Alabama Research: Projects, Research Publications, Presentations, Thesis and Dissertations, Technical Publications

Alabama Research Activities

The Alabama Unit has identified four areas in which to concentrate its research efforts: 1) determining the effects of forest management techniques on wildlife species, 2) investigating the ecology and management of stream corridors, 3) investigating the status, life history and habitat requirements of endangered or threatened species to obtain information necessary for the development of comprehensive recovery plans, and 4) investigating the ecology and management of fish and wildlife species on landscape scales. The Unit will not be restricted to these areas of investigation; however, it will work towards the development of comprehensive research programs in each.

Projects

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
Zentner, D., D. Shoup, and S.K. Brewer. 2023. Effects of Sucker Gigging on Fish Populations in Oklahoma Scenic Rivers. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-151-2023, Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css882119	July 2023
Zentner, D. L., S. L. Wolf, S. K. Brewer and D. E. Shoup. 2021. A review of factors affecting PIT-tag detection using mobile arrays and use of mobile antennas to detect PIT-tagged suckers in a wadeable Ozark stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41: 697-710.	February 2021
Yorke, E.H., Judy, C.E., Saveraid, T.C, McGowan, C.P., Caldwell, F. C. in press, Distal Border Fragments of the Equine Navicular Bone: Significance in current clinical lameness.	February 2014
Wolf, S., D. Swedberg, E. Tanner, S. Fuhlendorf, and D. Brewer. 2022. Using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing in fisheries applications: An example from the Ozark Highlands. Fisheries Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2022.106542	November 2022
Wolf, S. and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Survival and movement patterns of Rainbow Trout stocked in a groundwater-influenced warmwater stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10566	January 2021
Wedgeworth, M.,R. Mollenhauer, and S. K. Brewer. 2023. Spatial and temporal dynamics of successful Prairie Chub spawning in the upper Red River basin. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 43: 1246-1259, https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10842	August 2023
Vilchez, M., J. Dattilo, and S. K. Brewer. 2024. Length-weight relationships of big-river fishes in the lower Red River catchment, USA. Journal of Applied Ichthyology https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5578825	September 2024
Valente, J.J., V. Jirinec, and M. Leu. 2024. Thinking beyond the closure assumption: designing surveys for estimating biological truth with occupancy models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 15:2289-2300.	December 2024
Valente JJ, Gannon D, Hightower J, Kim H, Leimberger K, Macedo R, Rousseau J, Weldy M, Zitomer R, Fahrig L, Fletcher R, Wu J, Betts MG. 2023. Toward conciliation in the habitat fragmentation and biodiversity debate. Landscape Ecology. 38, 2717-2730. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-023-01708-9. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	September 2023	Landscape-scale conservation planning is urgent given the extent of anthropogenic land-use change and its pervasive impacts on Earth’s biodiversity. However, such efforts are hindered by disagreements over the effects of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity that have persisted since the mid-1970s. We contend that nearly 50 years later, these disagreements have become a locked-in debate characterized by polarized, unproductive discourse and a lack of consistent guidance for landscape managers and policy makers. Here, we highlight the need for a unified set of principles regarding conservation in fragmented landscapes, identify potential reasons for disparate conclusions in fragmentation research, and suggest ways for the ecological community to advance research that leads to consensus rather than the perpetuation of disagreement. Explicit efforts to develop and test multiple competing hypotheses, inter-laboratory collaborations, and acknowledgement of multiple interacting effects will be vital for moving the fragmentation debate forward. We argue that we in the ecology community should be responsible for helping to reconcile different views across scales, systems, and methodological approaches to advance conservation planning within a landscape ecology framework.
Valente JJ, Adrean LJ, Nelson SK, Betts MG, Roby DD, and Rivers JW. 2024. Presence-absence surveys yield spatially imprecise information about nesting sites of an endangered, forest-nesting seabird. PLoS ONE 19:e0315531.	December 2024
Vaisvil, A., D. Shoup, and S.K. Brewer. 2023. Striped Bass Exploitation in Tailwater Habitats of East-Central Oklahoma. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-152-2023, Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css83805350	October 2023
Swedberg, D., R. Mollenhauer, and S. K. Brewer. 2023. Factors driving spring associated species in naturally isolated ecoregions. Ecology and Evolution 13, e10701. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10701	December 2023
Stell, E.G., S. K. Brewer, L. M. Horne, R. A. Wright, and D. R. DeVries. 2023. Using the electron transport system as an indicator of organismal thermal tolerance and respiratory exploitation. Canadian Journal of Zoology 102(2): 155-165. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0027.	August 2023
Steffensmeier, Z.D., M. Wedgeworth, L. Yancy, N. Santee, S. K. Brewer, and J. S. Perkin. 2022. Paradigm versus paradox on the prairie: Testing competing stream fish movement frameworks using a highly imperiled Great Plains minnow. Movement Ecology 10, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00306-9.	August 2022
Steffensmeier, Z., S. K. Brewer, M. Wedgeworth, T.A. Starks, A. Rodger, E. Nguyen, and J. Perkin. 2023. Conservation at the Nexus of Niches: Multidimensional Niche Modelling to Improve Management of Prairie Chub. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 43: 1205-1224. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10860	September 2023
Smith, D.R., C.P. McGowan, J.P. Daily, J.D. Nichols, J.A. Sweka, and J.E. Lyons 2013 Evaluating a multispecies adaptive management framework: must uncertainty impede effective decision-making? Journal of Applied Ecology, early online August 28, 2013 doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12145 \| Publisher Website	December 2013
Sakaris, P. C., and E. R. Irwin. Application of stochastic models for examining the effects of hydrologic alteration and variable mortality on the population dynamics of lotic fishes in regulated river systems. Ecological Applications	March 2010
Sakaris, P. C., K. J. Kleiner, A. M. Ferrara and E. R. Irwin. Movements and home ranges of alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) in the Mobile Tensaw Delta, Alabama. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 57:102-111.	October 2003
Sakaris, P. C., E. R. Irwin. 2008 Verification of daily ring deposition in the otoliths of age-0 channel catfish. North American Journal of Fish Management 28:212-218	January 2008
Sakaris, P. C., E. R. Irwin, J. C. Jolley and D. Harrison. 2006. Comparison of native and introduced flathead catfish populations in Alabama and Georgia: growth, mortality and management. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26:867-874.	November 2006
Rodger, A. W., , S. L. Wolf, T. A. Starks, J. P. Burroughs, and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Seasonal diet and habitat use of large, introduced Rainbow Trout in an Ozark Highland stream, North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41:1764-1780. https://doi.org/10.1002/najfm.10694	December 2021
Rodekohr D. E. Irwin, E. Brantley and S. Fowler. 2013. It takes more than mussels to win a water war . Auburn Speaks on Water, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama	February 2014
Robinson, OJ, McGowan, CP, Apodaca, JJ, in review, Decision analysis for habitat conservation of an endangered, range limited salamander, for submission to Animal Conservation	December 2016
Robinson, OJ, McGowan CP, Devers P. in review, Deciphering density dependent dynamics using multiple system models and Bayesian model weight updating. Submitted to Ecology February 2016.	May 2017
Robinson OJ, McGowan CP, Devers PK. (2016) Updating movement estimates for American black ducks (Anas rubripes) PeerJ 4:e1787	February 2016
Robinson OJ, McGowan CP, Devers PK, Brook RW, Huang M, Jones M, McAuley DG, Zimmerman G. 2016, A full annual cycle modeling framework for American black ducks, Natural Resource Modeling 29: 159–174.	February 2016
Ramsey, P.Q.,J. Dattilo, D. Devries, and S. K. Brewer. 2024. Context dependency in nursery habitants of juvenile in a large river. Rivers Research and Applications 40(5): 761–779. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4259	March 2024
Price Tack JL, West B, McGowan CP, Ditchkoff S, Reves SJ, Keever A, Grand JB, in review, A semi-automated system for processing time-lapse camera trap images. submitted to Methods in Ecology and Evolution.	November 2016
Peterson, J., C. Moore, S. Wenger, K. Kennedy, E. Irwin, and M. Freeman. 2007. Adaptive management applied to aquatic natural resources. Chapter 6.4 in Proceedings of the 2007 Georgia Water Resources Conference, March 27-29, Athens. \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	March 2007	Most natural resource management is conducted under conditions of considerable uncertainty; rarely do we have 100% confidence that management actions will deliver the predicted outcome. Adaptive management is a scientific approach to management that explicitly deals with this uncertainty. It involves predicting management outcomes, collecting data to test those predictions (monitoring), revising the predictions and adapting the management strategy to reflect the new knowledge. In this session, we introduce adaptive management and describe three projects where this tool is applied to aquatic resources.
Perkin, J. S., Brewer, S. K., Echelle, A. A., & Kočovský, P. M. (2023). Avoiding a macabre future for Macrhybopsis—A special section on improving management and conservation of chubs. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 43, 1145–1150. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10950	October 2023
Olive, J.A., H.L. Schramm, Jr., P.D. Gerard, E. Irwin. 2011. An evaluation of agreement between pectoral spines and otoliths for estimating ages of catfishes. American Fisheries Society Symposium 77:679-688. \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	September 2011	Otoliths have been shown to provide more accurate ages than pectoral spine sections for several catfish populations; but sampling otoliths requires euthanizing the specimen, whereas spines can be sampled non-lethally. To evaluate whether, and under what conditions, spines provide the same or similar age estimates as otoliths, we examined data sets of individual fish aged from pectoral spines and otoliths for six blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus populations (n=420), 14 channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus populations (n=997), and 10 flathead catfish Pylodictus olivaris populations (n=947) from lotic and lentic waters throughout the central and eastern U.S. Logistic regression determined that agreement between ages estimated from otoliths and spines was consistently related to age, but inconsistently related to growth rate. When modeled at mean growth rate, we found at least 80% probability of no difference in spine- and otolith-assigned ages up to ages 4 and 5 for blue and channel catfish, respectively. For flathead catfish, an 80% probability of agreement between spine- and otolith-assigned ages did not occur at any age due to high incidence of differences in assigned ages even for age-1 fish. Logistic regression models predicted at least 80% probability that spine and otolith ages differed by ≤1 year up to ages 13, 16, and 9 for blue, channel, and flathead catfish, respectively. Age-bias assessment found mean spine-assigned age differed by less than 1 year from otolith-assigned age up to ages 19, 9, and 17 for blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish, respectively. These results can be used to help guide decisions about which structure is most appropriate for estimating catfish ages for particular populations and management objectives.
Nash, M. K., and E. R. Irwin. 1999. Use of otoliths versus pectoral spines for aging adult flathead catfish. Pages 309-316 in E. R. Irwin, W. Hubert, C. Rabeni, H. Schramm, and T. G. Coon, editors. Catfish 2000:Proceedings of the 1st International Ictalurid Symposium. American Fisheries Society Symposium 24, Bethesda, Maryland.	January 2000
Mouser, J., S. K. Brewer, M. L. Niemiller, R. Mollenhauer, and R. A. Van Den Bussche. 2021. Refining sampling protocols for cavefishes and cave crayfishes to account for environmental variation. Subterranean Biology 39: 79-105doi: 10.3897/subtbiol.39.64279	July 2021
Mouser, J. B., S. K. Brewer, M. L. Niemiller, R. Mollenhauer, and R. A. Van Den Bussche. 2022. Lithology and disturbance drive cavefish and cave crayfish occurrence in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. Scientific Reports (2022)12:19559	November 2022
Mouser, J. B., D. C. Ashley, D. L. Zentner, and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Seasonal context of bristly cave crayfish Cambarus setosus habitat use and life history. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies v. 84, no. 3, p. 85-95. DOI:10.4311/2021LSC0110	September 2022
Moore, D. M. and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Evaluation of VIE, PIT, and p-Chip tagging methods in a small bodied minnow species. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41:1066-1078.	June 2021
Mollenhauer, R., S. K. Brewer, D.Moore, D. Swedberg, and M. Wedgeworth. 2022. A hierarchical approach to fish conservation in semiarid landscapes: A need to understand multiscale environmental relationships In: River Basin Management - Under a Changing Climate, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.105602	September 2022
Mollenhauer, R., J. B. Mouser, V. L Roland, and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Increased landscape disturbance and streamflow variability threaten fish biodiversity in the Red River catchment, USA. Diversity and Distributions, 28, 1934– 1950. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13595	July 2022
Mollenhauer R., S. K. Brewer, J. S. Perkin, D. Swedberg, M. Wedgeworth, and Z. D. Steffensmeier. 2021. Connectivity and flow regime direct conservation priorities for pelagophil fishes. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems	July 2021
Mitchell, M. S., J. A. Gude, N. Anderson, J. Ramsey, M. Thompson, M. Sullivan, V. Edwards, C. Gower, J. F. Cochrane, E. Irwin, and T. Walshe. 2013. Using structured decision making to manage disease risk for Montana wildlife. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37:107-114.	April 2013
Miller, A. and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Movement and habitat use by Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu velox in a dynamic Ozark Highlands riverscape. Journal of Fish Biology 101( 1), 100– 114. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.15076	July 2022
Miller, A. and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Riverscape nesting dynamics of Neosho Smallmouth Bass: To cluster or not to cluster? Diversity and Distributions 27: 1005– 1018. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13250	February 2021
Miller, A. and S. K. Brewer. 2020. Spatiotemporal variation in age-0 Smallmouth Bass abundances depends on physicochemical conditions and network position. Ecosphere 11( 9):e03245. 10.1002/ecs2.3245	September 2020
Millard MJ, Sweka JA, McGowan CP, Smith DR, 2015, Assessment and Management of North American Horseshoe Crab Populations, with Emphasis on a Multispecies Framework for Delaware Bay Populations, in Carmichael RH, Botton ML, Shin PKS, Cheung SG (eds.) Changing global perspectives on biology, conservation, and management of horseshoe crabs, Springer 2015.	December 2015
McGowan, CP. 2015, Comparing Models of Red Knot population dynamics, The Condor 117 (4), 494-502.	November 2015
McGowan, CP, Smith, DR, Nichols, JD, Lyons, JE, Sweka, J, Kalasz, K, Niles, LJ, Wong, R, Brust, J, Davis, M, Spear, B, in review, Implementing a framework for multi-species, multi-objective adaptive management in Delaware Bay. Biological Conservation, 191: 759-769.	November 2015
McGowan, CP, JE Lyons, and D.R. Smith, 2015, Developing objectives with multiple stakeholders: adaptive management of horseshoe crabs and Red Knots in the Delaware Bay. Environmental Management, 55 (4), 972-982. \| Download	March 2015
McGowan, CP, Gardner, B. 2013, Evaluating Methodological Assumptions of Catch-Curve Survival Estimation for Un-Marked Precocial Chicks. Waterbirds 36: 82-87	March 2013
McGowan, CP, Allan NA, Servoss J, Headwall S, Woolridge B, in review, Incorporating population viability models into species status assessment and listing decisions under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. for submission to Endangered Species Research	October 2017
McGowan, C.P., M.R. Ryan, M.C. Runge, J.J. Millspaugh, J. Cochrane, 2011. The role of demographic compensation theory in incidental take assessments for endangered species. Biological Conservation 144, 730-737.	February 2011
McGowan, C.P., M. C. Runge, M. A. Larson, 2011. Incorporating parametric uncertainty into population viability models. Biological Conservation, 144, 1400-1408.	May 2011
McGowan, C.P., J.E. Hines, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Lyons, D.R. Smith, K. Kalasz, L.J. Niles, A. Dey, N.A. Clark, P.W. Atkinson, C.D.T. Minton, W. Kendal. 2011. Demographic consequences of migratory stopover: linking red knot survival to horseshoe crab spawning abundance. Ecosphere 2: art 69.	June 2011
McGowan, C.P., D.H. Catlin, T.L. Shaffer, C.L. Gratto Trevor, C. Aron, 2014. Establishing endangered species recovery criteria using predictive simulation modeling. Biological Conservation 177, 220–229	September 2014
McGowan, C.P., D.C. Kessler, M.R. Ryan, 2011, Endangered species management: A Synthesis. Lessons in Conservation, Available on line February 2011. \| Publisher Website	February 2011
McGowan, C.P., 2012. Demography. in: T. Simons, E. Nol, R. Beotcher (eds.) The American Oysterchatcher, in R. Poole The Birds of North America On-Line.	January 2012
McGowan, C.P. 2013, A Structured approach to incidental take decision making. Environmental Managment 51:241–250	August 2013
McGowan, C. P., Ryan, M.R. 2010. Arguments for Using Population Models in Incidental Take Assessments for Endangered Species. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 1: 183-188 \| Abstract \| Publisher Website	November 2010	Population models can be useful tools for evaluating management strategies and risks for a given species. A major, but often overlooked, component of endangered or threatened species management and recovery is the incidental take allowance of many endangered species laws. In the United States population models are seldom applied to address specific incidental take scenarios. We believe it is prudent for wildlife management agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to embrace explicit predictive tools to assess the possible effects of incidental take actions and to set standards for what constitutes unacceptable levels of incidental take in terms of predicted effect on population viability, recovery, and extinction. We briefly give recommendations for incorporating simulation models into jeopardy evaluations in ways that would dovetail with legislative language and provide a simple example model. Using explicit predictive models to support jeopardy determinations and incidental take decision-making would lead to transparent decisions rooted in measurable quantities such as changes in extinction probability or abundance projections.
Martin, B. M. and E. R. Irwin. 2011. A Digital Underwater Video Camera System for Aquatic Research. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:1365-1369	December 2010
Latif, QS, JJ Valente, A. Johnston, KL Davis, FA Fogarty, AW Green, GM Jones, M Leu, NL Michel, DC Pavlacky, EA Rigby, CS Rushing, JS Sanderlin, MW Tingley, and Q Zhao. 2024. Designing count-based studies in a world of hierarchical models. Journal of Wildlife Management, 88:e22622. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22622.	June 2024
Lai, QT, ER Irwin and Y Zhang. 2020. Estimating nitrogen removal services of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Mobile Bay, Ecological Indicators 117(2020) 106541	May 2020
Lai QT, ER Irwin, Y Zhang. 2020. Quantifying harvestable fish and crustacean production enhancement and associated economic values from oyster reefs in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Oceans and Coastal Management 187:105104 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105104	February 2020
Keever, A.C., C.P. McGowan, S.S. Ditchkoff, P.K. Acker, J.B. Grand, C.H. Newbolt, in review, Efficacy of time-lapse photography and repeated counts estimation for monitoring white-tailed deer populations.	October 2017
Katechis, C., P. Sakaris, and E. R. Irwin. 2007. Population demographics of Mooneye, Hiodon tergisus, in the lower Tallapoosa River of the Mobile Basin. Southeastern Naturalist 6:461-470.	September 2007
Jolley, J. C., and E. R. Irwin. A health assessment of catfish in the Coosa River, Alabama. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies	September 2008
Jolley, J. C., and E. R. Irwin. 2004. Food habits of catfishes in tailwater and reservoir habitats in a section of the Coosa River, Alabama. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 57:124-140.	October 2003
Jolley, J. C. and E. R. Irwin. 2011. Catfish population characteristics in tailwater and reservoir habitats of the Coosa River, Alabama. American Fisheries Society Symposium 77:155-166	September 2011
Jackson, J. R., R. L. Noble, E. R. Irwin, and S. L. Van Horn. 2001. Response of juvenile largemouth bass to habitat enhancement through addition of artificial substrates. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 54:46-58.	August 2001
Irwin, ER, MC Freeman, J Peterson, MC Lloyd, KDM Kennedy, K Ouellette and E Kosnicki. 2019. Adaptive Management of Flows from R.L. Harris Dam, (Tallapoosa River, Alabama): Stakeholder Process and Use of Biological Monitoring Data for Decision Making. Open File Report 2019-1026, 93pages, https://doi.org/x.	March 2019
Irwin, ER, MC Freeman, J Peterson, MC Lloyd, KDM Kennedy, K Ouellette and E Kosnicki. 2019. Adaptive Management of Flows from R.L. Harris Dam, (Tallapoosa River, Alabama): Stakeholder Process and Use of Biological Monitoring Data for Decision Making. Open File Report 2019-1026, 93 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20191026	April 2019
Irwin, ER and MC Lloyd. 2017. Experimental stocking of sport fish in the regulated Tallapoosa River to determine critical periods for recruitment. Cooperator Science Series 128-2017.	December 2017
Irwin, E.R. and T.P. Goar. 2015. Spatial and temporal variation in recruitment and growth of Channel Catfish Alabama bass and Tallapoosa Bass in the Tallapoosa River and associated tributaries. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS -116, Washington, D.C. \| Publisher Website	July 2015
Irwin, E.R and J. Terhune. Solving problems in fisheries management: proof of concept using structured decision making at the undergraduate level. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 4:25–30.	March 2017
Irwin, E. R., and W. A. Hubert. 1999. Biology and management of ictalurids: a summary of the proceedings of the international catfish symposium. Pp. 495-502 in E. R. Irwin, W. A. Hubert, C. F. Rabini, H. L. Schramm, Jr., and T. Coon (eds. ). Catfish 2000: Proceedings of the International Ictalurid Symposium. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.	January 2000
Irwin, E. R., and M. C. Freeman. 2002. A proposal for adaptive maqnagement to conserve biotic integrity in a regulated segment of the Tallapoosa River, Alabama (U. S. A. ). Conservation Biology 16:1212-1222	August 2001
Irwin, E. R., and A. M. Ferrara. Fish tales: study seeking to tell story of Alabama's alligator gar. Highlights of Agricultural Research 47 (4):12-14.	January 2001
Irwin, E. R., W. A. Hubert, C. F. Rabeni, H. L. Schramm, and T. G. Coon, editors. 1999. Biology and Management of Catfishes: Proceedings of the First International Ictalurid Symposium. American Fisheries Society Symposium 24, Bethesda, Maryland.	January 2000
Irwin, E. R., R. L. Noble and J. R. Jackson. 2002. A reservoir landscape for age-0 largemouth bass. Pages 61-71 in Ridgeway, M., and D. Philipp (editors). Black Bass 2000 Symposium Proceedings. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.	October 2002
Irwin, E. R., M. C. Freeman and K. M. Costley. 1999. Habitat use by juvenile channel catfish and flathead catfish in lotic systems in Alabama. Pages 223-230 in E. R. Irwin, W. Hubert, C. Rabeni, H. Schramm, and T. G. Coon, editors. Catfish 2000:Proceedings of the 1st International Ictalurid Symposium. American Fisheries Society Symposium 24, Bethesdea, Maryland.	January 2000
Irwin, E. R., K. D. Kennedy, J. T. Peterson, M. C. Freeman and B. J. Freeman, G. T. Turner. Using Aquatic GAP models to prioritize conservation efforts: a framework. GAP Bulletin 16	March 2009
Irwin, E. R. and K. D. M. Kennedy. 2009. Engaging stakeholders for adaptive management using structured decision analysis. Proceedings of the Third Conference on Research in the Watersheds.	October 2009
Irwin, E. R. Defining Ecological and Economical Hydropower Operations: a Framework for Managing Dam Releases to Meet Multiple Conflicting Objectives. Journal of Energy Challenges and Mechanics 1 (3): Article 5.	November 2014
Irwin, E. R. 2013. Adaptive management of flows from dams: a win-win framework for water users. Auburn Speaks: Water. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	September 2013
Irwin ER, Coffman KMO, Godsey ES, Enwright NM, Lloyd MC, Joyner K, and Lai, Q. 2020. Consequences of Restoration Actions to Faunal Conservation and Other Stakeholder Values: Dauphin Island, Alabama. Available online at https://gom.usgs.gov/DauphinIsland/Reports.aspx	June 2020
Henry, T. B., E. R. Irwin, J. M. Grizzle, W. G. Brumbaugh and M. L. Wildhaber. 2001. Gill lesions and death of bluegill in an acid mine drainage mixing zone. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 20:1304-1311.	January 2001
Hayer, C-A., and E. R. Irwin. Influence of gravel mining and other factors on detection probabilities of Coastal Plain Fishes in the Mobile River Basin, Alabama. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.	November 2008
Gunn, J.C., L.K. Berkman, J. Koppelman, A.T. Taylor, S. Brewer, J.M. Long, and L.S. Eggert. 2022. Genomic divergence, local directional selection, and complex demographic history may inform management of a popular sportfish species complex. Ecology and Evolution 12:e9370. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9370.	October 2022
Gunn, J.C., L.K. Berkman, J. Koppelman, A.T. Taylor, S. Brewer, J.M. Long, and L.S. Eggert. 2020. Complex Patterns of Genetic and Morphological Differentiation in the Smallmouth Bass subspecies (Micropterus dolomieu dolomieu and M. d. velox) of the Central Interior Highlands. Conservation Genetics 21:897-904.	August 2020
Galbraith, S.M., Valente, J.J., Dunn, C.J. and Rivers, J.W. (2024), Both Landsat- and LiDAR-derived measures predict forest bee response to large-scale wildfire. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 10: 24-38. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.354 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	July 2023	Large-scale disturbances such as wildfire can have profound impacts on the composition, structure, and functioning of ecosystems. Bees are critical pollinators in natural settings and often respond positively to wildfires, particularly in forests where wildfire leads to more open conditions and increased floral resources. The use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) provides opportunities for quantifying habitat features across large spatial scales and is increasingly available to scientists and land managers for post-fire habitat assessment. We evaluated the extent to which LiDAR-derived forest structure measurements can predict forest bee communities after a large, mixed-severity fire. We hypothesized that LiDAR measurements linked to post-fire forest structure would improve our ability to predict bee abundance and species richness when compared to satellite-based maps of burn severity. To test this hypothesis, we sampled wild bee communities within the Douglas Fire Complex in southwestern Oregon, USA. We then used LiDAR and Landsat data to quantify forest structure and burn severity, respectively, across bee sampling locations. We found that the LiDAR forest structure model was the best predictor of abundance, whereas the Landsat burn severity model had better predictive ability for species richness. Furthermore, the Landsat burn severity model was better at predicting the presence and species richness of bumble bees (<i>Bombus spp.</i>), an ecologically distinct and economically important group within the Pacific Northwest. We posit that the divergent responses of the two modeling approaches are due to distinct responses by bee taxa to variation in forest structure as mediated by wildfire, with bumble bees in particular depending on closed-canopy forest for some portions of their life cycle. Our study demonstrates that LiDAR data can provide information regarding the drivers of bee abundance in post-wildfire conifer forest, and that both remote sensing approaches are useful for predicting components of wild bee diversity after large-scale wildfire.
Freeman, M. C., Z. Bowen, K. Bovee and E. Irwin. 2001. Flow and habitat effects on juvenile fish abundance in natural and altered flow regimes. Ecological Applications 2001:179-190.	January 2001
Freeman M. C., E. R. Irwin, N. M. Burkhead, B. J. Freeman and H. L. Bart. 2005. Status and Conservation of the Fish Fauna of the Alabama River System. American Fisheries Symposium 45:557-585.	January 2003
Fogelman, Kaelyn, Archambault, Jennifer, Irwin, Elise, Maureen Walsh, Brewer, Shannon, and Stoeckel, James A. 2023. A review of lethal thermal tolerance among freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida) within the North American faunal region. Environmental Reviews https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2022-0077	January 2023
Ferrara, A. M., and E. R. Irwin. 2001. A standardized procedure for internal sex identification in Lepisostidae. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 21:530-535.	January 2001
Erickson, K., P. Sakaris, H. Conner and E. Irwin. 2021. Hydrologic Effects on Growth and Hatching Success of Age- 0 Channel Catfish in the Tallapoosa River Basin: Implications for Management in Regulated Systems. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41:S118-S132.	October 2021
Dyer, J., and S. K. Brewer. 2020. Seasonal movements and tributary-specific fidelity of blue sucker in a Southern Plains riverscape. Journal of Fish Biology	June 2020
Duarte, A, M.J. Weldy, D.B. Lesmeister, Z.J. Ruff, J.M.A. Jenkins, J.J. Valente, and M.G. Betts. 2024. Passive acoustic monitoring and convolutional neural networks facilitate high-resolution and broadscale monitoring of a threatened species. Ecological Indicators, 162:112016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112016 \| Abstract \| Download \| Publisher Website	April 2024	Population monitoring is an essential component of biodiversity conservation and management, but low detection probabilities for rare and/or cryptic species makes estimating abundance and occupancy challenging. Passive acoustic monitoring combined with machine learning algorithms represents a potential path forward to effectively and efficiently monitor the occurrence of rare vocalizing species across entire forest landscapes. Our objectives were to develop and implement a convolutional neural network (PNW-Cnet) to identify vocalizations of a rare and threatened forest nesting bird species – the marbled murrelet (<i>Brachyramphus marmoratus</i>) – in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A., 2018–2021. We used PNW-Cnet predictions from broadscale passive acoustic monitoring data to examine spatiotemporal patterns in the distribution of murrelets. PNW-Cnet showed sufficiently high prediction accuracy (overall precision > 0.9) to enable broadscale population monitoring. Spatiotemporal analysis showed that annual peak murrelet call abundance occurs in ordinal weeks 28–32 (late July–Mid August) but this varied by study area. The greatest number of detections typically occurred in the Olympic Peninsula and Oregon Coast Range where late-successional forest dominates and nearer to ocean habitats. We demonstrate that passive acoustic monitoring can be used to understand intensity of use across broad scales for a rare and cryptic species in addition to the typical detection/non-detection data that are often collected. Passive acoustic monitoring combined with PNW-Cnet offers considerable promise for species distribution modeling and long-term population monitoring for rare species.
Douglas L. Zentner, Shannon K. Brewer, Daniel E. Shoup; Environment Affects Sucker Catch Rate, Size Structure, Species Composition, and Precision in Boat Electrofishing Samples. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 1 June 2023; 14 (1): 135–152. doi: https://doi.org/10.3996/JFWM-22-052	June 2023
Dattilo, J. D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer. 2021.Flow dynamics influence fish recruitment in connected river-reservoir landscapes. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41:1752-1763.	September 2021
DL Ward, AF Casper2, TD Counihan, JM Bayer, IR Waite, JJ Kosovich, CG Chapman, ER Irwin, JS Sauer, BS Ickes and AJ McKerrow. Long-term fish monitoring in large rivers: Utility of “benchmarking” across basins. Fisheries 42:100-114	February 2017
Craven, S.W., J.T. Peterson, M.C. Freeman, T.J. Kwak, and E. Irwin. 2010. Modeling the relations between flow regime components, species traits and spawning success of fishes in warmwater streams. Environmental Management. 46(2):181-194	July 2010
Counihan, T.D., K.L. Bouska, S.K. Brewer, R. Jacobson, A.F. Casper, C.G. Colin, I.R. Waite, K. Sheehan, M. Pyron, E. Irwin, K. Riva-Murray, A. McKerrow, and J. Bayer. 2022. Identifying monitoring information needs that support the management of fish in large rivers. PLoS ONE 17(4): e0267113. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267113	April 2022
Counihan, T. D., I. R. Waite, A. F. Casper, D. L. Ward, J. S. Sauer, E. R. Irwin, C. G. Chapman, B. S. Ickes, C. P. Paukert, J. J. Kosovich, and J. M. Bayer. 2018 Can data from disparate long-term fish monitoring programs be used to increase our understanding of regional and continental trends in large river assemblages? PLoS ONE doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191472	January 2018
Coulter, A. A., M. J. Moore, J. Golcher-Benavides, F. J. Rahel, A. W. Walters, S. K. Brewer, M. L. Wildhaber. A synthesis of the characteristics and drivers of introduced fishes in prairie streams: can we manage introduced harmful fishes in these dynamic environments? Biological Invasions. \| Abstract	November 2024	Prairie streams of North America support native fishes that are adapted to the dynamic environment that characterizes these ecologically and economically important ecosystems. However, prairie streams have been altered by landscape changes that may affect the balance between native and introduced species. Herein, we investigate drivers of introduced fish occurrence, detail common introduced species and their traits and effects, investigate how climate change may alter the balance between native and introduced species, and summarize management options. Commonly introduced fishes are those with the ability to tolerate extreme variations in temperature, hydrology, and salinity and, as a result, most of the introduced fishes were native to other prairie streams within the Great Plains ecoregion. This suggests environmental extremes may act as a filter for establishment or that short-distance translocations are more common than introductions from other ecoregions. The mechanisms or extent to which introduced species affect native fishes is often assumed and/or understudied. Climate change will likely amplify environmental disturbances in ways that may favor native or introduced fishes depending on species traits and biotic interactions. Management actions, such as population control or habitat modifications may be able to shift the balance between native and introduced species. Research to understand the relative roles of trait preadaptation and spatial proximity of source populations in introduced species establishment would benefit future management. Moreover, patterns observed in other ecosystems may not be transferrable to prairie streams highlighting the need to understand the context dependency of effects of introduced species.
Buckmeier, D. L., and E. R. Irwin. 2000. An evaluation of soft visual implant tag retention and anchor tag retention in channel catfish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 20:296-299.	January 2000
Buckmeier, D. L., E. R. Irwin, R. K. Betsill and J. A. Prentice. 2002. Validity of otoliths and pectoral spines for estimating ages of channelcatfish. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22:934-942.	October 2001
Brewer, S.K., J. Dattilo, P. Ramsey, and B. Birdsall. 2023. Evaluating the spatial and temporal distribution and ecology of Bighead and Silver Carp and native fishes of the lower Red River basin. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-153-2023, Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.3996/css88134777	October 2023
Brewer, S.K., D. Swedberg, R. Mollenhauer, and J. Dattilo. 2020. Assessing the distribution and habitat needs of the Least Darter and sympatric species of the Ozark and Arbuckle Mountain ecoregions. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-146-2020, Washington, D.C.	September 2022
Brewer, S. K., and A. Miller. 2020. Assessing the spawning movement and habitat needs of riverine Neosho Smallmouth Bass. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-145-2020, Washington, D.C.	September 2020
Brewer, S. K., R. Mollenhauer, J. Alexander, and D. Moore. 2021. Critical thermal maximum of stream fishes including distinct populations of Smallmouth Bass. North American Journal of Fisheries Management	October 2021
Brewer, S. K., M. Wedgeworth, J. Perkin, R. Mollenhauer, and Z. Steffensmeier.2021. Movement, recruitment, and abundance relationships of Prairie Chub: An endemic Great Plains Cyprinid. Cooperators Science Series 138-2021.	October 2021
Brewer, S. K., J. B. Mouser, and R. Van Den Bussche. 2020. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) to assess the presence of cavefish and cave crayfish populations in the Ozark Highlands. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-135-2020, Washington, D.C.	December 2020
Brewer, S. K., G. Fox, Y. Zhou, and J. Alexander. 2020. Understanding the impacts of surface-groundwater conditions on stream fishes under altered baseflow conditions. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Cooperator Science Series FWS/CSS-136-2020, Washington, D.C.	September 2020
Boxrucker, J., and E. R. Irwin 2002. Challenges of Crappie Management Continue into the 21st Century. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22:1334-1339.	October 2002
Birdsall, B., Dattilo, J., Fuqua, Z., & Brewer, S. K. (2024). Processing time and precision of aging structures for Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment in the southern Great Plains. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 00, 1–1. https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.11027	September 2024
Barrick, A., Parham, S., Johnson, P., Brewer, S. and Hoang, T. (2024). Sensitivity of Alabama Freshwater Gastropod Species to Nickel Exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 43(12), pp.2578–2588. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5985. ‌	July 2024
Aspinwall, A, E. Irwin and C. Lloyd. 2016. Using Population Models to Evaluate Management Alternatives for Gulf Striped Bass. Cooperator Science Series # 123-2017	December 2016
Mouser, J. B., J. Johnston, M. L. Niemiller, and S. K. Brewer. 2023. A Fisherman’s Tale: An Unusual Observation of the Ozark Cavefish Troglicthys rosae (Eigenmann, 1898). Southeastern Naturalist https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:258062974	April 2023
McGowan, C. P., D. R. Smith, J. A. Sweka, J. Martin, J. D. Nichols, R. Wong, J. E. Lyons, L. J. Niles, K. Kalasz, J. Brust, M. Klopfer, B. Spear. 2011. Multi-species modeling for adaptive management of horseshoe crabs and red knots in the Delaware Bay. Natural Resource Modeling 24, 117-156	February 2011

Presentations

Presentations	Presentation Date
Zentner, D., D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Tournament harvest and movements of catostomids in the Eucha-Spavinaw river-reservoir complex. Annual Meeting of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma	August 2021	Little is known regarding the susceptibility of nongame fishes to tournament harvest. The goal of this study was to understand the susceptibility of catostomids to gigging tournament harvest within the Spavinaw-Eucha river-reservoir complex. To do this, we are seasonally sampling fixed sites within the reservoir, the perennial lower portion of the major tributary, the intermittent upper portion of the major tributary, two perennial tributaries, and five intermittent tributaries with a variety o
Zentner, D., D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Suggestions for using a new overlap statistic to answer fisheries science questions. Annual Meeting of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma	August 2021	Pastore and Calcagnì (2019) proposed using the distribution-free method "" for estimating overlap, and by extension effect size, in the social sciences (specifically the field of psychology). Given the inherent flexibility of a distribution-free overlap metric, has now been used in various scientific disciplines. To better facilitate the use of n in fisheries, we overview its basic properties, outline its implementation in program R, and show its utility as an estimate of effect size when paire
Zentner, D., D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Distribution and movements of catostomids in a river-reservoir complex and susceptibility to tournament harvest. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore	November 2021	Little is known regarding the susceptibility of nongame fishes to tournament harvest. The goal of this study was to understand the susceptibility of catostomids to gigging tournament harvest within the Spavinaw-Eucha river-reservoir complex. To do this, we are seasonally sampling fixed sites within the reservoir, the perennial lower portion of the major tributary, the intermittent upper portion of the major tributary, two perennial tributaries, and five intermittent tributaries with a variety o
Zentner, D., D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer. 2021. Comparing distributions using the recently developed overlap statistic : Examples and suggestions for incorporation into the fishery scientist’s statistical toolbox. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore	November 2021	Pastore and Calcagnì (2019) proposed using the distribution-free method "" for estimating overlap, and by extension effect size, in the social sciences (specifically the field of psychology). Given the inherent flexibility of a distribution-free overlap metric, has now been used in various scientific disciplines. To better facilitate the use of n in fisheries, we overview its basic properties, outline its implementation in program R, and show its utility as an estimate of effect size when paire
Wedgeworth, M., R. Mollenhauer, and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Temporal and spatial variability of Prairie Chub Machrybopsis australis spawning in the upper Red River basin. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2022	The Prairie Chub<i> Machrybopsis australis</i> is assumed a pelagic-broadcast spawning cyprinid (i.e., pelagophil) endemic to the Red River basin. Pelagophils spawn over a protracted season and their recruitment is thought to be linked to higher discharge and connectivity. We systematically collected age-0 Prairie Chub across the catchment during spring and summer 2019 and 2020 to determine the factors related to spawning dates.
Wedgeworth, M and SK Brewer. 2020. Context dependency of Prairie Chub Machrybopsis australis flow ecology relationships. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Columbus.	September 2020	The Prairie Chub is of conservation interest due to uncertainty about its life history, distribution and status. We modeled hydrologic relationships across coarse and fine scales to understand how these relationships change across space and time.
Vilchez, M., Z. Fuqua, and S. K. Brewer. 2025. Environmental factors related to the hatch timing of riverine fishes affected by hydropower generation. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society	February 2025	Recent emphases on increasing water demands have influenced water-management strategies over the last decade. Particularly, effects on reproductive success as related to dam operations are of great concern. We evaluated the effects of discharge, temperature, and photoperiod on the hatch timing of 5 fishes.
Vasvil, A., D. Shoup, and S. K. Brewer, 2024. Stock Assessment of Landlocked Striped Bass Using an Integrated Population Model American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Honolulu.	September 2024	The sustainability of landlocked Striped Bass (<i>Morone saxatilis</i>) populations in river-reservoir systems presents significant challenges due to complex habitat interactions and recreational fishing pressures. From 2019 to 2022, we conducted a study in the Robert S. Kerr river-reservoir complex, Oklahoma, using an integrated population model to analyze the dynamics of this recreational species.
Valente, JJ. Biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes: tools, challenges, and solutions. (2024). Miami University Biology Department Seminar, Oxford, OH.	June 2024	Maintaining a diverse community of plants and animals is critical to supporting functional ecosystems, their services, and the well-being of the humans that depend on them. In this seminar, Dr. Valente discusses how his research is helping to identify causes, consequences, and solutions to biodiversity loss in human-dominated landscapes.
Valente, JJ. (2023). Challenges and solutions at the intersection of coffee, conservation, and communities. Kreher Preserve and Nature Center Science on Saturday seminar series, Auburn, AL.	January 2023	We surveyed avian communities in and around coffee farms in northern Colombia to help understand local and landscape characteristics that support biodiverse agroforestry systems. Through this work, we are helping to improve the Smithsonian’s Bird-Friendly Coffee certification program which promotes biodiversity and economic stability by rewarding farmers for using wildlife-friendly farming practices.
Valente, JJ, JW Rivers, Z Yang, SK Nelson, JM Northrup, DD Roby, CB Meyer, and MG Betts. (2023). Ongoing forest fragmentation negatively affects the distribution of an endangered forest-breeding bird. American Ornithological Society and Society of Canadian Ornithologists Joint Conference.	August 2023	Using surveys from > 42,000 survey locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, we tested the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on breeding Marbled Murrelets. We found that murrelet habitat loss and fragmentation are ongoing, and having negative effects on breeding distributions.
Valente, JJ, JR Rivers, Z Yang, SK Nelson, J Northrup, D Roby, C Meyer, and M Betts. (2023). Negative effects of ongoing habitat fragmentation on Marbled Murrelets are amplified near its range edge. Annual Meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group.	February 2023	We examined impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on endangered Marbled Murrelets. We found that both processes have negative effects on occupancy rates for breeding murrelets, and that murrelet habitat has declined by 20% since 1988.
Valente, J.J., V. Jirinec, and M. Leu (2024). Thinking beyond the closure assumption: designing surveys for estimating biological truth with occupancy models. 109th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Long Beach, CA, 4-9 August 2024.	August 2024	For mobile animals, occupancy of sampling sites changes in space and time. Consequently, the spatial and temporal aspects of a sampling protocol have strong, but predictable, effects on occupancy model parameter estimates. Our results demonstrate that how these factors interact is critical for designing surveys that produce occupancy estimates representative of the biological process of interest to a researcher.
Valente, J.J. (2025). U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units: working together to address wildlife conservation issues. Auburn University Chapter of the Wildlife Society meeting, Auburn, AL.	February 2025	I met with undergraduates in the Auburn Wildlife Society group to discuss my career path and describe the role of the USGS Cooperative Research Unit program in wildlife conservation and management in Alabama.
Vaisvil, A. , S. K. Brewer, and D. Shoup. 2021. Movement patterns of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in a river-reservoir complex, Annual Meeting of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Oklahoma	August 2021	Striped Bass (<i>Morone saxatilis</i>) is anadromous and supports various commercial and recreational fisheries across its range. Gaining insight into the biotic and abiotic factors underpinning landlocked Striped Bass populations is essential for developing meaningful management actions.
Vaisvil, A. , S. K. Brewer, and D. Shoup. 2021. Movement patterns of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in a river-reservoir complex, Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Baltimore	November 2021	Striped Bass (<i>Morone saxatilis</i>) is anadromous and supports various commercial and recreational fisheries across its range. Gaining insight into the biotic and abiotic factors underpinning landlocked Striped Bass populations is essential for developing meaningful management actions.
Vailsvil, A., S. K. Brewer, and D. Shoup. 2021. Movement Patterns of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Robert S. Kerr River-reservoir Complex. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Virtual.	April 2021	Gaining insight into the biotic and abiotic factors underpinning landlocked Striped Bass populations is essential for developing meaningful conservation and management actions. The objective of this study is to examine the segment-scale movement of Striped Bass in the Arkansas River, Oklahoma.
Turner,G.T.,E.R. Irwin,D.Hite and G.Bhattarai. Modeling Water Quality in the Saugahatchee Creek Watershed:A Soil and Water Assessment Tool Approach. Alabama Water Resources Conference. September 2006. Perdido, Alabama.	September 2006
Turner,G. and E.Irwin. February 2006. A GIS-based empirical approach for modeling biodiversity in the Alabam-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river basin. 2006 Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, San Antonio, Texas.	February 2006
Turner, G.T., K. D. Kennedy, T. D. Piper and E. R. Irwin, (poster) September 2007. Using Aquatic GAP analysis to prioritize watersheds for management of Alabama?s species of greatest conservation need. National GAP Analysis Meeting. Asheville, North Carolina.	September 2007
Turner, G.T., K. D. Kennedy, T. D. Piper and E. R. Irwin, (poster) June 2007. Using Aquatic GAP analysis to prioritize watersheds for management of Alabama?s species of greatest conservation need. Auburn University Water Resources Conference, Auburn, Alabama.	June 2007
Turner, G.T. and E.R. Irwin. November 2006. Modeling Aquatic Biodiversity in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa Basin-A GIS Based Empirical Approach. 3rd Annual Alabama GIS Symposium.	November 2006
Turner, G.T. and E. R. Irwin. February 2007. Using SWAT models to assess sources of impacts to water quality on a watershed scale. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis, Tennessee.	February 2007
Tucker AM, McGowan CP. 2016. Assessing the influence of migratory connectivity and stopover site disturbance on population dynamics using a full annual cycle simulation model. North American Ornithological Congress, Washington DC, August 2016	August 2016	Evaluates the ecological and management importance of stop over habitat for long distance migratory shorebirds using full annual cycle network models.
Tucker AM, Derose Wilson A, McGowan CP. 2017. COMBINING MULTISTATE MODELS AND NETWORK THEORY TO EVALUATE MOVEMENT PATTERNS DURING MIGRATORY STOPOVER, EURING 2017, Barcelona, Spain.	July 2017	Combining multistate models and network models to assess movement patterns and space use during migratory stopover.
Taylor, M., K. Mickett, M. Ross, K. Kleiner and E. Irwin. A stream tank for evaluating habitat selection of juvenile sturgeon: solving the habitat use/availability problem. February 2003. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Taconya D. Goar and Elise. R. Irwin. February 2013. Effects of experimentally fluctuating flows and water temperatures on early growth and survival juvenile of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus and Alabama bass Micropterus henshalli. Southern Division AFS Spring Meeting Nashville, TN.	February 2013	This study reports experimental results of fluctuating flow and temperature on growth and mortality of important sportfish. The work contributes data for decision making by stakeholders regarding managed flows from Harris Dam.
Stevens, J., D. Bryant, and S. K. Brewer. 2025. Habitat use and reproductive dynamics reveal life-history differences among sympatric buffalofishes in the lower Red River. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society	February 2025	Currently, conservation and management agencies are concerned about buffalofishes due to recent insights into their population demographics, increases in recreational angler harvest, and potential competition and displacement by invasive species. Here, we examine occupancy and reproductive dynamics of three sympatric buffalofishes in the lower Red River using a multi-species occupancy model and histological analysis.
Stell, E., S. K. Brewer, and D. DeVries. 2023. A comparison of thermal tolerances using electron transport and critical thermal maximum in fishes. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Traditional techniques for determining thermal tolerances of species are often lethal and time consuming. We used Largemouth Bass <i>Micropterus salmoides</i>, a species with well documented thermal tolerance and respiration rates, to test the efficacy of using electron transport system to determine thermal tolerance and respiration rate in response to variable acclimation temperatures.
Stell, E., D. DeVries, L. Horne, S. K. Brewer, R. Wright. 2023. Using the electron transport system as an indicator of organismal thermal tolerance. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids.	August 2023	Using the enzyme activity of the electron transport system within mitochondria has been suggested as an alternative and may provide a non-lethal, quick, and efficient alternative to traditional techniques. Here we use Largemouth Bass, a species with well documented thermal tolerance and respiration rates, to test the efficacy of using ETS to determine thermal tolerance and respiration rate in response to variable acclimation temperatures in a freshwater fish.
Steffensmeier, Z., S. K. Brewer, A. Rodger, T. Starks, M. Wedgeworth, E. Nguyen, and J. S. Perkin. 2023. Nexus of Niches: Multidimensional Niche Modelling to Improve Management of Prairie Chub (Macrhybopsis australis). American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids.	August 2023	Delineation of the realized niche of a species is possible through simultaneous consideration of biological, abiotic, and movement (BAM) parameters, and this information can be useful for conservation planning. The purpose of this study was to employ a BAM framework to estimate the realized niche of Prairie Chub (<i>Macrhybopsis australis</i>), an imperiled fish endemic to the Red River basin of Texas and Oklahoma.
Silvano, A.L., K.K. Kleiner, B. Taylor, E. R. Irwin, M.D. MacKenzie, M.S. Mitchell, and J.B. Grand. Alabama Gap Analysis Project. October 2002. Auburn University GIS Day. Auburn, Alabama.	October 2002
Silvano, A. L., K. K. Kleiner, B. Taylor, E. R. Irwin, M. D. Mackenzie, M. S. Mitchell, and J. B. Grand. Alabama Gap Analysis Project: managing biodiversity with geographical information systems. 2003. Mountain longleaf conference, Jacksonville, Alabama.	October 2003
Sharp, J. and, E. Irwin. Non-Lethal Estimation of Proximate Body Composition of Channel Catfish Using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, FL	August 2017	This non-lethal technique will help assess condition of channel catfish in relation to body composition and environmental effects. No such methodology is available.
Sharp, J. and E. Irwin. 2016. Estimation of proximate body composition of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Alabama Water Resources Conference. Perdido Beach, Alabama.	September 2016	Measuring condition of individual fish can be an effective method for assessing population level impacts of environmental variation. The development of a bioelectrical impedance model for channel catfish will enhance ability to assess condition of fish in the wild.
Sharp, J and E Irwin. 2017. Estimation of proximate body composition of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Alabama Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	February 2017	We describe the methods for validating a non-lethal technique for estimating condition of channel catfish. This technique will be valuable for field and aquaculture applications.
Shannon Brewer, Jordan Ramey, and Robert Mollenhauer. 2024. Crayfish confusion: Are you a competitor or do you thrive in disturbed habitat? Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga.	February 2024	Although dominant and aggressive native species can play important ecological roles, they can also have negative effects on both other species in their native range or novel species when introduced outside their range. We used field-collected covariates and geospatial data in a multi-species occupancy model framework to determine the factors related to the occurrence of crayfishes native to the Ozark Highlands.
Sakaris, Peter C., and Irwin, E. R. February 2007. Incorporation of hydrologic variation and mortality as stochastic factors influencing the growth of flathead catfish populations: implications for ecology and management. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis, Tennessee.	February 2007
Sakaris, P. and E. Irwin. February 2006. Daily aging of age-0 catfishes with implications for assessing the effects of environmental variables on early life history stages. 2006 Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the Americn Fisheries Society, San Antonio, Texas	February 2006
Ryer, K., McGowan, C.P.. 2016, Error in Remotely Sensed Land-Cover Data: Is It Important to Know for Occupancy Estimation. North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Madison, WI, July 2016.	July 2016	Uses simulation modeling to assess the effects of land cover classification error on habitat association studies.
Rogers, J., S. K. Brewer, T. R. Ingram, and S. W. Golladay. 2024. Seasonal movement variability in riverine Shoal Bass and Largemouth Bass populations. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Honolulu.	September 2024	Understanding fish movements is important for managing populations because they reflect changing resource needs across the life cycle. Our study objective was to determine the seasonal movement variability of endemic Shoal Bass, <i>M. cataractae, </i>and native Largemouth Bass in the lower Flint River, Georgia to improve management of these riverine populations.
Rogers, J. L., S. K. Brewer, S. M. Sammons, and S. W. Galladay. 2023. Environmental factors related to hatch timing of Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae in the lower Flint River catchment. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Little is known about Shoal Bass reproductive requirements, especially in the lower Flint River. Our study objective was to determine how flow patterns, water temperature, and photoperiod affect hatch timing of Shoal Bass.
Robinson, O.J., McGowan C.P., Apodaca J.J., 2016, Decision analysis for habitat conservation of an endangered, range limited salamander, North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Madison, WI, July 2016.	July 2016	Uses Structured Decision Making to inform habitat acquisition decisions for the endangered red hills salamander.
Robinson OJ, McGowan CP, and Devers PK, 2015, A full annual cycle model for the American Black Duck. The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, 2015, Winnipeg, CA	October 2015	Develops and present. the first full annual cycle model to migratory black ducks and investigates the presence of Density dependence.
Rivers, J.W., L.J. Adrean, J.A. Bailey Guerrero, J. Dachenhaus, J.L. Fisher, C. Frisinger, M.-S. Garcia-Heras, B.D. Gerber, C.B. Meyer, S.K. Nelson, J.M. Northrup, D.D. Roby, J.J. Valente, C.Wolf, E. Woodis, Z. Yang, and M.G. Betts. 2024. Warming ocean conditions curtail breeding activity of the Marbled Murrelet, a most unusual forest-nesting bird. Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual meeting, Hood River, OR.	February 2023	We are examining the ultimate and proximate factors influencing the breeding activity of an endangered forest-breeding seabird.
Rivers, J., L. Adrean, J. Bailey-Guerrero, J. Dachenhaus, J. Fisher, C. Frisinger, M. Garcia-Heras, B. Gerber, C. meyer, K. Nelson, J. Northrup, D. Roby, J.J. Valente, C. Wolf, and E. Woodis. (2023). Influence of a warming ocean on the breeding activity of a most unusual - and threatened - forest-nesting bird. American Ornithological Society annual meeting.	August 2023	We are examining the ultimate and proximate factors influencing the breeding activity of an endangered forest-breeding seabird.
Ramsey, P., S. K. Brewer, and D. DeVries. 2023. Interspecies variability of native fish nursery habitats in the lower Red River basin. Annual Meeting of the AL Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Gulf State Park, AL	January 2023	Historically, nursery habitat in large rivers has been defined simply as shallow, calm waters; however, nursery habitats are likely to vary based on other coarse-scale habitat factors. The objective of our study was to describe nursery habitat of large river fishes that are understudied.
Ramsey, P., S. K. Brewer, and D. DeVries. 2023. Context dependency of Lepomis nursery habitat in the lower Red River catchment. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Historically, nursery habitat has been defined simply as shallow, calm waters in large rivers; however, nursery habitats are likely to vary based on other coarse-scale habitat factors. The objective of our study was to describe nursery habitat of Lepomis fishes that are not well studied in river ecosystems.
Ramsey, P. and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Factors related to the successful spawning of riverine Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus in the lower Red River basin. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2022	Spotted Bass <i>Micropterus punctulatus </i>is one of the most widely distributed bass species in North America; however, many of their life history traits are not fully described. We used daily rings on otoliths to back-calculate spawning dates of Spotted Bass and examine environmental correlates.
Ramey, J., S. K. Brewer, and R. Mollenhauer. 2023. Spatial segregation and shared landscape relationships of a crayfish assemblage of the Ozark Highlands. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Although the importance of crayfishes to ecosystem dynamics and energy transfer is well recognized, we lack information on crayfish distribution and habitat use for many species globally. We used field-collected covariates and geospatial data in a multi-species occupancy model framework to determine factors related to both detection and crayfish occupancy by several native species.
Ramey, J., S. K. Brewer, and R. Mollenhauer. 2023. Analogous relationships between landscape constraints and a Faxonius assemblage in the Ozark Highlands. Annual Meeting of the AL Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Gulf State Park, AL	January 2023	Although the importance of crayfishes to ecosystem dynamics and energy transfer is well recognized, we lack information on distributions and associated habitat use for many species. We used field-collected covariates and geospatial data collected in a multispecies occupancy model framework to determine the multiscale factors related to both crayfish detection and occupancy of 5 Faxonius species.
Ramey, J. and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Multi-scale habitat use by Meek’s short pointed crayfish Faxonius meeki brevis in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2022	The Meek’s short pointed crayfish <i>Faxonius meeki brevis</i> is considered threatened by AFS due to a narrow distribution in drainages of Arkansas and Oklahoma. We used field-collected covariates and geospatial data to determine factors related to the probability of detection and occurrence of <i>F. meeki brevis</i>.
Price, J., B. West, S. Ditchkoff, C. McGowan, S. Reeves, A. Keever. 2014 Deer Finder: software for identification of Deer in game camera photos. South Eastern Deer Study Group, February 2014.	February 2014	New software for analyzing time lapse photography for animal presence.
Price Tack JL, McGowan CP, Ditchkoff SS, Waits L, 2017, ESTIMATING COYOTE DENSITY USING A MULTI-SITE SPATIAL CAPTURE-RECPATURE ANALYSIS, EURING 2017, Barcelona, Spain	July 2017	Applies spatial capture recapture analyses to coyote march recapture data to estimate density in Alabama.
Price J.L., McGowan C.P., Ditchkoff S.S., 2015.The endangered hunter? Modeling a hunter population. The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, 2015, Winnipeg, CA.	October 2015	Develops a model of hunter population dynamics with the goal of support deer harvest management decisions to benefit hunter populations.
Piper Goar, T. D. and E. R. Irwin. January 2009. Effects of fluctuating hydrological regime and water temperature on juvenile channel catfish growth and survival. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.	January 2009
Peterson, J.. Irwin, E.R., M.C. Freeman, B.J. Freeman and L. Kramer. Accounting for incomplete detectability in models of species presence/absence. June 2002. National GAP Annual Meeting, U.S. Geological Survey. Shepardstown, Maryland.	June 2002
Parvin, L.K., and J.J. Valente (2025). Leveraging asymptotic regression models to enhance accuracy and comparability of occupancy estimates across studies and species. U.S. Geological Survey Annual Cooperators Meeting, Auburn, AL.	April 2025	Our findings suggest that asymptotic regression models could transform occupancy estimation for mobile species, reducing bias and enabling more consistent cross-study comparisons. Although further refinements are needed, this approach offers a promising pathway toward more reliable and standardized ecological insights.
Parvin, L.K., and J.J. Valente (2025). A novel modeling approach for standardizing and improving estimation of occupancy rates for mobile species. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting, Anniston, AL.	March 2025	Our findings suggest that asymptotic regression models could transform occupancy estimation for mobile species, reducing bias and enabling more consistent cross-study comparisons. Although further refinements are needed, this approach offers a promising pathway toward more reliable and standardized ecological insights.
Parham, S., S. K. Brewer, P. Johnson, and T. Hoang. 2025. Relative Sensitivity of Juvenile Endemic Alabama River Snail Species to Nickel, Potassium, and Chloride exposures. SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, Vienna, Austria	May 2025	With much of North America’s snail population imperiled and at risk of extinction, it is important to better understand the effects of common toxicants on the health of species that are at most at risk. Our study objective was to better characterize the toxic effects of nickel, potassium, and chloride on three species of endemic Alabama freshwater gastropods.
Ouellette, K, E. Kosnicki, T. Hess, M.C. Lloyd and E. Irwin. Macroinvertebrate Community Response to Long-Term Flow Modification on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, Florida.	August 2017	Macroinvertebrate communities were studied at regulated and unregulated sections of the Tallapoosa River. The regulated sites exhibited truncated community structure,; whereas the fauna at the regulated sites were variable dependent on water availability.
Ouellette, K, C Lloyd, and E Irwin. 2018. Macroinvertebrate response to flow and temperature in regulated and unregulated reaches of a hydropeaking river. Southern Division American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Invited)	March 2018	Macroinvertebrate community structure varied by water year and degree of river regulation. These findings could inform river management below a hydropeaking dam.
Ouellette, K and E Irwin. Long-Term Community Data from a River Subject to Hydropeaking: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go From Here? American Fisheries Society 148th Annual Meeting , Atlantic City, NJ.	August 2018	Macroinvertebrate community structure and fish populations varied by water year and degree of river regulation. These findings could inform river management below a hydropeaking dam.
Ouellette K, E Kosnicki, Clint Lloyd, and E Irwin. 2017. Analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in regulated and unregulated reaches of the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Alabama Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	February 2017	We present initial findings from macroinvertebrate analysis below R.L. Harris Dam. Regulated and unregulated reaches exhibit distinct macroinvertebrate communities.
Olive, J.*, Schramm, H. L., Gerard, P. D., and E. R. Irwin. An evaluation of agreement between pectoral spines and otoliths for estimating ages of catfishes. Catfish 2010: Conservation, Ecology, and Management of Catfish: The Second International Symposium, St. Louis, Missouri	June 2010
Morse, L., R. Bennett, and J.J. Valente (2024). Forest cover and coffee cultivation system influence bird community functional diversity in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Meeting of the American Ornithological Society, Estes Park, CO, 1-5 October 2024.	October 2024	This research demonstrates that avian functional redundancy increases with forest cover near coffee plantations, and results will help us understand how to support functioning agroforestry ecosystems.
Morrison, J., E. Irwin, L. Lee and M. Goldhaber. Historical Geochemical and Biological Characterization of a Southern Appalachian Watershed Impacted by Coal Acid Mine Drainage. October 2002. Geological Society of America, National Meeting, Denver Colorado.	October 2002
Moore, M. J., Coulter, A. A., Golcher-Benavides, J., Rahel, F. J., Walters, A. W., Brewer, S. K., Wildhaber, M. L. 2024. A synthesis of the characteristics and drivers of introduced fishes in prairie streams: Can we manage harmful introduced fishes in these dynamic environments? Oral Presentation at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.	January 2024	In this paper we synthesize the state of knowledge of introduced fishes and their effects to fish communities in prairie streams, which have been historically overlooked ecosystems. This research can help guide future risk assessment, introduced fish suppression, and native fish conservation in prairie streams. This research is a product of the Prairie Fishes and Streams Collaborative Working Group, comprising scientists from multiple state, federal, and academic institutions.
Moore, D. S. K. Brewer, and K Bockrath. 2022. Evaluation of p chip tags on small-bodied federally listed minnow and paedomorphic salamander species. Region 2, Fish and Aquatic Conservation Science Symposium, Virtual.	February 2022	Tagging animals is necessary for mark recapture and other methods used to estimate movements and population abundance.
Mollenhauer, R. S. K. Brewer, J. B. Mouser, and V. L. Roland. 2023. Flow-ecology and land-use relationships of a large, diverse warmwater fish assemblage in the Red River catchment. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids.	August 2023	Stream-fish distributions are often strongly associated with landscape characteristics at coarse spatial and temporal scales. These fundamental relationships, however, are poorly understood in many high diversity regions. Our objective was to identify relationships with both streamflow and anthropogenic disturbance for a large, warmwater fish assemblage using 35 years of existing survey data.
Mickett, K.and E.Irwin. February 2006. Adaptive management of a highly-regulated southeastern river:tools for stakeholders. 2006 Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, San Antonio, Texas.	February 2006
McGowan, CP, Robinson OJ, Devers P. 2016. Decision analysis for habitat management of migratory waterfowl using a full annual cycle model. North American Ornithological Congress. Washington DC, August 2016	August 2016	Application of full annual cycle models to habitat management decision making for American Black Ducks.
McGowan, CP, Lyons, JE, Smith, DR, Sweka, J, Nichols, JD, 2016, Developing consensus objectives for a multi-species, multi-stakeholder management problem: the case of horseshoe crab harvest in Delaware Bay. Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Raleigh, 2016	October 2016	Reports on techniques for developing consensus objects with adversarial stakeholders.
McGowan, CP, D Catlin, T Shaffer, C Gratto-Trevor, C Aron, 2013. A meta-population model for evaluating recovery criteria for Piping Plovers in the Great Plains. 131st meeting of American Ornithologist Union, Chicago, IL, August 2013	August 2013	Updates the great plains piping plover population viability model to apply spatial structure and incorporate new data and parameter estimates. Uses the model to present a method for establishing recovery criteria.
McGowan, CP, 2014, Comparing Models of Red Knot population dynamics. American Ornithologists Union Annual Meeting, Estes Park, September 2014.	September 2014	Evaluates competing models of red knot population dynamics using simulations and Bayesian model weight updating. This is a novel application of a widely used statistical tool to inform basic ecological understanding and management decisions.
McGowan, C.P., P. Devers,2011, Managing American black duck populations and habitat at the continental scale: a structured decision making approach. The Wildlife Society Meeting, Kona, HI, November 2011.	November 2011
McGowan, C.P., J.E. Hines, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Lyons, D.R. Smith, K. S. Kalasz, L.J. Niles, A.D. Dey, N.A. Clark, P.W. Atkinson, C.D.T. Minton, and W. Kendall. 2011. Demographic consequences of migratory stopover: linking red knot survival to horseshoe crab spawning abundance. 129th Meeting of the American Ornithologists Union, July 2011, Jacksonville, FL, USA.	July 2011
McGowan, C.P., J.E. Hines, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Lyons, D.R. Smith, K. S. Kalasz, L.J. Niles, A.D. Dey, N.A. Clark, P.W. Atkinson, C.D.T. Minton, and W. Kendall. 2010, Linking red knot demographics to Delaware Bay horseshoe crab spawning activity within an adaptive management framework. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, October, 2010, Snowbird, Utah, USA.	October 2010
McGowan, C.P., D.R. Smith, J.D. Nichols, J. A. Sweka, J.E. Lyons, L.J. Niles, K. Kalasz, R. Wong, J. Brust, M. Davis, B. Spear. 2012. Integrating migratory shorebird conservation needs into an industrial fisheries management plan in the Delaware Bay. North American Ornithological Congress, Vancouver, B.C., August 2012.	August 2012
McGowan, C.P., D.H. Catlin, T.L. Shaffer, C.L. Gratto Trevor, C. Aron, 2013.Establishing endangered and threatened species recovery criteria through simulation modeling. Contributed paper for the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, October, 2013, Milwakee, WI, USA	October 2013	Presents methods for using PVA simulation models to establish recovery criteria in a structure decision making context.
McGowan, C.P., 2013. Demographic consequences of migration stopover: linking knot populations to horseshoe crab harvest management in Delaware Bay. British Ornithologists Union Annual Conference, Leceister, UK, March 2013	March 2013	Describes the integration of science into a management decision context for horseshoe crab harvest in the Delaware Bay.
McGowan, C. P., P. Devers, 2011, A Structured Decision making approach to managing American black duck populations and habitat at the continental scale. South Eastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Nashville, TN, October, 2011.	October 2012
McGowan, C. P., 2011, Decision making for incidental take of endangered species, 2011 Adaptive management conference series, Auburn, AL, August 31, 2011.	August 2011
McGowan CP, and Lyons JE, 2015, What is structured decision making? Western Hemisphere Shorebird Group 2015 meeting, Wallops Island, VA, USA.	September 2015	Presents the concepts of SDM and highlights the urgency and applicability of these tools to shorebird conservation and management.
McGowan CP, Robinson OJ, Apodaca JJ, 2015, Decision analysis for habitat conservation of a highly endangered range limited salamander. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, 2015, Winnipeg, CA.	October 2015	Applies SDM to habitat conservation decisions for a very rare and range limited salamander.
McGowan CP, Catlin D, Shaffer T, Gratto Trevor S, Aron C, 2015, Establishing recovery criteria for a threatened population of shorebirds, Western Hemisphere Shorebird Group 2015 Meeting, Wallops Island, VA, USA	September 2015	Presents the application of a structure decision making approach to establish recovery criteria for a threatened population of piping plovers. The paper focuses on using models to link measureable attributes to fundamental objectives for recovery.
Martin, M. M. and E. R. Irwin. January 2009. Population parameters of crayfishes in regulated and unregulated reaches of the Tallapoosa River basin. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.	January 2009
Martin, B. and E. R. Irwin. September 2007. Nest success and nesting behavior of redbreast sunfish on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. 137th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. San Francisco, California.	September 2007
Martin, B. and E. R. Irwin. February 2008. Examination of redbreast sunfish nest survival and spawning behavior below R.L. Harris dam on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Alabama Fisheries Association Annual Meeting, Orange Beach, Alabama.	February 2008
Martin, B. M. and E. R. Irwin. January 2009. Modeling redbreast sunfish nest survival in the regulated Tallapoosa River, Alabama: defining functional responses to discharge and temperature. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana.	January 2009
Maddux, A. and S. K. Brewer. 2023. Lots of carp but no spawning: the comings and goings of Bighead and Silver carps. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Current research on Bighead Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis</i> and Silver Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in </i>the lower Red River conducted from 2021-2022 targeting adult and larval carp found noticeable differences in population demographics compared to other established populations. No juvenile or larval carp were detected during both studies and no successful spawning was observed despite the fish sampled being full of eggs. We discuss knowledge gaps related to spawning and moveme
M. Clint Lloyd, E. R. Irwin. August 2016. Angler Survey of the Regulated Reaches of the Tallapoosa River Fishery in Eastern Alabama. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO.	August 2016	These survey data inform decision makers relative to satisfaction of anglers in the regulated Tallapoosa River. Anglers are satisfied in general but require better access to the river.
Lyons JE, Nichols JD, McGowan CP, Smith DR, Sweka JA, Kalasz KS, Clark NA, Dey D, Niles LJ, 2014. Stopover popuation size, migration ecology and adaptive management of red knots at Delaware Bay, USA. American Ornithologist Union Annual Meeting, Estes Park, CO, USA, September 2014	September 2014	Presents a new method for estimating population size of stopover population size for migratory shorebirds.
Lloyd, MC and ER Irwin. February 2017. Age and growth of Channel Catfish pre- and post- flow management below R. L. Harris Dam on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Annual Meeting of the Alabama Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	February 2017	Channel catfish are a primary sport fish that are managed below Harris Dam. This analysis indicates no improvement in growth during post-management periods.
Lloyd, MC and ER Irwin. Age and growth of Channel Catfish populations below R. L. Harris Dam on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tampa, Florida.	August 2017	Channel catfish are an important sportfish that are impacted by dam releases. This population model illustrates the life stages contribution to the instability of the population.
Lloyd, MC and ER Irwin. 2016. Angler Survey of the Tallapoosa River Fishery in Eastern Alabama. Alabama Water Resources Conference	September 2016	This paper summarizes data from an angler survey conducted for the conservation agency. The data are important for characterizing fishery aspects below an adaptively managed hydropower dam.
Lloyd, MC , PC Sakaris, and Irwin E. 2018. Effects of Hydrologic Variation on Dynamics of Channel Catfish Populations Below R. L. Harris Dam on The Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Southern Division American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Invited)	March 2018	Channel catfish populations below a hydropeaking dam in Alabama are impacted by regulation of flow and thermal regimes. These data could inform management to satisfy stakeholders interested in viable sport fisheries below the dam.
Lloyd, C and E Irwin. 2018. Faunal Habitat Linkages for Alabama Barrier Island Restoration Assessment on Dauphin Island, Alabama. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico (oral presentation)	March 2018	This project predicts the long-term value of restoration options for Dauphin Island, Alabama. Conservation value will be modeled on a 50 year planning horizon to inform restoration decisions.
Lai, Q., E. Irwin and Y. Zhang. The Consequences of Increasing Oyster Harvest Size Limit to Provision of Ecosystem Services by Oyster Reefs in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Annual Meeting, Mobile, Alabama.	October 2018	This work evaluates harvest size limits for oysters. It is of interest to oyster fishers and regulatory agencies.
Lai, Q. and E. Irwin. 2016. Development of models for evaluating impacts of Dauphin Island restoration alternatives on oyster fisheries in the Mississippi Sound. Alabama Water Resources Conference. Perdido Beach, Alabama.	September 2016	Restoration of Dauphin Island may enhance water quality impacted by Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A priori evaluation of effects of restoration alternatives on oyster fisheries is desired by stakeholders. Models to predict impacts of restoration actions to oyster sustainability are demonstrated in this poster.
Knight, J. and E. R. Irwin. Redeye bass (Micropterus coosae) movement and habitat use in an Alabama Piedmont stream. February 2004. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Spring Meeting, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.	February 2004
Kennedy, KDM and E Irwin. Framing the Problem: Shifting Scope and Scale for a Sustainable Energy Future. 2019 Joint Meeting of the American Fisheries Society and the Wildlife Society. Reno, Nevada.	September 2019	This paper introduces a symposium on wildlife and fishery impacts of renewable energy. The work calls for re-framing the problem to broaden landscape scope and include multiple species.
Kennedy, K.D.M and E. R. Irwin. 2015. Integration of a multi-metric index for informing instream flow criteria decisions in warm water streams. Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Spring Meeting, Savannah, Georgia.	January 2015	Multi-metric indices are used extensively in stream assessment but application for decision making is limited. We provide a framework and example for including multi-metric indices in water resource management decision-making.
Kennedy, K.D. and E.R. Irwin. Making hard decisions about river management:decision analysis for the Tallapoosa River below Harris Dam. Alabama Water Resources Conference. September 2006. Perdido, AL.	September 2006
Kennedy, K. D. and E. R. Irwin. November 2007. Occupancy rates of selected shoal-dwelling fishes in the Tallapoosa River basin. Southeastern Fishes Council Annual Meeting. Chattanooga, Tennessee.	November 2007
Kennedy, K. D. and E R. Irwin. February 2007. Development of Procedures for Evaluating Dam Operation in the Southeastern United States. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis, Tennessee.	February 2007
Kennedy, K. D. and E R. Irwin. (poster) June 2007. Evaluation of conflicting objectives for water resource management: Stakeholder values enhance decision support analysis. Auburn University Water Resources Conference, Auburn, Alabama.	June 2007
Kennedy, K. D. M. and E. R. Irwin. January 2009. The Next Step: Evaluating and Applying Adaptive Management Monitoring Data for the Tallapoosa River below R.L. Harris Dam. Adaptive management and structured decision making: helping stakeholders make smart decisions about complicated systems symposium. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana.	January 2009
Keever, A., Ditchkoff, S. McGowan, C.P., Grand, J.B., 2014. Estimating the effects of coyote removal and wild pigs on white-tailed deer abundance. South Eastern Deer Study Group, Athens, GA, February 2014.	February 2014	White-tailed deer and an extremely important recreational harvest species but recent coyote range expansion may be suppressing deer recruitment. Our study looks at the effects of coyote control on deer abundance.
Keever, A., C.P. McGowan, S. Ditchkoff, P. Acker, J. B. Grand, C. Newbolt. 2013 Effect of reducing camera survey efforts on the accuracy of density estimates. South Eastern Deer Study Group, South Carolina, February 2013	February 2013	Validates the effectiveness of emerging game camera monitoring techniques using field data on a marked population.
Katechis, C.T.,P.C. Sakaris and E. Irwin. Methodology for using otoliths to age mooneye, Hiodon tergisus. February 2003. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
K. J. Fogelman, K. Coffman, J. Archambault, E. Irwin, M. Walsh, S. Brewer, and J. A. Stoeckel. A review of temperature, hypoxia, conductivity, and agricultural contaminant stressors to freshwater mussels. American Malacology Society 2023, Tuscaloosa, Alabama	August 2023	The thermal tolerances of many mussels are unknown despite the thermal and hypoxia threats to aquatic biota. Here, we review the current state of our knowledge.
K. J. Fogelman, K. Coffman, J. Archambault, E. Irwin, M. Walsh, S. Brewer, and J. A. Stoeckel. A REVIEW OF TEMPERATURE AND HYPOXIA STRESSORS TO FRESHWATER MUSSELS. FMCS 2023, Portland, OR	April 2023	The thermal tolerances of many mussels are unknown despite the thermal and hypoxia threats to aquatic biota. Here, we review the current state of our knowledge.
K. D. M. Kennedy and Irwin, E. R. January 2009. Stakeholder involvement: a primary need for successful adaptive management. Adaptive management and structured decision making: helping stakeholders make smart decisions about complicated systems symposium. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana.	January 2010
Jolley, J.C., E.R. Irwin and K.J. Kleiner. Evaluation of a tailwater population of flathead catfish in Alabama. February 2002. Midyear Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Little Rock, Arkansas.	February 2002
Jolley, J.C. and E.R. Irwin. A comparison of the reservoir and tailwater catfish populations in a section of the Coosa River, Alabama. August 2002. American Fisheries Society 132nd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland.	August 2002
Jolley, J. C., P. C Sakaris., E. R. Irwin and D. Buckmeier. Don't be stuck in the spine age: the evolution of catfish aging techniques North Central Division Catfish Symposium. Annual Conference Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. December 2003. Kansas City, Kansas.	December 2003
Jolley, J. C. and E. R. Irwin. Food habits of catfishes in tailwater and reservoir habitats in a section of the Coosa River, Alabama. October 2003. Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Mobile, Alabama.	October 2003
Jolley, J. C. and E. R. Irwin. Do Giant Catfish Live Below Dams?: Evaluating the Catfish Fishery of the Mid-Coosa River. January 2003. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Rome, Georgia.	January 2003
Jolley, J. C. and E. R. Irwin. Catfish population characteristics in tailwater and reservoir habitats of the Coosa River. Catfish 2010: Conservation, Ecology, and Management of Catfish: The Second International Symposium, St. Louis, Missouri	June 2010
J. Rogers, S. K. Brewer, S. Sammons, and S. W. Golladay. 2024. Drivers of riverine Shoal Bass and Largemouth Bass movement in the lower Flint River, GA. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga.	February 2024	Understanding fish movements is important to managing populations because they reflect changing resource needs throughout the life cycle. Thus, our study objective was to determine the seasonal movement variability of endemic Shoal Bass, <i>M. cataractae, </i>and native Largemouth Bass in the lower Flint River to better understand and manage riverine populations.
Irwin,E.R. and G. Turner. February 2006. Aquatif GAP of the ACT. Alabama Fisheries Association Annual Meeting. Perdido, Alabama.	February 2006
Irwin, Elise R. and Emily Nichols. February 2013. Quantification of the effects of fluctuating discharge on temperature regimes below R. L. Harris Dam. Southern Division AFS Spring Meeting, Nashville, TN.	February 2013	This work summarizes the effects of managed flows on discharge and temperature regimes below a hydropeaking facility. Data will be used to determine potential biological effects related to thermal polution below the dam.
Irwin, Elise R. 2015. Water governance in the Southeast United States: informing decisions regarding water allocation with flow-ecology data. (Oral Presentation) Alabama Water Resources Conference, September 10-11, 2015, Perdido Beach, Alabama,	September 2015	This work provides the framework for incorporating flow-ecology hypotheses and data into decision making regarding water allocations. The AL Department of Conservation are interested in these tools to assist with water planning in the State.
Irwin, ER. Landscape Level Planning: Scaling up the Relevance for Decision Science. Integration and Implementation of Large Landscape Aquatic Conservation Plans: Scaling Local Actions to Regional Outcomes Symposium. American Fisheries Society Virtual Meeting 2020.	September 2020	This invited presentation introduces decision science properties to landscape scale conservation planning. Examples of decision science are presented toward framework development for planners.
Irwin, ER and MC Lloyd. February 2017. Dauphin Island Restoration for Sustainable, Conservation Values. Annual Meeting of the Alabama Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.	February 2017	Restoration activities toward sustainable barrier island ecosystems impacts multiple stakeholders. This work describes a decision process that incorporates conservation values and forecasts resilience of restoration scenarios for Dauphin Island, AL.
Irwin, ER and J Terhune. 2016. Teaching Problem Solving Skills to the Next Generation of Natural Resources Professionals: A Proposed Framework. Alabama Water Resources Conference, Gulf Shores, Alabama.	September 2016	Employers of natural resource professionals rank problem solving skills as the number one trait needed by their employees. We describe a framework for teaching problem solving skills to students in natural resources to better prepare them for the workplace.
Irwin, E.R., R.L. Noble and J.R. Jackson. A reservoir landscape for age-0 largemouth bass. August 2000. Black Bass 2000 Symposium. St. Louis, Missouri.	August 2000
Irwin, E.R., M.C. Freeman, and J. Peterson. Using adaptive management to quantify biological, environmental and social uncertainty affecting the management of tailwater ecosystems. August 2002. Sport Fisheries in Tailwaters Symposium. American Fisheries Society 132nd Annual Meeting. Baltimore, Maryland.	August 2002
Irwin, E.R., M.C. Freeman, and J. Peterson. Results of the decision support model for determining optimal flows below Harris Dam. December 2001. Harris Dam Stakeholders Meeting. Sponsored by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Wedowee, Alabama.	December 2001
Irwin, E.R., J. Peterson, M.C. Freeman, B.J. Freeman and L. Kramer. Aquatic GAP in the Tallapoosa River Basin, Alabama and Georgia. June 2002. National GAP Annual Meeting; U.S. Geological Survey. Shepardstown, Maryland.	June 2002
Irwin, E.R. and M.C. Freeman. What is good for the duck is good for the darter: adaptive flow management. August 2000. Joint U.S. Geological Survey/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Workshop on Federal Energy Resource Commission re-licensing issues. McCormick, South Carolina.	August 2000
Irwin, E.R. and M.C. Freeman. Modeling uncertainty in the Tallapoosa River below R.L. Harris Dam. May 2002. Harris Dam StakeholdersMeeting. Sponsored by Alabama Department of Conservation andNatural Resources. Alexander City, Alabama.	May 2002
Irwin, E.R. and M.C. Freeman. Defining functional relations between aspects of flow and fishes. August 2000. Joint U.S. Geological Survey/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Workshop on Federal Energy Resource Commission re-licensing issues. McCormick, South Carolina.	August 2000
Irwin, E.R. and M.C. Freeman. Adaptive management:a win-win scenario for managing the Tallapoosa River below R.L. Harris Dam. August 2000. Public Forum on Adaptive Management of the Tallapoosa River. Wadley, Alabama.	August 2000
Irwin, E.R. and K.D.M. Kennedy. 2015. Long term monitoring of dynamic occupancy of shoal dwelling fishes in the Tallapoosa River basin. American Fisheries Society 145th Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon.	August 2015	This presentation will be in a Large Rivers Monitoring Symposium. We will describe our occupancy approach for long term monitoring of a fish community below a large dam.
Irwin, E.R. and B. M. Martin. September 2011. Video Surveillance of Spawning Fish: Real-Time Peeps into Nesting Behavior. In: One Fish, Two Fish: Using Fixed Electronic Fish Counting Systems for Real Time Monitoring of Freshwater Species Symposia. American Fisheries Society 141st Annual Meeting. Seattle, Washington.	September 2011
Irwin, E.R. and A.M. Ferrara. Garfish:Biology and Management. March 2000. Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Lecture Series. Hackberry, Louisiana.	March 2000
Irwin, E.R. Inquiring minds want to know: what's going on downstream of Thurlow Dam. August 2002. Tallassee Town Meeting. Sponsored by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Tallassee, Alabama.	August 2002
Irwin, E.R. How to get into graduate school and what to do when you get there. February 2000. American Fisheries Society Student Workshop. American Fisheries Society Southern Division Meeting. Savannah, Georgia.	February 2000
Irwin, E.R. Flathead catfish:status and management in Alabama. March 2000. U.S. Geological Survey Flathead Catfish Workshop. McCormick, South Carolina.	March 2000
Irwin, E.R. Defining ecological and economical hydropower operations: a framework for managing dam releases to meet multiple conflicting objectives . To be submitted to: 1st International Symposium on Energy Challenges and Mechanics. Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.	July 2014	This presentation will describe the application of ARM for managing flows at dams for multiple conflicting objectives. Implementation and evaluation of the framework will be presented.
Irwin, E.R. September 2007. Adaptive management and decision support analysis for conservation of imperiled fishes. Imperiled Species Ecology and Management Symposium. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Memphis, Tennessee.	February 2007
Irwin, E.R. August 2016. Water Allocation in the Southeast: Stakeholder Governance and Decision Making. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Kansas City, MO	August 2016	This is the description of an structured decision making framework for stakeholder driven flow allocation problems. Use of various tools add to the transparency for solving multi-objective optimized water allocation problems.
Irwin, E. R., M. C. Freeman and J. Peterson. How to decide where to start: decision models for adaptive flow management. February 2001. Harris Dam Stakeholders Meeting. Wedowee, Alabama.	February 2001
Irwin, E. R., K. D. M. Kennedy, V. Herr and B. Boston. May 2010. Facilitation and Decision Support Technology for Adaptive Management. 4th Environmental Conflict Resolution Conference, Tucson, Arizona. INVITED	May 2010
Irwin, E. R., J. Peterson, B. J. Freeman, E. Kramer, and M. C. Freeman. Aquatic GAP: Regional Analysis of Biodiversity in the Tallapoosa River Basin. September 2003. Alabama Water Resources Conference. Orange Beach, Alabama	September 2003
Irwin, E. R., J. Peterson, B. J. Freeman, E. Kramer, and M. C. Freeman. Aquatic GAP: Regional Analysis of Biodiversity in the Tallapoosa River Basin. February 2003. Southeast Regional GAP Meeting. Athens, Georgia.	February 2003
Irwin, E. R., J. Knight and T. Goar. 2013. Movement, and Habitat Selection of Redeye Bass (Micropterus coosae) from the Regulated Tallapoosa River and Hillabee Creek (Alabama, USA). Black Bass Symposium. Southern Division AFS Spring Meeting, Nashville, TN.	February 2013	This study contributes movement and habitat use/availability data for redeye bass, an important sportfish for which we have limited life history data. Findings are placed in the context of management of flow regimes to enhance habitats for the species.
Irwin, E. R., A. M. Ferrara, K. D. M. Kennedy, P. C. Sakaris, and R. Campbell. January 2009. Alligator gar conservation in the southeast United States: development of a decision tool for evaluating effects of management on population viability. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, New Orleans, Louisiana.	January 2009
Irwin, E. R. and M. C. Freeman. Minnows in the moonlight. January 2001. Annual Review for Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Federal Aid Projects. Auburn, Alabama.	January 2001
Irwin, E. R. and M. C. Freeman. Fishes of the Dead River and Terrapin Creek. January 2003. Annual Meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Rome, Georgia.	January 2003
Irwin, E. R. and K. D. M. Kennedy. January 2011. Conservation of four darter species in response to adaptive flow management in the Tallapoosa River below Harris Dam. Conservation of Darters Symposium. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Tampa, Florida. INVITED	January 2011
Irwin, E. R. and K. D. M. Kennedy. February 2010. Evaluation and development of tools to estimate large-river ecological integrity. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Asheville, NC	February 2010
Irwin, E. R. and E. K. Nichols. Consequences of an altered thermal regime to warmwater fishes below R. L. Harris Dam, Tallapoosa River, Alabama, USA. 144th Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.	August 2014	This paper provides an overview of effects of thermal regime on fish spawning requirements below a dam. The results are being used to set flow targets in an adaptive management project.
Irwin, E. R. Why catfish are better than bass: a research perspective. February 2004. Ecology and Management of Catfishes Symposium. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Spring Meeting, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.	February 2004
Irwin, E. R. 2015. Monitoring of temperature in warmwater streams: challenges and applications for decision making. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Savannah, Georgia.	January 2015	Suitable instream temperature regimes are critical for stream ecosystem function. Using a decade of temperature data, I describe methods and modelling techniques to use temperature data in a decision framework.
Irwin, E. R. and K. D. M. Kennedy. September 2008. Engaging stakeholders for adaptive management. Interagency Conference on Watersheds. Estes Park, Colorado.	September 2008
Irwin, E. R. September 2008. Alligator gar conservation: perspectives and future directions. II International Lepistosidae Congress. Heredia, Costa Rica.	September 2008
Irwin, E. R. March 2009. Human Dimensions, Stakeholder Involvement and Objective Setting, Adaptive Management Conference Series, Athens, Georgia.	March 2009
Irwin, E. R. March 2008. Adaptive management of a regulated river: sound science for stakeholders. United States Geological Survey Seminar Series. USGS Headquarters, Reston, Virginia	April 2008
Irwin, E. R. February 2009. Using Bayesian Belief Networks as Decision Support Tools for Conservation Planning. USFWS Southeast Region Biologist’s Conference. Confronting 21st Century Challenges: Strategic Habitat Conservation. Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia.	February 2009
Irwin, E. R. February 2008. Healthy wetlands-healthy people. Plenary Session. World Wetlands Day, UNA, Heredia, Costa Rica	February 2008
Irwin, E. 2016. Instream flows in Alabama: informing decisions regarding water allocation with science-based assessment. Alabama-Georgia AFS Chapter Meeting. Columbus, Georgia. February 2016	February 2016	Instream flow decisions are pending for the State of Alabama. This paper discusses application of science-based frameworks for water allocation.
Irwin ER, P Kocovsky, J Jolley and D Chapman. Grass Carp Invasion in the Colorado River: Predicting the Consequences of Potential Management Actions in the Face of Uncertainty. 2019 Joint Meeting of the American Fisheries Society and the Wildlife Society. Reno, Nevada.	September 2019	This paper describes the problem of grass carp invasion in the Colorado River and its impacts on native fishes. A conceptual ecological model with prediction horizons is presented to begin to define uncertainties inherent in the problem.
Irwin ER, MC Freeman, JT Peterson, MC Lloyd, K Ouellette, KDM Kennedy. 2018. Long-Term Adaptive Management of Flows Below a Hydropeaking Dam. Southern Division American Fisheries Society, San Juan, Puerto Rico (Invited)	March 2018	This long-term study includes multiple stakeholder with different objectives regarding management of flows from a hydropeaking dam. Findings regarding the attainment of their objectives will be discussed.
Irwin ER, MC Freeman, JT Peterson, MC Lloyd, K Ouellette, KDM Kennedy. Ecological Responses Associated with Long-Term Adaptive Management of Flows Below a Hydropeaking Dam	August 2018	This long-term study includes multiple stakeholder with different objectives regarding management of flows from a hydropeaking dam. Findings regarding the attainment of their objectives and key uncertainties will be discussed.
Henry, T.B., E.R. Irwin, J.M. Grizzle, D.D. Black, M.L. Wldhaber, and W.G.Brumbragh. Abandoned coal mines:toxicity of an acid mixing zone and remediation of AMD. November 2001. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland.	November 2001
Hayer, C.A., L.Roy, K. Kleiner, M.Ross, E. Irwin and M. Freeman. Conservation status of fish and other aquatic resources in the upper Tallapoosa River system, Alabama. February 2003. Spring Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Wilmington, North Carolina.	February 2003
Hayer, C. A. and E. R. Irwin. Detection Probability Models for Selected Fishes in the Mobile River Basin, Alabama. February 2004. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, Spring Meeting, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.	February 2004
Hall, J.F., and J.J. Valente (2025). Improving soundscape research with a cost-effective device for studying environmental sound and wildlife behavior. U.S. Geological Survey Annual Cooperators Meeting, Auburn, AL.	April 2025	We invented a Playback and Recording Device (PRD), a cost-effective ($219 per unit), weatherproof tool capable of manipulating environmental sound through audio broadcasts and recording environmental responses to those manipulations.
Hall, J.F., and J.J. Valente (2025). Improving soundscape ecology using an affordable device for acoustic monitoring and environmental sound manipulation. Auburn University Research Symposium, Auburn, AL.	March 2025	We invented a Playback and Recording Device (PRD), a cost-effective ($219 per unit), weatherproof tool capable of manipulating environmental sound through audio broadcasts and recording environmental responses to those manipulations.
Hall, J.F., and J.J. Valente (2025). Bridging soundscape ecology and conservation: A new tool for manipulating and monitoring environmental sound in wildlife habitats. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting, Anniston, AL.	March 2025	We invented a Playback and Recording Device (PRD), a cost-effective ($219 per unit), weatherproof tool capable of manipulating environmental sound through audio broadcasts and recording environmental responses to those manipulations.
Gunn, J.C., L.K. Berkman, S. Brewer, J.M. Long, A.T. Taylor, and L.S. Eggert. 2020. Harnessing genomics for conservation of the endemic Neosho Smallmouth Bass in the central Interior Highlands. Ecological Society of American annual meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah.	August 2020	We conducted double-digest restriction enzyme associated DNA sequencing to genotype over 127,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 64 Neosho Smallmouth, 24 Northern Smallmouth, and 4 Spotted Bass (outgroup) distributed across the central Interior Highlands. We found strong differentiation between the Neosho Smallmouth Bass and Northern Smallmouth Bass in the central Interior Highlands and, within the Neosho native range, we found complex patterns of population structure, identifying tw
Gunn, J.C., L.K. Berkman, A.T. Taylor, J.B. Koppelman, S. Brewer, J.M. Long, T.N. Volkers, E. Sterling, M. Moore. and L.S. Eggert. 2022. Divergence, admixture, and fitness in the Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Missouri Natural Resources Conference, Lake of the Ozarks.	February 2022	The Neosho Smallmouth Bass (<i>Micropterus dolomieu velox</i>), one of two recognized subspecies, is restricted to the Arkansas River Basin (ARB), but non-native Northern Smallmouth Bass (<i>M. d. dolomieu</i>) has been widely introduced for angling. We show these subspecies to be independent lineages that have hybridized, possibly generating fitness differences between ancestral and admixed populations.
Gomez-Maldonado, S., M.T. McDonough, J.J. Valente, M.D. Smith, and S.S. Ditchkoff. 2023. Effect of trapping on spatial dynamics of wild pigs in southeastern Alabama. Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting, Corpus Christi, Texas.	October 2023	Little is known about how control methods impact behavior and movement of invasive wild pigs. Results from this research will help improve control and eradication efforts, particularly in the presence of outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Gomez-Maldonado, S., M.T. McDonough, J.J. Valente, M.D. Smith, and S.S. Ditchkoff. (2025). Spatial behavior of uncaptured wild pigs following sounder removal via trapping. The Wildlife Society Wildlife Damage Management Conference, Starkville, MS.	March 2025	The rapid expansion of wild pig populations across North America, along with emerging global disease threats, has created a need for effective management strategies to reduce environmental impact and prevent disease spread. Our study reveals important information information about movement behavior of uncaptured wild pigs after trapping events that can be used to improve management outcomes.
Goldhaber, M.B., J.R. Hatch, L. Lee, E.R. Irwin, A. Grosz, J.B. Atkins, D.D.Black, H.Zappia,J.C. Pashin, R.F. Sanzolone, L.F. Ruppert, A. Kolker, R.B. Finkelman, H.E.Bevins. The Life Cycle of Potentially Toxic Trace Elements in AppalachianBasin Coal. October 2001. USGS Appalachian Region Science Workshop. Gatlinburg, Tennessee.	October 2001
Goldhaber, M.B., J.R. Hatch, E.C. Callender, E.R. Irwin, M.L. Tuttle, R.A. Ayuso, L. Lee, J.M.Morrison, A. Grosz, J.B. Atkins, D.D. Black, H. Zappia, J.C. Pashin, S.F.Diehl, R.F. Sanzolone, L.F. Ruppert, A. Kolker, R.B. Finkelman, and H.E.Bevins. Impact of elevated arsenic in coal on the geochemical landscapeof the eastern U.S. Sizth International Symposium on the Geochemistry of theEarth's Surface (GES-6), Honolulu, Hawaii.	March 2002
Goldhaber, M.B., E.R. Irwin, J.Brian Adkins, R.Lee, H. Zappia, D.Black, and R.B. Finkelman. Environmental impact of elevated arsenic in Southern Appalachian Basin coals. May 2000. Metal Ions in Biology and Medicine Conference. San Juan, Puerto Rico.	May 2000
Gerken, C.N. and e. R. Irwin. 2015. Influence of river conditions on angler catch rates on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Oral Presentation, Southern Division, American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, Savannah, Georgia.	January 2015	This summarizes data relative to angler catch rates to inform future management decisions on a regulated river. Findings are relevant to flow and temperature modification scenario identification.
Gerken, C and E. Irwin. 2014. Quantification of the fishery resources below R. L. Harris Dam using hook and line assessment techniques. Alabama Water Resources Conference, Gulf Shores, Alabama.	September 2014	The objective of this research is to inform decision making by stakeholders relative to the fishery below a dam. These data will assist partners with assessment of highly valued resources.
Gans, D., J.F. Hall, and J.J. Valente. (2025). Examining 15-year changes in the small mammal communities occupying Alabama's Wildlife Management Areas. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting, Anniston, AL.	March 2025	Repeated monitoring is fundamental in an adaptive management framework to measure progress towards management goals, but agencies rarely have the resources to continually monitor biodiversity responses. Here we provide data from a 15-year monitoring effort that will help improve habitat management for small mammal communities on Alabama's state lands.
Gans, D., J.F. Hall, and J.J. Valente. (2025). Effects of population changes and sampling heterogeneity on long-term changes in small mammal communities on Alabama State Lands. Auburn University Research Symposium, Auburn, AL.	March 2025	Repeated monitoring is fundamental in an adaptive management framework to measure progress towards management goals, but agencies rarely have the resources to continually monitor biodiversity responses. Here we provide data from a 15-year monitoring effort that will help improve habitat management for small mammal communities on Alabama's state lands.
G Forrester, J Rogers, S Sammons and S. K. Brewer. 2024. *Factors related to successful hatching and daily growth rate of Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae* and Largemouth Bass M. salmoides in the lower Flint River catchment**. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga.	February 2024	Knowledge of spawning dynamics over multiple years will provide information useful to agencies concerned about recruitment success in populations. Our study objective was to determine hatch timing and growth of both species as related to discharge patterns and water temperature.
Fuqua, Z. and S. K. Brewer. 2025. Cluster analysis of morphological traits of fishes of the lower Tallapoosa River. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society	February 2025	Trait combinations allow observational studies to expand their knowledge beyond the limitations imposed by a study area or specific species. When examining responses of assemblages, the first step is to combine traits across the assemblage in a meaningful way.
Freeman, M.C., E.R. Irwin and B.J. Freeman. Native fishes below dams:working with what we have. February 2000. Joint Southern Rivers Council and American Fisheries Society Symposium. American Fisheries Society Southern Division Meeting. Savannah, Georgia.	February 2000
Freeman, M.C., E. R. Irwin (presenter), N. M. Burkhead, B. J. Freeman and H. L. Bart. STatus and conservation of the fish fauna of the Alabama River system. August 2001. Invited presentation in the Changes in fish community structure in large usa rivers: status of native species, research, and management symposium. American Fisheries Society 131st Annual Meeting. Phoenix, Arizona.	August 2001
Freeman, M.C. and E.R. Irwin. Conserving Stream Fishes in a Rapidly ChangingWorld. When the water runs dry:maintaining a balance between human water use and environmental Needs. September 2002. Sponsored by the Gulf RestorationNetwork, New Orleans, Louisiana.	September 2002
Forrester, G., J. L. Rogers, S. K. Brewer, S. M. Sammons, and S. W. Golladay. 2023. Factors related to successful hatching of Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides in the lower Flint River catchment. Annual Meeting of the Georgia American Fisheries Society, St. Simons Island.	February 2023	Changes in environmental factors have important implications for the successful completion of life history for stream fishes including Shoal Bass<i> Micropterus cataractae </i>and Largemouth Bass <i>M. salmoides</i> Our study objective was to determine how flow and temperature patterns affect hatch timing of both species using otolith daily bands to back calculate hatch dates.
Fogelman, Kaelyn J., Susan Fuller, Jennifer Archambault, Elise Irwin, Maureen Walsh, Shannon Brewer, and James A. Stoeckel. A Review Of Temperature, Hypoxia, And Other Water Quality Stressors To Freshwater Mussels. Alabama Water Resources Conference, September 2023	September 2023	This literature search summarizes existing lethal and sublethal effects of temperature and hypoxia on unionids by life stage and taxonomy, discusses ecological and climate change implications of existing water quality stressor data, and identifies needs for future research and methodological standardization.
Fogelman, K, J. A. Archambault, E. Irwin, M. Walsh, S. Brewer, and J. A. Stoeckel. 2022. A review of North American freshwater mussel lethal thermal tolerance. Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Grand Rapids.	May 2022	The thermal tolerances of many mussels are unknown despite the thermal threats to aquatic biota. Here, we review the current state of our knowledge.
Farrell, P., Grand, J.B., McGowan, C.P., E. Lonsdorf, Relationship of Grassland Bird Occupancy to Local and Landscape Scale Habitat Features in the East Gulf Coastal Plain, The wildlife Society, 2014	October 2014	Presents multi-season occupancy modeling results for grassland birds in relation to landscape scale habitat covariates.
Farrell, P., Grand, J.B., McGowan, C.P., E. Lonsdorf, Effects of Habitat Configuration and Composition on Grassland Bird Occupancy in the Upper East Gulf Coastal Plain, SEAFWA, 2014	October 2014	Presents research on land-scape scale correlates of grassland bird occupancy.
Farrell, P, Grand, J.B., McGowan, C.P. 2014. Habitat Associations of Grassland Birds in the East Gulf Coastal Plain Region. South Eastern Natural Resources Graduate Student Symposium, Starkville, MS. March 2014	March 2014	Estimates occupancy for grassland specialists and generalists from point count data.
Farrell P, McGowan CP, Grand JB, Lonsdorf EV, Thogmartin WE. 2015. Utility of the North American Breeding Bird Survey to predict habitat relationships of grassland birds using prior knowledge from a small scale study. The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, 2015, Winnipeg, CA.	October 2015	Explores the novel use of BBS data on bird presence absence to inform land management decision model.
E. Merritt, C.P. McGowan, D.R. Smith, M. Catalano, Evaluating the Efficacy of the Mark-Recapture Approach for Estimating Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Abundance, The Wildlife Society, 2014	October 2014	Research on the practicality of using mark recapture data and analyses to monitor horseshoe crab population abundance in Delaware Bay.
E. Merritt, C.P. McGowan, D.R. Smith, M. Catalano, Estimating Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Abundance Using Mark-Recapture, SEAFWA, 2014	October 2014	Reports on horseshoe crab abundance estimation using MArk recapture in Delaware Bay.
Dykes, W.,E.R. Irwin, and K.D. Kennedy. June 2006. Adaptive management for the middle Tallapoosa River. 2006 American Water Resources Association Summer Specialty Conference:Adaptive Management of Water Resources, Missoula, Montana.	June 2006
Duarte, A., A. Thomas, D. Lesmeister, J. Peterson, J.J. Valente, J. Jenkins, M. Gostin, M. Betts, M. Weldy, and Z. Ruff. 2023. Exploring the use of bioacoustic surveys to detect marbled murrelets in forest habitats. The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY.	November 2023	Terrestrial breeding habitat for endangered Marbled Murrelets is dwindling, and monitoring activity at potential inland breeding sites is expensive. Our work is helping to develop automated recording systems that will provide a more efficient method to monitor murrelets on their breeding grounds.
D Bryant, S. K. Brewer. 2024. *Habitat use by buffalofishes Ictiobus bubalus, I. cyprinellus, and I. niger* in the lower Red River catchment.** Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga.	February 2024	Buffalofishes are long-lived catostomids that are widely distributed in North America. Conservation and management plans for non-game fishes can benefit from examination of multi-scale habitat use due to their understudied nature and distributions that extend beyond political boundaries. We examined habitat use by three sympatric species of buffalofishes in the Red River catchment over three years (April-Sept).
Cunha, A., and E.R. Irwin. Riverine landscapes:Floodplain connectivity and early life history stages of fishes. June 2000. 2000 Meeting of the Society of Conservation Biology. Missoula, Montana.	June 2000
Counihan, T. D and 7 co-authors. 2015. Assessing trends in fish communities within and between several large US river systems. American Fisheries Society 145th Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon	August 2015	This work is the summary of a collaborative effort to address similarities and trends among fish communities in five large river basins. The effort highlights sampling design and protocols and specific analyses for the monitoring data.
Coffman KMO, R Ramesh, S Blomquist, M Walsh, S Miller, H Bulger and E Irwin. Engaging Governmental and Private Stakeholders to Implement and Maintain Adaptive Management Projects – Challenges and Accomplishments. 2019 Joint Meeting of the American Fisheries Society and the Wildlife Society. Reno, Nevada.	September 2019	We describe stakeholder engagement using two examples that enhance both technical communication with laypersons and expert scientists. Promises and pitfalls are discussed to inform future interactions.
Butler, C. A., D.R. Smith, C.P. McGowan, J. B. Grand, 2012. Estimating tag loss of the Atlantic Horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemu, using a multi-state model. Contributed Poster, Ecological Society of America, Portland, OR, August, 2012.	August 2012
Bryant, D. and S. K. Brewer. 2023. Population Demographics of three Bufallofishes in the lower Red River. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Smallmouth Buffalo <i>Ictiobus bubalus</i>, Bigmouth Buffalo <i>I. cyprinellus</i>, and Black Buffalo <i>I. niger</i> are long-lived fishes that are harvested by commercial and bow fishers throughout their distribution in North America; yet we know surprising little about their ecology. We investigated the age structure of populations in the lower Red River catchment in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas.
Brewer, S., B. Birdsall, J. Dattilo, D. DeVries^,andP. Ramsey. 2023. Occupancy and demographics of Bighead and Silver carps in the lower Red River catchment. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Grand Rapids.	August 2023	Carp were first detected in the lower Red River catchment of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas around 2012. With little information on this population, we aimed to 1) determine the hierarchical factors related to occupancy during the warm-water season, and 2) assess population demographics and reproduction by both species.
Brewer, S. K., M. Wedgeworth, and R. Mollenhauer. 2022. Flow patterns drive Prairie Chub Machrybopsis australis distribution, but salinity is a determinant of abundance. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2022	Great Plains pelagophils have rapidly declined over time. Pelagic broadcast spawning cyprinids were once widespread but their distributions have presumably become truncated and their abundance reduced. The Prairie Chub <i>Machrybopsis australis </i>is endemic to the upper Red River basin of Oklahoma and Texas. We modeled the hydrologic relationships across multiple scales to understand how flow relates to distribution and determine the factors driving abundance.
Brewer, S. K., B. Birdsall, P. Ramsey, D. Devries, and J. Dattilo. 2023. Understanding new invasions by Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix: Drivers of occupancy and recruitment. Alabama Water Resources Conference, Orange Beach.	September 2023	Two emblematic invasive fishes, Bighead Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis,</i> and Silver Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i> were first introduced for management purposes (i.e., algal control in aquaculture ponds and wastewater treatment facilities) but quickly spread throughout the Mississippi River catchment and have continued to invade connected catchments. We determined occupancy relationships and assessed recruitment in a newly invaded catchment.
Brewer, S. K. et al. 2024. Spatial and temporal variability in successful hatching by Micropterus and Lepomis spp. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Honolulu.	September 2024	Survival during the first year of life is key to the success of fishes in river ecosystems. We used a hurdle model framework to analyze the hatch success of five species of <i>Micropterus </i>and <i>Lepomis</i> from several different catchments.
Blake, K., J.F. Hall, L.K. Parvin, and J.J. Valente. (2025). Effects of habitat management on avian communities across Alabama's state lands: implications for targeted management using conspecific attraction. Auburn University Research Symposium, Auburn, AL.	March 2025	This study provides the state agency with information about how bird communities are responding to habitat management efforts on public lands and provides a springboard for identifying species to use for examining habitat selection mechanisms.
Blake, K., J.F. Hall, L.K. Parvin, and J.J. Valente (2025). Examining habitat selection mechanisms and changes in habitat use for breeding birds on Alabama’s wildlife management areas. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting, Anniston, AL.	March 2025	This study provides the state agency with information about how bird communities are responding to habitat management efforts on public lands and provides a springboard for identifying species to use for examining habitat selection mechanisms.
Black, D.D., E.R. Irwin and J. Peterson. Development of a rapid bioassessmenttechnique for characterizing streams impacted by acid mine drainage. August 2002.American Fisheries Society 132nd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland.	February 2002
Black, D. D. and E. R. Irwin. A rapid bioassessment technique for warmwater streams impacted by acid mine drainage in north Alabama. February 2001. Midyear Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Jacksonville, Florida.	February 2001
Birdsall, B. and S. K. Brewer. 2022. Comparing ageing structures of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society.	January 2022	Bighead Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis</i> and Silver Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i> are two invasive species for which limited information is available on which structure is most appropriate for age and growth analyses. We evaluated the precision of pectoral fin-rays, postcleithra, the urohyal bone, and lapilli otoliths for estimating age of these species.
Birdsall, B. D., S. K. Brewer, and D. DeVries. 2023. Habitat use by Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in the lower Red River catchment. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Norfolk.	February 2023	Bighead Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis</i> and Silver Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i> are two invasive fishes, and their habitat use has been documented in portions of the central United States; however, new invasion fronts have occurred in novel river catchments that possess different physicochemical conditions. We assessed Bighead Carp and Silver Carp summer habitat use within an occupancy framework across reaches nested within river segments and catchments.
Aspinwall, A. and E. Irwin. 2015. Evaluation of management alternatives for Gulf Striped Bass populations using stochastic matrix models. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, Wheeling, West Virginia.	February 2016	This modeling approach is evaluating impacts of management actions on Gulf striped bass populations. Partners are using the results to implement change in management strategy.
Aspinwall, A. and E. Irwin 2015. Using Population Models to Evaluate Management Alternatives for Gulf-Strain Striped Bass. (oral presentation) Alabama Water Resources Conference. Perdido Beach, Alabama.	September 2015	This population model is in development to inform USFWS and 3 states how to set population objectives for striped bass in the ACF. The model will be incorporated into the management Committee's structured decision model.
Aspinwall, A and E. Irwin. 2014. Initial evaluation of the influence of stocking and habitat on early survival of Gulf-strain striped bass in the ACF. Alabama Water Resources Conference, Gulf Shores, Alabama	September 2014	Population models for Gulf-strain striped bass have been constructed to inform partners about stocking programs. We are evaluating carrying capacity and survival of stocked fish for State agencies.
Aspinwall, A and E Irwin. 2016. Evaluation of Management Alternatives for Gulf Striped Bass. Joint Meeting of the Georgia and Alabama Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, Columbus, Georgia.	February 2016	This work is providing an assessment of management strategies for long-term planning relative to stocks of Gulf striped bass. Models have been developed for assistance in decision making.
Apinwall, A. P. and E. R. Irwin. 2015. Evaluation of the effect of stocking rates and nursery habitat on early survival of Gulf- strain striped bass in the Apalachicola- Chattahoochee-Flint River system. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Spring Meeting, Savannah, Georgia.	January 2015	These data are the first in a series of population models that we are developing for the GSB committee. The models suggest that carrying capacity has not been reached through stocking programs.
Andress,R.O., K.Kleiner,and E.R.Irwin. Effects of highly fluctuating flows on nest success of redbreast sunfish in the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. February 2000. Alabama Fisheries Association Annual Meeting. Rogersville, Alabama.	February 2000
Andress, R.O., K. Kleiner, and E. R. Irwin. Effects of highly fluctuating flows on nest success of redbreast sunfish in the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. February 2000. Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society. Savannah, Georgia.	February 2000
Abubakar, S.K., L.L. Narine, and J.J. Valente (2025). The application of freely available geospatial tools to monitor land management progress in Wildlife Management Areas. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society annual meeting, Anniston, AL.	March 2025	This study offers a scalable approach for monitoring habitat dynamics and guiding conservation policy by demonstrating the efficacy of satellite-based land cover monitoring. The results demonstrate how remote sensing can improve data-driven decision-making procedures, giving wildlife managers a cost-effective tool for assessing ecological changes and refining management strategies to promote long-term habitat resilience.
Abubakar, S.K., L.L. Narine, and J.J. Valente (2025). Evaluating the effectiveness of a ground-up management framework for meeting broad-scale objectives on Alabama's Wildlife Management Areas. U.S. Geological Survey Annual Cooperators Meeting, Auburn, AL.	April 2025	The study underscores the effectiveness of a bottom-up management approach, where local decision-making aligns with broader conservation objectives. By integrating satellite imagery with field data, this research provides a scalable and cost-effective framework for tracking land cover changes, offering valuable insights for wildlife managers and policymakers.
Abubakar, S.K., L.L. Narine, and J.J. Valente (2025). Evaluating the effectiveness of a ground-up management framework for meeting broad-scale objectives on Alabama's Wildlife Management Areas. Auburn University Research Symposium, Auburn, AL.	March 2025	The study underscores the effectiveness of a bottom-up management approach, where local decision-making aligns with broader conservation objectives. By integrating satellite imagery with field data, this research provides a scalable and cost-effective framework for tracking land cover changes, offering valuable insights for wildlife managers and policymakers.
Abubakar, S.K., L. Narine, and J.J. Valente. (2024). Effects of local-scale land management decisions on progress toward regional wildlife habitat targets. 109th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Long Beach, CA.	August 2024	Our findings demonstrate that fine-scale habitat management decisions have been effective for achieving targeted outcomes for supporting biodiversity at a regional scale. This implies that desired landscape-level properties can emerge from bottom-up decision making.
A. Maddux, J. Dattilo, and S. K. Brewer. 2024. Movement patterns of Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in the Lower Red River. Annual Meeting of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society, Chattanooga.	February 2024	The ability for some individuals within a population to move long distances in challenging environments is a common trait among invasive species such as Bighead Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys nobilis</i> and Silver Carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>.Using acoustic telemetry, we determined movement patterns of Bighead and Silver carps during the spring and summer seasons.
Delaney, S. and S. K. Brewer. 2025. Use of an equilibrium yield model to evaluate the statewide 229-mm Minimum Length Limit on crappies in Alabama. Alabama Chapter of American Fisheries Society	February 2025	Black Crappies <i>Pomoxis</i> <i>nigromaculatus</i> and White Crappies <i>P. annularis</i> in Alabama are currently regulated with a 229-mm minimum length limit (MLL) and a 30 fish/person/day bag limit. With the recent increased angler use of technologies that may allow anglers to target crappies more efficiently, evaluation of current regulations was warranted.
Lai,Q.T., E. R. Irwin and Y. Zhang. Quantifying harvestable fish enhancement and their economic values from oyster reefs in Mobile Bay, Alabama. Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Tampa, Florida.	August 2017	Ecosystem services are rarely quantified on an economic basis. This research illustrates the fiscal benefit of oyster reefs to fish production and harvest.

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations	Publication Date
Taylor, M. Y. 2004. Habitat use and tag retention of juvenile shovelnose sturgeon, a surrogate species for Alabama sturgeon. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 2004
Swedberg, Dusty. 2020. Assessing the distribution and habitat needs of Least Darter and sympatric species of the Ozark Highlands and Arbuckle Mountain ecoregions. Master’s thesis, Oklahoma State University.	August 2020
Sharp, J. 2017. Non-lethal estimation of proximate body composition of channel catfish using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Masters Thesis, Auburn University.	December 2017
Sakaris, P. C. 2006. Effects of hydrologic variation on dynamics of channel catfish and flathead catfish populations in regulated and unregulated rivers in the southeast USA. Doctoral Dissertation. Auburn University, Alabama.	May 2006
Ryer, K, 2016, Multi-scale Habitat Relationships of Grassland Vertebrates in the East Gulf Coastal Plain and Understanding the Consequences of Error in Broad-scale Land Cover Data, Auburn University, Auburn AL, USA	August 2016
Rogers, Jamie. 2024. Movement and early ecology of riverine Largemouth Bass and Shoal Bass. Auburn University, Auburn.	May 2024
Ramsey, P. 2023. Nursery habitat and hatch dates of large river fishes of the lower Red River catchment. MS Thesis, Auburn University.	May 2023
Ramey, J. 2023. Ecology of crayfishes in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion of Oklahoma. MS Thesis, Auburn University.	May 2023
Nash, M. K. 1999. Age and growth of flathead and channel catfish in the Tallapoosa River, Alabama and the Ocmulgee River, Georgia. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 1999
Merritt, E. 2015, Evaluating Methods for Estimating Delaware Bay Limulus polyphemus Abundance. Auburn University, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, August 2015	August 2015
Martin, B. M. 2008. Nest survival, nesting behavior, and bioenergetics of redbreast sunfish on the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Masters Thesis. Auburn University.	December 2008
Martin Moore, M. A. 2010. Shoal occupancy estimation for three lotic species of crayfishes in the Tallapoosa River Basin, Alabama. Master's Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	April 2010
Maeghen Wedgeworth. 2021. Variation in abundance and hatch date of Prairie Chub in the upper Red River basin. Master’s thesis, Oklahoma State University.	August 2021
Lai, Q. 2018. Quantitative Valuation of Ecosystem Services Provided by Oyster Reefs in Mobile Bay, Alabama. PhD Dissertation, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama	April 2018
Kennedy, K.D.M. 2015. Quantitative methods for integrating instream biological monitoring data into aquatic natural resource management decision making. Doctoral Dissertation, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama	April 2015
Jolley, J. C. 2003. A comparison of the tailwater and reservoir catfish populations in a section of the Coosa River, Alabama. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 2003
John Knight. 2010. Age, growth, home range, movement and habitat selection of redeye bass (Micropterus coosae) from the middle Tallapoosa River and tributaries (Alabama, USA). Masters Thesis. Auburn University.	December 2010
Henry, T. B. 1998. Toxicity of an acid mine drainage mixing zone to warmwater fishes. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 1998
Hayer, C-A. 2005. Influence of spatial, temporal, and abiotic factors on detection probabilities for fishes in the Mobile River drainage, Alabama. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama	May 2005
Goar, T. P. 2013. Effects of hydrologic variation and water temperatures on early growth and survival of selected age-0 fishes in the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Doctoral Dissertation, Auburn University, Alabama	February 2013
Gerken, CN. 2015. A Hook and Line Assessment and Angler Survey of the Tallapoosa River Fishery (Alabama, USA). Masters Thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	December 2015
Ferrara, A.M. 2000. Life history strategy of Lepisosteidae: implications for conservation and management of alligator gar. Doctoral Dissertation. Auburn University, Alabama.	May 2000
Farrell, P. The use of a small scale study and regional data sources to understand grassland bird habitat relationships, Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn, AL, May 2015	May 2015
Cunha, A. 2000. Influence of landscape patterns on spatial dynamics of larval fish in two southeastern rivers. Doctoral Dissertation. Auburn University, Alabama.	May 2000
Costley, K. M. 1998. Diel shifts in habitat use by small fishes in the Tallapoosa River, Alabama. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 1998
Black, D. D. 2005. A rapid biological/chemical assessment technique for characterizing streams impacted by acid mine drainage. Masters Thesis. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama	May 2005
Birdsall, Ben. 2023. Factors related to occupancy and population demographics of adult Bighead Carp and Silver Carp in the lower Red River catchment. MS Thesis, Auburn University	May 2023
Aspinwall, AP. 2016. Using Population Models to Evaluate Management Alternatives for Gulf Striped Bass. Masters Thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.	May 2016
Andress, R.N. 2002. Nest survival of Lepomis species in regulated and unregulated rivers. Masters Thesis. Auburn University.	May 2002

Technical Publications

Technical Publications	Publication Date
Turner, G., E. Irwin, J. Peterson, B. Freeman, M. Freeman, E. Kramer, C. Straight, A. Wimberly, D. Moosman, C. Hayer, and J. Ruiz. 2004. Aquatic GAP: A GIS and Modeling Approach for Analysis of Biodiversity in the Tallapoosa River Basin, Alabama and Georgia. In S. Ramroop, Editor. Proceedings of the Troy State University GIS Symposium, Troy State University, Troy, Alabama.	May 2004
Kennedy, K.D. and E.R. Irwin. Patterns of fish and disease occupancy in Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama. ACFWRU Report 2009-3. Final Report Submitted to USFWS, October 2009 2007	October 2009
Kennedy, K.D. and E.R. Irwin. Development of a Monitoring Plan to Asess Potential Effects of Combined-cycle Plants on Fish Communities. Final Report Submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. March 2007	March 2007
Kennedy, K. M., E. R. Irwin, M. C. Freeman, and J. Peterson. 2006. Development of a decision support tool and procedures for evaluating dam operation in the Southeastern United States. Science Support Partnership Program Project Final Report to USGS and USFWS.	June 2006
Irwin,E.R., G.T. Turner, K.D.Kennedy and T. Piper. ACT Aquatic Gap and Water Quality Monitoring. Fnal Report submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. April 2007.	April 2007
Irwin,E.R., E. Kramer, M.C. Freeman, G. Turner, D. Moosman, K. Mickett, P. Sakaris, C. Hayer, T. Piper and C.S. Straight. 2004. Aquatic Gap:Regional analysis of biodiversity in the ACT/ACT Basins: Tallapoosa River Basin. Final Report submitted to GAP Analysis Program, Moscow, Idaho.	October 2004
Irwin, E.R., P.C. Sakaris, and D. Moosman. 2004. Hydrologic variation in the lower Tallapoosa River: Effects on recruitment and growth of striped bass and catfishes. Final Report. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Montgomery, Alabama.	October 2004
Irwin, E.R., P. Sakaris, J. Knight, and T. Piper. 2005. Redeye bass population status and critical habitat delineation in the Tallapoosa River and its tributaries. Final report submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, Montgomery, Alabama.	December 2004
Irwin, E.R., M.C. Freeman, A. Belcher and K. Kleiner. 2001. Survey of shallow water fish communities in the Dead River and Terrapin Creek. Final Report submitted to Alabama Power Company. Birmingham, Alabama.	January 2000
Irwin, E.R., M. Taylor, K. Mickett and G. Turner. 2005. Delineation of important habitat features for adult and juvenile Alabama sturgeon. Final report submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jackson, Mississippi.	October 2004
Irwin, E.R., A. Belcher and K. Kleiner. 2001. Population assessment of alligator gar in Alabama. Final Report submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division. Montgomery, Alabama.	January 2000
Irwin, E.R. and R. Andress, A. Belcher and Jason Carlee. 2001. Quantification of factors affecting nesting and recruitment of Centrarchids in flow regulated rivers. Final Report submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division. Montgomery, Alabama.	January 2000
Irwin, E. R., M. C. Freeman, B. Daniels, and K. Kleiner. 2002. Quantification of the fish community inhabiting sand and gravel bars in the Alabama River. Final Report submitted to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division. Montgomery, Alabama.	September 2002
Irwin, E. R., K. D. Mickett, D. Black, and P. Sakaris. 2004. Development of an integrated rapid assessment technique for determination of impacts of acid mine drainage in Alabama streams. Final report submitted to Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Montgomery, Alabama.	May 2004
Irwin, E. R., K. D. M. Kennedy, T. P. Goar, B. M. Martin, M. M. Martin. 2011. Adaptive management and monitoring for restoration and faunal recolonization of Tallapoosa River shoal habitats. Final Report to Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Montgomery, Alabama.	January 2011
Irwin, E. R., J. Peterson, B. J. Freeman, E. Kramer, and M. C. Freeman. 2002. Aquatic GAP: Regional Analysis of Biodiversity in the ACT/ACF Basins. GAP Analysis Bulletin 11:37-39.	October 2002
Horne, L, D DeVries, R Wright, J Stoeckel, and E Irwin. Determination of Species-Specific Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Requirements for Non-Game Riverine Fishes. USFWS Science Base	July 2019
Freeman, M.C., J.T. Peterson, E.R. Irwin, and B.J. Freeman. 2004. Distribution and status of at-risk aquatic taxa in the upper Tallapoosa River system, Alabama and Georgia. Final Report submitted to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Athens, Georgia.	October 2004

Data or Software Releases

Type	Citation	Publication Date
Software Release	Valente, J.J., Adrean, L.J., Nelson, S.K., Betts, M.G., Roby, D.D., and Rivers, J.W., 2024, Occupancy surveys near Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) nest sites and random locations between 2018 and 2022 along the central Oregon coast, USA: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13DHFQP.	July 2024
Data Release	Valente, J., Jirinec, V., and Leu, M. 2024. Wood Thrush Movement and Occupancy. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P98BJAQU	July 2024
Software Release	Folt, B., and McGowan, C. Using Predictions from Multiple Anthropogenic Threats to Estimate Future Population Persistence of an Imperiled Species. Version 1.0.0: U.S. Geological Survey software release. Reston, Va. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9A1NVN5	September 2024
Software Release	Brewer, S.K., and Moore, D.M., 2020, Movement and tag evaluation of two prairie fishes in Oklahoma, USA, October-June (2018-2020): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P948QCEW.	April 2022

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

Alabama Research Activities

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