Charles P Madenjian, PhD

The scientist’s research efforts can be categorized into four theme areas: (1) fish community dynamics and native fish restoration in the Laurentian Great Lakes, (2) invasion biology in the Laurentian Great Lakes, (3) bioenergetics modeling, and (4) contaminant accumulation in fish.  The scope of the scientist’s research varies across these four theme areas.  For fish community dynamics, native fish restoration, and invasion biology, the scientist’s research is focused on Lake Michigan, given the scientist’s assignment to the Lake Michigan Section.  However, comparing Lake Michigan with the other Laurentian Great Lakes is within the scientist’s scope of research.  Much of the scientist’s research work emanates from these inter-lake comparisons.  Data available for analysis of fish community dynamics, native fish restoration, and invasion biology extend back to the 1960s, or even earlier in some cases.  These long-term time series represent a valuable resource for trying to identify the important factors regulating fish community dynamics, native fish restoration, and effects of invasives on the fish community.  For bioenergetics modeling and contaminant accumulation in fish, the scientist’s focus is on the Laurentian Great Lakes.  Nonetheless, for both bioenergetics modeling and contaminant accumulation in fish, the scientist’s scope of research is global, because the scientist examines results from studies around the world to advance our knowledge in both fields.  Bioenergetics modeling can be applied to organisms and populations around the world.  Analogously, fish from all areas of the globe accumulate environmental contaminants, such as mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).  The scientist collaborates with scientists and researchers both within the Laurentian Great Lakes basin and outside the basin, with most of the collaborations within the basin.  Even so, collaborations have been forged with researchers across the United States, Canada, Europe, and China.   Much of the funding received by the scientist is drawn from the base budget of the USGS Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC), because the GLSC has been mandated to maintain long-term surveys for fish communities in the Laurentian Great Lakes, and maintaining these surveys is part of the scientist’s assigned duties.   Supplemental funding has been provided by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act, and the USGS Climate Adaptation Science Center.