Staff Member
Ayla Skorupa
Post Doc
Email: askorupa@umass.edu
Email: askorupa@umass.edu
Biography
My undergraduate education was in Marine Biology at Roger Williams University. After graduating with a B.Sc. I focused on research with plankton which lead to a Masters assistantship at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks with Dr. Russell Hopcroft. I started studying under Dr. Allison Roy at the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass, Amherst in Spring 2017.. My research interests focus on fresh water mussel, Unionidae, conservation. This includes the artificial propagation of rare or endangered species and determining what makes their ideal habitat.
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Sterrett, S., A. Roy, P. Hazelton, B. Swartz, E. Nedeau, J. Carmignani, and A. Skorupa. 2022. Standard Operating Protocol for Mark and Recapture Monitoring of Brook Floater in Streams. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-142-2022, Washington, D. C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css67282137 | Publisher Website | July 2022 |
| Skorupa, A.J., D. Perkins, A.H. Roy, and J.E. Ryan. 2023. Watershed selection to support freshwater mussel restoration: An open-loop decision guide. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/149-2023, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.3996/css85533320 | Publisher Website | May 2023 |
| Skorupa, A.J., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, and T. Warren. 2022. Evaluation of host fishes for the Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) from populations in Massachusetts and Maine. Freshwater Mollusk Biology and Conservation 25:91-102. DOI:10.31931/fmbc-d-21-00011 | Download | Publisher Website | November 2022 |
| Skorupa, A.J., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, T. Warren, and B.S. Cheng. 2024. Food and water quality impact in situ growth of a freshwater mussel: implications for population restoration. Freshwater Science 43(2):107-123. | Download | April 2024 |
| Skorupa, A.J., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, T. Warren, and A. Fisk. 2024. Abundance of five sympatric stream dwelling mussels varies with physical habitat. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 2024:e4069. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.4069 | Download | Publisher Website | January 2024 |
| Roy, A.H., E. Bjerre, J. Cummings, K. Kalasz, J. Carmignani, P. Hazelton, M. Kern, D. Perkins, L. Saucier, A. Skorupa, R. Katz, and C.C. Coghlan. 2022. Brook floater restoration: Identifying locations to reintroduce or augment populations with propagated mussels. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series.FWS/CSS-141-2022. doi.org/10.3996/css40468057 | Publisher Website | March 2022 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Sterrett, S., P.D. Hazelton, A. Doubleday, D. Perkins, A.H. Roy, and M.D. Staudinger. 2017. Brook Floater rangewide conservation and restoration initiative. Meeting of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society, 26-30 March 2017, Cleveland, OH. | March 2017 |
| Skorupa, A.J., S. Doran, C.E. Dumoulin, A.H. Roy, and D.R. Smith. 2023. Towards a decision support tool for freshwater mussel conservation. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Meeting, 15-17 February 2023, Plymouth, MA. | February 2023 |
| Skorupa, A.J., S. Doran, C.E. Dumoulin, A.H. Roy, and D.R. Smith. 2023. Predicting the effect of restoration actions on mussel assemblage habitat: A decision tool to aid practitioners. Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Symposium, 10-14 April 2023, Portland, OR. | April 2023 |
| Skorupa, A.J., S. Doran, C.E. Dumoulin, A.H. Roy, and D.R. Smith. 2023. Evaluating habitat and conservation actions for mussel assemblages in the Delaware River basin, U.S. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference, 30 April - 2 May 2023, Hershey, PA. | April 2023 |
| Skorupa, A.J., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, T. Warren, A. Fisk, and S.C. Sterrett. 2019. Developing a strategy to restore a freshwater mussel (Alasmidonta varicosa) to Massachusetts watersheds. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Conference, 27 February - 1 March, Saratoga Springs, NY. | February 2019 |
| Skorupa, A.J., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, A. Fisk, and S. Sterrett. 2018. Brook floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) mesohabitat preferences in four Massachusetts watersheds. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 15-17 April 2018, Burlington, VT. | April 2018 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, and T. Warren. 2023. Growth and survival of propagated brook floater in four rivers: implications for population restoration. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference, 30 April - 2 May 2023, Hershey, PA. | April 2023 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, and T. Warren. 2022. Assessing propagated brook floater growth and survival across four rivers. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Conference, 2-4 March 2022, Portland, ME. | March 2022 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, D. Perkins, and T. Warren. 2020. Assessing propagated brook floater growth and survival across four rivers with extant populations. ASLO-SFS 2020 Joint Summer Meeting, 7-11 June 2020, Madison, WI. | June 2020 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, A. Fisk, D. Perkins, and T. Warren. 2020. Propagation as a tool for restoration of a state endangered freshwater mussel. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Conference, 4-6 March 2020, Newport, RI. | March 2020 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, A. Fisk, D. Perkins, S.C. Sterrett, and T. Warren. 2021. Habitat predicts abundance of five freshwater mussel species in Massachusetts. Northeast Natural History Conference, 12-14 April 2021 [virtual]. | April 2021 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, A. Fisk, D. Perkins, S.C. Sterrett, and T. Warren. 2021. Habitat predicts abundance of five freshwater mussel species in Massachusetts. Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Symposium, 12-14 April 2021 [virtual]. | April 2021 |
| Skorupa, A., A.H. Roy, P.D. Hazelton, A. Fisk, D. Perkins, S.C. Sterrett, and T. Warren. 2019. Mesohabitat relationships to abundance for three mussels found in northeastern US streams. Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Symposium, 14-18 April 2019, San Antonio, TX. | April 2019 |
| Roy, A.H., P.D. Hazelton, S. Sterrett, A. Doubleday, A. Fisk, L. Holst, M. Marchand, D. Perkins, M.D. Staudinger, B. Swartz, and B. Watson. 2017. What's next? Brook Floater rangewide conservation and restoration initiative. Northeast Freshwater Mussel Meeting, 7 March 2017, Hadley, MA. | March 2017 |
| Roy, A.H., J.R. Carmignani, P.D. Hazelton, A.J. Skorupa, S.C. Sterrett, N. Whelan, and the Brook Floater Working Group. 2023. Using regional working groups for mussel species conservation. Freshwater Sciences 2023, 3-7 June 2023, Brisbane, Australia. | June 2023 |
| Roy, A.H., J.R. Carmignani, P.D. Hazelton, A.J. Skorupa, S.C. Sterrett, N. Whelan, and the Brook Floater Working Group. 2023. Using regional working groups for mussel species conservation. Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Symposium, 10-14 April 2023, Portland, OR. | April 2023 |
| Roy, A., S. Sterrett, P. Hazelton, A. Skorupa, J. Carmignani, and A. Hershberger. 2023. Rapid assessment in wadeable streams. Freshwater Mussel Recovery and Implementation Workshop, Nov 8–9, 2023, Moncton, New Brunswick. | November 2023 |
| Hazelton, P., A.J. Skorupa, H.A. Robinson, J. Wares, and A.H. Roy. 2023. Determination of mussel host fish relationships: <i>In-situ</i> vs laboratory approaches. Freshwater Mussel Recovery and Implementation Workshop, Nov 8–9, 2023, Moncton, New Brunswick. | November 2023 |
| Hazelton, P., A. Roy, A. Skorupa, and J. Carmignani. 2021. Trends in mussel abundance and habitat change 5-years post dam removal. Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Meeting, 12-14 April 2021 (virtual). | April 2021 |
| Hazelton, P., A. Roy, A. Skorupa, and J. Carmignani. 2021 Changes in freshwater mussel abundance and habitat availability following dam removal. Georgia Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, 19-21 January 2021 (virtual). | January 2021 |
| Dumoulin, C.E., A.J. Skorupa, A.H. Roy, S. Doran, and D.R. Smith. 2024. Supporting decision makers in identifying suitable release sites for hatchery-reared freshwater mussels in the Delaware River Basin. Northeast Fish & Wildlife Conference, 21-24 April 2024, Hyannis, MA. | April 2024 |
| Doubleday, A.J., P.D. Hazelton, A.H. Roy, A. Fisk, and D. Perkins. 2017. Local habitat effects on the abundance and distribution of Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) in Massachusetts. Meeting of the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society, 26-30 March 2017, Cleveland, OH. | March 2017 |