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Robin D Calfee

Robin Calfee is a Research Biologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

Since joining the USGS in 1991, Robin has devoted her career to investigating the impacts of contaminants to various aquatic organisms and developing methods for quantifying fish swimming behavior.  Currently, her research focuses on testing the effectiveness of different control strategies for Asian Carp such as auditory stimuli, food attractants and supplemental capture techniques.

Education and Certifications

  • M.S. Aquatic Biology, Department of Biology, Missouri State University 1996

  • B.S. Biology, Department of Biology, Missouri State University 1991

Science and Products

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Boat-mounted speakers

Use and Evaluation of Stimuli for Herding Bigheaded Carps to Increase their Capture Efficiency

Mass removal of the invasive silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (collectively referred to as bigheaded carp) is a primary management action in the United States to contain population growth and reduce upstream dispersal. Efficient capture and removal techniques are required to achieve this goal, and the USGS is working to develop and evaluate such...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Use and Evaluation of Stimuli for Herding Bigheaded Carps to Increase their Capture Efficiency

Mass removal of the invasive silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (collectively referred to as bigheaded carp) is a primary management action in the United States to contain population growth and reduce upstream dispersal. Efficient capture and removal techniques are required to achieve this goal, and the USGS is working to develop and evaluate such...
Learn More
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Antimycin A structure

Comparative Freshwater Fish Toxicity Testing of Antimycin A

Researchers are investigating the influence of Antimycin A on invasive carp and non-target fishes by measuring the effects of a novel species-specific bait formulation.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
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Comparative Freshwater Fish Toxicity Testing of Antimycin A

Researchers are investigating the influence of Antimycin A on invasive carp and non-target fishes by measuring the effects of a novel species-specific bait formulation.
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pound net

Development and Evaluation of Novel Capture Gears for Bigheaded Carps

Mass removal of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, is a primary management action to contain the population growth and reduce upstream dispersal. The use of passive trap nets to harvest bigheaded carps may effectively supplement active capture techniques. The USGS is working with partner agencies to...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Development and Evaluation of Novel Capture Gears for Bigheaded Carps

Mass removal of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, is a primary management action to contain the population growth and reduce upstream dispersal. The use of passive trap nets to harvest bigheaded carps may effectively supplement active capture techniques. The USGS is working with partner agencies to...
Learn More
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behavioral chamber

Chemical Attractant Investigations to Increase Aggregation and Harvest for the Control of Asian Carp

Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, are rapidly expanding their range. Federal agencies and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are focused on keeping invasive carps out of the Great Lakes. The development of an effective attractant may assist managers with capturing carps in low-density areas such...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Chemical Attractant Investigations to Increase Aggregation and Harvest for the Control of Asian Carp

Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, are rapidly expanding their range. Federal agencies and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are focused on keeping invasive carps out of the Great Lakes. The development of an effective attractant may assist managers with capturing carps in low-density areas such...
Learn More
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sound mapping

Assessment of Acoustic Stimuli for Manipulating Movement of Bigheaded Carps

Invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, have displayed a negative phonotactic response when presented with a broadband acoustic stimulus. Additional study is needed to identify effective acoustic stimuli for manipulating bigheaded carp behavior, and to test bigheaded carp responses to those stimuli in...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Assessment of Acoustic Stimuli for Manipulating Movement of Bigheaded Carps

Invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , hereafter referred to as bigheaded carps, have displayed a negative phonotactic response when presented with a broadband acoustic stimulus. Additional study is needed to identify effective acoustic stimuli for manipulating bigheaded carp behavior, and to test bigheaded carp responses to those stimuli in...
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Telemetry evaluation of invasive carp herding in Jonathan Creek Embayment, Kentucky Lake, Kentucky

Data tables represents a telemetry study assessing the efficacy of sound and electricity used to herd Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). The study occurred in Jonathan Creek Embayment of Kentucky Lake, Kentucky using 10 telemetered Silver Carp and 46 passive acoustic receivers. Two herding boats traveled at 2.22 meters per second along bank-to-bank transects through the study area (longitu
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Starved Rock navigation lock fish clearing hydroacoustic data, Illinois River (2020)

These datasets (e.g., 'Starved Rock fish clearing_multi-beam imaging sonar fish data_Pre-clearing_Sonar-s1.csv') include exported information (e.g., fish detection counts) from processed fixed-location multi-beam imaging sonar and mobile side-scan sonar data. Fish abundance in the navigation lock was determined using mobile side-scan surveys, while multi-beam imaging sonars were used to determine
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Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Invasive carp movement rates among five herding techniques using adaptive resolution imaging sonar on the Lower Perche Creek, Columbia, MO

Data represent a comparison of herding techniques commonly used by natural resource agencies and the public to increase removal or harvest of invasive carp (i.e., Silver Carp) from U.S. waterways. Sites on lower Perche Creek, Columbia, MO (2018 August 9th to 2018 October 26th) were contained using block nets and treated with one of five herding techniques: (1) method commonly used by commercial fi
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Physiological and behavioral responses of bighead and silver carp to chemicals associated with common carp sex pheromones

This dataset contains a combination of physiological and behavioral approaches for characterizing the response of bighead and silver carp to potentially attractive chemicals associated with sex pheromones identified in common carp. The dataset contains eight tables: 1) EOG responses from untreated and masculinized silver carp to prostaglandins, 2) mixture discrimination indices of the prostaglandi
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Semi-automated and manual enumeration of bigheaded carps from recreational-grade side-scan sonar imagery, Perche Creek, MO, 2018

The dataset consists of count data derived from a series of sonar images. The data are fish counts per image from 1) a computerized process to extract fish counts, and 2) three manual assessors. Each image has a total of four associated fish counts.
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Behavioral Effects of Copper on Larval White Sturgeon

Attributes regarding the effects of copper exposure on larval white sturgeon swimming and feeding behaviors and time to response.
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Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Asian Carp Acoustic Stimuli Data

Invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) occur in large regions of the Mississippi River drainage, outcompete native species, and are notorious for their prolific jumping behavior. Juvenile and adult (up to 25 kg) carp are known to jump up to 3 m above the water surface in response to moving watercraft. Broadband sound recorded from an outboard motor (100 hp at 32 km/hr) can modulate the
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Chemical Cues Which Include Amino Acids Mediate Species-Specific Feeding Behavior in Invasive Filter-Feeding Bigheaded Carps-Data

This data was generated from a study in which five experiments were conducted that tested whether and how dissolved chemicals might assist food recognition in two filter-feeding fishes, the silver (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and the bighead carp (H. nobilis). The buccal-pharngeal pumping (BPP), a behavior in which fish pump water into their buccal cavities, was observed in both silver and bighea
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Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center
Filter Total Items: 33

Sound and sturgeon: Bioacoustics and anthropogenic sound

Sturgeons are basal bony fishes, most species of which are considered threatened and/or endangered. Like all fishes, sturgeons use hearing to learn about their environment and perhaps communicate with conspecifics, as in mating. Thus, anything that impacts the ability of sturgeon to hear biologically important sounds could impact fitness and survival of individuals and populations. There is growin
Authors
Arthur N. Popper, Robin Calfee
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Silver carp herding: A telemetry evaluation of efficacy and implications for design and application

Removal of invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix is a primary control action in North America. Strong avoidance responses to underwater sound and electricity have been shown to facilitate herding and mass removal of these fish. We conducted a telemetry study on a closed population of Silver Carp (i.e., 10 telemetered fish) to assess fine-scale movement responses to herding stimuli. Two
Authors
Josey Lee Ridgway, Matthew Ross Acre, Tyler Michael Hessler, Dustin Broaddus, Jessica Morris, Robin Calfee
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Amino acid variation at the mitochondrial binding site of Antimycin A is proposed to reflect sensitivity and toxicity differences among fish species

To better understand differential sensitivities among fish species to the piscicidal compound Antimycin-A (ANT-A), we hypothesized that variations in amino acids at the ANT-A binding site may reflect toxicity differences. Protein sequences for six motifs comprising the ANT-A binding site were obtained and compared for invasive carp species (N = 515) and seven non-target species (N = 277); a consen
Authors
Brooke A. Baudoin, Bonnie L. Brown, Robin Calfee, Jill Jenkins
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Herbivorous grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) exhibit greater olfactory response to amino acids than filter-feeding bighead (Hypophthalmichthysnobilis) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

Due to their invasiveness in North America, grass (Ctenopharyngodon idella), bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) are management priorities. Comparing electrophysiological responses to olfactory cues, such as amino acids, could help identify stimuli to facilitate management efforts (i.e., repellants or baits). We assessed olfactory response magnitude
Authors
Mark L. Wildhaber, Benjamin M West, Karlie K Ditter, Alex S. Peterson, Robin Calfee, Zachary D Beaman
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Application of electricity and underwater acoustics to clear fish from a navigation lock during maintenance

The presence of fish within navigation locks can introduce an environmental challenge for construction crews when maintenance is required. This study examined the effectiveness of a dual-deterrent fish herding technique using electricity and acoustic stimuli to reduce the abundance of fish within a navigation lock before a scheduled dewatering for maintenance. Fixed-location multi-beam imaging so
Authors
Jose Rivera, Aaron R. Cupp, Josey Lee Ridgway, Duane Chapman, Bethany E Hoster, Matthew Ross Acre, Robin Calfee, Jesse Robert Fischer, James J. Duncker
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey invasive carp strategic framework, 2023–27

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research has supported management of Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (bighead carp), Mylopharyngodon piceus (black carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp), and H. molitrix (silver carp), hereafter referred to collectively as invasive carps, for over a decade. This strategic framework identifies thematic research areas to guide funding decisions for USGS invasive carp r
Authors
Duane Chapman, Jon Amberg, Robin Calfee, Enrika Hlavacek, Jon Hortness, P. Ryan Jackson, David C. Kazyak, Brent Knights, James Roberts
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Ecosystems Mission Area

An assessment of fish herding techniques: Management implications for mass removal and control of silver carp

We assessed the effectiveness of herding techniques on adult Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in a tributary to the Missouri River. Sites (600 m) were contained using block nets and treated with one of five herding techniques: (1) a method commonly used by commercial fishers in the United States (commercial technique), (2) pulsed-DC electrofishing (electric technique), (3) broadband sound a
Authors
Josey Lee Ridgway, Katelyn M. Lawson, Stephen August Shier, Robin Calfee, Duane Chapman
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Effects of shady environments on fish collective behavior

Despite significant efforts devoted to understanding the underlying complexity and emergence of collective movement in animal groups, the role of different external settings on this type of movement remains largely unexplored. Here, by combining time series analysis and complex network tools, we present an extensive investigation of the effects of shady environments on the behavior of a fish speci
Authors
Haroldo V. Ribeiro, Matthew Ross Acre, Jacob Faulkner, Leonardo R. da Cunha, Katelyn M. Lawson, James J. Wamboldt, Marybeth K. Brey, Christa M. Woodley, Robin Calfee
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Emerging control strategies for integrated pest management of invasive carps

Invasive carps are ecologically and economically problematic fish species in many large river basins in the United States and pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems throughout much of North America. Four species of invasive carps: black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), are part
Authors
Aaron R. Cupp, Marybeth K. Brey, Robin Calfee, Duane Chapman, Richard A. Erickson, Jesse Robert Fischer, Andrea K. Fritts, Amy E. George, P. Ryan Jackson, Brent C. Knights, Gavin Nicholas Saari, Patrick Kočovský
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Semiautomated process for enumeration of fishes from recreational-grade side-scan sonar imagery

The use of hydroacoustic techniques is increasing as scientists search for less invasive ways to monitor fish populations, and using recreational side‐scan sonar (SSS) imagery for monitoring has become more common in aquatic resource management over the last 15 years due in part to its low cost and user‐friendly interface. The time‐consuming nature of manually counting fish targets has limited the
Authors
Katelyn M Lawson, Josey Lee Ridgway, Andrew T. Mueller, Jacob Faulkner, Robin Calfee
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Behavioral effects of copper on larval white sturgeon

Early–life stage white sturgeon are sensitive to copper (Cu), with adverse behavioral responses observed during previous studies. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the effects of Cu exposure on white sturgeon swimming and feeding behaviors and determine their time to response. Larval sturgeon (1–2, 28, or 35 d posthatch [dph]) were exposed to Cu (0.5–8 μg/L) for 4 to 14 d. Abnor
Authors
Holly J. Puglis, Robin Calfee, Edward E. Little
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Potential toxicity of dissolved metal mixtures (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) to early life stage white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Upper Columbia River, Washington, United States

The Upper Columbia River (UCR) received historical releases of smelter waste resulting in elevated metal concentrations in downstream sediments. Newly hatched white sturgeon hide within the rocky substrate at the sediment–water interface in the UCR for a few weeks before swim-up. Hiding behavior could expose them to metal contaminants, and metal toxicity could contribute to population declines in
Authors
Laurie S. Balistrieri, Christopher A. Mebane, Stephen E. Cox, Holly J. Puglis, Robin Calfee, Ning Wang
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Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Mineral Resources Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

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