Joseph D Schmitt, PhD
I am a Research Fisheries Biologist at the Lake Erie Biological Station. I have wide research interests including food web interactions, invasion ecology, and conservation biology.
I began working at the Lake Erie Biological Station in 2018, and currently lead our percid recruitment trawl survey in the west basin, and our cold-water assessment in the east basin. Lake Erie has been interesting, as it is a dynamic and complex system that is susceptible to harmful algal blooms in the west basin and widespread hypoxia/anoxia in the central basin.
I am currently exploring how these phenomena, along with warming lake temperatures, will affect oxythermal habitat for cold-water species including burbot, whitefish, cisco, and lake trout moving forward. I am also exploring multi-decadal trends in the feeding ecology of percids in Lake Erie, population genetics of Lake Erie whitefish, and have several projects focusing on cisco, which are extirpated from the lake.
Professional Experience
2018 - Present, Research Fisheries Biologist
Education and Certifications
2018 - Ph.D. Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech
2012 - M.S. Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology, Oklahoma State University
2009 - B.S. Biology, summa cum laude, Christopher Newport University
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society
Lake Erie Coldwater Task Group
Science and Products
Science pages by this scientist
Data releases by this scientist
Multimedia related to this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Science pages by this scientist
Data releases by this scientist
Multimedia related to this scientist
Publications by this scientist
Growth and mortality of invasive Flathead Catfish in the tidal James River, Virginia
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government