Alaska Staff Member
Dr. Jeffrey Daniel Muehlbauer
Assistant Unit Leader
Phone: (907) 474 - 5773
Email: jmuehlbauer@usgs.gov
Faculty Email: jdmuehlbauer@alaska.edu
Faculty Website
Education
- Ph D University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2013
- MS University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2010
- BS Northern Arizona University 2007
Biography
Dr. Muehlbauer received undergraduate degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Northern Arizona University and masters and doctoral degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He spent several years as a post-doctoral fellow and research ecologist at the USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center prior to joining the Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 2021. His research is focused on linking hydrological and geomorphic conditions in rivers to the structure of aquatic communities. Most of his work focuses on aquatic insects and macroinvertebrates, salmonid fisheries and feeding ecology, and freshwater and riparian food webs. He has been involved in basic and applied research in a variety of river ecosystems worldwide, including dam removal in Fossil Creek, Arizona, wetland mitigation in North Carolina, food web studies on the Danube River in Austria/Hungary/Serbia and glacially-fed rivers in Italy. Presently his research looks into the effects of large dam impacts on aquatic communities in the Colorado River and on the impacts of climate change, mining, and other stressors in Alaskan streams and rivers. Dr. Muehlbauer teaches courses in Aquatic Food Web Ecology and Stream Ecology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Areas of Expertise
Adaptive Management, Anthropogenic Impacts, Aquatic Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecological Flows, Ecological Services, Entomology, Fisheries Management, Habitat Management, Managed Flows/Hydrology, Policy, Population and Community Ecology, Statistics and Modelling, Stream Ecology, Water Quality
Taxon Groups Studied
Anadromous Fishes, Bats, Freshwater Fishes, Gamefish, Invertebrates/Insects, Nongame Fish/Wildlife, Salmonids
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Ward, N. K., A. J. Lynch, E. A. Beever, J. Booker, K. L. Bouska, H. Embke, et al. 2023. Reimagining large river management using the Resist–Accept–Direct (RAD) framework in the Upper Mississippi River. Ecological Processes 12:48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-023-00460-x | Abstract | Publisher Website | October 2023 |
| Metcalfe, A.N., T.A. Kennedy, G.A. Mendez and J.D. and Muehlbauer. 2022. Applied citizen science in freshwater research. WIREs Water e1578:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1578 | Abstract | Publisher Website | January 2022 |
| Metcalfe, A. N., J. D. Muehlbauer, M. A. Ford, and T. A. Kennedy. 2023. Colorado River Basin. Pages 462-509 in M. D. Delong, T. D. Jardine, A. C. Benke and C. E. Cushing (editors). Rivers of North America. Academic Press, San Diego, California, USA. | April 2023 |
| Metcalfe, A. N., C. A. Fritzinger, T. J. Weller, M. J. Dodrill, J. D. Muehlbauer, C. B. Yackulic, P. B. Holton, C. M. Szydlo, L. E. Durning, J. B. Sankey, and T. A. Kennedy. 2023. Insectivorous bat foraging tracks the availability of aquatic flies (Diptera). The Journal of Wildlife Management 87:e22414. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22414 | Abstract | May 2023 |
| Kennedy, T.A., A.N. Metcalfe, B.R. Deemer, M.A. Ford, C.M. Szydlo, C.B. Yackulic, and J.D. Muehlbauer. 2022. Little bugs, big data, and Colorado River adaptive management—Preliminary findings from the ongoing bug flow experiment at Glen Canyon Dam. Boatman's Quarterly Review. 35:26-31. | Publisher Website | October 2022 |
| Deemer, B.R., C.B. Yackulic, R.O. Hall, M.J. Dodrill, T.A. Kennedy, J.D. Muehlbauer, D.J. Topping, N. Voichick, and M.D. Yard. 2022. Experimental reductions in sub-daily flow fluctuations increased gross primary productivity for 425 river kilometers downstream. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus pgac094. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac094 | Abstract | Publisher Website | June 2022 |
| Abernethy, E.F., J.D. Muehlbauer, T.A. Kennedy, J.D. Tonkin, R. Van Driesche and D.A. Lytle. 2021. Hydropeaking intensity and dam proximity limit aquatic invertebrate diversity in the Colorado River Basin. Ecosphere 12: e03559, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3559 | Abstract | Publisher Website | June 2021 |
| Abernethy, E. F., J. D. Muehlbauer, T. A. Kennedy, K. E. Dziedzic, H. Elder, M. K. Burke, and D. A. Lytle. 2023. Population connectivity of aquatic insects in a dam‐regulated, desert river. River Research and Applications 39:364-374. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3972 | Abstract | Publisher Website | March 2023 |
| Project | Completion Date |
|---|---|
| Ectoparasites of salmon using eDNA | August 2023 |
| Juvenile salmon growth and heat stress | September 2025 |
| Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) decisionmaking | September 2023 |
| Aquatic food webs in Grand Canyon | September 2024 |
| Stream restoration effectiveness assessment | October 2024 |
| Wildfire effects on aquatic biodiversity measured using eDNA | September 2023 |
| Analysis of lake water quality data in Southwest Alaska National Parks | August 2024 |
| Salmon habitat and shoreline vulnerability to recreational boat wakes in Big Lake, Alaska | September 2024 |
| Central Alaska aquatic inventory & monitoring data synthesis | June 2027 |
| Woody debris export to large rivers following wildfire | September 2022 |
| Rio Chama aquatic insect monitoring | September 2021 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Wilson, E.E., J.D. Muehlbauer, F.J. Dekker, K.D. Keith, A.L. LaBarre, and M.G. Mazzacavallo. 2023. Effects of Watercraft Wakes on Shoreline Erosion, and Potential Impacts for Salmon at Big Lake, Alaska. Mat-Su Salmon Science & Conservation Symposium, Palmer, Alaska, 13-14 November 2023. | November 2023 |
| Ward, N., A.J. Lynch, K. Bouska, H. Embke, J. Kocik, T. Krabbenhoft, D. Lawrence, M. Magee, B.M. Maitland, J. Morton, J.D. Muehlbauer, R. Newman, H.M. Rantala, G.G. Sass, A. Schulz and J. Wilkening. 2022. Using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework to reimagine large river management. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Spokane, Washington, 21-25 August 2022. | August 2022 |
| Starbuck, M., A. Metcalfe, J. Muehlbauer, D. Lytle and T. Kennedy. 2023. A deep dive on net-spinning caddisflies (<i>Hydropsyche oslari</i>): measurements of adult body size and stable isotopes provides insights into growing conditions for aquatic insects during the Bug Flow Experiment. National Conference on Ecological Restoration, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 14-19 April 2024. | April 2024 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D., T.A. Kennedy, A.N. Metcalfe, B.R. Deemer and C.B. Yackulic. 2023. Effects of experimental “Bug Flows” on aquatic insect populations downstream of a large hydropower dam. Annual Meeting, Society for Freshwater Science, 3-7 June 2023. | June 2023 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. and W.T. Samuel 2023. Comparison of eDNA primers for aquatic invertebrate diversity in Interior Alaska streams. Alaska Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Fairbanks, Alaska, 27-31 March 2023. | March 2023 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. and Gosselin, M.D. 2022. Wildfire effects on large wood in rivers: perspectives from Interior Alaska. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Spokane, Washington, 21-25 August 2022. | August 2022 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. 2023. Woody debris export to large rivers following wildfire. Alaska Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Fairbanks, Alaska, 27-31 March 2023. | March 2023 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. 2023. Woody debris export to large rivers following wildfire, Alaska EPSCoR All-Hands Meeting, Girdwood, Alaska, 7-8 February 2023. | February 2023 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. 2022. Wildfire effects on large wood export to rivers: a synthesis. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 14-20 May 2022. | May 2022 |
| Muehlbauer, J.D. 2022. Piloting the quantification of large woody debris inputs to large rivers following wildfire. Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Virtual, 28 February-3 March 2022. | February 2022 |
| Metcalfe, A.N., T.A. Kennedy, C.A. Fritzinger, M.J. Dodrill, C.M. Szydlo, J.D. Muehlbauer, C.B. Yackulic, B.P. Holton, L.E. Durning, J.B. Sankey and T.J. Weller. 2022. Insectivorous bat foraging along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon is determined by the availability of aquatic flies (Diptera). 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region, Flagstaff, Arizona, 12-15 September 2022. | September 2022 |
| Metcalfe, A., T. Kennedy, J. Muehlbauer, M. Dodrill, T. Weller, J. Sankey, L. Durning and C. Fritzinger. 2022. The role of insect abundance and riparian vegetation in driving bat foraging activity in Grand Canyon: insights from a community science project. Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program Annual Reporting Meeting, Virtual, 11-12 January 2022. | January 2022 |
| Kennedy, T.A., J.D. Muehlbauer, B.R. Deemer, C.B. Yackulic, M.A. Ford, C. Szydlo and A.N. Metcalfe. 2022. Experimental ‘Bug Flows’ increased algae production and insect diversity in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region, Flagstaff, Arizona, 12-15 September 2022. | September 2022 |
| Kennedy, T.A., A. Metcalfe, B.R. Deemer, M. Ford, C. Szydlo, C. Yackulic and J. Muehlbauer. 2022. Update on the Bug Flow Experiment: background, monitoring, and new analyses. Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program Adaptive Management Working Group Meeting, Flagstaff, AZ, 17-18 August 2022. | August 2022 |
| Kennedy, T.A. and J.D. Muehlbauer. 2022. Project F: Aquatic ecology and food base monitoring. Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program Annual Reporting Meeting, Virtual, 11-12 January 2022. | January 2022 |
| Hermus, J.H., J.D. Muehlbauer, D.J. Rinella, V.R. von Biela, J.A. Falke. 2023. The effects of water temperature and heat stress on juvenile Chinook <i>Oncorhynchus tshawytscha</i>, and Coho Salmon <i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i> growth in the Deshka River watershed. Mat-Su Salmon Science and Conservation Symposium, Palmer, Alaska, 13-14 November 2023. | November 2023 |
| Deemer, B.R., C.B. Yackulic, R.O. Hall, M.J. Dodrill, T.A. Kennedy, J. Muehlbauer, D. Topping, N. Voichick and M. Yard. 2021. An experimental flow increases gross primary production up to 400 kilometers downstream in a regulated river. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Annual Meeting, Virtual, 22-27 June 2021. | June 2021 |
| Brown, P., E. Moody, J. Muehlbauer, B. Deemer, C. Yackulic, T. Kennedy and J. Corman. 2023. The role of calcium carbonate in gross primary production in the Little Colorado River, AZ, and implications for humpback chub growth rates. Desert Fishes Council Annual Meeting, Bluff, California, 14-19 November 2023. | November 2023 |