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

Staff Member

Stephen Klobucar

Stephen Klobucar
Post Doc
Faculty Website

Education

  • Ph D Utah State University 2018
  • BS University of Wisconsin-Madison 2010

Biography

Overall, my research experiences, interests, and abilities are diverse across types of aquatic systems and levels of ecological organization. I am interested in predator-prey interactions and food web dynamics, with application to native species conservation and how freshwater ecosystems respond to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. . Aquatic ecology, populations and communities of freshwater fishes, aquatic ecosystems, trophic interactions, climate change. Aquatic ecology, fish ecology and diversity, fisheries techniques, ecological modeling

Research Publications Publication Date
Klobucar, S.L., and P. Budy. 2020. Trophic structure of apex fish communities in closed versus leaky lakes of arctic Alaska. Oecologia Early Online. doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04776-9. USGS FSP IP-109849. | Abstract October 2020
Klobucar, S.L., W.C. Saunders, and P. Budy. 2016. A Lota lota consumption: trophic dynamics and niche space influence of invasive Burbot in a valuable sport fishery. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. Submitted 3 March, 2016, Accepted with minor revision 25 May, 2016. DOI: 10.1080/00028487.2016.1227372. USGS FSP: IP-074691. January 2016
Klobucar, S.L., T.W. Rodgers, and P. Budy. 2017. At the forefront: evidence of the applicability of using environmental DNA to quantify the abundance of fish populations in natural lentic waters with additional sampling considerations. August 2017
Klobucar, S.L., J.W. Gaeta, and P. Budy. 2018. A changing menu in a changing climate: using experimental and long-term data to predict invertebrate prey biomass and availability in arctic lakes. Freshwater Biology 2018:1-13. DOI: 10.1111/fwb.13162. USGS FSP: IP-087907. January 2018
Klobucar, S.L., J.A. Rick, E.G. Mandeville, C.E. Wagner, and P. Budy. 2021. Investigating the morphological and genetic diversity of arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) populations in distinct groups of foothill lakes in arctic Alaska. Ecology and Evolution. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7211. December 2020
Klobucar, S. and P. Budy. 2016. Consequences of seasonal variation in reservoir water level for predatory fishes: linking visual foraging and prey densities. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 73: 53-6464. USGS FSP: IP-058204. January 2016
Project Completion Date
Boreal Aquatic Ecosystem Vulnerability to Fire and Climate Change May 2022
LTER: The Role of Biogeochemical and Community Openness in Governing Arctic Ecosystem Response to Climate Change and Disturbance April 2021
Presentations Presentation Date
Simmons, L, S.L. Klobucar, and P. Budy. 2016. Big fish in a small pond or small fish in a small pond? Investigating arctic char dimorphism with consideration of predator prey interactions. Oral presentation. Annual meeting of the Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Altamont, UT, 15 - 17 March, 2016. March 2016
Klobucar, S.L., and P. Budy. 2018. The Chronicles of Charnia: evaluating the abiotic and biotic factors that structure arctic lake food webs with consideration of Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinius) populations. Oral presentation. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. May 21-25, 2018. May 2018
Klobucar, S.L., and P. Budy. 2016. Consequences of seasonal variation in reservoir water level for predatory fishes: linking visual foraging and prey densities. Oral Presentation. Annual Summer Meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, Santa Fe, NM, June 5-10, 2016. June 2016
Klobucar, S.L., W.C. Saunders, C. Luecke, and P. Budy. 2013. A Lota lota consumption: trophic effects and potential impacts of a novel and voracious predator in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, WY-UT. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, Boise, ID, April 15-18, 2013. April 2013
Klobucar, S.L., W.C. Saunders, C. Luecke, and P. Budy. 2013. A Lota lota consumption: trophic effects and potential impacts of a novel and voracious predator in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, WY-UT. Annual Meeting of the Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Page, AZ, March 26-29, 2013. March 2013
Klobucar, S.L., T.W. Rodgers, and P. Budy. 2017. At the forefront: evidence of the applicability of using environmental DNA to quantify the abundance of fish populations in natural lentic waters with additional sampling considerations. Poster presentation. Utah and Colorado-Wyoming Chapters Joint Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Grand Junction, CO, February 21 - 23, 2017. February 2017
Klobucar, S.L., T.W. Rodgers, and P. Budy. 2017. At the forefront: evidence of the applicability of using environmental DNA to quantify the abundance of fish populations in natural lentic waters with additional sampling considerations. Oral presentation. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Missoula, MT, May 22 - 25, 2017. May 2017
Klobucar, S.L., L. Simmons, G.P. Thiede, and P. Budy. 2015. Simplified complexity or complex simplification: what structures lentic fish communities on the North Slope, Alaska? Invited presentation. Annual meeting of the Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Homer, AK, 4-6 November 2015. November 2015
Klobucar, S.L., J.W. Gaeta and P. Budy. 2016. A changing menu in a changing climate? Predicting the availability of fish food in warmer arctic lakes. Oral presentation. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, Reno, NV, 19-24 March, 2016 March 2016
Klobucar, S.L., J.W. Gaeta and P. Budy. 2015. A changing menu in a changing climate? Predicting the availability of fish food in warmer arctic lakes. Oral presentation. 145th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Portland, OR, August 16-20, 2015. August 2015
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., Bieniek, P.A., Genet, H., and M.A. Lindgren. 2019. Integrating at the interface(s): modeling the effects of fire and climate change to support management and conservation of fish habitat and populations in Alaskan boreal forests. Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Sitka, Alaska, 19 – 21 March, 2019. March 2019
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., Bieniek, P.A., Genet, H., and M.A. Lindgren. 2019. Fo’real changes in boreal streams: a multifaceted modeling approach to predict the effects of forest fire on aquatic habitat vulnerability in interior Alaska. 149th American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Reno, Nevada, 29 September – 3 October, 2019. September 2019
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., & Bieniek, P.A. 2021. Quantifying the spark before the fire: a modeling approach to predict future effects of forest fire on aquatic habitat availability and juvenile Chinook Salmon growth in interior Alaska. Western Division American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting [Virtual]. 11-13 May, 2021. May 2021
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., & Bieniek, P.A. 2021. Quantifying the spark before the fire: a modeling approach to predict future effects of forest fire on aquatic habitat availability and juvenile Chinook Salmon growth in interior Alaska. American Fisheries Society, Alaska Chapter, Annual Meeting. Held virtually, 22 – 25 March, 2021. March 2021
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., & Bieniek, P.A. 2020. Quantifying the spark before the fire: a modeling approach to predict future effects of forest fire on aquatic habitat availability and juvenile Chinook Salmon growth in interior Alaska. American Fisheries Society, Alaska Chapter, Annual Meeting. Fairbanks, Alaska, 23 – 26 March, 2020. March 2020
Klobucar, S.L., Falke, J.A., Rupp, T.S., & Bieniek, P.A 2020. Playing with fire? Predicting wildland fire effects on thermal habitat and juvenile Chinook Salmon growth in interior Alaska riverscapes. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography-Society of Freshwater Science Joint Meeting. Madison, WI, 7 – 12 June, 2020. June 2020
Klobucar, S.L. and P. Budy. 2015. Consequences of seasonal variation in reservoir water level for predatory fishes: linking visual foraging and prey densities. Annual Meeting, Utah Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Moab, UT, March 24-25, 2015. March 2015
Klobucar, S.L. and P. Budy. 2013. In hot(ter) water? predictions of arctic char growth and consumption under climate change scenarios on the Alaska North Slope. Annual meeting, Western Division American Fisheries Society, Mazatlan, MX, April 7-11, 2014. April 2014
Klobucar, S.L, W.C. Saunders, C. Luecke, and P. Budy. 2013. Understanding the invasion success of a novel predator: burbot life history and trophic interactions in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, WY-UT. 143rd Annual Meeting, American Fisheries Society, Little Rock, Arkansas, 8-12 September 2013. September 2013
Klobucar, S., Falke, J., Rupp, S., Bieniek, P., Genet, H., Lindgren, M., Hinkle, E., and D. Klobucar. Aquatic ecosystem vulnerability to fire and climate change in Alaskan boreal forests. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Annual Symposium. 3-5 December, 2019. Washington, D.C. December 2019
Goethlich, J. S.L. Klobucar, D.H. Ogle, and P. Budy. 2015. The effects of experimental lake fertilization on condition and diet of slimy sculpin (cottus cognatus) in oligotrophitc arctic lakes, North Slope, AK. Annual Meeting, WIsconsin Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Eau Claire, WI, Februaru 24-26, 2015. February 2015
Falke, J., S. Rupp, H. Genet, P. Bieniek, A. Bennett, S. Klobucar, D. Strohm-Klobucar, and E. Hinkle. 2021. Wildfire in changing boreal stream ecosystems: a friend or foe for fishes? Oregon Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting [virtual], 2-4 March 2022. March 2022
Falke, J., S. Rupp, H. Genet, P. Bieniek, A. Bennett, S. Klobucar, D. Strohm-Klobucar, and E. Hinkle. 2021. Wildfire in changing boreal stream ecosystems: a friend or foe for fishes? Alaska Chapter American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting [virtual], 22-25 March 2021. March 2021
Falke, J., Klobucar, S., Rupp, S., Bieniek, P., Genet, H., Bennett, A., Strohm-Klobucar, D., and E. Hinkle. Aquatic ecosystem vulnerability to fire and climate change in Alaskan boreal forests. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Annual Symposium. 30 November – 3 December, 2021. Washington, D.C. and Virtual. November 2021
Budy, P., S. Klobucar, L. Winters, D. Strohm, and G.P. Thiede. 2016. Crowded reservoir trophic niche space under a warmer, drier climate. Annual Summer Meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, Santa Fe, NM, June 5-10, 2016. June 2016
Arnold, T., S.L. Klobucar, G.P. Thiede, and P. Budy. 2017. Investigating morphometric differences across and among Arctic Char populations in lakes on the North Slope, Alaska. Poster presentation. Utah and Colorado-Wyoming Chapters Joint Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Grand Junction, CO, February 21 - 23, 2017. February 2017
<sub>Klobucar, S., Falke, J., Rupp, S., Bieniek, P., Genet, H., Bennett, M., Hinkle, E., and D. Klobucar. Aquatic ecosystem vulnerability to fire and climate change in Alaskan boreal forests. Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Annual Symposium. 30 November - 4 December, 2020. Washington, D.C.</sub> November 2020
Technical Publications Publication Date
Simmons, L., S. Klobucar, and P. Budy. 2016. Big fish in a small pond or small fish in a small pond? Investigating arctic char dimorphism with consideration of predator-prey interactions. Utah Chapter, American Fisheries Society Meeting, March 2016, Altamont, UT. March 2016
Klobucar, S.L., and P. Budy. 2016. Consequences of seasonal variation in reservoir water level for predatory fishes: linking visual foraging and prey densities. Invited Presentation, Sympoisum “water Regulation and Reservoir Management in a context of global climate change”. Annual Summer Meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, June 6, 2016, Santa Fe, NM. June 2016
Klobucar, S.L., J.W. Gaeta and P. Budy. 2016. A changing menu in a changing climate? Predicting the availability of fish food in warmer arctic lakes. Annual Meeting of the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society, March 22, 2016, Reno, NV. March 2016
Budy, P., S. Klobucar, L. Winters, D. Strohm, and G.P. Thiede. 2016. Crowded reservoir trophic niche space under a warmer, drier climate. Invited Presentation, Sympoisum “water Regulation and Reservoir Management in a context of global climate change”. Annual Summer Meeting of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, Santa Fe, NM, June 5-10, 2016. June 2016