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Fish Ecology, Fishery Management, and Conservation Biology

My current research involves studies of the abiotic regulation of habitat use, reproductive ecology, and interannual variation in prairie stream fish assemblages; and development and application of quantitative models relating population dynamics of prairie stream fish assemblages to stream discharge.  Historically, population dynamics of prairie stream fishes was thought to be determined by adult habitat availability.  My studies and those of my students suggest instead that survival though the egg and juvenile stages determine population dynamics.  

I have conducted studies of the fishery effects of length limits and largemouth bass fishing tournaments, among other topics, that challenged the fishery management status quo.  My fishery management research now is largely restricted to studies of catch and release, principally on Australian fishes, and conservation and management of trophy fishes.

There is a growing recognition among scientists in all fields that there is need to better educate the public about the importance of research and to provide accessible research products.  I am working on a number of video documentaries that will make my research results accessible to the public.  Toward this end, I founded Pupfish Media, which specializes in production of documentaries on the ecology and management of imperiled and exploited populations.