Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Shannon Brewer, PhD

Shannon is a research fish biologist and the Unit Leader at the Alabama CRU at Auburn University. Shannon's research questions focus on identifying relationships and mechanisms related to rare, declining, or economically-important aquatic species for which the causes and management responses are unclear.

Research and Teaching Interests

  • Stream Ecology
  • Fisheries Science
  • Landscape Ecology

Shannon is broadly interested in the conservation and management of lotic ecosystems. Human pressures increase the treats on freshwater ecosystems and taxa. The modification of landscapes from historical land cover to agriculture and urban uses has resulted in significant changes and water demands on rivers. Shannon engages multidisciplinary, innovated approaches to establish organism-environmental relationships at multiple spatial scales to guide the conservation and management of stream and river ecosystems. Shannon improves sampling design and her primary research focus is stream fishes, targeting crayfish and freshwater mussels.

Professional Experience

  • Unit Leader, Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2020-

  • Assistant Unit Leader, Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2010-2020

Education and Certifications

  • Ph D University of Missouri 2008

  • MS University of Missouri 2004

  • BS Missouri Western State University 2001

Science and Products

link
Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Red River

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from...
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Red River

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from...
Learn More
link
Dolan Falls

Analyzing and Communicating the Ability of Data and Models to Simulate Streamflow and Answer Resource Management Questions

To date, hydrological and ecological models have been developed independently from each other, making their application particularly challenging for interdisciplinary studies. The objective of this project was to synthesize and evaluate prevailing hydrological and ecological models in the South-Central U.S., particularly the southern Great Plains region. This analysis aimed to identify...
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Analyzing and Communicating the Ability of Data and Models to Simulate Streamflow and Answer Resource Management Questions

To date, hydrological and ecological models have been developed independently from each other, making their application particularly challenging for interdisciplinary studies. The objective of this project was to synthesize and evaluate prevailing hydrological and ecological models in the South-Central U.S., particularly the southern Great Plains region. This analysis aimed to identify the data re
Learn More

Movement and tag evaluation of two prairie fishes in Oklahoma, USA, October-June (2018-2020)

The first portion of this dataset provides the survival, retention, and growth of Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides (EMS) tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi (ARS) tagged with visible implant elastomer (VIE), PIT, and micro transponder p-Chip tags. Experiments were undertaken in the laboratory at Oklahoma State University...
By
Cooperative Research Units
Filter Total Items: 89

Sensitivity of Alabama freshwater gastropod species to nickel exposure

Snails are effective bioindicators due to their prolific distribution, high level of endemism, and capacity to accumulate contaminants. Freshwater snails have unique ecological niches which are imperiled by land‐use change and the introduction of hazardous chemicals. To assess how environmental alterations affect gastropods, lab‐based studies are needed to characterize the toxicity of...
Authors
Andrew Barrick, Sean Parham, Paul Johnson, Shannon K. Brewer, Tham Hoang
By
Cooperative Research Units

A synthesis of the characteristics and drivers of introduced fishes in prairie streams: Can we manage introduced harmful fishes in these dynamic environments?

Prairie streams of North America support native fishes that are adapted to the dynamic environment that characterizes these ecologically and economically important ecosystems. However, prairie streams have been altered by landscape changes that may affect the proportions of native and introduced species in fish communities. Herein, we investigate drivers of introduced fish in prairie...
Authors
A. A. Coulter, Michael J. Moore, Jimena Golcher-Benavides, Frank J. Rahel, Annika W. Walters, Shannon K. Brewer, Mark L. Wildhaber
By
Cooperative Research Units

Length-weight relationships of native and non-native fishes in the lower Red River catchment, USA

Length-weight relationships are useful for stock assessments and modeling alternative conservation and management strategies for both native and non-native fishes. We developed length-weight relationships for 18 native and non-native riverine fishes in the lower Red River catchment. Fishes were sampled in the summer and autumn seasons between May 2021 and March 2024 via electrofishing...
Authors
Mariaguadalupe Vilchez, John Dattilo, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Processing time and precision of aging structures for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment in the southern Great Plains

ObjectivePopulation demographics of invasive species are commonly evaluated to better develop management actions that are useful for reducing their abundance or controlling the population. Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix are emblematic invaders in the United States, where they continue to expand their range. There is currently no consensus about which...
Authors
B. Birdsall, J. Dattilo, Z. Fuqua, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Integrating ecological value and charismatic species habitats to prioritize habitats for conservation: A case study from Greater Yellowstone

Expanding human pressure has reduced natural habitats globally and motivated strategies to conserve remaining natural habitats. Decisions about conservation on private lands, however, are typically made by local stakeholders who are motivated by the elements of nature they most highly value. Thus, national prioritization for conservation should be complemented by local analysis of...
Authors
A. J. Hansena, A. Easta, Z. Ashford, C. Crittendena, O. Jakabosky, D. Quinby, Shannon K. Brewer, Frank T. van Manen, Mark A. Haroldson, A. Middleton, N. Robinson, D. M. Theobald
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

Evaluating the context dependency of large river nursery habitats for fishes in the lower Red River catchment

Both fine- and coarse-scale physicochemical conditions affect the quantity and quality of nursery habitats within riverine ecosystems. Nursery habitats in large, braided, and sandbed streams such as the lower Red River of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas are not well described and likely vary among species. Identification of nursery habitats is important for developing proper conservation...
Authors
Paul Q. Ramsey, John Dattilo, Dennis DeVries, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Paradigm versus paradox on the prairie: Testing competing stream fish movement frameworks using an imperiled Great Plains minnow

BackgroundMovement information can improve conservation of imperiled species, yet movement is not quantified for many organisms in need of conservation. Prairie chub (Macrhybopsis australis) is a regionally endemic freshwater fish with unquantified movement ecology and currently considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The purpose of this study was to test competing...
Authors
Z.D. Steffensmeier, M. Wedgeworth, L. Yancy, N. Santee, Shannon K. Brewer, J.S. Perkin
By
Cooperative Research Units

The context dependency of fish-habitat associations in separated karst ecoregions

Fish populations may be isolated via natural conditions in geographically separated ecoregions. Although reconnecting these populations is not a management goal, we need to understand how these populations persist across landscapes to develop meaningful conservation actions, particularly for species occupying sensitive karst ecosystems. Our study objective was to determine the...
Authors
Dusty A. Swedberg, Robert M. Mollenhauer, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Using the electron transport system as an indicator of organismal thermal tolerance and respiratory exploitation

Freshwater ecosystems are undergoing rapid thermal shifts, making it increasingly important to understand species-specific responses to these changes. Traditional techniques for determining a species’ thermal tolerance are often lethal and time consuming. Using the enzyme activity associated with the electron transport system (ETS; hereafter referred to as enzyme assay) may provide a non...
Authors
Ehlana G. Stell, Shannon K. Brewer, Lindsay M. Horne, Russell A. Wright, Dennis R. DeVries
By
Cooperative Research Units

Avoiding a macabre future for Macrhybopsis: A special section on improving management and conservation of chubs

No abstract available.
Authors
Joshuah S. Perkin, Shannon K. Brewer, Anthony A. Echelle, Patrick M. Kočovský
By
Cooperative Research Units

Positive but un-sustained wildlife community responses to reserve expansion and mammal reintroductions in South Africa

The creation and expansion of protected areas, coupled with wildlife reintroductions, are increasingly used as conservation measures to combat wildlife declines worldwide. Although these types of restoration efforts are expected be beneficial to wildlife populations, variable species management and interactions among species within complex food webs have the potential to lead to...
Authors
Shannon K. Brewer, Lia Keener, Lourens H. Swanepoel, Craig Sholto-Douglas, Axel Hunnicutt, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos
By
Cooperative Research Units

Striped bass exploitation in tailwater habitats of east-central Oklahoma

Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is naturally anadromous, but a few land-locked populations have been documented that are self-sustaining, including fish in the Arkansas River, Oklahoma. This rare population is the source of brood stock for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation hatcheries and is an important sportfish stock. Striped Bass often congregate in tailwater habitats...
Authors
Alex Vaisvil, Daniel Shoup, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Science and Products

link
Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Red River

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from...
By
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
link

Population-level modeling of bigheaded carps in the Red River

Bighead carp and silver carp (collectively known as bigheaded carps) first escaped to the Mississippi River Basin in the 1970s and have since invaded the Red River. The species threaten the economies and ecosystems for the Red River. USGS scientists are developing population-level models to help guide and inform control strategies and evaluate ongoing management actions with collaborators from...
Learn More
link
Dolan Falls

Analyzing and Communicating the Ability of Data and Models to Simulate Streamflow and Answer Resource Management Questions

To date, hydrological and ecological models have been developed independently from each other, making their application particularly challenging for interdisciplinary studies. The objective of this project was to synthesize and evaluate prevailing hydrological and ecological models in the South-Central U.S., particularly the southern Great Plains region. This analysis aimed to identify...
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
link

Analyzing and Communicating the Ability of Data and Models to Simulate Streamflow and Answer Resource Management Questions

To date, hydrological and ecological models have been developed independently from each other, making their application particularly challenging for interdisciplinary studies. The objective of this project was to synthesize and evaluate prevailing hydrological and ecological models in the South-Central U.S., particularly the southern Great Plains region. This analysis aimed to identify the data re
Learn More

Movement and tag evaluation of two prairie fishes in Oklahoma, USA, October-June (2018-2020)

The first portion of this dataset provides the survival, retention, and growth of Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides (EMS) tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi (ARS) tagged with visible implant elastomer (VIE), PIT, and micro transponder p-Chip tags. Experiments were undertaken in the laboratory at Oklahoma State University...
By
Cooperative Research Units
Filter Total Items: 89

Sensitivity of Alabama freshwater gastropod species to nickel exposure

Snails are effective bioindicators due to their prolific distribution, high level of endemism, and capacity to accumulate contaminants. Freshwater snails have unique ecological niches which are imperiled by land‐use change and the introduction of hazardous chemicals. To assess how environmental alterations affect gastropods, lab‐based studies are needed to characterize the toxicity of...
Authors
Andrew Barrick, Sean Parham, Paul Johnson, Shannon K. Brewer, Tham Hoang
By
Cooperative Research Units

A synthesis of the characteristics and drivers of introduced fishes in prairie streams: Can we manage introduced harmful fishes in these dynamic environments?

Prairie streams of North America support native fishes that are adapted to the dynamic environment that characterizes these ecologically and economically important ecosystems. However, prairie streams have been altered by landscape changes that may affect the proportions of native and introduced species in fish communities. Herein, we investigate drivers of introduced fish in prairie...
Authors
A. A. Coulter, Michael J. Moore, Jimena Golcher-Benavides, Frank J. Rahel, Annika W. Walters, Shannon K. Brewer, Mark L. Wildhaber
By
Cooperative Research Units

Length-weight relationships of native and non-native fishes in the lower Red River catchment, USA

Length-weight relationships are useful for stock assessments and modeling alternative conservation and management strategies for both native and non-native fishes. We developed length-weight relationships for 18 native and non-native riverine fishes in the lower Red River catchment. Fishes were sampled in the summer and autumn seasons between May 2021 and March 2024 via electrofishing...
Authors
Mariaguadalupe Vilchez, John Dattilo, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Processing time and precision of aging structures for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment in the southern Great Plains

ObjectivePopulation demographics of invasive species are commonly evaluated to better develop management actions that are useful for reducing their abundance or controlling the population. Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp H. molitrix are emblematic invaders in the United States, where they continue to expand their range. There is currently no consensus about which...
Authors
B. Birdsall, J. Dattilo, Z. Fuqua, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Integrating ecological value and charismatic species habitats to prioritize habitats for conservation: A case study from Greater Yellowstone

Expanding human pressure has reduced natural habitats globally and motivated strategies to conserve remaining natural habitats. Decisions about conservation on private lands, however, are typically made by local stakeholders who are motivated by the elements of nature they most highly value. Thus, national prioritization for conservation should be complemented by local analysis of...
Authors
A. J. Hansena, A. Easta, Z. Ashford, C. Crittendena, O. Jakabosky, D. Quinby, Shannon K. Brewer, Frank T. van Manen, Mark A. Haroldson, A. Middleton, N. Robinson, D. M. Theobald
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

Evaluating the context dependency of large river nursery habitats for fishes in the lower Red River catchment

Both fine- and coarse-scale physicochemical conditions affect the quantity and quality of nursery habitats within riverine ecosystems. Nursery habitats in large, braided, and sandbed streams such as the lower Red River of Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas are not well described and likely vary among species. Identification of nursery habitats is important for developing proper conservation...
Authors
Paul Q. Ramsey, John Dattilo, Dennis DeVries, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Paradigm versus paradox on the prairie: Testing competing stream fish movement frameworks using an imperiled Great Plains minnow

BackgroundMovement information can improve conservation of imperiled species, yet movement is not quantified for many organisms in need of conservation. Prairie chub (Macrhybopsis australis) is a regionally endemic freshwater fish with unquantified movement ecology and currently considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The purpose of this study was to test competing...
Authors
Z.D. Steffensmeier, M. Wedgeworth, L. Yancy, N. Santee, Shannon K. Brewer, J.S. Perkin
By
Cooperative Research Units

The context dependency of fish-habitat associations in separated karst ecoregions

Fish populations may be isolated via natural conditions in geographically separated ecoregions. Although reconnecting these populations is not a management goal, we need to understand how these populations persist across landscapes to develop meaningful conservation actions, particularly for species occupying sensitive karst ecosystems. Our study objective was to determine the...
Authors
Dusty A. Swedberg, Robert M. Mollenhauer, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units

Using the electron transport system as an indicator of organismal thermal tolerance and respiratory exploitation

Freshwater ecosystems are undergoing rapid thermal shifts, making it increasingly important to understand species-specific responses to these changes. Traditional techniques for determining a species’ thermal tolerance are often lethal and time consuming. Using the enzyme activity associated with the electron transport system (ETS; hereafter referred to as enzyme assay) may provide a non...
Authors
Ehlana G. Stell, Shannon K. Brewer, Lindsay M. Horne, Russell A. Wright, Dennis R. DeVries
By
Cooperative Research Units

Avoiding a macabre future for Macrhybopsis: A special section on improving management and conservation of chubs

No abstract available.
Authors
Joshuah S. Perkin, Shannon K. Brewer, Anthony A. Echelle, Patrick M. Kočovský
By
Cooperative Research Units

Positive but un-sustained wildlife community responses to reserve expansion and mammal reintroductions in South Africa

The creation and expansion of protected areas, coupled with wildlife reintroductions, are increasingly used as conservation measures to combat wildlife declines worldwide. Although these types of restoration efforts are expected be beneficial to wildlife populations, variable species management and interactions among species within complex food webs have the potential to lead to...
Authors
Shannon K. Brewer, Lia Keener, Lourens H. Swanepoel, Craig Sholto-Douglas, Axel Hunnicutt, Gonçalo Curveira-Santos
By
Cooperative Research Units

Striped bass exploitation in tailwater habitats of east-central Oklahoma

Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is naturally anadromous, but a few land-locked populations have been documented that are self-sustaining, including fish in the Arkansas River, Oklahoma. This rare population is the source of brood stock for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation hatcheries and is an important sportfish stock. Striped Bass often congregate in tailwater habitats...
Authors
Alex Vaisvil, Daniel Shoup, Shannon K. Brewer
By
Cooperative Research Units
Was this page helpful?