Smallmouth bass behavior

For my dissertation research, I studied how and why smallmouth bass parental behavior varies across lakes. I then demonstrated that parental behavior could influence the effectiveness of angling regulations.

I observed smallmouth bass behavior in two very different lakes and modeled optimal parental decisions to explore how and why smallmouth bass behavior varied. Using individual based models that included parental behavior, stochastic events, and angling regulations, I found that parental behavior can dramatically affect the success of angling regulations. As a consequence of this collaborative research with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, the state of Ohio modified their angling regulations on Lake Erie to afford more protection for spawning smallmouth bass while still providing ample angling opportunities.

I am continuing these investigations while at Lake State. Currently, I am for LSSU undergraduates to conduct their senior thesis projects on:

1) Nest defense by smallmouth bass under

varying predation risk

2) Interaction of smallmouth bass demographics

and reproductive behavior