Research :: ICHTHYOLOGY LABORATORY

My research revolves around the ecology of freshwater fishes. As an overarching theme, fish ecology adequately describes the work, but I have strayed into taxonomy, zoogeography and distribution, assemblage structure and conservation. I also work with freshwater decapods—crayfishes, crabs and shrimps. Support for my work has been generated by the need for more information on two types of species: rare fish and exotic fish. Ecological and life history information is key to successfully protecting rare, threatened and endangered species. No one can work in New York for long without noticing the number of exotic fishes and crayfishes and the extent and rapidity of their range expansions into new drainages. In collaboration with many others, I have helped identify exotic species and have tracked their expansions. And, of course, exotic fishes often have an impact upon rare ones. The scientific questions that I find interesting have real bearing on the management of fish and aquatic invertebrates and aid researchers, educators and resource managers. My research, and development of the Ichthyology collection, has been accomplished with colleagues in the Ichthyology Laboratory, students and researchers at nearby colleges and universities and researchers in federal and state resource agencies.