KANSAS COOPERATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH UNIT
Unit News
May 2009
Jonathan Conard defended his Ph.D. dissertation titled: “Genetic variability, demography, and
habitat selection in a reintroduced elk (Cervus elaphus) population.”
Joanna Whittier attended the Western Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual
Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The following presentations were made:
• Peterson, J. and C. Paukert. 2009. Converting non-standard fish sampling data to
standardized data. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting,
Albuquerque, NM, 5 May 2009. poster
• Pool, T., J. Olden, J. Whittier, and C. Paukert. 2009. Riverscape patterns and
environmental drivers of functional diversity and composition of fish communities in the Lower
Colorado River Basin. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting,
Albuquerque, NM, 5 May 2009.
• Kretschmann, A., S. Bonar, K. Young, J. Whittier, C. Paukert, and D. Guertin. 2009.
Using Geographic Information Systems to delineate native fish and sport fish management areas
in the Verde River watershed, Arizona. Western Division of the American Fisheries Society
Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM, 4 May 2009.
• Whittier, J., C. Paukert, and J. Olden. 2009. Modeling local and watershed drivers of
native and non-native fishes in the Lower Colorado River Basin. Western Division of the
American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM, 6 May 2009.
April 2009
Craig Paukert gave an invited presentation at the Kansas Transportation Engineering Conference
in Manhattan on April 15. His presentation was titled, “Road crossing design and their impacts
of fish assemblages and geomorphology of Great Plains streams.”
Awards and Honors: (April)
Kansas Chapter of the Wildlife Society Travel Award (awarded to graduate student Mackenzie
Shardlow), 2009.
Nominee, Watkins Award for outstanding graduate student teaching in Biology, KSU (Andrea
Severson), 2009
Finalist, Outstanding Biology Graduate Faculty Award (Craig Paukert), KSU, 2009
March 2009
The Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit held its annual Coordinating
Committee Meeting on March 10, in the newly renovated conference center at Konza Prairie
Biological Station.
Mackenzie Shardlow, Unit student under the direction of Craig Paukert, was awarded the
outstanding Graduate Student Award from the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research
Unit.
Jack Cully, AUL Wildlife Kansas,and his former students, Ron
VanNimwegen (deceased) and Justin Kretzer (MS 1999) had their paper,
VanNimwegen, R. E., J. Kretzer, and J. F. Cully, Jr. 2008.
Ecosystem engineering by a colonial mammal: how prairie dogs
structure rodent communities. Ecology 89: 3298-3305., selected as an
"Editor's Choice" article in the 27 February 2009 issue of Science.
Presentations: (March)
Gerken, J., and C. Paukert. 2009. Spatial variation in the recruitment patterns of three riverine
fishes in the Kansas River. KSU Biology Student Research Forum, Manhattan, KS 7
March 2009.
Severson, A., and C. Paukert. 2009. Effects of zebra mussel invasion on fish abundance and
condition in a Kansas reservoir. KSU Biology Student Research Forum, Manhattan, KS 7
March 2009.
Shardlow, M. and C. Paukert. 2009. Factors affecting the detectability and occupancy of river
otters in eastern Kansas. KSU Biology Student Research Forum, Manhattan, KS 7 March
2009.
Paukert, C. P. 2009. From zebra mussels to river otters: update of the Cooperative Fish and
Wildlife Research Unit. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Fish and Wildlife Division
meeting, Salina, KS. 4 March 2009.
February 2009
Craig Paukert gave an invited seminar for the Department of Natural Resources Ecology and
Management at Iowa State University. The seminar was titled, “Alteration of stream and rivers
and its effects on fishes: can we reverse the trend?”
January 2009
Mackenzie Shardlow, Andrea Severson, Joe Gerken, Craig Paukert, and Joanna Whittier
attended the Kansas Natural Resources Conference in Wichita, Kansas.
The following papers were presented at the Kansas Natural Resources Conference:
• Bouska, W., and C. Paukert. 2009. Passage of prairie fishes through different crossing
designs and water velocities in an experimental stream. Kansas Natural Resources Conference,
Wichita, Kansas 28 January 2009. poster
• Shardlow, M., C. Paukert, and T. Cable. 2009. Furharvester sighting reports and
opinions regarding river otters in Kansas. Kansas Natural Resources Conference, Wichita,
Kansas 28 January 2009. poster
• Prebyl, T., T. Mosher, C. Paukert, and S. Wisely. 2009. Identifying the strain of a
record largemouth bass using a DNA-sequencing approach. Kansas Natural Resources
Conference, Wichita, Kansas 28 January 2009. poster
• Gerken, J. W. Bouska, and C. Paukert 2009. Effects of instream habitat and fish
communities on the endangered Topeka shiner in Kansas streams. Kansas Natural Resources
Conference, Wichita, Kansas 28 January 2009. poster
• Winders, K., and C. Paukert. 2009. Reduction in the abundance and condition of native
fishes after invasion of white perch. Kansas Natural Resources Conference, Wichita, Kansas 28
January 2009. poster
• Gerken, J.E. and C.P. Paukert. 2009. Impacts of a Low-head Dam on fish communities
in the Kansas River. Kansas Natural Resources Conference, Wichita, Kansas 28 January 2009.
• Severson, A. C.P. Paukert. 2009. Impacts of zebra mussels on fishes in El Dorado
Reservoir. Kansas Natural Resources Conference, Wichita, Kansas 28 January 2009.
Awards received at the Kansas National Resources Conference:
Andrea Severson received the award for Best Student Presentation from the Kansas Chapter of
the American Fisheries Society.
Joe Gerken received the award for Best Student Poster from the Kansas Chapter of the American
Fisheries Society.
The Kansas Chapter AFS Tiemeier-Cross Award was awarded to Andrea Severson.
Joe Gerken attended the American Fisheries Society Midwest Student Colloquium in Ames,
Iowa and presented the following papers:
Gerken, J. E. and C. P. Paukert. 2009. Impacts of a Low-head Dam on a Great Plains River
Fish Community. American Fisheries Society Midwest Student Colloquium, Annual Meeting,
Ames, Iowa. 17 January 2009.
Gerken, J. E. and C. P. Paukert. 2009. Factors impacting Topeka Shiner distribution in Kansas.
American Fisheries Society Midwest Student Colloquium, Annual Meeting, Ames, Iowa. 17
January 2009.
December 2008
Wes Bouska defended his Master's thesis titled "Road crossing designs and
their impact on fish assemblages and geomorphology of great plains
streams."
Craig Allen, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, gave a
seminar, "Biodiversity, resilience and novelty in complex ecological
systems." The seminar was hosted by the Kansas Cooperative Fish and
Wildlife Research Unit.
November 2008
Craig Paukert received a USGS STAR award for outstanding performance in
the Cooperative Research Unit program.
Mackenzie Shardlow and Wes Bouska, MS students with Craig Paukert, were
selected as finalists for the Janice Lee Fenske Memorial Award.
October 2008
Craig Paukert gave an invited presentation at the Fifth World Fisheries
Congress in Yokohama, Japan titled "Effects of invasive species in
freshwater fisheries."
Joanna Whittier was invited to teach part of the International Training
Course on
Fisheries - GIS for Fisheries Research and Management at the Fifth World
Fisheries Congress in
Yokohama, Japan.
Craig Paukert met with the US State Department at the US Embassy in Tokyo,
Japan to discuss USGS research and opportunities within in the Cooperative
Research Units.
September 2008
Craig Paukert gave an invited seminar to the Division of Biology at Kansas
State University. His talk was titled "Effects of human alteration on
stream and river fishes: What we know and what are we doing about it?"
August 2008
Rachel Pigg joined the Unit as a graduate student. Her advisor is Dr.
Jack Cully.
Josh Schloesser, former MS student with Craig Paukert, accepted a position
as a fisheries biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Columbia,
Missouri.
Kristen Pitts, former MS student with Craig Paukert, accepted the first
Lapham Fellow for American Rivers in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Craig Paukert, Dr. Joanna Whittier, Wes Bouska, Josh Schloesser,
Kristen Pitts, and Joe Gerken attended the American Fisheries Society
Annual Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Whittier taught a
workshop, .Basic/Intermediate GIS for Fisheries Biologists. assisted by
Kristen Pitts.
The following papers were presented at the AFS meeting in Ottawa, Ontario:
•Whittier, J.B., C. Paukert, and J. Olden. 2008. Spatial patterns
in the distribution and conservation of imperiled fishes in the Lower
Colorado River Basin. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada.
•Pitts, K. L., C. P. Paukert, and J. B. Whittier. 2008. Assessing
anthropogenic threats to fishes in the Lower Colorado River Basin.
American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Canada.
•Peterson, J., and C. Paukert. 2008. Converting non-standard fish
sampling data to standardized data. American Fisheries Society Annual
Meeting, Ottawa, Canada. 18 August 2008. INVITED
• Schloesser, J., C. Paukert, W. Doyle, T. Hill, G. Mestl, and V.
Travnichek. 2008. Detection and occupancy probabilities for monitoring
Missouri River fishes. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa,
Canada.
•Bouska, W., and C. Paukert. 2008. Road crossing designs and their
impact on movement and diversity of Great Plains stream fishes. American
Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Canada.
•Gerken, J., and C. Paukert. 2008. Effects of a low-head dam on the
fish community of a large Great Plains River. American Fisheries Society
Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Canada.
•Fischer, J., and C. Paukert. 2008. Habitat relationships with fish
assemblages in minimally disturbed Great Plains regions. American
Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Ottawa, Canada.
July 2008
Joe Gerken met with Dr. Michael Quist at Iowa State University in Ames,
Iowa concerning his research. Dr. Quist received his Ph.D. from Kansas
State University and is a former Kansas Coop Unit student.
June 2008
Kristen Pitts defended her Master's thesis titled "Assessing Threats to
Native Fishes of the Lower Colorado River Basin."
Mackenzie Shardlow made a presentation, "Factors affecting the
detectability of river otters in Eastern Kansas" at the 2008 Midwest
Furbearer Workshop in Olathe, Kansas.
Josh Schloesser received electrofishing boat training in Columbia,
Missouri.
May 2008
Dr. Philip Gipson retired from the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife
Research Unit. Dr. Gipson accepted a position as Chairman of the
Department of Natural Resources Management at Texas Tech University.
Dr. Craig Paukert was named as Acting Unit Leader for the Kansas
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
Josh Schloesser defended his Master's thesis titled "Large River Fish
Community Sampling Strategies and Their Association to Engineered and
Natural River Channel Structures."
Josh Schloesser, MS student with Dr. Craig Paukert, received the Kansas
Chapter AFS Tiemeier-Cross Award for outstanding graduate student in
fisheries science in Kansas.
Dr. Craig Paukert accepted a nomination to serve on the AFS Board of
Professional Certification.
The following students and faculty served on various committees for the
Kansas Natural Resources Committee: Dr. Craig Paukert (Steering Committee
and Chair of Breakout Session); Dr. Joanna Whittier (Publicity Committee
and Webpage Designer); and Josh Schloesser (Audio Visual Committee, Kansas
Natural Resources Conference).
Kristen Pitts served as Co-Chair of the Audio Visual Committee for the
Arizona/New Mexico AFS and The Wildlife Society 2008 Annual Meeting.
Wes Bouska and Jeff Eitzmann served as Co-Chairs of the Kansas Chapter of
the AFS Raffle Committee.
Dr. Craig Paukert and Dr. Joanna Whittier were invited team members for a
workshop on developing new paradigms to aid Aquatic GAP programs at the
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa Barbara, CA.
Dr. Joanna Whittier and Kristen Pitts taught the Basic and Advanced GIS
courses at the Western Division of the AFS Annual Meeting, Portland,
Oregon, May 4-9.
The following papers were presented at the Western Division of the AFS
Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, May 4-9:
• Whittier, J.B., C. Paukert, K. Pitts, and J. Olden. 2008.
Spatial patterns
in the distribution and conservation of imperiled fishes in the Lower
Colorado River Basin. Western Division American Fisheries Society Annual
Meeting, Portland, OR.
• Pitts, K., C. Paukert, and J. Whittier. 2008. Risk to native
fishes: influence of anthropogenic stressors. Western Division American
Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
• Whittier, J.B., C. Paukert, K. Pitts, and J. Olden. 2008.
Development and classification of watershed boundaries to aid conservation
efforts in the Lower Colorado River Basin. (Poster). Western Division
American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.
Dr. Craig Paukert was awarded $30,000 by the Kansas Department of Wildlife
and Parks for research titled, "Effects of Zebra Mussels on Invertebrate
and Fish Abundance, and Growth of Age-0 Largemouth Bass: Five Years After
Invasions."
Mackenzie Shardlow attended the Population Viability Analysis IV: Modeling
Occupancy for Conservation Workshop in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
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