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

Pennsylvania Staff Member

Jefferson T Deweber

Tyrell Deweber

Email: jtdeweber@gmail.com

Biography

Like most in the field of fisheries science, I spent most of my free hours as a child fishing and enjoying the outdoors. I realized at a young age that I would like to find a career related to these interests, and have never been seriously interested in anything else. I graduated from Liberty University with a B.S. in Biology in 2007, and then a M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2010. I am now enjoying my research and ongoing education as a PhD candidate in the PA Fish and Wildlife Coop Unit.

Research Interest

I am interested in understanding the impacts of human activities on freshwater ecosystems and fish. Throughout my career I hope not only to elucidate some of the complex pathways by which these impacts occur, but also to provide useful guidance for mitigation activities to help conserve and protect these precious natural resources. I hope to spend most of my career involved in the many facets of water resources management and conservation in rapidly developing nations. I am currently investigating the potential impacts that climate and land use change may have on stream habitat and brook trout populations in the Eastern U.S. throughout the next century. This project aims to offer predictions of stream habitat suitability for brook trout under different scenarios which will be useful for guiding conservation and management of this important species in a changing climate and landscape.

Research Publications Publication Date
Wagner, T., J.T. Deweber, J. Detar, and J.A. Sweka. 2013. Landscape-scale evaluation of asymmetric interactions between brown trout and brook trout using two-species occupancy models. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 142:353-361. | Download January 2013
Wagner, T., J.T. Deweber, J. Detar, D. Kristine, and J.A. Sweka. 2014. Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Brook Trout Density: Implications for Population Monitoring. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 34:258-269. | Download March 2014
Wagner, T. J.B. Whittier, J.T. DeWeber, S.R. Midway, and C.P. Paukert. 2017. Annual changes in seasonal river water temperatures in the eastern and western United States. Water 9(2), 90; doi:10.3390/w9020090 February 2017
Peterson, J.T. and M.F. Barajas. 2018. An evaluation of three fish surveys in the Bay-Delta, 1995-2015. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science 16:4 December 2018
Kirsch, J.E., J.L.Day, J.T.Peterson, and D.K. Fullerton. 2018. Fish Misidentification and Potential Implications to Monitoring Within the San Francisco Estuary, California. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 9: 467-485. December 2018
Duarte, A. M.J. Adams, and J.T. Peterson. Fitting N-mixture models to count data with unexplained heterogeneity: bias, diagnostics, and alternative approaches. Ecological Modelling January 2018
Dolan, B.P., K. M. Fisher, M. E. Colvin, S. E. Benda, J. T. Peterson, M. L. Kent, and C. B. Schreck. 2016. Innate and adaptive immune responses in migrating spring-run adult Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. Fish and Shellfish Immunology 48:136-44 February 2016
Deweber, J.T., Y., Tsang, D.M. Krueger, J.B. Whittier, T. Wagner, D.M. Infante, and G. Whelan. 2014. Importance of understanding landscape biases in USGS gage locations: Implications and solutions for managers. Fisheries 39:155-163. | Download April 2014
Deweber, J.T. and T. Wagner. 2014. A regional neural network model for predicting mean daily river water temperature. Journal of Hydrology 517:187-200. | Download June 2014
DeWeber, J.T., J.T.Peterson, C. Sharpe, M.L. Kent, M.E. Colvin, C.B. Schreck. A hidden-process model for estimating prespawn mortality using carcass survey data. North American Journal of Fisheries Management January 2017
DeWeber, J.T. and T. Wagner. 2018. Probabilistic measures of climate change vulnerability, adaptation action benefits, and related uncertainty from maximum temperature metric selection. Global Change Biology. February 2018
DeWeber, J.T. and J.T. Peterson. 2020. Identifying and implementing environmental flows through structured decision-making: case study from the Willamette River, Oregon, USA. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12845 April 2020
DeWeber, J.T and T. Wagner. 2015. Predicting Brook Trout occurrence in stream reaches throughout their native range in the eastern United States. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144:11-24. | Download December 2014
Colvin, M.E., J.T. Peterson, M. L. Kent, and C. B. Schreck. 2015. Occupancy modeling for improved accuracy and understanding of pathogen prevalence and dynamics. Plos ONE. 10(3): e0116605. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0116605 March 2015
Colvin, M.E., J.T. Peterson, C. Sharpe, M.L.Kent, C.B. Schreck. 2018. Identifying optimal translocation policies given factors associated with adult spring-run Chinook Salmon translocation mortality. River Research and Applications 34:1158–1167 December 2018
Project Completion Date
Nations Fish Habitat at Multiple Spatial Scales in a Rapidly Changing Climate September 2014
Chinook salmon passage and recovery on the Willamette River May 2021
The development and evaluation of monitoring protocols to inform water resource decision making September 2021
Adaptively Manageing Instream Flows for Ecological Needs August 2020
Presentations Presentation Date
Wagner, T., J.T. Deweber, J. Detar, D. Kristine, and J.A. Sweka. 2013. Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Brook Trout Density: Implications for Population Monitoring. American Fisheries Society Pennsylvania Chapter Fall Technical Meeting. October 2013
Schreck, C.B., J. Peterson, S. Benda, M, Colvin, M. Kent, C. Sharpe. 2014. Staying Alive to Spawn in Spring Chinook Salmon: Which Life History Tactic of Host of Parasite Prevails. 19th Biennial Ecological and Evolutionary Ethology of Fishes Meeting. Corvallis, Oregon. June 2014
Schreck, C., Kent, M., Colvin, M.E., Benda, S., Sharpe, C., Peterson, J.T., Doland, B., Chitwood, R., Unrein, J., Caudill, C.C., Naugton, G. Evaluating potential causes and management of pre-spawning mortality in adult upper Willamette River Chinook salmon. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis Oregon. February 5-7, 2013. February 2013
Schreck, C., B. Dolan, M. Kent, M. Colvin, J. Peterson. (2017). Stress, the immune system and maturation in Chinook salmon. International Congress of Comparative Endocrinology. Alberta, Canada. June 4-9, 2017. June 2017
Schreck, C. M. E. Colvin2, C. Sharpe, J. T. Peterson, M. Kent, S. Benda, B. Dolan, and C. C. Caudill. Evaluating Potential Causes And Management Of Pre-Spawning Mortality In Adult Upper<br> Willamette River Chinook Salmon. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 5-7 February 2013
Peterson, J.T.,T. Neal, M. Kent, J. Sanders, and C. Schreck. 2019. Effects stressors on survival and dam passage of juvenile chinook salmon: implications for juvenile fish passage. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 12-13. February 2019
Peterson, J.T., M. Barajas, J.T. DeWeber. 2018. Multistate occupancy modeling for Longfin Smelt. Biennial Bay-Delta Science Conference, Sacramento, CA. September 2018
Peterson, J.T., J. Sanders, T. Neal, M. Kent and C. Schreck. 2020. The Willamette Copepod Research Program: Infection experiments and impacts on juvenile Chinook salmon. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 11-12 February 2020
Peterson, J.T. and J. Pease. 2019. Integrated tools for identifying optimal flow regimes for recovering spring Chinook Salmon in the Willamette River, Oregon. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Reno NV. September 2019
Peterson, J.T. Pease, JE. L. Whitman, J. White, L. Stratton Garvin, S. Rounds, and R. Wallick. 2020. Willamette Instream Flow Project: Integrated Tools For The Evaluation Of Alternative Flow Management Strategies. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 11-12 February 2020
Peterson, J.T. 2014.Influence of incomplete capture on fish monitoring and management: problems and solutions. Annual California Delta Science Conference, October 29-31, Sacramento, California. October 2014
Pease, JE. and J.T. Peterson. 2019. Willamette River Instream Ecological Flow Science Review and Analyses Prioritization. 2019. Willamette Fisheries Science Review. Corvallis OR, February 12-23 February 2019
Pease, JE. L. Whitman, K. Schroeder, and J.T. Peterson. 2020. Willamette instream flow project: estimation and modeling of Chinook salmon demographics. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 11-12 February 2020
Pease, J.E., L. Whitman, K. Schroeder, and J.T. Peterson. 2020. Spring Chinook Salmon survival and movement in response to altered flows and temperatures in the Willamette River, Oregon. Annual Meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, March 4-6, Bend, OR. March 2020
Pease, J., J.T. Peterson, L. Whitman, K. Schroder. 2019. Spring Chinook Salmon Survival and Movement in Response to Altered Flows, Habitat Availability, and Temperatures in the Willamette River, Oregon. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Reno NV. September 2019
Neal, T., M.L. Kent, J. Sanders, C.B. Schreck, and J. Peterson. 2020. Experimental infection of the parasitic copepod on juvenile Chinook salmon. Annual Meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, March 4-6, Bend, OR. March 2020
Millers, K.A and J.T Peterson. 2016. Are the fishes imperiled? Evaluating uncertainty from long-term fish monitoring in the San Francisco Delta. International Statistical Ecology Conference 2016, Seattle. June 2016
Millers, K. and J.T Peterson. 2016.Evaluating the uncertainty in long-term fish monitoring data in the San Francisco Estuary . The International Society for Ecological Modelling Global Conference 2016. 8-12 May, Towson University, MD. May 2016
M. E. Colvin, J. T. Peterson, C. Sharpe, S. Benda, M. Kent, B. Dolan, C. C. Caudill, and C. Schreck. Development of a tool to evaluate outplanting strategies and prespawn mortality of Upper Willamette River spring Chinook. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, Idaho. April 15-18, 2013 April 2013
Herron, C., M. Colvin, M. Kent, C. Caudill, and C. Schreck. 2014. Nanophyetus Salminocola Burdens in Chinook Salmon (Onchorhynchus tshawystscha) Prior to Spawning in the Willamette Basin. 19th Biennial Ecological and Evolutionary Ethology of Fishes Meeting. Corvallis, Oregon. June 2014
Herron, C., M. Colvin, M. Kent, C. Caudill, C. Schreck. Nanophyetus slaminocola burdens in Chinook salmon (Onchorhynchus tshawystscha) prespawning in the Willamette Basin. Oregon Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Feb 25-28, 2014. Eugene, Oregon. February 2014
Duarte, A., J.T. Peterson, M.A. Adams. 2017 N-mixture models in the presence of unmodeled heterogeneity in count data: when can we trust the inferences? Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society 2017 Annual Meeting, February 8-10, Pendleton, Oregon. February 2017
Deweber, J.T. and T. Wagner. 2014. The future of brook trout in changing climate and landscape. 70th Annual Northeast Fish & Wildlife Conference, Portland, Maine, April 13 –15. April 2014
Deweber, J.T. and T. Wagner. 2014. A model for predicting daily river water temperature in the Northeast and its utility for management. 70th Annual Northeast Fish & Wildlife Conference, Portland, Maine, April 13 –15. April 2014
Deweber, J. T. and T. Wagner. 2013. Climate and land use change implications for native brook trout management. American Fisheries Society Pennsylvania Chapter Fall Technical Meeting. October 2013
DeWeber, T.J. and J.T. Peterson. 2017. A decision support process to identify instream flows for the Willamette River ecosystem. Willamette Fisheries Science Review, Corvallis OR, February 7-8. February 2017
DeWeber, T. and T. Wagner. 2015. Predicting Mean Daily River Water Temperature to Identify Brook Trout Habitat. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon. August 2015
DeWeber, T. and T. Wagner. 2015. Is That the Best Metric for Predicting Climate Change Effects on Brook Trout? American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon. August 2015
DeWeber, J.T. and J.T Peterson. 2018. Water in the Willamette: Identifying environmental flows for the ecosystem and listed salmonids. Annual Meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Eugene OR March 2018
Colvin, M.E., J. T. Peterson, C. Sharpe, S. Benda1, M. Kent, B. Dolan, and C. Schreck 2014. Upper Willamette River spring Chinook prespawn mortality synthesis and modeling. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Oregon Chapter, February 25-28, Eugene OR. February 2014
Colvin, M.E., J. T. Peterson, C. Sharpe, S. Benda, C. Schreck, M. Kent, B. Dolan, and C. Caudill. 2013. Upper Willamette River spring Chinook prespawn mortality synthesis and modeling. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society Oregon Chapter, Feb 18-21. February 2013
Technical Publications Publication Date
Peterson, J.T., S. Whitlock, and A. Duarte. 2018. Evaluation of California Central Valley Project and State Water Project Fish Salvage Estimators. Draft task Completion Report to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, August 2018, 23 pp. August 2018
Peterson, J.T., C. Sharpe, M.L. Kent, C.B. Schreck, J. Sanders, and J.T. DeWeber. 2018. Fall Creek Prespawn Mortality pilot 2017. Draft Annual Report for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District, Portland OR. December 2018
Peterson, J.T. and J.T. Deweber. 2018. Associations and quasi-extinction estimates for abundance indices and occupancy estimates for San Francisco bay delta fish species. Draft task Completion Report to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, July 2018, 64 pp. July 2018
Duarte, A. and J.T. Peterson. 2017 Fitting N-mixture models to count data with unexplained heterogeneity: bias, diagnostics, and alternative approaches. Task Completion Report to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 24 July 2017, 80 pp. July 2017
DeWeber, J.T. and J.T. Peterson. 2017. Science Synthesis and Decision Support for Mainstem Willamette River Instream Flows. Report Prepared for U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District – Willamette Valley Project September 2017
Caudill, C.C., Naughton, G., Taylor, G., Keefer, M., Knoff, M., Roumasset, A., Schreck, C.B. and Kent, M. Migration behavior and spawning success in spring Chinook salmon in Fall Creek and the North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River: relationships among fate, fish condition, and environmental factors: 2008-2011. US Army Corps of Engineers, Annual Willamette River Science Review, Corvallis, OR Jan 30- Feb 1, 2012. January 2012