Nicholas S Johnson, PhD
Nicholas Johnson is a Supervisory Research Ecologist based in Millersburg, MI.
I study fisheries with a focus on invasive species control and native species restoration in the Great Lakes. My work links the experimental sciences of sensory ecology, physiology, and behavior with applied fish population dynamics and adaptive management to inform policy. I became a research ecologist with USGS, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station in 2009, serve in adjunct appointments at several universities in Michigan, and am an assoicate editor of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. My research is mostly in collaboration with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission where I am a member of several Task Forces and Coordinator of the Supplemental Sea Lamprey Control Initative. Research brings me the most joy when done with students and when my neighbors in Northern Michigan understand why it matters.
Professional Experience
Acting Station Supervisor, USGS, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station 03Jan11 to 12Sep11 and 18Jan2020 to 01Feb2021
Coordinator of Supplemental Sea Lamprey Control Initative, 2019- present
Advised or co-advised 15 graduate students/USGS interns
SCUBA Dive Team Member. USGS. 19Aug11 to present
Member of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Sea Lamprey Trapping Task Force, 2012 – present
Cheboygan River Sea Lamprey Work Group member. 2012 to present
Member of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Sea Lamprey Reduction in Reproduction Task Force, 2009-2012
Member of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Sea Lamprey Assessment Task Force, 2009-2011
Member of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Sea Lamprey Barrier Task Force, 2010-present
Education and Certifications
Ph. D., Michigan State University, Dec 2008
Dual degree in Fisheries and Wildlife and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program
M.S., Michigan State University, Dec 2005
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
B.S., summa cum laude, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, May 2004.
College of Natural Resources
Majors: Fisheries/Limnology and Biology
Science and Products
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Environmental factors influencing entry of fishes into a Great Lakes tributary during spring and summer Environmental factors influencing entry of fishes into a Great Lakes tributary during spring and summer
Stream entry of many fishes is influenced by environmental factors including water temperature, stream discharge, and photoperiod (Leggett 1977; Jonsson 1991). Environmental factors influence stream entry differently depending on the species and life stage of fish, likely because of varying physiologies and life histories (Lucas and Baras 2008). Many spring-run migratory fishes occupy...
Authors
Erin McCann, Nicholas S. Johnson, Daniel Zielinski
An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment
Using Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON), fishery acoustic observation data was collected from the Ocqueoc River, a tributary of Lake Huron in northern Michigan, USA. Data were collected March through July 2013 and 2016 and included the identification, via technology or expert analysis, of eight fish species as they passed through the DIDSON’s field of view. A set of short...
Authors
Erin McCann, Liling Li, Kevin Pangle, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jesse Eickholt
A simple, cost-effective emitter for controlled release of fish pheromones: development, testing, and application to management of the invasive sea lamprey A simple, cost-effective emitter for controlled release of fish pheromones: development, testing, and application to management of the invasive sea lamprey
Semiochemicals that elicit species-specific attraction or repulsion have proven useful in the management of terrestrial pests and hold considerable promise for control of nuisance aquatic species, particularly invasive fishes. Because aquatic ecosystems are typically large and open, use of a semiochemical to control a spatially dispersed invader will require the development of a cost...
Authors
C. Michael Wagner, James Hanson, Trevor Meckley, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jason Bals
Cyanobacteria reduce quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) spawning and fertilization success Cyanobacteria reduce quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) spawning and fertilization success
Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) are highly fecund broadcast spawners invasive to freshwaters of North America and western Europe. We hypothesized that environmental cues from phytoplankton can trigger gamete release in quagga mussels. Nutritious algae may stimulate dreissenid spawning, but less palatable food, such as bloom-forming cyanobacteria, could be a hindrance...
Authors
Anna Boegehold, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jeffrey Ran, Donna Kashian
Protection from UV light is an evolutionarily conserved feature of the haematopoietic niche Protection from UV light is an evolutionarily conserved feature of the haematopoietic niche
Haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) require a specific microenvironment, the haematopoietic niche, which regulates HSPC behaviour. The location of this niche varies across species, but the evolutionary pressures that drive HSPCs to different microenvironments remain unknown. The niche is located in the bone marrow in adult mammals, whereas it is found in other locations in...
Authors
Friedrich Kapp, Julie Perlin, Elliott Hagedorn, John Gansner, Daniel Schwarz, Lauren O’Connell, Nicholas S. Johnson, Chris Amemiya, David Fisher, Ute Wolfle, Eirini Trompouki, Charlotte Niemeyer, Wolfgang Driever, Leonard Zon
A distributed pipeline for DIDSON data processing A distributed pipeline for DIDSON data processing
Technological advances in the field of ecology allow data on ecological systems to be collected at high resolution, both temporally and spatially. Devices such as Dual-frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) can be deployed in aquatic environments for extended periods and easily generate several terabytes of underwater surveillance data which may need to be processed multiple times. Due...
Authors
Liling Li, Tyler Danner, Jesse Eickholt, Erin McCann, Kevin Pangle, Nicholas S. Johnson
Characterization of Sea Lamprey stream entry using dual‐frequency identification sonar Characterization of Sea Lamprey stream entry using dual‐frequency identification sonar
Effective methods to control invasive Sea Lampreys Petromyzon marinus in the Laurentian Great Lakes often rely on knowledge of the timing of the Sea Lamprey spawning migration, which has previously been characterized using data gathered from traps. Most assessment traps are located many kilometers upstream from the river mouth, so less is known about when Sea Lampreys enter spawning...
Authors
Erin McCain, Nicholas S. Johnson, Peter Hrodey, Kevin Pangle
Temporal constraints on the potential role of fry odors as cues of past reproductive success for spawning lake trout Temporal constraints on the potential role of fry odors as cues of past reproductive success for spawning lake trout
Deciding where to reproduce is a major challenge for most animals. Many select habitats based upon cues of successful reproduction by conspecifics, such as the presence of offspring from past reproductive events. For example, some fishes select spawning habitat following odors released by juveniles whose rearing habitat overlaps with spawning habitat. However, juveniles may emigrate...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, J. Ellen Marsden, Thomas R. Binder, Mar Huertas, Ugo Bussy, Ke Li, James Hanson, Charles C. Krueger, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Phylogenetic distribution of a male pheromone that may exploit a nonsexual preference in lampreys Phylogenetic distribution of a male pheromone that may exploit a nonsexual preference in lampreys
Pheromones are among the most important sexual signals used by organisms throughout the animal kingdom. However, few are identified in vertebrates, leaving the evolutionary mechanisms underlying vertebrate pheromones poorly understood. Pre-existing biases in receivers’ perceptual systems shape visual and auditory signaling systems, but studies on how receiver biases influence the...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, Ugo Bussy, Ke Li, Huiyong Wang, Mar Huertas, Cindy Baker, Liang Jia, Michael Hayes, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Increased pheromone signaling by small male sea lamprey has distinct effects on female mate search and courtship Increased pheromone signaling by small male sea lamprey has distinct effects on female mate search and courtship
Male body size affects access to mates in many animals. Attributes of sexual signals often correlate with body size due to physiological constraints on signal production. Larger males generally produce larger signals, but costs of being large or compensation by small males can result in smaller males producing signals of equal or greater magnitude. Female choice following multiple male...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, Ugo Bussy, Ethan Buchinger, Skye Fissette, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Corresponding long-term shifts in stream temperature and invasive fish migration Corresponding long-term shifts in stream temperature and invasive fish migration
By investigating historic trapping records of invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) throughout tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes, we found that upstream spawning migration timing was highly correlated with stream temperatures over large spatial and temporal scales. Furthermore, several streams in our study exceeded a critical spring thermal threshold (i.e., 15°C) and...
Authors
Erin McCann, Nicholas S. Johnson, Kevin Pangle
Evidence of sound production by spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain Evidence of sound production by spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain
Two sounds associated with spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain were characterized by comparing sound recordings to behavioral data collected using acoustic telemetry and video. These sounds were named growls and snaps, and were heard on lake trout spawning reefs, but not on a non-spawning reef, and were more common at night than during the day. Growls...
Authors
Nicholas Johnson, Dennis Higgs, Thomas R. Binder, J. Ellen Marsden, Tyler Buchinger, Linnea Brege, Tyler Bruning, Steve A. Farha, Charles C. Krueger
Non-USGS Publications**
Johnson, N.S., Yun, S-S., Thompson, H.T., Brant, C.O., Li, W. 2009. A synthesized pheromone induces upstream movement in female sea lamprey and summons them into traps. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA 106: 1021-1026.
Johnson, N.S., Luehring, M.A., Siefkes, M.J., Li, W. 2006. Pheromone induced behavior and pheromone reception in ovulating female sea lampreys. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26: 88-96.
Johnson, N.S., Siefkes M.J., Li, W. 2005. Capture of ovulating female sea lampreys in traps baited with spermiating male sea lampreys. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 25: 67-72.
**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.
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Science pages by this scientist
Data releases by this scientist
Multimedia related to this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Filter Total Items: 121
Environmental factors influencing entry of fishes into a Great Lakes tributary during spring and summer Environmental factors influencing entry of fishes into a Great Lakes tributary during spring and summer
Stream entry of many fishes is influenced by environmental factors including water temperature, stream discharge, and photoperiod (Leggett 1977; Jonsson 1991). Environmental factors influence stream entry differently depending on the species and life stage of fish, likely because of varying physiologies and life histories (Lucas and Baras 2008). Many spring-run migratory fishes occupy...
Authors
Erin McCann, Nicholas S. Johnson, Daniel Zielinski
An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment An underwater observation dataset for fish classification and fishery assessment
Using Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON), fishery acoustic observation data was collected from the Ocqueoc River, a tributary of Lake Huron in northern Michigan, USA. Data were collected March through July 2013 and 2016 and included the identification, via technology or expert analysis, of eight fish species as they passed through the DIDSON’s field of view. A set of short...
Authors
Erin McCann, Liling Li, Kevin Pangle, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jesse Eickholt
A simple, cost-effective emitter for controlled release of fish pheromones: development, testing, and application to management of the invasive sea lamprey A simple, cost-effective emitter for controlled release of fish pheromones: development, testing, and application to management of the invasive sea lamprey
Semiochemicals that elicit species-specific attraction or repulsion have proven useful in the management of terrestrial pests and hold considerable promise for control of nuisance aquatic species, particularly invasive fishes. Because aquatic ecosystems are typically large and open, use of a semiochemical to control a spatially dispersed invader will require the development of a cost...
Authors
C. Michael Wagner, James Hanson, Trevor Meckley, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jason Bals
Cyanobacteria reduce quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) spawning and fertilization success Cyanobacteria reduce quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) spawning and fertilization success
Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) are highly fecund broadcast spawners invasive to freshwaters of North America and western Europe. We hypothesized that environmental cues from phytoplankton can trigger gamete release in quagga mussels. Nutritious algae may stimulate dreissenid spawning, but less palatable food, such as bloom-forming cyanobacteria, could be a hindrance...
Authors
Anna Boegehold, Nicholas S. Johnson, Jeffrey Ran, Donna Kashian
Protection from UV light is an evolutionarily conserved feature of the haematopoietic niche Protection from UV light is an evolutionarily conserved feature of the haematopoietic niche
Haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) require a specific microenvironment, the haematopoietic niche, which regulates HSPC behaviour. The location of this niche varies across species, but the evolutionary pressures that drive HSPCs to different microenvironments remain unknown. The niche is located in the bone marrow in adult mammals, whereas it is found in other locations in...
Authors
Friedrich Kapp, Julie Perlin, Elliott Hagedorn, John Gansner, Daniel Schwarz, Lauren O’Connell, Nicholas S. Johnson, Chris Amemiya, David Fisher, Ute Wolfle, Eirini Trompouki, Charlotte Niemeyer, Wolfgang Driever, Leonard Zon
A distributed pipeline for DIDSON data processing A distributed pipeline for DIDSON data processing
Technological advances in the field of ecology allow data on ecological systems to be collected at high resolution, both temporally and spatially. Devices such as Dual-frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON) can be deployed in aquatic environments for extended periods and easily generate several terabytes of underwater surveillance data which may need to be processed multiple times. Due...
Authors
Liling Li, Tyler Danner, Jesse Eickholt, Erin McCann, Kevin Pangle, Nicholas S. Johnson
Characterization of Sea Lamprey stream entry using dual‐frequency identification sonar Characterization of Sea Lamprey stream entry using dual‐frequency identification sonar
Effective methods to control invasive Sea Lampreys Petromyzon marinus in the Laurentian Great Lakes often rely on knowledge of the timing of the Sea Lamprey spawning migration, which has previously been characterized using data gathered from traps. Most assessment traps are located many kilometers upstream from the river mouth, so less is known about when Sea Lampreys enter spawning...
Authors
Erin McCain, Nicholas S. Johnson, Peter Hrodey, Kevin Pangle
Temporal constraints on the potential role of fry odors as cues of past reproductive success for spawning lake trout Temporal constraints on the potential role of fry odors as cues of past reproductive success for spawning lake trout
Deciding where to reproduce is a major challenge for most animals. Many select habitats based upon cues of successful reproduction by conspecifics, such as the presence of offspring from past reproductive events. For example, some fishes select spawning habitat following odors released by juveniles whose rearing habitat overlaps with spawning habitat. However, juveniles may emigrate...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, J. Ellen Marsden, Thomas R. Binder, Mar Huertas, Ugo Bussy, Ke Li, James Hanson, Charles C. Krueger, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Phylogenetic distribution of a male pheromone that may exploit a nonsexual preference in lampreys Phylogenetic distribution of a male pheromone that may exploit a nonsexual preference in lampreys
Pheromones are among the most important sexual signals used by organisms throughout the animal kingdom. However, few are identified in vertebrates, leaving the evolutionary mechanisms underlying vertebrate pheromones poorly understood. Pre-existing biases in receivers’ perceptual systems shape visual and auditory signaling systems, but studies on how receiver biases influence the...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, Ugo Bussy, Ke Li, Huiyong Wang, Mar Huertas, Cindy Baker, Liang Jia, Michael Hayes, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Increased pheromone signaling by small male sea lamprey has distinct effects on female mate search and courtship Increased pheromone signaling by small male sea lamprey has distinct effects on female mate search and courtship
Male body size affects access to mates in many animals. Attributes of sexual signals often correlate with body size due to physiological constraints on signal production. Larger males generally produce larger signals, but costs of being large or compensation by small males can result in smaller males producing signals of equal or greater magnitude. Female choice following multiple male...
Authors
Tyler Buchinger, Ugo Bussy, Ethan Buchinger, Skye Fissette, Weiming Li, Nicholas S. Johnson
Corresponding long-term shifts in stream temperature and invasive fish migration Corresponding long-term shifts in stream temperature and invasive fish migration
By investigating historic trapping records of invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) throughout tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes, we found that upstream spawning migration timing was highly correlated with stream temperatures over large spatial and temporal scales. Furthermore, several streams in our study exceeded a critical spring thermal threshold (i.e., 15°C) and...
Authors
Erin McCann, Nicholas S. Johnson, Kevin Pangle
Evidence of sound production by spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain Evidence of sound production by spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain
Two sounds associated with spawning lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in lakes Huron and Champlain were characterized by comparing sound recordings to behavioral data collected using acoustic telemetry and video. These sounds were named growls and snaps, and were heard on lake trout spawning reefs, but not on a non-spawning reef, and were more common at night than during the day. Growls...
Authors
Nicholas Johnson, Dennis Higgs, Thomas R. Binder, J. Ellen Marsden, Tyler Buchinger, Linnea Brege, Tyler Bruning, Steve A. Farha, Charles C. Krueger
Non-USGS Publications**
Johnson, N.S., Yun, S-S., Thompson, H.T., Brant, C.O., Li, W. 2009. A synthesized pheromone induces upstream movement in female sea lamprey and summons them into traps. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA 106: 1021-1026.
Johnson, N.S., Luehring, M.A., Siefkes, M.J., Li, W. 2006. Pheromone induced behavior and pheromone reception in ovulating female sea lampreys. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26: 88-96.
Johnson, N.S., Siefkes M.J., Li, W. 2005. Capture of ovulating female sea lampreys in traps baited with spermiating male sea lampreys. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 25: 67-72.
**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.
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