South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Staff Member
Dr. Luke Bower
Education
- Ph D Texas A&M University 2019
- MS Southeastern Louisiana University 2013
- BS Erskine College 2010
Biography
Dr. Bower received a MS degree from Southeaster Louisiana University and a PhD from Texas A&M University. Prior to becoming the assistant unit leader in the South Carolina Unit, he was post-doctoral fellow at Clemson University. Overall, his research focuses on understanding how changes in environmental gradients influences assemblage and functional structure of aquatic systems across multiple scales, apply community, evolutionary, and functional ecology concepts to inform the management and conservation of freshwater fishes. A primary focus of this research is to understand the roles stream flow plays in driving the ecology and evolution of fishes change across landscape gradients to better inform state flow standards. Another research focus is the use of functional traits to examine assemblage responses to environmental alteration and describe ecological patterns across levels of biological organization, niche dimensions, and spatial scales to inform the conservation and management of aquatic systems. His research encompasses several research areas including freshwater fish ecology, community ecology, flow ecology, and functional ecology. Dr. Bower teaches a graduate class in Functional Ecology.
Areas of Expertise
Aquatic Ecology, Biodiversity, Ecological Flows, Evolutionary Ecology, Fisheries Management, Population and Community Ecology, Statistics and Modelling, Stream Ecology
Taxon Groups Studied
Anadromous Fishes, Freshwater Fishes, Gamefish, Nongame Fish/Wildlife
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Winemiller KO, Keppeler FW, Bower LM, Cunha ER, Quintana Y, Saenz DE, Lopez‐Delgado EO, Bokhutlo T, Arantes CC, Andrade MC, Robertson CR, Mayes KB. Can spatial food web subsidies associated with river hydrology and lateral connectivity be detected using stable isotopes? Food Webs. 2023. | Abstract | March 2023 |
| Ureta, J. C., Ureta, J. U., Bower, L. M., Peoples B. K, & Motallebi, M. (2024). The value of improving freshwater ecosystem services: South Carolina residents’ willingness-to-pay for improved water quality. Journal of Ecological Economics. | Publisher Website | February 2024 |
| Stoczynski, L., Scott, M. C., Bower, L., & Peoples, B. Effects of environment and metacommunity delineation on multiple dimensions of stream fish beta diversity. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11, 182. | Abstract | March 2023 |
| Kubicek, K. M., Britz, R., Pinion, A. K., Bower, L. M., & Conway, K. W. (2022). Three scleral ossicles in the West African Denticle herring Denticeps clupeoides (Clupeiformes: Denticipitidae). Journal of Fish Biology, 100(3), 852-855. | Abstract | February 2022 |
| Grady, J. T., Bower, L. M., Gienger, C. M., & Blanton, R. E. (2022). Fish scale shape follows predictable patterns of variation based on water column position, body size, and phylogeny. Evolutionary Ecology, 36(1), 93-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-021-10142-9 | Abstract | January 2022 |
| Eddy, M. C., Lord, B., Perrot, D., Bower, L. M., & Peoples, B. K. (2022). Predictability of flow metrics calculated using a distributed hydrologic model across ecoregions and stream classes: Implications for developing flow–ecology relationships. Ecohydrology, 15(2), e2387. | Abstract | March 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Stoczynski, L., Peoples, B. K., Patrick, C. J., & Brown, B. L. (2023). Multiple dimensions of functional diversity affect stream fish taxonomic β‐diversity. Freshwater Biology, 68(3), 437-451. | Abstract | March 2023 |
| Bower, L. M., Peoples, B. K., Eddy, M. C., & Scott, M. C. (2022). Quantifying flow–ecology relationships across flow regime class and ecoregions in South Carolina. Science of The Total Environment, 149721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149721 | Download | Publisher Website | January 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Marion, C. A., Scott, M., Kubach, K., and Gelder, A. Fish assemblage and functional trait responses to the removal of two dams on a southeastern river. Freshwater Biology. 2024. | Abstract | April 2024 |
| Bower, L. M., & Peoples, B. K. (2022). Microhabitat use of larval fish in a South Carolina Piedmont stream. Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 37(1), 583-596. | Abstract | November 2022 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Niles, M. B., and Bower, L. M. (2024). Spatial Patterns of Larval Fish Assemblage Structure Across a Regulated River. Southeastern Fishes Council. Asheville, North Carolina. 21 November 2024. | November 2024 |
| Niles, M. B., and Bower, L. M. (2023). Temporal and spatial patterns of larval fish assemblages across a river-reservoir continuum. Southern Division of The American Fisheries Society Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2 February 2024. | February 2024 |
| Mruzek, J.L., Kubach, K., Scott, M.C., Peoples, B.K., and Bower, L.M. Role of flow, environmental and anthropogenic factors on fish biodiversity. The American Fisheries Society Meeting. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 21 August 2023. | August 2023 |
| Mruzek, J.L, Peoples, B.K., Scott, C. S., Kuback, K., and Bower, L.M. Hierarchical relationship between local and regional environmental factors and stream fish life history. The Southern Division American Fisheries Society Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2 February 2024 | February 2024 |
| Mruzek, J. L., Peoples, B. K., Bower, L. M. (2023). Role of flow and environmental variables on stream biodiversity. The Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Norfolk, Virginia. 02 February 2023. | February 2023 |
| Hill, J. H., Bower, L. M., and Farmer, T. M. (2024). Thermal refugia and summer microhabitat selection in Edisto River, SC, Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis). The Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee, 02 February 2024 | February 2024 |
| Hill, J. H., Bower, L. M., Farmer, T. M., Bettinger, J, and Thomason, C. (2024). Thermal refugia and summer microhabitat selection in Edisto River, SC, Striped Bass (<i>Morone saxatilis</i>). The Southeastern Fisheries Council Meeting. Little Rock, Arkansas, 21 November 2024 | November 2024 |
| Daley, J.T., Bower, L. M., Farmer, T. M. (2024). A Potential Unifying Model to Assess Fish Thermal Tolerance. The Southern Division American Fisheries Society Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2 February 2024 | February 2024 |
| Daley, J. T., Bower, L. M., Farmer, T. M., Stell, E. G., DeVries, D. R., Wright, R. (2024). Using Electron Transport System to Predict the Thermal Tolerance of SWAP Listed Fish Species. Southeastern Fishes Council Annual Meeting. Little Rock, Arkansas. 21 November 2024 | November 2024 |
| Conway, K. W., Kubicek, K. M., Bower, L. M. Carson, E. W., Pinion, A. K. Hunt, E. P., and Portnoy D. S. Integrative Taxonomic Investigation of <i>Cyprinella sp. Nueces</i>, a Putative Undescribed Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Texas. Desert Fishes Council Annual Meeting. 2022. | November 2022 |
| Bower, L.M. (2022). The influence of instream flow and microhabitat on larval fish abundance. Clemson Water Research Symposium. Clemson, South Carolina. 9 May 2022 | May 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Peoples, B. K., Eddy, M. C., & Scott, M. C. (2022). Quantifying flow–ecology relationships across flow regime class and ecoregions in South Carolina. UCOWR/NIWR Annual Water Resources Conference. June 2022. | June 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Peoples, B. K., Eddy, M. C., & Scott, M. C. (2022). Quantifying flow–ecology relationships across flow regime class and ecoregions in South Carolina. Clemson Water Research Symposium. Clemson, South Carolina. 9 May 2022 | May 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Peoples, B. K., Eddy, M. C., & Scott, M. C. (2022). Quantifying Flow Alteration-Ecology Relationships Across South Carolina. South Carolina Water Resources Conference. Columbia, South Carolina. 19 October 2022 | October 2022 |
| Bower, L. M., Marion, C. A., Scott, M., Kubach, K., and Gelder, D. (2023). Stream fish assemblage and functional trait responses to dam removal. The American Fisheries Society Meeting. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 21 August 2023. | August 2023 |
| Bower, L. M., Marion, C. A., Scott, M., Kubach, K., and Gelder, D. (2023). Stream fish assemblage and functional trait responses to dam removal. Southern Division American Fisheries Society Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee. 2 February 2024 | February 2024 |
| Bower, L. M. (2023). Stream fish assemblage and functional trait responses to dam removal. The Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Norfolk, Virginia. 02 February 2023. | February 2023 |
| Annis, W. K., Peoples, B. K., Thompson, L., Midway, S. R., Bower, L. M., Olden, J. D. (2023). Elucidating the hierarchical relationships between mechanisms of stream fish taxonomic compositional change. The American Fisheries Society Meeting. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 21 August 2023. | August 2023 |
| Role and Organization | Individual | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Fishes Council - General member | Bower | January 2010 | Present |
| Society for Freshwater Science - General member | Bower | January 2022 | Present |
| American Fisheries Society - Regular member. | Bower | 2019 | Present |