College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

Education:

Ph.D., Michigan State University, 1990
M.S., Michigan State University, 1988
B.S., University of New Hampshire, 1983 (summa cum laude)

Background:

My position is funded through the Partnership for Ecosystem Research and Management, a cooperative venture between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University. My primary research interest is to determine how fish habitat affects their population dynamics. By linking population dynamics with habitat, I hope to help fishery managers in their goal of sustaining valuable fisheries. In addition to this, I am also interested in the impact of fishing on fish populations, as well as the general ecology of fishes. To accomplish these interests, I generally take a mathematical modeling or statistical approach to problem solving. I also try to take advantage of opportunities to do whole-system manipulations as I feel this is one of the best ways to understand ecosystem functioning.

My principal teaching appointments are FW101L, Introduction to Fisheries and Wildlife Lab, STT224, Introductory Probability and Statistics for Ecologists, and FW238, Fisheries and Wildlife Field Experience. I also have lead seminar courses, and guest lecture in a number of our graduate and undergraduate courses. As part of the land grant mission at MSU, I am also heavily involved in outreach activities, primarily with the Fisheries Division of the Michigan DNR.

Research Interests:

• Linking habitat supply to fish community objectives using a population dynamics approach (Co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Michael Jones)
• Impact of removal of Stronach Dam, Manistee, Michigan
• Potential of the Pine River, Alcona County, Michigan, for producing juvenile salmonids
• Use of habitat improvement structures by fish in reservoirs along the Au Sable River, Michigan (Principal Investigator, Dr. Mary Bremigan)
• Effect of an electric lamprey barrier on movement of steelhead and longnose sucker in the Pere Marquette River, Michigan (Co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Thomas Coon)
• Resilience of warm water fish communities
• Response of trout to the addition of whole trees in the Au Sable and Manistee Rivers

Courses Taught:

• Introduction to Fisheries and Wildlife Lab, FW101L
• Introductory Probability and Statistics for Ecologists, STT224
• Fisheries and Wildlife Field Experience, FW238

Publications:

MSU Scholar Profile