Matthew O'Donnell
Matt is a Research Ecologist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the S. O. Conte Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.
Matt's research focuses on factors that influence population persistence of stream salmonids. In particular, Matt is examining the importance of coldwater refugia, thermal acclimation, and adaptation as a possible mechanisms for brook trout to persist in warming streams. In the field, he leads a project where wild brook trout are implanted with temperature recording tags to determine what water temperature fish actually experience. In the lab, he leads experiments where brook trout are being reared under ambient and increased thermal regimes for successive generations to examine the potential scope for thermal acclimation within generations and adaptation across generations.
Professional Experience
2018-present: Research Ecologist, USGS, Leetown Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab, Turners Falls, Massachusetts
2002-2018: Ecologist, USGS, Leetown Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Lab, Turners Falls, Massachusetts
2000-2002: Marine Resource Scientist I, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Hallowell, Maine
1999-2000: Biologist I, Mass Wildlife, Westborough, Massachusetts
Education and Certifications
M.S. Fisheries Conservation, UMASS-Amherst, 2000.
B.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and Management, Fisheries option, UMASS-Amherst, 1995.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 28
Thermal transfer rate is slower in bigger fish: How does body size affect response time of small, implantable temperature recording tags? Thermal transfer rate is slower in bigger fish: How does body size affect response time of small, implantable temperature recording tags?
The recent miniaturisation of implantable temperature recording tags has made measuring the water temperatures fish experience in the wild possible, but there may be a body size-dependent delay in implanted tag response time to changes in external temperature. To determine whether fish body size affects the response rate of implanted temperature tags, we implanted 20 Salvelinus...
Authors
Matthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin Letcher
Smaller body size under warming is not due to gill-oxygen limitation in a coldwater salmonid Smaller body size under warming is not due to gill-oxygen limitation in a coldwater salmonid
Declining body size in fishes and other aquatic ectotherms associated with anthropogenic climate warming has significant implications for future fisheries yields, stock assessments and aquatic ecosystem stability. One proposed mechanism seeking to explain such body-size reductions, known as the gill oxygen limitation (GOL) hypothesis, has recently been used to model future impacts of...
Authors
Joshua K. Lonthair, Nicholas C. Wegner, Brian S. Cheng, Nann A. Fangue, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, John D. Swenson, Estefany Argueta, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin Letcher, Lisa M Komoroske
Relating absolute abundance of an estuarine fish to habitat area in an urbanizing environment Relating absolute abundance of an estuarine fish to habitat area in an urbanizing environment
Organisms that rely on salt marsh habitat are an important trophic link, helping to maintain estuarine ecosystem productivity. We used GIS to quantify intertidal (assumed salt marsh) area from aerial photographs taken in 1939 and from software-supplied satellite imagery taken in 2021 for tidal creeks in North Carolina (USA) that have experienced minor (60%) losses of intertidal habitat...
Authors
Paul J. Rudershausen, Steven M. Lombardo, George R. Stilson, Matthew J. O'Donnell
Identifying mechanisms underlying individual body size increases in a changing, highly seasonal environment: The growing trout of West Brook Identifying mechanisms underlying individual body size increases in a changing, highly seasonal environment: The growing trout of West Brook
As air temperature increases, it has been suggested that smaller individual body size may be a general response to climate warming. However, for ectotherms inhabiting cold, highly seasonal environments, warming temperatures may increase the scope for growth and result in larger body size.In a long-term study of individual brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta...
Authors
Benjamin Letcher, Keith Nislow, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Andrew R. Whiteley, Jason Coombs, Todd L. Dubreuil, Daniel Turek
Testing assumptions in the use of PIT tags to study movement of Plethodon salamanders Testing assumptions in the use of PIT tags to study movement of Plethodon salamanders
Studying the movements of organisms that live underground for at least a portion of their life history is challenging, given the state of current technology. Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) provide a way to individually identify and, more recently, study the movement of smaller animals, including those that make subterranean movements. However, there are widespread assumptions...
Authors
Sean C Sterrett, Todd L. Dubreuil, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Adrianne Brand, Evan H. Campbell Grant
Cohort strength and body size in co-occurring salmonids in a small stream network: Variation in space and time Cohort strength and body size in co-occurring salmonids in a small stream network: Variation in space and time
Trout and salmon commonly coexist in stream networks. Exploring similarities and differences among species can help explain coexistence and invasive ability. Here, we describe spatial distribution, cohort strengths and size-at-age of three co-occurring species in a small stream network. Spatial distributions varied dramatically among species; native brook trout occupied all stream...
Authors
Benjamin Letcher, Keith H. Nislow, Matthew O’Donnell, Andrew R. Whiteley, Jason A. Coombs, Todd L. Dubreuil
Non-USGS Publications**
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2000. Restoring Our Native Fish Resources, Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2000. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 96pp.
Gamble, M.E., M.J. O’Donnell, P. Perra, D. St. Pierre, and S. Winslow. 2001. 2001 Review of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Fishery Management Plan for Shad and River Herring (Alosa sp.). Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Arlington, VA.
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2001. Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2001. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 110pp.
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2002. Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2002. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 93pp.
Kircheis, F.W., J.G Trial, D.P Boucher, B. Mower, T. Squiers, N. Gray, M. O’Donnell, and J.S. Stahlnecker. 2004. Analysis of impacts related to the introduction of anadromous alewife into a small freshwater lake in central Maine, USA. Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Augusta, ME. 53 pp.
**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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 28
Thermal transfer rate is slower in bigger fish: How does body size affect response time of small, implantable temperature recording tags? Thermal transfer rate is slower in bigger fish: How does body size affect response time of small, implantable temperature recording tags?
The recent miniaturisation of implantable temperature recording tags has made measuring the water temperatures fish experience in the wild possible, but there may be a body size-dependent delay in implanted tag response time to changes in external temperature. To determine whether fish body size affects the response rate of implanted temperature tags, we implanted 20 Salvelinus...
Authors
Matthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin Letcher
Smaller body size under warming is not due to gill-oxygen limitation in a coldwater salmonid Smaller body size under warming is not due to gill-oxygen limitation in a coldwater salmonid
Declining body size in fishes and other aquatic ectotherms associated with anthropogenic climate warming has significant implications for future fisheries yields, stock assessments and aquatic ecosystem stability. One proposed mechanism seeking to explain such body-size reductions, known as the gill oxygen limitation (GOL) hypothesis, has recently been used to model future impacts of...
Authors
Joshua K. Lonthair, Nicholas C. Wegner, Brian S. Cheng, Nann A. Fangue, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, John D. Swenson, Estefany Argueta, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin Letcher, Lisa M Komoroske
Relating absolute abundance of an estuarine fish to habitat area in an urbanizing environment Relating absolute abundance of an estuarine fish to habitat area in an urbanizing environment
Organisms that rely on salt marsh habitat are an important trophic link, helping to maintain estuarine ecosystem productivity. We used GIS to quantify intertidal (assumed salt marsh) area from aerial photographs taken in 1939 and from software-supplied satellite imagery taken in 2021 for tidal creeks in North Carolina (USA) that have experienced minor (60%) losses of intertidal habitat...
Authors
Paul J. Rudershausen, Steven M. Lombardo, George R. Stilson, Matthew J. O'Donnell
Identifying mechanisms underlying individual body size increases in a changing, highly seasonal environment: The growing trout of West Brook Identifying mechanisms underlying individual body size increases in a changing, highly seasonal environment: The growing trout of West Brook
As air temperature increases, it has been suggested that smaller individual body size may be a general response to climate warming. However, for ectotherms inhabiting cold, highly seasonal environments, warming temperatures may increase the scope for growth and result in larger body size.In a long-term study of individual brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta...
Authors
Benjamin Letcher, Keith Nislow, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Andrew R. Whiteley, Jason Coombs, Todd L. Dubreuil, Daniel Turek
Testing assumptions in the use of PIT tags to study movement of Plethodon salamanders Testing assumptions in the use of PIT tags to study movement of Plethodon salamanders
Studying the movements of organisms that live underground for at least a portion of their life history is challenging, given the state of current technology. Passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) provide a way to individually identify and, more recently, study the movement of smaller animals, including those that make subterranean movements. However, there are widespread assumptions...
Authors
Sean C Sterrett, Todd L. Dubreuil, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Adrianne Brand, Evan H. Campbell Grant
Cohort strength and body size in co-occurring salmonids in a small stream network: Variation in space and time Cohort strength and body size in co-occurring salmonids in a small stream network: Variation in space and time
Trout and salmon commonly coexist in stream networks. Exploring similarities and differences among species can help explain coexistence and invasive ability. Here, we describe spatial distribution, cohort strengths and size-at-age of three co-occurring species in a small stream network. Spatial distributions varied dramatically among species; native brook trout occupied all stream...
Authors
Benjamin Letcher, Keith H. Nislow, Matthew O’Donnell, Andrew R. Whiteley, Jason A. Coombs, Todd L. Dubreuil
Non-USGS Publications**
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2000. Restoring Our Native Fish Resources, Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2000. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 96pp.
Gamble, M.E., M.J. O’Donnell, P. Perra, D. St. Pierre, and S. Winslow. 2001. 2001 Review of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Fishery Management Plan for Shad and River Herring (Alosa sp.). Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Arlington, VA.
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2001. Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2001. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 110pp.
O’Donnell, M, N. Gray, G.Wippelhauser, and P. Christman. 2002. Kennebec River Diadromous Fish Restoration, Annual Progress Report-2002. Maine Department of Marine Resources, Augusta, ME. 93pp.
Kircheis, F.W., J.G Trial, D.P Boucher, B. Mower, T. Squiers, N. Gray, M. O’Donnell, and J.S. Stahlnecker. 2004. Analysis of impacts related to the introduction of anadromous alewife into a small freshwater lake in central Maine, USA. Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Augusta, ME. 53 pp.
**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.