Karli is a Fish Biologist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center in Kearneysville, WV.
Science and Products
Stream temperature data for sites in the Potomac River headwaters during 2022
This Data Release contains stream temperature data for 12 sites within the headwaters of the Potomac River basin. Data were collected between June 1-August 31, 2022 (92 days) at 30-minute increments. We collected data using Onset ProV2 gages in perforated PVC cases mounted to stream substrates with rebar. This work was funded by the USGS Priority Ecosystem Science program for the Chesapeake Bay.
Fish species abundance data for selected streams of the Potomac River basin
This Data Release contains data on fish species abundance for selected streams of the Potomac River basin in eastern North America. This dataset supports analysis of karst streams in the Chesapeake Bay headwaters region and was funded by USGS Chesapeake Bay studies.
USGS EcoDrought Stream Discharge, Gage Height, and Water Temperature Data in Massachusetts
The USGS Water Mission Area (WMA) - Ecosystems Mission Area (EMA) EcoDrought project is comprised of interdisciplinary teams in five pilot regions across the country. The over-arching project goal is to measure streamflow in headwater streams and to relate flow variation to stream fish population dynamics. In the northeast, the New England Water Science Center (NewEngWSC) partnered with the fish
Stream temperature observations during summer 2021 for sites in the Sleepy Creek watershed, West Virginia
This Data Release contains stream temperature observations for 10 sites in the Sleepy Creek Watershed (West Virginia) during summer 2021. Data were collected using Onset ProV2 temperature gages within perforated PVC cases attached to stream substrates with rebar. Temperature gages were deployed and retrieved by volunteers with the Sleepy Creek Watershed Association. Temperature records are provide
Water and air temperature data from Shenandoah Valley streams, Virginia (2017)
This Data Release provides hourly records of air and water temperature within 5 watersheds (Beaver Creek, Dry River, Mossy Creek, Passage Creek & Spout Run) in the Shenandoah Valley, VA in the summer of 2017. Data loggers were deployed and retrieved by Trout Unlimited personnel and volunteers.
Karst terrain promotes thermal resiliency in headwater streams
The response of stream ecosystems to climate change will depend in part on groundwater processes that reduce the sensitivity of streams to atmospheric conditions. We investigated the thermal sensitivity of streams across a gradient of groundwater inputs defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) in the headwaters of the Potomac River basin in eastern North America. We collected stream
Authors
Karmann G. Kessler, Karli M Rogers, Charles Marshak, Nathaniel P. Hitt
Stabilising effects of karstic groundwater on stream fish communities
Although groundwater exchange processes are known to modulate atmospheric influences on stream temperature and flow, the implications for ecological stability are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated temporal change in stream fish communities across a gradient of groundwater influence defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) within the Potomac River basin of eastern North America. We
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M Rogers, Karmann G. Kessler, Martin Briggs, Jennifer Burlingame Hoyle Fair
Bedrock depth influences spatial patterns of summer baseflow, temperature and flow disconnection for mountainous headwater streams
In mountain headwater streams, the quality and resilience of summer cold-water habitat is generally regulated by stream discharge, longitudinal stream channel connectivity and groundwater exchange. These critical hydrologic processes are thought to be influenced by the stream corridor bedrock contact depth (sediment thickness), a parameter often inferred from sparse hillslope borehole information,
Authors
Martin Briggs, Phillip J. Goodling, Zachary Johnson, Karli M. Rogers, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Jennifer Burlingame Hoyle Fair, Craig D. Snyder
Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout
Throughout their range, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) occupy thousands of disjunct drainages with varying levels of disturbance, which presents substantial challenges for conservation. Within the southern Appalachian Mountains, fragmentation and genetic drift have been identified as key threats to the genetic diversity of the Brook Trout populations. In addition, extensive historic stocking
Authors
John S. Hargrove, David C. Kazyak, Barbara A. Lubinski, Karli M. Rogers, Olivia K. Bowers, Kurt A. Fesenmyer, Jim W. Habera, Jason Henegar
Comparative morphology of freshwater sculpin inhabiting different environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay headwaters
We compared body morphology of two freshwater sculpin taxa that inhabit distinct environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed of eastern North America: Potomac sculpin (C. girardi, Robins; PS) and checkered sculpin (C. sp. cf. girardi; CS). Both taxa are endemic to the study area, but PS are more broadly distributed than CS which are limited to karst groundwater-dominated streams in th
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karmann G. Kessler, Hannah Eisemann Macmillan, Karli M Rogers, Richard L. Raesly
Assessing native fish restoration potential in Catoctin Mountain Park
Biological conservation is a fundamental purpose of the National Park system, and Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO) supports high-quality habitat for native fishes in the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in eastern North America. However, native Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum) have been extirpated in Big Hunting Creek above Cunningham Falls in CATO. Prior research indicates that i
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karmann G. Kessler, Zachary A. Kelly, Karli M. Rogers, Hannah E. Macmillan, Heather L. Walsh
Modeling occupancy of rare stream fish species in the upper Cumberland and Kentucky River Basins
Biological conservation often requires an understanding of how environmental conditions affect species occurrence and detection probabilities. We used a hierarchical framework to evaluate these effects for several Appalachian stream fish species of conservation concern: Chrosomus cumberlandensis (BSD; blackside dace), Etheostoma sagitta (CAD; Cumberland arrow darter), and Etheostoma spilotum (KAD;
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M. Rogers, Karmann Kessler, Hannah E. Macmillan
Comparison of underwater video with electrofishing and dive‐counts for stream fish abundance estimation
Advances in video technology enable new strategies for stream fish research. We compared juvenile (age‐0) and adult (age 1+) Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis abundance estimates from underwater video with backpack electrofishing and dive‐count methods across a series of stream pools in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (n = 41). Video methods estimated greater mean abundance of adult trout than
Authors
Nathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M Rogers, Craig D. Snyder, C. Andrew Dolloff
Science and Products
- Data
Stream temperature data for sites in the Potomac River headwaters during 2022
This Data Release contains stream temperature data for 12 sites within the headwaters of the Potomac River basin. Data were collected between June 1-August 31, 2022 (92 days) at 30-minute increments. We collected data using Onset ProV2 gages in perforated PVC cases mounted to stream substrates with rebar. This work was funded by the USGS Priority Ecosystem Science program for the Chesapeake Bay.Fish species abundance data for selected streams of the Potomac River basin
This Data Release contains data on fish species abundance for selected streams of the Potomac River basin in eastern North America. This dataset supports analysis of karst streams in the Chesapeake Bay headwaters region and was funded by USGS Chesapeake Bay studies.USGS EcoDrought Stream Discharge, Gage Height, and Water Temperature Data in Massachusetts
The USGS Water Mission Area (WMA) - Ecosystems Mission Area (EMA) EcoDrought project is comprised of interdisciplinary teams in five pilot regions across the country. The over-arching project goal is to measure streamflow in headwater streams and to relate flow variation to stream fish population dynamics. In the northeast, the New England Water Science Center (NewEngWSC) partnered with the fishStream temperature observations during summer 2021 for sites in the Sleepy Creek watershed, West Virginia
This Data Release contains stream temperature observations for 10 sites in the Sleepy Creek Watershed (West Virginia) during summer 2021. Data were collected using Onset ProV2 temperature gages within perforated PVC cases attached to stream substrates with rebar. Temperature gages were deployed and retrieved by volunteers with the Sleepy Creek Watershed Association. Temperature records are provideWater and air temperature data from Shenandoah Valley streams, Virginia (2017)
This Data Release provides hourly records of air and water temperature within 5 watersheds (Beaver Creek, Dry River, Mossy Creek, Passage Creek & Spout Run) in the Shenandoah Valley, VA in the summer of 2017. Data loggers were deployed and retrieved by Trout Unlimited personnel and volunteers. - Multimedia
- Publications
Karst terrain promotes thermal resiliency in headwater streams
The response of stream ecosystems to climate change will depend in part on groundwater processes that reduce the sensitivity of streams to atmospheric conditions. We investigated the thermal sensitivity of streams across a gradient of groundwater inputs defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) in the headwaters of the Potomac River basin in eastern North America. We collected streamAuthorsKarmann G. Kessler, Karli M Rogers, Charles Marshak, Nathaniel P. HittStabilising effects of karstic groundwater on stream fish communities
Although groundwater exchange processes are known to modulate atmospheric influences on stream temperature and flow, the implications for ecological stability are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated temporal change in stream fish communities across a gradient of groundwater influence defined by karst terrain (carbonate parent materials) within the Potomac River basin of eastern North America. WeAuthorsNathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M Rogers, Karmann G. Kessler, Martin Briggs, Jennifer Burlingame Hoyle FairBedrock depth influences spatial patterns of summer baseflow, temperature and flow disconnection for mountainous headwater streams
In mountain headwater streams, the quality and resilience of summer cold-water habitat is generally regulated by stream discharge, longitudinal stream channel connectivity and groundwater exchange. These critical hydrologic processes are thought to be influenced by the stream corridor bedrock contact depth (sediment thickness), a parameter often inferred from sparse hillslope borehole information,AuthorsMartin Briggs, Phillip J. Goodling, Zachary Johnson, Karli M. Rogers, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Jennifer Burlingame Hoyle Fair, Craig D. SnyderLandscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout
Throughout their range, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) occupy thousands of disjunct drainages with varying levels of disturbance, which presents substantial challenges for conservation. Within the southern Appalachian Mountains, fragmentation and genetic drift have been identified as key threats to the genetic diversity of the Brook Trout populations. In addition, extensive historic stockingAuthorsJohn S. Hargrove, David C. Kazyak, Barbara A. Lubinski, Karli M. Rogers, Olivia K. Bowers, Kurt A. Fesenmyer, Jim W. Habera, Jason HenegarComparative morphology of freshwater sculpin inhabiting different environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay headwaters
We compared body morphology of two freshwater sculpin taxa that inhabit distinct environmental conditions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed of eastern North America: Potomac sculpin (C. girardi, Robins; PS) and checkered sculpin (C. sp. cf. girardi; CS). Both taxa are endemic to the study area, but PS are more broadly distributed than CS which are limited to karst groundwater-dominated streams in thAuthorsNathaniel P. Hitt, Karmann G. Kessler, Hannah Eisemann Macmillan, Karli M Rogers, Richard L. RaeslyAssessing native fish restoration potential in Catoctin Mountain Park
Biological conservation is a fundamental purpose of the National Park system, and Catoctin Mountain Park (CATO) supports high-quality habitat for native fishes in the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in eastern North America. However, native Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum) have been extirpated in Big Hunting Creek above Cunningham Falls in CATO. Prior research indicates that iAuthorsNathaniel P. Hitt, Karmann G. Kessler, Zachary A. Kelly, Karli M. Rogers, Hannah E. Macmillan, Heather L. WalshModeling occupancy of rare stream fish species in the upper Cumberland and Kentucky River Basins
Biological conservation often requires an understanding of how environmental conditions affect species occurrence and detection probabilities. We used a hierarchical framework to evaluate these effects for several Appalachian stream fish species of conservation concern: Chrosomus cumberlandensis (BSD; blackside dace), Etheostoma sagitta (CAD; Cumberland arrow darter), and Etheostoma spilotum (KAD;AuthorsNathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M. Rogers, Karmann Kessler, Hannah E. MacmillanComparison of underwater video with electrofishing and dive‐counts for stream fish abundance estimation
Advances in video technology enable new strategies for stream fish research. We compared juvenile (age‐0) and adult (age 1+) Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis abundance estimates from underwater video with backpack electrofishing and dive‐count methods across a series of stream pools in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (n = 41). Video methods estimated greater mean abundance of adult trout thanAuthorsNathaniel P. Hitt, Karli M Rogers, Craig D. Snyder, C. Andrew Dolloff