Kao, Y.-C., Rogers, M.W., Bunnell, D.B., Cowx, I.G., Qian, S.S., Anneville, O., Beard, T.D., Brinker, A., Britton, J.R., Chura-Cruz, R., Gownaris, N.J., Jackson, J.R., Kangur, K., Kolding, J., Lukin, A.A., Lynch, A.J., Mercado-Silva, N., Moncayo-Estrada, R., Njaya, F.J., Ostrovsky, I., Rudstam, L.G., Sandström, A.L.E., Sato, Y., Siguayro-Mamani, H., Thorpe, A., van Zwieten, P.A.M., Volta, P., Wang, Y., Weiperth, A., Weyl, O.L.F., Young, J.D., 2020. Effects of climate and land-use changes on fish catches across lakes at a global scale. Nature Communications 11, 2526.
Yu-Chun Kao, PhD
Biography
I am a biologist at the Great Lakes Science Center. My research focuses on using quantitative methods to better understand the causal links between anthropogenic stressors and ecosystem changes. When I say "anthropogenic stressors", it usually means nutrients, invasive species, and climate change. When I say "ecosystems", it usually means lakes. When I say "changes", it usually means changes in fisheries resources. In general, I strive to provide useful information to support decision-making for ecosystem-based management.
Education
Ph.D. 2014 School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan (UM)
M.S. 2002 Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering (BSE), National Taiwan University (NTU)
B.S. 2000 Agricultural Engineering (Minor: Earth System Science Program), NTU
Professional Experience (since 2010)
09/2020–Now Biologist, USGS Great Lakes Science Center
03/2020–08/2020 Research Aquatic Ecologist, Eureka Aquatic Research, LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan
04/2015–02/2020 CESU Research Associate, Michigan State University
01/2010–12/2014 Graduate Student Research Assistant, UM
05/2013–08/2013 Computing Consultant, ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods, UM
Selected Awards and Fellowships
2018 GLSC Moffett Award for the best scientific publication in 2017
2013 UM Rackham Graduate School Ph.D. Dissertation Grant
2001 NTU BSE Engineering Research Scholarship endorsed by Sinotech Engineering Consultants
1998 NTU Presidential Award
For my full publication list: Google Scholar
(last update: 11/06/2020)
Science and Products
Year Published: 2018
Evaluating stocking efficacy in an ecosystem undergoing oligotrophication
Oligotrophication has negatively affected fisheries production in many freshwater ecosystems and could conceivably reduce the efficacy of stockings used to enhance fisheries. In Lake Michigan, offshore oligotrophication has occurred since the 1970s, owing to reductions in total phosphorus (TP) inputs and nearshore sequestration of TP by...
Kao, Yu-Chun; Rogers, Mark W.; Bunnell, David B.Attribution: Cooperative Research Units
Year Published: 2017
Assessing the global distribution of river fisheries harvest: A systematic map protocol
BackgroundAlthough surface freshwater comprises < 0.01% of the total water volume of earth, freshwater inland capture fisheries and aquaculture represent 40% of the global reported finfish harvest. While the social, economic, and ecological importance of inland fish and fisheries is difficult to overstate, they are often undervalued and...
Romulo, Chelsie; Basher, Zeenatul; Lynch, Abigail; Kao, Yu-Chun; Taylor, William W.
Year Published: 2017
Inland fisheries – Invisible but integral to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for ending poverty by 2030
The United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines the formidable challenge of integrating historically separate economic, social, and environmental goals into a unified ‘plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity.’ We highlight the substantial contribution inland fisheries can make towards preventing increased poverty...
Lynch, Abigail; Cowx, I.G.; Fluet-Chouinard, Etienne; Glaser, S. M.; Phang, Sui C.; Beard, T. Douglas; Bower, S. D.; Brooks, J.L.; Bunnell, David B.; Claussen, Julie; Cooke, S.J.; Kao, Yu-Chun; Lorenzen, Kai; Myers, Bonnie; Reid, Andrea J.; Taylor, J. J.; Youn, S.
Year Published: 2017
Climate change as a long-term stressor for the fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America
The Laurentian Great Lakes of North America provide valuable ecosystem services, including fisheries, to the surrounding population. Given the prevalence of other anthropogenic stressors that have historically affected the fisheries of the Great Lakes (e.g., eutrophication, invasive species, overfishing), climate change is often viewed as a long-...
Collingsworth, Paris D.; Bunnell, David B.; Murray, Michael W.; Kao, Yu-Chun; Feiner, Zachary S.; Claramunt, Randall M.; Lofgren, Brent M.; Höök, Tomas O.; Ludsin, Stuart A.Attribution: Great Lakes Science Center, Ecosystems
Pre-USGS Publications
Kao, Y.-C., Bunnell, D.B., Eshenroder, R.L., Murray, D.N., 2020. Describing historical habitat use of a native fish—Cisco (Coregonus artedi)—in Lake Michigan between 1930 and 1932. PLOS ONE 15, e0231420.
Kao, Y.-C., Rogers, M.W., Bunnell, D.B., 2018. Evaluating stocking efficacy in an ecosystem undergoing oligotrophication. Ecosystems 21, 600–618.
Kao, Y.-C., Adlerstein, S.A., Rutherford, E.S., 2016. Assessment of top-down and bottom-up controls on the collapse of alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Lake Huron. Ecosystems 19, 803-831.