Two black bass (Micropterus spp.) caught during the 2026 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, TN held on the Tennessee River. The fish on the left is a smallmouth bass, the fish on the right is what is known by bass anglers as a “meanmouth,” which is a hybrid between Alabama bass (M. henshalli) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu). Tom Miles, TTU PhD student.
Mark Rogers, PhD
Unit Leader - Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
Research Interests
Mark's research interests include fisheries ecology and management, population dynamics, and ecological modeling. He has studied fisheries in sub-tropical and temperate lakes and reservoirs, the Laurentian Great Lakes, and Australian rivers.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2015-Present Unit Leader, Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN
2011-2015 Research Fishery Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Erie Biological Station, Sandusky, OH
2010-2011 Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Ann Arbor, MI
2007-2010 Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
2003-2007 Alumni Fellow, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
2002-2003 Biological Scientist, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
2000-2002 Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI
1998-2000 High School Teacher, East Rowan High School, Salisbury, NC
1997-1998 Fishery Technician, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
1996-1997 Fishery Technician, N.C. State University, Raleigh, NC
Science and Products
Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
The Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (est. 1972) is a partnership among the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Technological University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers longitudinal and lateral movements
Silver Carp continue to expand their range in North American river basins, necessitating efforts to limit the spread with a combination of management actions. Within the Tennessee and Cumberland River Basin, locks and dams serve as bottlenecks that slow range expansion of invasive carps. Dams in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are high-head dams that restrict upstream passage to the lock...
Invasive Carp: Multi-Basin Movement
Invasive carp (Silver, Bighead, Grass, and Black Carp) continue to expand their range in North America, necessitating efforts to limit the spread and establishment of reproducing populations. Potential control measures include the installation of deterrents and targeted removals. Several key population bottlenecks occur at locks and dams in large rivers of North America, including locations on the...
Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers
Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and by 1989 had invaded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for these rivers and are currently spreading upriver. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and...
Black bass
Two black bass (Micropterus spp.) caught during the 2026 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, TN held on the Tennessee River. The fish on the left is a smallmouth bass, the fish on the right is what is known by bass anglers as a “meanmouth,” which is a hybrid between Alabama bass (M. henshalli) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu). Tom Miles, TTU PhD student.
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullhead
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullheadM.S. Student Hannah Swain-Menzel captured and identified a baby yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) in a reach of Little Chucky Creek where chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus) environmental DNA (eDNA) was detected.
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullhead
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullheadM.S. Student Hannah Swain-Menzel captured and identified a baby yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) in a reach of Little Chucky Creek where chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus) environmental DNA (eDNA) was detected.
Sharptooth walking catfish
Invasive species create risks to ecological communities. Recently, in Puerto Rico, sharptooth walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) were discovered as a new invasive species. This project is using environmental DNA (eDNA) to sample streams and help inform where physical removal efforts of this invasive species could best be allocated.
Invasive species create risks to ecological communities. Recently, in Puerto Rico, sharptooth walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) were discovered as a new invasive species. This project is using environmental DNA (eDNA) to sample streams and help inform where physical removal efforts of this invasive species could best be allocated.
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, TennesseePostdoctoral Researcher Robert Paine is collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee, on a brisk morning. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for the safety of persons (e.g., life jackets), but also important for gathering robust, quality data (e.g., gloves to prevent contamination).
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, TennesseePostdoctoral Researcher Robert Paine is collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee, on a brisk morning. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for the safety of persons (e.g., life jackets), but also important for gathering robust, quality data (e.g., gloves to prevent contamination).
Science and Products
Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
The Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (est. 1972) is a partnership among the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Technological University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers longitudinal and lateral movements
Silver Carp continue to expand their range in North American river basins, necessitating efforts to limit the spread with a combination of management actions. Within the Tennessee and Cumberland River Basin, locks and dams serve as bottlenecks that slow range expansion of invasive carps. Dams in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are high-head dams that restrict upstream passage to the lock...
Invasive Carp: Multi-Basin Movement
Invasive carp (Silver, Bighead, Grass, and Black Carp) continue to expand their range in North America, necessitating efforts to limit the spread and establishment of reproducing populations. Potential control measures include the installation of deterrents and targeted removals. Several key population bottlenecks occur at locks and dams in large rivers of North America, including locations on the...
Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers
Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and by 1989 had invaded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for these rivers and are currently spreading upriver. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and...
Black bass
Two black bass (Micropterus spp.) caught during the 2026 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, TN held on the Tennessee River. The fish on the left is a smallmouth bass, the fish on the right is what is known by bass anglers as a “meanmouth,” which is a hybrid between Alabama bass (M. henshalli) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu). Tom Miles, TTU PhD student.
Two black bass (Micropterus spp.) caught during the 2026 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, TN held on the Tennessee River. The fish on the left is a smallmouth bass, the fish on the right is what is known by bass anglers as a “meanmouth,” which is a hybrid between Alabama bass (M. henshalli) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu). Tom Miles, TTU PhD student.
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullhead
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullheadM.S. Student Hannah Swain-Menzel captured and identified a baby yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) in a reach of Little Chucky Creek where chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus) environmental DNA (eDNA) was detected.
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullhead
Graduate student is holding a baby yellow bullheadM.S. Student Hannah Swain-Menzel captured and identified a baby yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) in a reach of Little Chucky Creek where chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus) environmental DNA (eDNA) was detected.
Sharptooth walking catfish
Invasive species create risks to ecological communities. Recently, in Puerto Rico, sharptooth walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) were discovered as a new invasive species. This project is using environmental DNA (eDNA) to sample streams and help inform where physical removal efforts of this invasive species could best be allocated.
Invasive species create risks to ecological communities. Recently, in Puerto Rico, sharptooth walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) were discovered as a new invasive species. This project is using environmental DNA (eDNA) to sample streams and help inform where physical removal efforts of this invasive species could best be allocated.
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, TennesseePostdoctoral Researcher Robert Paine is collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee, on a brisk morning. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for the safety of persons (e.g., life jackets), but also important for gathering robust, quality data (e.g., gloves to prevent contamination).
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee
Robert Paine collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, TennesseePostdoctoral Researcher Robert Paine is collecting environmental DNA from Little Chucky Creek, Tennessee, on a brisk morning. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is important for the safety of persons (e.g., life jackets), but also important for gathering robust, quality data (e.g., gloves to prevent contamination).