This bighead carp was collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
Jon Amberg, PhD
Jon Amberg
Science and Products
Resource Manager's eDNA Toolbox
eDNA Communication Strategies- Resource Manager's eDNA Toolbox
eDNA Best Practices- Resource Manager’s eDNA Toolbox
Developing RNA Interference to Control Zebra Mussels
BOR environmental DNA sampling for invasive mussels at USGS gages
Field Evaluation of Microparticles
Flocks of a feather dock together: Using Docker and HTCondor to link high-throughput computing across the USGS
Increasing Efficiency and Throughput of eDNA
Use of antimycin-microparticles and corn feed to control Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
Correlating seasonal trends and occupancy of bigheaded carp eDNA to land use and stream characteristics
Relationship between fish presence and abundance in Arizona standing waters measured through standard techniques and environmental DNA
Assessing the properties of RNA degradation in complex environmental water samples
Assessment of carbon dioxide piscicide treatments: Data
Ethanol and sodium acetate as a preservation method to delay degradation of environmental DNA: Data
This bighead carp was collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
These silver and bighead carp were collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
These silver and bighead carp were collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
Assessing the suitability of YY males and ZZ females as an invasive species population control method across life histories
U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27
Next-generation lampricides: A three-stage process to develop improved control tools for invasive sea lamprey
Chemical controls for an integrated pest management program
Tests in a semi-natural environment suggest that bait and switch strategy could be used to control invasive Common Carp
Carbon dioxide-induced mortality of four species of North American fishes
A round-robin evaluation of the repeatability and reproducibility of environmental DNA assays for dreissenid mussels
Adding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network
Refinement of eDNA as an early monitoring tool at the landscape-level: Study design considerations
Using environmental DNA to extend the window of early detection for dreissenid mussels
Development of a quantitative PCR method for screening ichthyoplankton samples for bigheaded carps
Environmental DNA as a tool to help inform zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, management in inland lakes
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 14
Resource Manager's eDNA Toolbox
Molecular tools have garnered a lot of interest in natural resource management, particularly in biosurveillance. Filling gaps in monitoring, characterizing, communicating molecular approaches, and easily accessible information will help realize the potential of molecular tools. The Resource Manager's eDNA Toolbox is a series of web pages where managers can assess the available approaches, markers...eDNA Communication Strategies- Resource Manager's eDNA Toolbox
When conducting eDNA studies, communication with both internal and external entities is crucial. Within this section, we highlight templates for communicating results, detection decision points, and detection criteria. You will also find information on false negatives, false positives, and the roles and responsibilities involved in eDNA studies.eDNA Best Practices- Resource Manager’s eDNA Toolbox
The unique attributes of each eDNA study, location, and species have led to challenges for the identification of specific standards (such as protocols on eDNA sample collection, laboratory and data analysis, and concentration methods). We aim to develop broad best practices for eDNA data collection to ensure high-quality and repeatable data and improve manager and stakeholder confidence in data...Developing RNA Interference to Control Zebra Mussels
We aim to develop a control tool for eliminating zebra mussels that exploits natural gene regulation mechanisms (RNA-induced gene silencing; RNAi) to be specific to zebra mussels without non-target effects. In addition to the nuisance they pose, Pimentel et al . estimated that zebra mussels cost the U.S. economy over $1 billion annually. Zebra mussels are among the International Union for...BOR environmental DNA sampling for invasive mussels at USGS gages
As part of an ongoing project funded by the Bureau of Reclamation and lead by the Idaho Water Sciences Center (IDWSC) and Northern Rocky Mountain Research Center (NOROCK), the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) will analyze environmental DNA samples collected at gage stations directly downstream of multiple reservoirs throughout the Columbia River Basin. The goal of this project...Field Evaluation of Microparticles
With this study, we will validate the use of microparticles to selectively deliver a control agent to feral bigheaded carps. Prior controlled studies conducted in ponds at the Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) in Columbia, Missouri indicated that microparticles could be used to deliver antimycin to bigheaded carps while not impacting non-target species like Largemouth Bass and Grass...Flocks of a feather dock together: Using Docker and HTCondor to link high-throughput computing across the USGS
USGS scientists often face computationally intensive tasks that require high-throughput computing capabilities. Several USGS facilities use HTCondor to run their computational pools but are not necessarily connected to the larger USGS pool. This project demonstrated how to connect HTCondor pools by flocking, or coordinating, within the USGS. In addition to flocking the Upper Midwest EnvironmentalIncreasing Efficiency and Throughput of eDNA
The results from this study will provide protocols for the collection, processing and analysis of environmental deoxyribonucleic acids (eDNA) samples for monitoring aquatic invasive species like Asian carp. These protocols have the potential to be used by fishery management agencies to monitor aquatic invasive species throughout the United States.Use of antimycin-microparticles and corn feed to control Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
Attempts to control carp, Cyprinus carpio, populations in Minnesota (and elsewhere) date back to early 1900s (Moyle et al. 1950, Moyle and Kuehn 1964). Early efforts focused on removing large numbers of adult carp, often by targeting their winter aggregations using seine nets. Such was the strategy in Minnesota in 1930s and 40s, where carp were systematically removed with nets in dozens of lakes...Correlating seasonal trends and occupancy of bigheaded carp eDNA to land use and stream characteristics
The results of this study will advance our understanding of environmental DNA (eDNA) and how eDNA signatures change as fish behavior changes over the course of the open water season. This will further develop eDNA as an easy sampling method to collect information about invading populations or cryptic species that are difficult to capture so that resource managers can be given better information to...Relationship between fish presence and abundance in Arizona standing waters measured through standard techniques and environmental DNA
The unpredictability of DNA degradation in the environment has plagued the ability of scientists to interpret environmental DNA (eDNA) data since the technique has been used for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as silver and bighead carps (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), Des Plaines River, near...Assessing the properties of RNA degradation in complex environmental water samples
The unpredictability of nucleic acid degradation in the environment has plagued the ability of scientists to interpret environmental DNA (eDNA) data since the technique has been used for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as silver and bighead carps (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), Des Plaines River... - Data
Assessment of carbon dioxide piscicide treatments: Data
Spreadsheets include data that was used to evaluate the efficacy of dry ice administered under-ice as a tool for reducing the overwinter survival of invasive carps. There are 10 CSV associated with this studyEthanol and sodium acetate as a preservation method to delay degradation of environmental DNA: Data
This data contains environmental DNA (eDNA) sample assay results that were collected from water samples taken from a tank housing Asian carp and placed either on ice or at room temperature. At both treatment temperatures, water samples were left untreated or were treated with an ethanol and sodium acetate solution (EtOH-NaAc). This was done to evaluate an ethanol and sodium acetate solution to mai - Multimedia
Bighead Carp
This bighead carp was collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
This bighead carp was collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
Silver and Bighead CarpThese silver and bighead carp were collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
These silver and bighead carp were collected on the Illinois River to learn more about the anatomy and physiology of Asian carp. This information will guide the development of potential biological or chemical controls as part of an integrated pest management approach for natural resource managers.
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 33
Assessing the suitability of YY males and ZZ females as an invasive species population control method across life histories
Natural resource managers use tools to control invasive species. In theory, stocking YY males or ZZ females would allow managers to skew sex ratios until populations collapse. In combination with other suppression methods, such as removal, this approach could be incorporated into Integrated Pest Management plans. For example, fishery managers have stocked YY males to control isolated non-native brAuthorsRichard A. Erickson, Hannah Mann Thompson, Stacie A. Kageyama, Grace M. Andriacchi, Aaron R. Cupp, Reynaldo Patiño, Jon AmbergU.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 invasive carp rAuthorsDuane Chapman, Jon Amberg, Robin Calfee, Enrika Hlavacek, Jon Hortness, P. Ryan Jackson, David C. Kazyak, Brent Knights, James RobertsNext-generation lampricides: A three-stage process to develop improved control tools for invasive sea lamprey
Successful integrated management of the invasive predatory sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America is owed largely to the long history of beneficial use of two lampricides: 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) and 2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide (niclosamide). Ensuring continued successful sea lamprey control necessitates consideration of possible nextAuthorsSteve Lantz, Bob Adair, Jon Amberg, Roger A. Bergstedt, Michael A. Boogaard, Ugo Bussy, Margaret F. Docker, Erin S. Dunlop, Alex Gonzalez, Terrance Hubert, Michael J. Siefkes, Paul Sullivan, Steve Whyard, Michael P. Wilkie, Bradley Young, Andrew M. MuirChemical controls for an integrated pest management program
Chemical controls ranging from natural products to synthesized chemicals are widely used in aquatic pest management activities. Chemicals can be used to lure organisms to traps or can cause direct mortality by altering the physiological function of an organism. Much of what is known about controlling pests with chemicals is from research done on terrestrial pesticides. This paper focuses on how chAuthorsKim T. Fredricks, Terrance D. Hubert, Jon Amberg, Aaron R. Cupp, Verdel K. DawsonTests in a semi-natural environment suggest that bait and switch strategy could be used to control invasive Common Carp
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758), is a highly invasive species that has had profound effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Many Carp management methods have been applied including physical removal, pesticide treatments of whole lakes, and water drawdowns. Herein, we tested key elements of a potential “bait and switch” approach in which corn could be used to induce feeding aggAuthorsPeter J Hundt, Jon Amberg, Blake W. Sauey, Kristen Vacura, Przemyslaw G. BajerCarbon dioxide-induced mortality of four species of North American fishes
Fisheries managers have a growing interest in the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a tool for controlling invasive fishes. However, limited published data exist on susceptibility of many commonly encountered species to elevated CO2 concentrations. Our objective was to estimate the 24-h 50% lethal concentration (LC50) and 95% lethal concentration (LC95) of CO2 for four fishes (Rainbow Trout OncorhyncAuthorsHilary B. Treanor, Andrew M. Ray, Jon Amberg, Mark P. Gaikowski, Jason E. Ilgen, Robert Gresswell, Leslie Gains-Germain, Molly A H WebbA round-robin evaluation of the repeatability and reproducibility of environmental DNA assays for dreissenid mussels
Resource managers may be hesitant to make decisions based on environmental (e)DNA results alone since eDNA is an indirect method of species detection. One way to reduce the uncertainty of eDNA is to identify laboratory‐based protocols that ensure repeatable and reproducible results. We conducted a double‐blind round‐robin analysis of probe‐based assays for DNA of dreissenid (Dreissena spp.) musselAuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Patrick R. Hutchins, Craig Jackson, Carl Ostberg, Matthew Laramie, Jon Amberg, Timothy Counihan, Andrew B. Hoegh, David PilliodAdding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network
The costs of invasive species in the United States alone are estimated to exceed US$100 billion per year so a critical tactic in minimizing the costs of invasive species is the development of effective, early-detection systems. To this end, we evaluated the efficacy of adding environmental (e)DNA surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage network, which consists of > 8,200 streamAuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Christian Schmidt, Jon Amberg, Patrick R. Hutchins, Christian Stratton, Christopher A. Mebane, Matthew Laramie, David PilliodRefinement of eDNA as an early monitoring tool at the landscape-level: Study design considerations
Natural resource managers use data on the spatial range of species to guide management decisions. These data come from survey or monitoring efforts that use a wide variety of tools. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a surveillance tool that uses genetic markers for detecting species and holds potential as a tool for large-scale monitoring programs. Two challenges of eDNA-based studies are uncertaintieAuthorsErica L. Mize, Richard A. Erickson, Christopher M. Merkes, N. Berndt, K.D. Bockrath, J. Credico, N. Grueneis, J. Merry, Kyle Mosel, M.T. Tuttle-Lau, K. Von Ruden, Jon Amberg, K. Baerwaldt, S.T. Finney, E.M. MonroeUsing environmental DNA to extend the window of early detection for dreissenid mussels
Tools that bolster early detection of invasive species are needed to prevent their spread. In this study, we assessed if environmental DNA (eDNA) can extend the seasonal window for dreissenid mussel early detection beyond that of plankton tows, which are limited to warmer seasons when mussel larvae are present. We focused eDNA sampling efforts at multiple sites in Tiber Reservoir (Montana) where dAuthorsAdam J. Sepulveda, Jon Amberg, Erik HansonDevelopment of a quantitative PCR method for screening ichthyoplankton samples for bigheaded carps
Monitoring ichthyoplankton is useful for identifying reproductive fronts and spawning locations of bigheaded carps (Hypophthalmichthys spp.). Unfortunately, sorting and identifying ichthyoplankton to monitor for bigheaded carp reproduction is time consuming and expensive. Traditional methods require frequent egg-larvae sampling, sorting of all samples to obtain presumptively identified bigheaded cAuthorsAndrea K. Fritts, Brent C. Knights, James H. Larson, Jon Amberg, Christopher M. Merkes, Tariq Tajjioui, Steven E. Butler, Matthew J. Diana, David H. Wahl, Michael J. Weber, John D. WatersEnvironmental DNA as a tool to help inform zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, management in inland lakes
Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an aquatic invasive species that plague much of North America and are difficult to impossible to eradicate once they become established. Therefore, prevention and monitoring are key elements in the control of these organisms. Traditional microscopy is commonly used in monitoring but requires the presence of larval veligers. This limits the times when resourAuthorsJon Amberg, Christopher M. Merkes, Wendylee Stott, Christopher B. Rees, Richard A. Erickson - News