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
Efficiency of sampling sunfishes using snorkeling in clear, warmwater streams of the south-central United States
Groundwater flux estimation in streams: A thermal equilibrium approach
Habitat associations of three crayfish endemic to the Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion
Synthesizing models useful for ecohydrology and ecohydraulic approaches: An emphasis on integrating models to address complex research questions
Sampling the stream landscape: Improving the applicability of an ecoregion-level capture probability model for stream fishes
Incorporating an approach to aid river and reservoir fisheries in an altered landscape
Quantifying seining detection probability for fishes of Great Plains sand‐bed rivers
Geomorphic identification of physical habitat features in a large, altered river system
Passive integrated transponder tags: Review of studies on warmwater fishes with notes on additional species
Thermal tolerances of fishes occupying groundwater and surface-water dominated streams
Effects of temperature, total dissolved solids, and total suspended solids on survival and development rate of larval Arkansas River Shiner
Multinomial N-mixture models improve the applicability of electrofishing for developing population estimates of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 61
Efficiency of sampling sunfishes using snorkeling in clear, warmwater streams of the south-central United States
The continued evaluation of fish-sampling gears and methods is essential to identify their applicability across environmental conditions and among species. Although limited by visibility, snorkeling has potential advantages relative to other fish-sampling gears in wadeable streams (e.g., minimally intrusive, cost effective, and appropriate in deeper areas). Clear water is common to warm-water streAuthorsRobert Mollenhauer, Shannon K. BrewerGroundwater flux estimation in streams: A thermal equilibrium approach
Stream and groundwater interactions play an essential role in regulating flow, temperature, and water quality for stream ecosystems. Temperature gradients have been used to quantify vertical water movement in the streambed since the 1960s, but advancements in thermal methods are still possible. Seepage runs are a method commonly used to quantify exchange rates through a series of streamflow measurAuthorsYan Zhou, Garey A. Fox, Ron B. Miller, Robert Mollenhauer, Shannon K. BrewerHabitat associations of three crayfish endemic to the Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion
Many crayfish are of conservation concern because of their use of unique habitats and often narrow ranges. In this study, we determined fine-scale habitat use by 3 crayfishes that are endemic to the Ouachita Mountains, in Oklahoma and Arkansas. We sampled Faxonius menae (Mena Crayfish), F. leptogonopodus (Little River Creek Crayfish), and Fallicambarus tenuis (Ouachita Mountain Crayfish) from wetAuthorsJoseph J. Dyer, Shannon K. BrewerSynthesizing models useful for ecohydrology and ecohydraulic approaches: An emphasis on integrating models to address complex research questions
Ecohydrology combines empiricism, data analytics, and the integration of models to characterize linkages between ecological and hydrological processes. A challenge for practitioners is determining which models best generalizes heterogeneity in hydrological behaviour, including water fluxes across spatial and temporal scales, integrating environmental and socio‐economic activities to determine bestAuthorsShannon K. Brewer, Thomas Worthington, Robert Mollenhauer, David Stewart, Ryan McManamay, Lucie Guertault, Desiree MooreSampling the stream landscape: Improving the applicability of an ecoregion-level capture probability model for stream fishes
Temporal and spatial variability in streams result in heterogeneous gear capture probability (i.e., the proportion of available individuals identified) that confounds interpretation of data used to monitor fish abundance. We modeled tow-barge electrofishing capture probability at multiple spatial scales for nine Ozark Highland stream fishes. In addition to fish size, we identified seven reach-scalAuthorsRobert Mollenhauer, Joshua B. Mouser, Shannon K. BrewerIncorporating an approach to aid river and reservoir fisheries in an altered landscape
Reservoir construction for human-use services alters connected riverine flow patterns and influences fish production. We sampled two pelagic fishes from two rivers and two reservoirs and related seasonal and annual hydrology patterns to the recruitment and growth of each species. River and reservoir populations of Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens reached similar ages (32 and 31, respectively)AuthorsShannon K. Brewer, Daniel E. Shoup, John DattilloQuantifying seining detection probability for fishes of Great Plains sand‐bed rivers
Species detection error (i.e., imperfect and variable detection probability) is an essential consideration when investigators map distributions and interpret habitat associations. When fish detection error that is due to highly variable instream environments needs to be addressed, sand‐bed streams of the Great Plains represent a unique challenge. We quantified seining detection probability for dimAuthorsRobert Mollenhauer, Daniel R. Logue, Shannon K. BrewerGeomorphic identification of physical habitat features in a large, altered river system
Altered flow regimes in streams can significantly affect ecosystems and disturb ecological processes, leading to species loss and extinction. Many river management projects use stream classification and habitat assessment approaches to design practical solutions to reverse or mitigate adverse effects of flow regime alteration on stream systems. The objective of this study was to develop a methodolAuthorsL. Guertault, G. Fox, Shannon K. BrewerPassive integrated transponder tags: Review of studies on warmwater fishes with notes on additional species
Although numerous studies have assessed retention and survival of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, data are scattered and information gaps remain for many diminutive fishes. Our study objectives were to 1) systematically review PIT tag studies and summarize retention, growth, and survival data for warmwater fishes; and 2) conduct a laboratory study to evaluate the retention, survival, anAuthorsW. Chris Musselman, Thomas A. Worthington, Joshua Mouser, Desiree M. Williams, Shannon K. BrewerThermal tolerances of fishes occupying groundwater and surface-water dominated streams
A thermal tolerance study mimicking different stream environments could improve our ecological understanding of how increasing water temperatures affect stream ectotherms and improve our ability to predict organism responses based on river classification schemes. Our objective was to compare the thermal tolerances of stream fishes of different habitat guilds among 3 exposure periods: critical therAuthorsNicole Farless, Shannon K. BrewerEffects of temperature, total dissolved solids, and total suspended solids on survival and development rate of larval Arkansas River Shiner
Decreases in the abundance and diversity of stream fishes in the North American Great Plains have been attributed to habitat fragmentation, altered hydrological and temperature regimes, and elevated levels of total dissolved solids and total suspended solids. Pelagic-broadcast spawning cyprinids, such as the Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi, may be particularly vulnerable to these changing cAuthorsJulia S. Mueller, Timothy B. Grabowski, Shannon K. Brewer, Thomas A. WorthingtonMultinomial N-mixture models improve the applicability of electrofishing for developing population estimates of stream-dwelling Smallmouth Bass
Failure to account for variable detection across survey conditions constrains progressive stream ecology and can lead to erroneous stream fish management and conservation decisions. In addition to variable detection’s confounding long-term stream fish population trends, reliable abundance estimates across a wide range of survey conditions are fundamental to establishing species–environment relatioAuthorsRobert Mollenhauer, Shannon K. Brewer - Science
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