Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Iowa
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Iowa Staff Member


Dr. Michael Moore

Michael Moore, Assistant Unit Leader, USGS Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Assistant Unit Leader
Phone: (515) 294 - 8616
Email: mmoore@usgs.gov
Faculty Email: mooremj@iastate.edu
Faculty Website

Education

  • Ph D University of Missouri 2021
  • MS Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 2016
  • BS University of Missouri 2012

Biography

Dr. Moore joined the Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit as Assistant Unit Leader and Assistant Professor at Iowa State University in 2022. Prior to joining the Iowa Unit, he received his M.S. degree from Virginia Tech and PhD from the University of Missouri. Previous research examining fish and crayfish ecology from upland headwater creeks, to large interior rivers, and coastal lowland streams has expanded his interests in understanding the role of connectivity for aquatic biota and physical habitats throughout stream networks. Specific research interests include movement ecology, species reintroduction, aquatic community dynamics, invasive species management, stream habitat management, ecohydrology, climate change impacts, conservation biology of freshwater fish and crayfish, and science communication. For each of these themes his research aims to improve understanding of ecological processes to inform conservation decision making using multidisciplinary approaches. Dr. Moore seeks to foster a sense of belonging among diverse communities of students and professionals through teaching and mentoring. He teaches a graduate courses in fisheries science and movement ecology at Iowa State University.

Areas of Expertise

Aquatic Ecology, Climate Change, Ecological Flows, Fisheries Management, GIS/Spatial Analysis, Habitat Management, Invasive Species, Landscape Ecology, Managed Flows/Hydrology, Movement Ecology, Population and Community Ecology, Species Distribution Modeling, Species Management, Species Status Assessments, Statistics and Modelling, Stream Ecology, T&E Species Management

Taxon Groups Studied

Crayfish, Freshwater Fishes, Invertebrates/Insects, Nongame Fish/Wildlife, Species of Greatest Conservation Need

Research Publications Publication Date
Moore, M., C. Paukert, and T. Moore. 2021. Effects of latitude, season and temperature on Lake Sturgeon movement. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41: 916-928. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10416. August 2021
Moore, M., C. Paukert, B. Brooke, and T. Moore. 2021. Lake Sturgeon Seasonal Movements in Regulated and Unregulated Missouri River Tributaries. Ecohydrology http://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2362 October 2021
Moore, M., C. P. Paukert, S. Owens, and T. Moore. 2021. Habitat selection in a southern Lake Sturgeon population: implications of temporal, spatial, and ontogenetic variation for restoration. Restoration Ecology http://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13602 December 2021
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, T. Bonnot, B. Brooke, and T. Moore. 2021. Does where they start affect where they finish? A multi-method investigation of the role of stocking location on survival and dispersal of hatchery-reared Lake Sturgeon in Missouri River tributaries. River Research and Applications 38:627-638. http://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3925

December 2021
Dunn, C.G., M.J. Moore, N.A. Sievert, C.P. Paukert, and R.J. DiStefano. 2021. Co-occuring lotic crayfishes exhibit variable long-term responses to extreme-flow events and temperature. Freshwater Science 40:626-643: https://doi.org/10.1086/717486 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website December 2021
Bouska, K., B. Healy, M. Moore, C. Dunn, J. Spurgeon, and C. Paukert. 2023. Diverse portfolios: investing in tributaries for restoration of large river fishes in the Anthropocene. Frontiers in Environmental Science 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1151315 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website March 2023
Bourquin, R., Moore, M. J., Orth, D. J., & Hallerman, E. M. (2023). Conservation Genetics of Clinch Dace Chrosomus sp. cf. saylori. Fishes, 8(7), 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8070365 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website July 2023
Flinders, Lydia
Undergraduate
flinders@iastate.edu

Golcher-Benavides, Jimena
Post Doc
jgolcher@iastate.edu

Harms, Justin
Master's
jharms@iastate.edu

Hollenberg, Paige
Undergraduate
pnh@iastate.edu

Kaloczi, Juliana
Master's
jkaloczi@iastate.edu

Paulson, Daniel
Master's
dcp003@iastate.edu

Presentations Presentation Date
Vaske, M., R. Hupfeld, G. Jones, R. Krogman, D. Paulson, M. Weber, and M. Moore. Assessing the effects of experimental flow releases on Shovelnose Sturgeon spawning in the Des Moines River, Iowa. Oral Presentation. 2024 North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society Annual Meeting. October 2024
Vaske, M., R. Hupfeld, G. Jones, R. Krogman, D. Paulson, M. Weber, and M. Moore. Assessing the effects of experimental flow releases on Shovelnose Sturgeon spawning in the Des Moines River, Iowa. Oral Presentation. 2024 85<sup>TH</sup> Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. January 2025
Umland, L., T. Hessler., M. Moore, and C. Paukert. 2024. A comparison of known vs modeled Lake Sturgeon Spawning Habitat in a Missouri River Tributary . American Fisheries Society Conference, Honolulu, HI. September 2024
Umland, L., M. Moore, and C. Paukert. 2023. Lake Sturgeon Occupancy and Recruitment in Tributaries of a Mainstem River. World Fisheries Congress, Seattle WA. 5 March 2024. March 2024
Umland, L., M. Moore, and C. Paukert. 2023. Factors affecting Lake Sturgeon reproduction: the next step in recovery and management. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI. April 2023
Paukert, C., and M. Moore. Dispersal and Survival Estimates of Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Stocked in Multiple Locations in the Osage and Gasconade rivers, Missouri Southern Division of the AFS Annual Meeting, Little Rock, AR. 21 February 2020. February 2020
Paukert, C., and M. Moore. 2018. The Role of Tributaries in Large River Fish Conservation: A Case Study with Lake Sturgeon in Missouri. Mississippi River-Yangtze River Symposium. Chongqing, China. 16 October 2018. October 2018
Paukert, C. P., M. Moore, T. Moore, and N. Farless. Restoring Fish and Fish Habitat in Midwestern Rivers. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Spokane, WA 23 August 2022. August 2022
Moore, M.J, A. A. Hyman 2023. What Google Trends can (and can't) tell us about factors driving public interest in endangered species. Oral Presentation. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Overland Park, Kansas. February 2023
Moore, M., and C. Paukert. 2019. The Role of Tributary Habitats in the Recovery of the Lake Sturgeon, a Missouri Endangered Species. Missouri Natural Resources Conference, Osage Beach, MO. February 2019
Moore, M. J., Coulter, A. A., Golcher-Benavides, J., Rahel, F. J., Walters, A. W., Brewer, S. K., Wildhaber, M. L. 2024. A synthesis of the characteristics and drivers of introduced fishes in prairie streams: Can we manage harmful introduced fishes in these dynamic environments? Oral Presentation at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. January 2024
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert. 2019. Dispersal and Overwinter Survival of Stocked Age-0 Lake Sturgeon in Two Missouri River Tributaries. Oral Presentation. The North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Annual Meeting. September 2019
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert. 2018. Seasonal Habitat Selection of Lake Sturgeon in Missouri River Tributaries. Poster Presentation. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Atlantic City, NJ August 2018
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, T. Moore. 2020. Playing the long game: gauging recovery success for Lake Sturgeon a long-lived migratory freshwater fish. Oral Presentation. World Fisheries Congress, Adelaide, Australia. October 2020
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, T. Moore. 2019. Factors explaining spatiotemporal variation in movement patterns for a coolwater fish, the Lake Sturgeon. Oral Presentation. The American Fisheries Society and the Wildlife Society Joint Annual Conference. October 2019
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, T. Moore. 2018. Lake Sturgeon Movement in a Southern Lotic Population with Comparisons to Other Populations Across its Range. Oral Presentation. North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society Annual Meeting, Columbia, MO. October 2018
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, T. L. Moore, B. L. Brooke. 2020. Environmental Correlates of Seasonal Movement and Migrations of Lake Sturgeon in the Osage and Gasconade rivers. Virtual Missouri Natural Resources Conference 2021. February 2021
Moore, M. J., C. P. Paukert, 2019. Lake Sturgeon Movements in the Missouri River Basin Call Attention to the Importance of Tributaries in Large River Fish Conservation. Oral Presentation. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, 2019, Cleveland OH. January 2019
Moore, M, and C. Paukert. 2018. Summer Tributary Use and Movement of Lake Sturgeon on its Southern Range Margin. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Milwaukee, WI January 2018
M.J. Moore, Golcher-Benavides, J., E. A. Szott, Z. J. Witzel, J. T. Lamer, and M. J. Weber. Patterns and drivers of hybridization between Silver (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) and Bighead (<i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis</i>) carp in the Upper Mississippi River. Oral Presentation. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. September 2024
M. J. Moore, Golcher-Benavides, J., E. A. Szott, D. D. Turney, S.A. Valentine, Z. J. Witzel, J. T Lamer, G. W. Whitledge, and M.J. Weber. Examining environmental correlates of Silver Carp (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) year-class strength in Upper Mississippi River natal environments using otolith microchemistry. Oral Presentation American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. September 2024
Kaloczi, J.,<sup> </sup>Hupfeld, R. N., Krogman, R M., Hamel, M. J., Jones, G., and Moore, M. M. Assessing Age and Incremental Growth Rates in Cedar River Shovelnose Sturgeon through an 18-year Mark-Recapture Dataset. Oral Presentation, 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
Kaloczi, J., Moore, M. J., Hamel, M. J., Jones, G. and Hupfeld, R. N. 2024. Incremental Growth Rates in a Cedar River population of Shovelnose Sturgeon through a 17-year Mark-Recapture Dataset. Poster Presentation. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 2024. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. January 2024
Kaloczi, J., M. J. Moore, M. J Hamel, G. Jones, R. N. Hupfeld, and R. Krogman. Incremental Growth Rates in a Cedar River population of Shovelnose Sturgeon through a 17-year Mark-Recapture Dataset. Poster Presentation, Iowa Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting March 2024
J. Kaloczi, Moore, M. J., Hamel, M. J., Jones, G., Hupfeld, R. N., & Krogman, R. M. 2024. Assessing age and incremental growth rates in a Cedar River population of Shovelnose Sturgeon through a 18-year mark-recapture dataset. Oral Presentation American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. September 2024
Harms, J., M. Weber, and M. Moore. Effects of Silver Carp (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) on native fish condition in Upper Mississippi River basin. Poster Presentation. 2024 85<sup>th</sup> Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
Golcher-Benavides, J., Szott, E.A., Turney, D.D., Witzel, Z.J. Lamer, J.T., Whitledge, G.W., Moore, M.J., and M.J. Weber. 2024. Recruitment dynamics of bigheaded carp in the Upper Mississippi River informed by otolith microchemistry. Oral Presentation. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Sioux Falls, SD January 2024
Golcher-Benavides, J., Moore, M. J., Weber, M. J. (2023). Natal origin and recruitment dynamics of Silver Carp (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) in the Upper Mississippi River. Iowa Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Meeting. Poster Presentation. March 2023
Golcher-Benavides, J., E. Szott, Z. Witzel, J. T. Lamer, G. W. Whitledge, M. J. Moore, & M. J. Weber. Otolith microchemistry to study recruitment of bigheaded carp in the Upper Mississippi River. Oral Presentation, American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI. August 2023
Golcher-Benavides, J., E. A. Szott, Z. J. Witzel, J. T. Lamer, M. J. Weber, and M.J. Moore. Examining drivers of temporal variation in hybridization outcomes in bigheaded carp in the Upper Mississippi River. Poster Presentation. Iowa American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. March 2024
Golcher-Benavides, J., E. A. Szott, D. D. Turney, S.A. Valentine, Z. J. Witzel, J. T Lamer, G. W. Whitledge, M. J. Moore, and M.J. Weber. Recruitment dynamics of Silver Carp informed by early life environments in the Upper Mississippi River. Poster Presentation. Iowa Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. March 2024
Flinders, L., Kaloczi, J., Hupfeld, R., Flammang, M., Krogman, R., Moore, M. Assessing differences in reproductive potential in two Shovelnose Sturgeon populations. Poster presentation. 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
D. C. Paulson, Vaske, M. A, Weber, M. J., & Moore, M. J., 2025. Shovelnose Sturgeon Summer Habitat Selection on the Des Moines River, Iowa. Oral Presentation; SRP Symposium Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
Clayton, D., Moore, M. J., and Weber, M. J.. 2024. Habitat Associations and Distribution of Invasive Rusty Crayfish in a Shallow Glacial Lake. Poster Presentation. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 2024. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. January 2024
Clayton, D., Moore, M. J., and Weber, M. J. Effects of Environmental Variables on Crayfish Occupancy in Shallow Eutrophic Lakes and Wetlands. Poster Presentation. 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
Clayton, D., M. J. Moore, M. J. Weber. Habitat associations and distribution of invasive Rusty Crayfish in a shallow natural lake. Poster Presentation. Iowa Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. March 2024
Clayton, D, Weber, MJ, and Moore, MJ. Habitat associations and distribution of invasive Rusty Crayfish and native Virile Crayfish in a Shallow Eutrophic Natural Lake. Oral Presentation, 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. January 2025
Bouska, K. L.,<b> </b>B. D. Healy, M. J. Moore, C. G. Dunn, J. J. Spurgeon, and C. P. Paukert. Diverse portfolios: investing in tributaries for restoration of large river fishes. USGS Ecosystem Mission Area Friday Findings Webinar, 15 September 2023. Virtual. IP-157389. September 2023
Berkman, L. K., A. T. Taylor, J. B. Koppelman, S. K. Brewer, J. M. Long, T. N. Volkers, E. Sterling, M. J. Moore, and L. S. Eggert. 2022. Divergence, admixture, and fitness in the Smallmouth Bass (<i>Micropterus dolomieu</i>). Poster Presentation American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Spokane, Washington. August 2022