Stuart Welsh, PhD
Assistant Unit Leader - West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Research Interests
- Systematics
- Ecology
- Conservation of freshwater fishes
Teaching Interests
- Ichthyology
- Zoogeography
- Systematics
Professional Experience
Assistant Unit Leader, West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2000-
Education and Certifications
Ph D West Virginia University 1997
MS Frostburg State University 1994
BS West Virginia University 1990
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 65
An interpolation method for stream habitat assessments
Interpolation of stream habitat can be very useful for habitat assessment. Using a small number of habitat samples to predict the habitat of larger areas can reduce time and labor costs as long as it provides accurate estimates of habitat. The spatial correlation of stream habitat variables such as substrate and depth improves the accuracy of interpolated data. Several geographical information sys
Authors
Kenneth R. Sheehan, Stuart A. Welsh
Conservation status of North American freshwater crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the southern United States
A list is provided of all crayfishes (family Cambaridae) in the southern United States, which includes common names, global conservation status, an alternative review of the conservation status based on the IUCN red list criteria, and state distribution. This list includes 357 native crayfishes, of which 12 (3.4%) are critically endangered, 37 (10.4%) are endangered, 126 (35.3%) are vulnerable, 18
Authors
Zachary J. Loughman, Stuart A. Welsh, James W. Fetzner, Roger F. Thoma
Fishes of the Blackwater River Drainage, Tucker County, West Virginia
The Blackwater River, a tributary of the upper Cheat River of the Monongahela River, hosts a modest fish fauna. This relatively low diversity of fish species is partly explained by its drainage history. The Blackwater was once part of the prehistoric, northeasterly flowing St. Lawrence River. During the Pleistocene Epoch, the fauna was significantly affected by glacial advance and by proglacial la
Authors
Daniel A. Cincotta, Stuart A. Welsh, Douglas P. Wegman, Thomas E. Oldham, Lara B. Hedrick
Physical habitat and water quality correlates of crayfish distributions in a mined watershed
In mined watersheds, water quality alters aquatic faunas, but few studies have focused on associations between stream habitat and crayfish distributions. We examined associations of water quality and physical habitat quality on presence/absence of six crayfish species in the upper Kanawha River drainage of southern West Virginia, USA, a region with a long history of surface and mountaintop removal
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Zachary J. Loughman
A semi-automated method of monitoring dam passage of American Eels Anguilla rostrata
Fish passage facilities at dams have become an important focus of fishery management in riverine systems. Given the personnel and travel costs associated with physical monitoring programs, automated or semi-automated systems are an attractive alternative for monitoring fish passage facilities. We designed and tested a semi-automated system for eel ladder monitoring at Millville Dam on the lower Sh
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Joni L. Aldinger
A new species of freshwater eel-tailed catfish of the genus Tandanus (Teleostei: Plotosidae) from the Wet Tropics Region of Eastern Australia
Tandanus tropicanus, new species, is described based on specimens from streams in the wet tropics region of northeast Queensland. Previously, two species were recognized in the genus Tandanus: T. tandanus of eastern Australia and T. bostocki of Western Australia. A combination of meristic and morphometric characters distinguishes the new species from all congeners. Further, taxonomic distinctness
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Dean R. Jerry, Damien Burrows
Captive propagation, reproductive biology, and early life history of the Diamond Darter (Crystallaria cincotta)
Reproductive biology and early life history data are critical for the conservation and management of rare fishes. During 2008–2012 a captive propagation study was conducted on the Diamond Darter, Crystallaria cincotta, a rare species with a single extant population in the lower Elk River, West Virginia. Water temperatures during spawning ranged from 11.1–23.3 C. Females and males spawned with quic
Authors
Crystal L. Ruble, Patrick L. Rakes, John R. Shute, Stuart A. Welsh
Cambarus (C.) hatfieldi, a new species of crayfish (Decapoda:Cambaridae) from the Tug Fork River Basin of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, USA
Cambarus (Cambarus) hatfieldi is a stream-dwelling crayfish that appears to be endemic to the Tug Fork River system of West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. Within this region, it is prevalent in all major tributaries in the basin as well as the Tug Fork River’s mainstem. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cambarus sciotensis and Cambarus angularis. It can be differentiated fro
Authors
Zachary J. Loughman, Raquel A. Fagundo, Evan Lau, Stuart A. Welsh, Roger F. Thoma
First records of Nocomis biguttatus (Hornyhead Chub) from West Virginia discovered in museum voucher specimens
Specimens of Nocomis biguttatus (Hornyhead Chub) from South Fork Hughes River (Little Kanawha River drainage, WV) were discovered in two museum lots at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. These accessions, collected in 1960 and 1966, represent an addition to the state fauna and are the first distribution records for this species from the Appalachian Plateau, WV
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Daniel A. Cincotta, Wayne C. Starnes
Microhabitat use of the diamond darter
The only known extant population of the diamond darter (Crystallaria cincotta) exists in the lower 37 km of Elk River, WV, USA. Our understanding of diamond darter habitat use was previously limited, because few individuals have been observed during sampling with conventional gears. We quantified microhabitat use of diamond darters based on measurements of water depth, water velocity and per cent
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Dustin M. Smith, Nate D. Taylor
Advantages of geographically weighted regression for modeling benthic substrate in two Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem streams
Stream habitat assessments are commonplace in fish management, and often involve nonspatial analysis methods for quantifying or predicting habitat, such as ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Spatial relationships, however, often exist among stream habitat variables. For example, water depth, water velocity, and benthic substrate sizes within streams are often spatially correlated and may exh
Authors
Kenneth R. Sheehan, Michael P. Strager, Stuart A. Welsh
Environmental correlates of upstream migration of yellow-phase American eels in the Potomac River drainage
Assessing the relationships between upstream migration and environmental variables is important to understanding the ecology of yellow-phase American Eels Anguilla rostrata. During an American Eel migration study within the lower Shenandoah River (Potomac River drainage), we counted and measured American Eels at the Millville Dam eel ladder for three periods: 14 May–23 July 2004, 7–30 September 20
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Heather L. Liller
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 65
An interpolation method for stream habitat assessments
Interpolation of stream habitat can be very useful for habitat assessment. Using a small number of habitat samples to predict the habitat of larger areas can reduce time and labor costs as long as it provides accurate estimates of habitat. The spatial correlation of stream habitat variables such as substrate and depth improves the accuracy of interpolated data. Several geographical information sys
Authors
Kenneth R. Sheehan, Stuart A. Welsh
Conservation status of North American freshwater crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from the southern United States
A list is provided of all crayfishes (family Cambaridae) in the southern United States, which includes common names, global conservation status, an alternative review of the conservation status based on the IUCN red list criteria, and state distribution. This list includes 357 native crayfishes, of which 12 (3.4%) are critically endangered, 37 (10.4%) are endangered, 126 (35.3%) are vulnerable, 18
Authors
Zachary J. Loughman, Stuart A. Welsh, James W. Fetzner, Roger F. Thoma
Fishes of the Blackwater River Drainage, Tucker County, West Virginia
The Blackwater River, a tributary of the upper Cheat River of the Monongahela River, hosts a modest fish fauna. This relatively low diversity of fish species is partly explained by its drainage history. The Blackwater was once part of the prehistoric, northeasterly flowing St. Lawrence River. During the Pleistocene Epoch, the fauna was significantly affected by glacial advance and by proglacial la
Authors
Daniel A. Cincotta, Stuart A. Welsh, Douglas P. Wegman, Thomas E. Oldham, Lara B. Hedrick
Physical habitat and water quality correlates of crayfish distributions in a mined watershed
In mined watersheds, water quality alters aquatic faunas, but few studies have focused on associations between stream habitat and crayfish distributions. We examined associations of water quality and physical habitat quality on presence/absence of six crayfish species in the upper Kanawha River drainage of southern West Virginia, USA, a region with a long history of surface and mountaintop removal
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Zachary J. Loughman
A semi-automated method of monitoring dam passage of American Eels Anguilla rostrata
Fish passage facilities at dams have become an important focus of fishery management in riverine systems. Given the personnel and travel costs associated with physical monitoring programs, automated or semi-automated systems are an attractive alternative for monitoring fish passage facilities. We designed and tested a semi-automated system for eel ladder monitoring at Millville Dam on the lower Sh
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Joni L. Aldinger
A new species of freshwater eel-tailed catfish of the genus Tandanus (Teleostei: Plotosidae) from the Wet Tropics Region of Eastern Australia
Tandanus tropicanus, new species, is described based on specimens from streams in the wet tropics region of northeast Queensland. Previously, two species were recognized in the genus Tandanus: T. tandanus of eastern Australia and T. bostocki of Western Australia. A combination of meristic and morphometric characters distinguishes the new species from all congeners. Further, taxonomic distinctness
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Dean R. Jerry, Damien Burrows
Captive propagation, reproductive biology, and early life history of the Diamond Darter (Crystallaria cincotta)
Reproductive biology and early life history data are critical for the conservation and management of rare fishes. During 2008–2012 a captive propagation study was conducted on the Diamond Darter, Crystallaria cincotta, a rare species with a single extant population in the lower Elk River, West Virginia. Water temperatures during spawning ranged from 11.1–23.3 C. Females and males spawned with quic
Authors
Crystal L. Ruble, Patrick L. Rakes, John R. Shute, Stuart A. Welsh
Cambarus (C.) hatfieldi, a new species of crayfish (Decapoda:Cambaridae) from the Tug Fork River Basin of Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, USA
Cambarus (Cambarus) hatfieldi is a stream-dwelling crayfish that appears to be endemic to the Tug Fork River system of West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky. Within this region, it is prevalent in all major tributaries in the basin as well as the Tug Fork River’s mainstem. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cambarus sciotensis and Cambarus angularis. It can be differentiated fro
Authors
Zachary J. Loughman, Raquel A. Fagundo, Evan Lau, Stuart A. Welsh, Roger F. Thoma
First records of Nocomis biguttatus (Hornyhead Chub) from West Virginia discovered in museum voucher specimens
Specimens of Nocomis biguttatus (Hornyhead Chub) from South Fork Hughes River (Little Kanawha River drainage, WV) were discovered in two museum lots at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. These accessions, collected in 1960 and 1966, represent an addition to the state fauna and are the first distribution records for this species from the Appalachian Plateau, WV
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Daniel A. Cincotta, Wayne C. Starnes
Microhabitat use of the diamond darter
The only known extant population of the diamond darter (Crystallaria cincotta) exists in the lower 37 km of Elk River, WV, USA. Our understanding of diamond darter habitat use was previously limited, because few individuals have been observed during sampling with conventional gears. We quantified microhabitat use of diamond darters based on measurements of water depth, water velocity and per cent
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Dustin M. Smith, Nate D. Taylor
Advantages of geographically weighted regression for modeling benthic substrate in two Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem streams
Stream habitat assessments are commonplace in fish management, and often involve nonspatial analysis methods for quantifying or predicting habitat, such as ordinary least squares regression (OLS). Spatial relationships, however, often exist among stream habitat variables. For example, water depth, water velocity, and benthic substrate sizes within streams are often spatially correlated and may exh
Authors
Kenneth R. Sheehan, Michael P. Strager, Stuart A. Welsh
Environmental correlates of upstream migration of yellow-phase American eels in the Potomac River drainage
Assessing the relationships between upstream migration and environmental variables is important to understanding the ecology of yellow-phase American Eels Anguilla rostrata. During an American Eel migration study within the lower Shenandoah River (Potomac River drainage), we counted and measured American Eels at the Millville Dam eel ladder for three periods: 14 May–23 July 2004, 7–30 September 20
Authors
Stuart A. Welsh, Heather L. Liller