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
How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals? How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals?
As stream temperatures increase due to factors such as heated runoff from impervious surfaces, deforestation, and climate change, fish species adapted to cold water streams are forced to move to more suitable habitat, acclimate or adapt to increased thermal regimes, or die. To estimate the potential for adaptation, a (within individual) repeatable metric of thermal tolerance is...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Amy Regish, Stephen McCormick, Benjamin H. Letcher
Survival and density of a dominant fish species across a gradient of urbanization in North Carolina tidal creeks Survival and density of a dominant fish species across a gradient of urbanization in North Carolina tidal creeks
Development in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain generates the need for a better understanding of how demographics (survival and abundance) of estuarine nekton respond to urbanization. Apparent survival and density of the dominant Atlantic coast salt marsh fish, Fundulus heteroclitus, were estimated in four North Carolina tidal creeks using a model simultaneously fitted to mark-resight...
Authors
Paul Rudershausen, Joseph E Hightower, Jeffery A Buckel, Matthew O’Donnell, Todd Dubreuil, Benjamin H. Letcher
Daily estimates reveal fine-scale temporal and spatial variation in fish survival across a stream network Daily estimates reveal fine-scale temporal and spatial variation in fish survival across a stream network
Environmental drivers of population vital rates, such as temperature and precipitation, often vary at short time scales, and these fluctuations can have important impacts on population dynamics. However, relationships between survival and environmental conditions are typically modeled at coarse temporal scales, ignoring the role of daily environmental variation in survival. Our goal was...
Authors
Evan S. Childress, Keith Nislow, Andrew Whiteley, Matthew O’Donnell, Benjamin Letcher
Three visualization approaches for communicating and exploring PIT tag data Three visualization approaches for communicating and exploring PIT tag data
As the number, size and complexity of ecological datasets has increased, narrative and interactive raw data visualizations have emerged as important tools for exploring and understanding these large datasets. As a demonstration, we developed three visualizations to communicate and explore passive integrated transponder tag data from two long-term field studies. We created three...
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Jeffrey Walker, Matthew O'Donnell, Andrew Whiteley, Keith Nislow, Jason Coombs
Implanting 8-mm passive integrated transponder tags into small Brook Trout: Effects on growth and survival in the laboratory Implanting 8-mm passive integrated transponder tags into small Brook Trout: Effects on growth and survival in the laboratory
Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are commonly used to investigate relationships between individual fish and their environment. The recent availability of smaller tags has provided the opportunity to tag smaller fish. In this study, we implanted 8-mm PIT tags into small Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis (35–50 mm FL; 0.35–1.266 g) and compared tag retention, growth rates, and...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Benjamin Letcher
Keeping things local: Subpopulation Nb and Ne in a stream network with partial barriers to fish migration Keeping things local: Subpopulation Nb and Ne in a stream network with partial barriers to fish migration
For organisms with overlapping generations that occur in metapopulations, uncertainty remains regarding the spatiotemporal scale of inference of estimates of the effective number of breeders () and whether these estimates can be used to predict generational Ne. We conducted a series of tests of the spatiotemporal scale of inference of estimates of Nb in nine consecutive cohorts within a...
Authors
AR Whiteley, JA Coombs, Matthew O’Donnell, KH Nislow, Benjamin Letcher
Movement patterns of Brook Trout in a restored coastal stream system in southern Massachusetts Movement patterns of Brook Trout in a restored coastal stream system in southern Massachusetts
Coastal Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations are found from northern Canada to New England. The extent of anadromy generally decreases with latitude, but the ecology and movements of more southern populations are poorly understood. We conducted a 33-month acoustic telemetry study of Brook Trout in Red Brook, MA, and adjacent Buttermilk Bay (marine system) using 16 fixed...
Authors
Erin L. Snook, Benjamin H. Letcher, Todd Dubreuil, Joseph Zydlewski, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Andrew Whiteley, Stephen Hurley, Andy Danylchuk
A hierarchical model of daily stream temperature using air-water temperature synchronization, autocorrelation, and time lags A hierarchical model of daily stream temperature using air-water temperature synchronization, autocorrelation, and time lags
Water temperature is a primary driver of stream ecosystems and commonly forms the basis of stream classifications. Robust models of stream temperature are critical as the climate changes, but estimating daily stream temperature poses several important challenges. We developed a statistical model that accounts for many challenges that can make stream temperature estimation difficult. Our...
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Daniel Hocking, Kyle O'Neil, Andrew Whiteley, Keith H. Nislow, Matthew O’Donnell
Robust estimates of environmental effects on population vital rates: an integrated capture–recapture model of seasonal brook trout growth, survival and movement in a stream network Robust estimates of environmental effects on population vital rates: an integrated capture–recapture model of seasonal brook trout growth, survival and movement in a stream network
Modelling the effects of environmental change on populations is a key challenge for ecologists, particularly as the pace of change increases. Currently, modelling efforts are limited by difficulties in establishing robust relationships between environmental drivers and population responses.We developed an integrated capture–recapture state-space model to estimate the effects of two key
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Paul Schueller, Ronald Bassar, Keith Nislow, Jason Coombs, Krzysztof Sakrejda, Michael Morrissey, Douglas Sigourney, Andrew Whiteley, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Todd Dubreuil
Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags
We evaluated the performance of small (12.5 mm long) passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and custom detection antennas for obtaining fine-scale movement and demographic data of mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus in a salt marsh creek. Apparent survival and detection probability were estimated using a Cormack Jolly Seber (CJS) model fitted to detection data collected by an array of 3...
Authors
Paul Rudershausen, Jeffery Buckel, Todd Dubreuil, Matthew O’Donnell, Joseph Hightower, Steven Poland, Benjamin H. Letcher
High throughput computing: a solution for scientific analysis High throughput computing: a solution for scientific analysis
Public land management agencies continually face resource management problems that are exacerbated by climate warming, land-use change, and other human activities. As the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) works with managers in U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies and other federal, state, and private entities, researchers are finding that the...
Authors
M. O'Donnell
Use of portable antennas to estimate abundance of PIT-tagged fish in small streams: Factors affecting detection probability Use of portable antennas to estimate abundance of PIT-tagged fish in small streams: Factors affecting detection probability
Portable passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag antenna systems can be valuable in providing reliable estimates of the abundance of tagged Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in small streams under a wide range of conditions. We developed and employed PIT tag antenna wand techniques in two controlled experiments and an additional case study to examine the factors that influenced our ability to...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Gregg Horton, Benjamin H. Letcher
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
How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals? How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals?
As stream temperatures increase due to factors such as heated runoff from impervious surfaces, deforestation, and climate change, fish species adapted to cold water streams are forced to move to more suitable habitat, acclimate or adapt to increased thermal regimes, or die. To estimate the potential for adaptation, a (within individual) repeatable metric of thermal tolerance is...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Amy Regish, Stephen McCormick, Benjamin H. Letcher
Survival and density of a dominant fish species across a gradient of urbanization in North Carolina tidal creeks Survival and density of a dominant fish species across a gradient of urbanization in North Carolina tidal creeks
Development in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain generates the need for a better understanding of how demographics (survival and abundance) of estuarine nekton respond to urbanization. Apparent survival and density of the dominant Atlantic coast salt marsh fish, Fundulus heteroclitus, were estimated in four North Carolina tidal creeks using a model simultaneously fitted to mark-resight...
Authors
Paul Rudershausen, Joseph E Hightower, Jeffery A Buckel, Matthew O’Donnell, Todd Dubreuil, Benjamin H. Letcher
Daily estimates reveal fine-scale temporal and spatial variation in fish survival across a stream network Daily estimates reveal fine-scale temporal and spatial variation in fish survival across a stream network
Environmental drivers of population vital rates, such as temperature and precipitation, often vary at short time scales, and these fluctuations can have important impacts on population dynamics. However, relationships between survival and environmental conditions are typically modeled at coarse temporal scales, ignoring the role of daily environmental variation in survival. Our goal was...
Authors
Evan S. Childress, Keith Nislow, Andrew Whiteley, Matthew O’Donnell, Benjamin Letcher
Three visualization approaches for communicating and exploring PIT tag data Three visualization approaches for communicating and exploring PIT tag data
As the number, size and complexity of ecological datasets has increased, narrative and interactive raw data visualizations have emerged as important tools for exploring and understanding these large datasets. As a demonstration, we developed three visualizations to communicate and explore passive integrated transponder tag data from two long-term field studies. We created three...
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Jeffrey Walker, Matthew O'Donnell, Andrew Whiteley, Keith Nislow, Jason Coombs
Implanting 8-mm passive integrated transponder tags into small Brook Trout: Effects on growth and survival in the laboratory Implanting 8-mm passive integrated transponder tags into small Brook Trout: Effects on growth and survival in the laboratory
Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are commonly used to investigate relationships between individual fish and their environment. The recent availability of smaller tags has provided the opportunity to tag smaller fish. In this study, we implanted 8-mm PIT tags into small Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis (35–50 mm FL; 0.35–1.266 g) and compared tag retention, growth rates, and...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Benjamin Letcher
Keeping things local: Subpopulation Nb and Ne in a stream network with partial barriers to fish migration Keeping things local: Subpopulation Nb and Ne in a stream network with partial barriers to fish migration
For organisms with overlapping generations that occur in metapopulations, uncertainty remains regarding the spatiotemporal scale of inference of estimates of the effective number of breeders () and whether these estimates can be used to predict generational Ne. We conducted a series of tests of the spatiotemporal scale of inference of estimates of Nb in nine consecutive cohorts within a...
Authors
AR Whiteley, JA Coombs, Matthew O’Donnell, KH Nislow, Benjamin Letcher
Movement patterns of Brook Trout in a restored coastal stream system in southern Massachusetts Movement patterns of Brook Trout in a restored coastal stream system in southern Massachusetts
Coastal Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations are found from northern Canada to New England. The extent of anadromy generally decreases with latitude, but the ecology and movements of more southern populations are poorly understood. We conducted a 33-month acoustic telemetry study of Brook Trout in Red Brook, MA, and adjacent Buttermilk Bay (marine system) using 16 fixed...
Authors
Erin L. Snook, Benjamin H. Letcher, Todd Dubreuil, Joseph Zydlewski, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Andrew Whiteley, Stephen Hurley, Andy Danylchuk
A hierarchical model of daily stream temperature using air-water temperature synchronization, autocorrelation, and time lags A hierarchical model of daily stream temperature using air-water temperature synchronization, autocorrelation, and time lags
Water temperature is a primary driver of stream ecosystems and commonly forms the basis of stream classifications. Robust models of stream temperature are critical as the climate changes, but estimating daily stream temperature poses several important challenges. We developed a statistical model that accounts for many challenges that can make stream temperature estimation difficult. Our...
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Daniel Hocking, Kyle O'Neil, Andrew Whiteley, Keith H. Nislow, Matthew O’Donnell
Robust estimates of environmental effects on population vital rates: an integrated capture–recapture model of seasonal brook trout growth, survival and movement in a stream network Robust estimates of environmental effects on population vital rates: an integrated capture–recapture model of seasonal brook trout growth, survival and movement in a stream network
Modelling the effects of environmental change on populations is a key challenge for ecologists, particularly as the pace of change increases. Currently, modelling efforts are limited by difficulties in establishing robust relationships between environmental drivers and population responses.We developed an integrated capture–recapture state-space model to estimate the effects of two key
Authors
Benjamin H. Letcher, Paul Schueller, Ronald Bassar, Keith Nislow, Jason Coombs, Krzysztof Sakrejda, Michael Morrissey, Douglas Sigourney, Andrew Whiteley, Matthew J. O'Donnell, Todd Dubreuil
Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags
We evaluated the performance of small (12.5 mm long) passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and custom detection antennas for obtaining fine-scale movement and demographic data of mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus in a salt marsh creek. Apparent survival and detection probability were estimated using a Cormack Jolly Seber (CJS) model fitted to detection data collected by an array of 3...
Authors
Paul Rudershausen, Jeffery Buckel, Todd Dubreuil, Matthew O’Donnell, Joseph Hightower, Steven Poland, Benjamin H. Letcher
High throughput computing: a solution for scientific analysis High throughput computing: a solution for scientific analysis
Public land management agencies continually face resource management problems that are exacerbated by climate warming, land-use change, and other human activities. As the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) works with managers in U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies and other federal, state, and private entities, researchers are finding that the...
Authors
M. O'Donnell
Use of portable antennas to estimate abundance of PIT-tagged fish in small streams: Factors affecting detection probability Use of portable antennas to estimate abundance of PIT-tagged fish in small streams: Factors affecting detection probability
Portable passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag antenna systems can be valuable in providing reliable estimates of the abundance of tagged Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in small streams under a wide range of conditions. We developed and employed PIT tag antenna wand techniques in two controlled experiments and an additional case study to examine the factors that influenced our ability to...
Authors
Matthew O’Donnell, Gregg Horton, Benjamin H. Letcher
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.