case study of suppression targets, we explore the history of approaches used by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in response to the invasion of the Laurentian Great Lakes by sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinuQuantifying Great Lakes sea lamprey populations using an index of adults
Effective control of aquatic invasive species requires knowledge of the population throughout the infested area. Lake-wide assessments of invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) are used to assess their status in the Laurentian Great Lakes, informing fisheries managers and decision makers in the sea lamprey control program. Initially these assessments focused on an estimate of absolute abundancTrade-offs between suppression and eradication of sea lampreys from the Great Lake
Ecosystem managers confronted with newly invasive species may respond with a program of suppression or eradication. Suppression of an invasive species refers to management of a species such that its effect on other biota in the local ecosystem is acceptable. Eradication is the removal of all individuals of a species from a defined region. We examine the cost and benefit trade-offs between suppressA review of an electric weir and fishway in a Great Lakes tributary from conception to termination
A successful management plan requires clear goals and a process for evaluation. Without them, managers risk operational shifts in which continuous changes disguised as improvements may have little beneficial effect. The conception, design, and operation of an electric barrier and fishway on the Pere Marquette River of Lake Michigan serve as an illustration. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission operaInvestigating apparent misalignment of predator-prey dynamics: Great Lakes lake trout and sea lampreys
Interpreting ecological dynamics is challenging when observed patterns are not aligned with presumed models. Investigating possible sources of uncertainty is critical to understand the underlying system and ultimately inform management decisions. In this study, we used simulation to investigate the hypothesis that observed inconsistencies in Great Lakes lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and sea laWinter severity, fish community, and availability to traps explain most of the variability in estimates of adult sea lamprey in Lake Superior
Animal populations are assessed to estimate rates of artificial and natural mortality at ecologically relevant spatial and temporal scales to develop exploitation quotas. But how the population’s natural mortality rate and how the ability to observe the population changes through time are poorly understood in most invasive fishes, despite efforts to control their populations. By investigating a 30Using simulation to understand annual sea lamprey marking rates on lake trout
Sea lampreys attack fish, killing some and leaving marks on others. Great Lakes fishery managers rely on observed marking rates to assess the success of the sea lamprey control program and estimate sea lamprey-induced mortality of lake trout. Because marking rates are only observed on survivors of sea lamprey attacks, they may not provide a reliable index of actual attack or mortality rates. To inEvidence of host switching: Sea lampreys disproportionately attack Chinook salmon when lake trout abundance is low in Lake Ontario
Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) is the presumed preferred host of the invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Great Lakes, but little is understood about this preference outside of laboratory experiments. By preference we mean sea lamprey attacks on hosts are disproportionate to host relative abundance. The purpose of this study was to quantify host preference of sea lampreys in the fieAssessing the assumptions of classification agreement, accuracy, and predictable healing time of sea lamprey wounds on lake trout
Sea lamprey control in the Laurentian Great Lakes relies on records of sea lamprey wounds on lake trout to assess whether control efforts are supporting fisheries management targets. Wounding records have been maintained for 70 years under the assumption that they are a reliable and accurate reflection of sea lamprey damage inflicted on fish populations. However, two key assumptions underpinning t - Software
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