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

Staff Member

William French

PhD
Email: fren0104@umn.edu

Research Publications Publication Date
French, W. E., B. Vondracek, L. C. Ferrington, Jr., J. Finlay, and D. J. Dieterman. online. Winter feeding, growth and condition of brown trout Salmo trutta in a groundwater-dominated stream. To be submitted to Fisheries Management and Ecology | Abstract May 2014
French, W. E., B. Vondracek, L. C. Ferrington, Jr., J. Finlay, and D. J. Dieterman. 2016. Brown trout Salmo trutta growth and condition along a winter thermal gradient in temperate streams. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 73:1-9. dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2016-0005 July 2016
Carlson A. K., W. E. French, B. Vondracek, L. C. Ferrington Jr., J. E. Mazack, J. L. Cochran-Biederman. Online. Recent and Historical Trends in Growth of Brown Trout Salmo Trutta in Southeastern Minnesota Streams. Journal of Freshwater Ecology DOI: 10.1080/02705060.2016.1160449 July 2016
Project Completion Date
Predicting and mitigating vulnerability of trout streams June 2013
Vulnerability of age-0 pallid sturgeon to fish predation: Assessing the influence of body size and water turbidity January 2010
Presentations Presentation Date
French, W. E., B. Vondracek, L. C. Ferrington, Jr., J. Finley, and D. J. Dieterman. Relative position of brown trout in winter food webs of groundwater-dominated streams using stable isotope analysis. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, 26-29 January 2014, Kansas City, Missouri. Summer interactions of stream-dwelling brown trout Salmo trutta within food webs have been frequently studied; however, relatively little is known during winter within food webs. Groundwater may increase the availability of potential prey and create more favorable foraging conditions for trout by maintaining relatively warm winter temperatures. We used stable isotope analysis to examine the relative position of brown trout in the aquatic food webs of 13 streams across the Driftless Ecoregion of southeastern Minnesota. Two tissue types with differing turnover rates (fin and mucus) were used to examine temporal, and spatial variation in relative food web position of brown trout. Although relative food web position varied both temporally and by individual, brown trout stable isotope signatures indicated aquatic invertebrates were likely the predominant prey source. Additionally, brown trout may have used a combination of allochthonous and autochthonous derived resources within the winter aquatic food web. January 2014
French, W. E., B. Vondracek, L. C. Ferrington, Jr., J. Finley, and D. J. Dieterman. Pairing of stomach content and stable isotope analysis to examine winter trophic relationships of brown trout Salmo trutta in a groundwater-dominated stream. To be presented at the annual meeting of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. March 2013
Cochran-Biederman , J., W. French, and B. Vondracek. Diet and growth of brown trout in southeastern Minnesota: seasonal patterns across two years. Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society. September 2013