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Big fish eat little fish: An expanded framework to guide aquatic resource management, William Fetzer
June 20 @ 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm MDT
2024 Harlow Summer Seminar Series: June 20th
Talk Title: Big fish eat little fish: An expanded framework to guide aquatic resource management
Speaker: William Fetzer, University of Wyoming
We will host a BBQ at 5:30 followed by the seminar at 6:30, with a $10.00 suggested donation for attending the event. The event is open to the public and reservations are not required.
Attend Virtually: The talk will also be live on Zoom. The zoom link will be made available through our email list. If you haven’t already, join our mailing list!
Abstract
Water resource and fisheries managers, policy makers, and stakeholders require a clear understanding of relationships between fish, habitats, and people to guide their decisions. Changes in the environment and human decisions can have a strong influence on environmental quality and fisheries, making it difficult to balance conflicting interests. Here, I present an expanded framework to link environmental conditions with fish community dynamics and productivity and discuss application of this framework to on-going research in the Laurentian Great Lakes and large reservoirs in Wyoming. Across space and time, fish assemblages generally vary predictably along environmental gradients as species characteristics shift to reflect habitat gradients, including depth, temperature, and productivity, which are often correlated. Within a range of habitat conditions, fisheries productivity is hypothesized to be driven by community composition and the balance of predators and prey. Together these two forces interact to drive how the food web converts energy to biomass. By weaving our hypothesis and stories about the relationships between people, habitat, and fish, within a unified framework, we can begin to discuss options to achieve our shared goals.
Biography
William Fetzer headshot (photo provided courtesy of William Fetzer, no photographer credit available)
Dr. Fetzer’s research focuses on understanding how freshwater ecosystems respond to human-driven changes, such as climate change, invasive species, and nutrient loading. Recent projects aim to understand the importance of environmental conditions and food web structure on the productivity and stability of fisheries in Wyoming lakes and reservoirs and the Laurentian Great Lakes. This research is done in close collaboration with state, federal, and tribal partners to ensure research findings inform on the ground management and conservation of freshwater ecosystem. Prior to the University of Wyoming, he served as the Great Lakes Fisheries Specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, where he gained experience bridging the gap between science and management/policy as a fisheries manager.
View Fetzer Seminar Event Flyer
Driving Directions: Turn right when entering the Leek’s Marina parking lot in Grand Teton National Park, and follow the road to the station.