Marc Chalupnicki is a Biological Science Technician based in Cortland, NY.
In 1999, I attended Onondaga Community College where I studied Mathematics and Science. While at O.C.C., I enrolled in a course in which I was able to travel to San Salvador and study tropical marine biology. This sparked my interest in marine biology and led me to continue my studies at SUNY Brockport. I graduated in 2001 from SUNY Brockport with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Biology with a minor in Chemistry. After graduation, I began working at a Soil and Water Conservation District as part of the Youth Corps and found a new interest in freshwater ecology. My curiosity about environmental science and the interactions between aquatic organisms and their environment continued to grow and I decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Aquatic Ecology/Toxicology again at SUNY Brockport. Since 2004, I have been working as a Research Technician at the USGS Tunison Lab of Aquatic Science in Cortland. NY. In my position I have the ability to assist researchers on a variety of topics that include fish ecology, fish diet analysis, stream habitat assessment, GAP analysis, Atlantic Salmon and Coregonid fish culture, and fish physiology to name a few.
I have worked at the Tunison Lab of Aquatic Science in Cortland, NY for the past eight years as a biological science technician. During that time I have assisted research scientists on various projects that have ranged from habitat assessments, diet evaluations, simulation computer modeling of the Great Lakes benthic organisms, toxicology and avoidance testing. The first two years involved an intense field evaluation of lake sturgeon distribution and habitat use in a northern tributary to the St. Lawrence River. I was then assigned to assist multiple research scientists where I am still today on their various research projects and play an important role in collecting the filed data, inputing the raw data, analyzing the results and at times helping write up the findings in a publication or a presentation.
Science and Products
Publications by this scientist
Filter Total Items: 29
Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020
Bloater, Coregonus hoyi, are deepwater planktivores native to the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon. Interpretations of commercial fishery time series suggest they were common in Lake Ontario through the early 1900s but by the 1950s were no longer captured by commercial fishers. Annual bottom trawl surveys that began in 1978 and sampled extensively across putative bloater habitat only yielde
Acoustic tag retention and tagging mortality of juvenile cisco Coregonus artedi
Release of hatchery-reared juvenile cisco (Coregonus artedi) is an important tool for recovering Great Lakes populations, but post-release survival is unknown. Telemetry using small acoustic tags provides opportunities to assess the efficacy of hatchery-reared fish releases. However, better understanding of the tolerance of juvenile cisco to acoustic tags is needed. Juvenile cisco mortality and ta
Summer Diet of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Reintroduced into the Genesee and St. Regis Rivers, New York USA
The restoration of threatened species involves understanding multiple aspects of the life history and ecology of the target species. One important consideration in the restoration of threatened species is feeding ecology. We examined the summer diet of reintroduced juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Genesee (n = 119, ages 1 and 2) and the St. Regis rivers (n = 40, ages 1, 2, 5, 6
Spatial segregation of cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis) larvae in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario
Abstract
Two of the remaining coregonine species in Lake Ontario, cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis), spawn in Chaumont Bay, NY. Larvae co-occur in the spring but are difficult to distinguish morphologically. We applied genetic species identification using microsatellite DNA loci of 268 larvae from known locations in nearshore and offshore habitats in Chaumont Bay to det
Differentiation between lake whitefish and cisco eggs based on diameter
Cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) are native fish species of management concern in the Laurentian Great Lakes that often overlap in spawning locations and timing. Thus, species-level inference from in situ sampling requires methods to differentiate their eggs. Genetic barcoding and hatching eggs to visually identify larvae are used but can be time and cost intens
Simulation of rapid ecological change in Lake Ontario
Lower trophic level processes are integral to proper functioning of large aquatic ecosystems and have been disturbed in Lake Ontario by various stressors including exotic species. The invasion of benthic habitats by dreissenid mussels has led to systemic changes and native faunal declines. Size-dependent physiological rates, spatial differences and connectivity, competition, and differential popul
Feeding ecology of Brook Silverside, Golden Shiner, and Subyearling Pumpkinseed in a Lake Ontario embayment
Fish feeding ecology has been shown to vary over a 24-h period in terms of the prey consumed and feeding intensity. Consequently, in order to best determine the interspecific feeding associations within a fish community, examination of the diet at multiple times over a 24-h period is often necessary. We examined the diel feeding ecology of three fish species that were numerically dominant in a Lak
Summer-autumn habitat use of yearling rainbow trout in two streams in the Lake Ontario watershed
Understanding the habitat requirements of salmonids in streams is an important component of fisheries management. We examined the summer and autumn habitat use of yearling Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in relation to available habitat in two streams in the Lake Ontario watershed. Little interstream variation in trout habitat use was observed; the variation that did occur was largely due to dif
Feeding periodicity, diet composition, and food consumption of subyearling rainbow trout in winter
Although winter is a critically important period for stream salmonids, aspects of the ecology of several species are poorly understood. Consequently, we examined the diel feeding ecology of subyearling rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during winter in a central New York stream. Rainbow trout diet was significantly different during each 4-h interval and also differed from the drift and benthos.
Predation on Chinook Salmon parr by hatchery salmonids and Fallfish in the Salmon River, New York
Naturally reproduced Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha contribute substantially to the fishery in Lake Ontario. The Salmon River, a Lake Ontario tributary in New York, produces the largest numbers of naturally spawned Chinook Salmon, with parr abundance in the river often exceeding 10 million. In the spring of each year, large numbers of hatchery salmonid yearlings—potential predators of Chi
Predation on Pacific salmonid eggs and carcass's by subyearling Atlantic salmon in a tributary of Lake Ontario
A binational effort to reintroduce Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that were extirpated in the Lake Ontario ecosystem for over a century is currently being undertaken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Reintroduction actions include the release of several life stages including fry, fall fingerlings, and yearling smolts. In th
Diel diet of fantail darter in a tributary to Lake Ontario, New York, USA
The foraging behavior of benthic fishes in streams is seldom examined but is vital to the health of the aquatic community. We examined the feeding ecology of the fantail darter (Etheostoma flaballere) in Trout Brook, a tributary of the Salmon River in central New York, USA. Of the six time periods examined, fantail darters fed most intensely from 1600–2000 h, with ephemeropterans the major prey co
Non-USGS Publications**
Chalupnicki, M. A., and J. Haynes. 2011. Health of Brockport Creek following contaminated sediment removal from an upstream tributary. Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology. 3(5):127-138.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Data releases by this scientist
Survival and ancillary data associated with Cisco acoustic tagging experiment conducted in 2018 and 2019
These data include survival information for Cisco in the laboratory for up to 30 days after surgical implantation of two different sizes of Lotek acoustic tags. Three-hundred fish of a range of sizes were used for the implantation and controls of this experiment, which was repeated three time. Ancillary data of surgical condition, recovery, and time until death or tag expulsion were also recorded,
Genetic species identification of larval Coregonines from Chaumont Bay (New York), Lake Ontario
Location, occurrence, collection information, and genetic species identification data in support of an analysis of the spatial separation of Lake Whitefish and Cisco larvae in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario, the last known spawning area of both species in American waters of Lake Ontario. Genetic species identification of larval coregonines collected between April 2004 and 2015 is provided for larval s
News about this scientist
Science and Products
- Publications
Publications by this scientist
Filter Total Items: 29Results of the collaborative Lake Ontario bloater restoration stocking and assessment, 2012–2020
Bloater, Coregonus hoyi, are deepwater planktivores native to the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Nipigon. Interpretations of commercial fishery time series suggest they were common in Lake Ontario through the early 1900s but by the 1950s were no longer captured by commercial fishers. Annual bottom trawl surveys that began in 1978 and sampled extensively across putative bloater habitat only yieldeAcoustic tag retention and tagging mortality of juvenile cisco Coregonus artedi
Release of hatchery-reared juvenile cisco (Coregonus artedi) is an important tool for recovering Great Lakes populations, but post-release survival is unknown. Telemetry using small acoustic tags provides opportunities to assess the efficacy of hatchery-reared fish releases. However, better understanding of the tolerance of juvenile cisco to acoustic tags is needed. Juvenile cisco mortality and taSummer Diet of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Reintroduced into the Genesee and St. Regis Rivers, New York USA
The restoration of threatened species involves understanding multiple aspects of the life history and ecology of the target species. One important consideration in the restoration of threatened species is feeding ecology. We examined the summer diet of reintroduced juvenile lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Genesee (n = 119, ages 1 and 2) and the St. Regis rivers (n = 40, ages 1, 2, 5, 6Spatial segregation of cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis) larvae in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario
Abstract Two of the remaining coregonine species in Lake Ontario, cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis), spawn in Chaumont Bay, NY. Larvae co-occur in the spring but are difficult to distinguish morphologically. We applied genetic species identification using microsatellite DNA loci of 268 larvae from known locations in nearshore and offshore habitats in Chaumont Bay to detDifferentiation between lake whitefish and cisco eggs based on diameter
Cisco (Coregonus artedi) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) are native fish species of management concern in the Laurentian Great Lakes that often overlap in spawning locations and timing. Thus, species-level inference from in situ sampling requires methods to differentiate their eggs. Genetic barcoding and hatching eggs to visually identify larvae are used but can be time and cost intensSimulation of rapid ecological change in Lake Ontario
Lower trophic level processes are integral to proper functioning of large aquatic ecosystems and have been disturbed in Lake Ontario by various stressors including exotic species. The invasion of benthic habitats by dreissenid mussels has led to systemic changes and native faunal declines. Size-dependent physiological rates, spatial differences and connectivity, competition, and differential populFeeding ecology of Brook Silverside, Golden Shiner, and Subyearling Pumpkinseed in a Lake Ontario embayment
Fish feeding ecology has been shown to vary over a 24-h period in terms of the prey consumed and feeding intensity. Consequently, in order to best determine the interspecific feeding associations within a fish community, examination of the diet at multiple times over a 24-h period is often necessary. We examined the diel feeding ecology of three fish species that were numerically dominant in a LakSummer-autumn habitat use of yearling rainbow trout in two streams in the Lake Ontario watershed
Understanding the habitat requirements of salmonids in streams is an important component of fisheries management. We examined the summer and autumn habitat use of yearling Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in relation to available habitat in two streams in the Lake Ontario watershed. Little interstream variation in trout habitat use was observed; the variation that did occur was largely due to difFeeding periodicity, diet composition, and food consumption of subyearling rainbow trout in winter
Although winter is a critically important period for stream salmonids, aspects of the ecology of several species are poorly understood. Consequently, we examined the diel feeding ecology of subyearling rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during winter in a central New York stream. Rainbow trout diet was significantly different during each 4-h interval and also differed from the drift and benthos.Predation on Chinook Salmon parr by hatchery salmonids and Fallfish in the Salmon River, New York
Naturally reproduced Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha contribute substantially to the fishery in Lake Ontario. The Salmon River, a Lake Ontario tributary in New York, produces the largest numbers of naturally spawned Chinook Salmon, with parr abundance in the river often exceeding 10 million. In the spring of each year, large numbers of hatchery salmonid yearlings—potential predators of ChiPredation on Pacific salmonid eggs and carcass's by subyearling Atlantic salmon in a tributary of Lake Ontario
A binational effort to reintroduce Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that were extirpated in the Lake Ontario ecosystem for over a century is currently being undertaken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Reintroduction actions include the release of several life stages including fry, fall fingerlings, and yearling smolts. In thDiel diet of fantail darter in a tributary to Lake Ontario, New York, USA
The foraging behavior of benthic fishes in streams is seldom examined but is vital to the health of the aquatic community. We examined the feeding ecology of the fantail darter (Etheostoma flaballere) in Trout Brook, a tributary of the Salmon River in central New York, USA. Of the six time periods examined, fantail darters fed most intensely from 1600–2000 h, with ephemeropterans the major prey coNon-USGS Publications**
Chalupnicki, M. A., and J. Haynes. 2011. Health of Brockport Creek following contaminated sediment removal from an upstream tributary. Journal of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology. 3(5):127-138.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
- Data
Data releases by this scientist
Survival and ancillary data associated with Cisco acoustic tagging experiment conducted in 2018 and 2019
These data include survival information for Cisco in the laboratory for up to 30 days after surgical implantation of two different sizes of Lotek acoustic tags. Three-hundred fish of a range of sizes were used for the implantation and controls of this experiment, which was repeated three time. Ancillary data of surgical condition, recovery, and time until death or tag expulsion were also recorded,Genetic species identification of larval Coregonines from Chaumont Bay (New York), Lake Ontario
Location, occurrence, collection information, and genetic species identification data in support of an analysis of the spatial separation of Lake Whitefish and Cisco larvae in Chaumont Bay, Lake Ontario, the last known spawning area of both species in American waters of Lake Ontario. Genetic species identification of larval coregonines collected between April 2004 and 2015 is provided for larval s - News
News about this scientist