I study ecosystem interactions that influence the management of freshwater fish populations in lakes and rivers, with an emphasis on Adirondack ecosystems. My research efforts often involve large-scale and small-scale experimental manipulations and also take advantage of natural experiments - such as disturbances or variable climate conditions - that can help identify key ecosystem processes that are relevant to aquatic resource management. During my ten years at Cornell I have been able to initiate, implement and oversee several long-term projects that are evaluating key aquatic resource management issues, including: climate change impacts on coldwater fish and aquatic ecosystems, the impacts of dominant invasive species on fish communities and ecosystems, factors influencing large-scale fish mortality from thiamin deficiency, and the influence of forested landscapes on ecosystem processes in lakes and rivers.
Inevitably, the research described in my web pages does not always reflect all aspects of my current research activities and interests. Yet I strive to maintain an updated list of publications that reflects results of research efforts that have been regularly reported by myself or members of my lab group at meetings, workshops and in the scientific literature. If you have questions about my ongoing research or are interested in updated perspectives on subjects described in my personal web pages or publications, feel free to contact me.
Descriptions of the following research projects conducted within my lab group can be found in the "Current Research" and "Recently Completed Research" links provided below:
Brook Trout Conservation and Management in a Changing Climate (With Many Collaborators)
Fish Community and Population Response to Removal of Naturalized Smallmouth Bass in an Oligotrophic Adirondack Lake (With Many Collaborators)
The Environmental and Ecological Importance of Thiaminase in Aquatic Food Webs (With Collaborators: Dale Honeyfield, USGS Northern Appalachian Research Lab; Esther Angert, Dept. of Microbiology, Cornell)
Influences of Old-growth Riparian Forests on Adirondack Stream Systems (With Collaborator: William Keeton, University of Vermont)
Implementing a Topographic Index Approach to Identify Locations of Groundwater Input Along Adirondack Lake Shorelines (With Graduate Student: Peter Stevens)
Restoration of Round Whitefish in Adirondack lakes (With Former Post-Doctoral Associate: Geoff Steinhart)
Wood Dynamics Along the Terrestrial-aquatic Boundary in Northeastern Forests: The 1998 Ice Storm (With Former Post-Doctoral Associate: Andrew Millward)
Evaluating the Effects of Environment and Stressors on Thiaminase Expression in Alewife (With Former Graduate Student: Jesse Lepak)
Stable Isotope Measurements as Indicators of Diet Shifts in a Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Population in an Oligotrophic Adirondack Lake (With Former Graduate Student: Jesse Lepak)
Dynamics of wood recruitment and accumulation within northeastern US streams
Distribution and Abundance of Wild Trout in the BeaverKill/Willowemoc Watershed (With Former Graduate Student: Tamara Smith)
Gastric Evacuation and Daily Ration of Naturally Produced Age-0 Chinook Salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Lake Ontario (With Former Graduate Student: Nick Principe)
Ice Storm Impacts and Woody Debris Removal in Adirondack Tributary Streams: Biotic Responses and Changes in Physical Habitat (With Former Graduate Student: Dana Warren)