Mike has more than 35 years of experience working with fish ecology and habitat assessment in streams and rivers across the U.S. He coordinated the national collection of fish community and habitat assessment data as part of the USGS NAWQA Program. Mike’s research includes bioassessment, water-quality stressors and aquatic biota, and effects of streamflow alteration on fish communities.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 37
Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah
Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range ot urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of relative abu
Multilevel assessment of fish species traits to evaluate habitat degradation in streams of the upper midwest
We used species traits to examine the variation in fish assemblages for 21 streams in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion along a gradient of habitat disturbance. Fish species were classified based on five species trait-classes (trophic ecology, substrate preference, geomorphic preference, locomotion morphology, and reproductive strategy) and 29 categories within those classes. We used a habi
Single-pass versus two-pass boat electrofishing for characterizing river fish assemblages: Species richness estimates and sampling distance
Determining adequate sampling effort for characterizing fish assemblage structure in nonwadeable rivers remains a critical issue in river biomonitoring. Two-pass boat electrofishing data collected from 500-1,000-m-long river reaches as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass boat electrofishing. True
Temporal analysis of the frequency and duration of low and high streamflow: Years of record needed to characterize streamflow variability
A temporal analysis of the number and duration of exceedences of high- and low-flow thresholds was conducted to determine the number of years required to detect a level shift using data from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two methods were used - ordinary least squares assuming a known error variance and generalized least squares without a known error variance. Using ordinary least s
Comparisons of fish species traits from small streams to large rivers
To examine the relations between fish community function and stream size, we classified 429 lotic freshwater fish species based on multiple categories within six species traits: (1) substrate preference, (2) geomorphic preference, (3) trophic ecology, (4) locomotion morphology, (5) reproductive strategy, and (6) stream size preference. Stream size categories included small streams, small, medium,
Assessing the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing to characterize fish community structure
Two-pass backpack electrofishing data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing. A two-capture removal model was used to estimate, within 10 river basins across the United States, proportional fish species richness from one-pass electrofishing and probabilities of detection
Effects of electrofishing gear type on spatial and temporal variability in fish community sampling
Fish community data collected from 24 major river basins between 1993 and 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess multiple-reach (three consecutive reaches) and multiple-year (three consecutive years) variability in samples collected at a site. Variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV; SD/mean) of species
Relations between introduced fish and environmental conditions at large geographic scales
Data collected from 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess patterns in introduced and native fish species richness and abundance relative to watershed characteristics and stream physicochemistry. Sites (N = 157) were divided into three regions-northeast, southeast, and west-
Assessing water quality at large geographic scales: Relations among land use, water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure
Data collected from 172 sites in 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess relations among basinwide land use (agriculture, forest, urban, range), water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure. A multimetric approach was used to develop regionally referenced indices
Responses of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of water quality to a gradient of agricultural land use in the Yakima River Basin, Washington
The condition of 25 stream sites in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Multimetric condition indices were developed and used to rank sites on the basis of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. These indices showed that sites in the Cascades and Eastern Cascades ecoregions were largely unimpaired
Instream sand and gravel mining: Environmental issues and regulatory process in the United States
Sand and gravel are widely used throughout the U.S. construction industry, but their extraction can significantly affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of mined streams. Fisheries biologists often find themselves involved in the complex environmental and regulatory issues related to instream sand and gravel mining. This paper provides an overview of information presented in
Water transfer projects and the role of fisheries biologists
Water transfer projects are commonly considered important mechanisms for meeting increasing water demands. However, the movement of water from one area to another may have broad ecosystem effects, including on fisheries. The Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society held a symposium in 1995 at Virginia Beach, Virginia, to discuss the ecological consequences of water transfer and identify
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Filter Total Items: 37
Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah
Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range ot urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of relative abuMultilevel assessment of fish species traits to evaluate habitat degradation in streams of the upper midwest
We used species traits to examine the variation in fish assemblages for 21 streams in the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion along a gradient of habitat disturbance. Fish species were classified based on five species trait-classes (trophic ecology, substrate preference, geomorphic preference, locomotion morphology, and reproductive strategy) and 29 categories within those classes. We used a habiSingle-pass versus two-pass boat electrofishing for characterizing river fish assemblages: Species richness estimates and sampling distance
Determining adequate sampling effort for characterizing fish assemblage structure in nonwadeable rivers remains a critical issue in river biomonitoring. Two-pass boat electrofishing data collected from 500-1,000-m-long river reaches as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass boat electrofishing. TrueTemporal analysis of the frequency and duration of low and high streamflow: Years of record needed to characterize streamflow variability
A temporal analysis of the number and duration of exceedences of high- and low-flow thresholds was conducted to determine the number of years required to detect a level shift using data from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two methods were used - ordinary least squares assuming a known error variance and generalized least squares without a known error variance. Using ordinary least sComparisons of fish species traits from small streams to large rivers
To examine the relations between fish community function and stream size, we classified 429 lotic freshwater fish species based on multiple categories within six species traits: (1) substrate preference, (2) geomorphic preference, (3) trophic ecology, (4) locomotion morphology, (5) reproductive strategy, and (6) stream size preference. Stream size categories included small streams, small, medium,Assessing the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing to characterize fish community structure
Two-pass backpack electrofishing data collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess the efficacy of single-pass backpack electrofishing. A two-capture removal model was used to estimate, within 10 river basins across the United States, proportional fish species richness from one-pass electrofishing and probabilities of detectionEffects of electrofishing gear type on spatial and temporal variability in fish community sampling
Fish community data collected from 24 major river basins between 1993 and 1998 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess multiple-reach (three consecutive reaches) and multiple-year (three consecutive years) variability in samples collected at a site. Variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV; SD/mean) of speciesRelations between introduced fish and environmental conditions at large geographic scales
Data collected from 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program were analyzed to assess patterns in introduced and native fish species richness and abundance relative to watershed characteristics and stream physicochemistry. Sites (N = 157) were divided into three regions-northeast, southeast, and west-Assessing water quality at large geographic scales: Relations among land use, water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure
Data collected from 172 sites in 20 major river basins between 1993 and 1995 as part of the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program were analyzed to assess relations among basinwide land use (agriculture, forest, urban, range), water physicochemistry, riparian condition, and fish community structure. A multimetric approach was used to develop regionally referenced indicesResponses of physical, chemical, and biological indicators of water quality to a gradient of agricultural land use in the Yakima River Basin, Washington
The condition of 25 stream sites in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, were assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Multimetric condition indices were developed and used to rank sites on the basis of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. These indices showed that sites in the Cascades and Eastern Cascades ecoregions were largely unimpairedInstream sand and gravel mining: Environmental issues and regulatory process in the United States
Sand and gravel are widely used throughout the U.S. construction industry, but their extraction can significantly affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of mined streams. Fisheries biologists often find themselves involved in the complex environmental and regulatory issues related to instream sand and gravel mining. This paper provides an overview of information presented inWater transfer projects and the role of fisheries biologists
Water transfer projects are commonly considered important mechanisms for meeting increasing water demands. However, the movement of water from one area to another may have broad ecosystem effects, including on fisheries. The Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society held a symposium in 1995 at Virginia Beach, Virginia, to discuss the ecological consequences of water transfer and identify - News