Research

Graduate Research - Humboldt State University

				I am conducting the baseline fish characterization project for the recently created Northern California marine protected areas (MPAs). I am tasked with describing fish abundance, diversity, and size distribution of fishes associated with nearshore rocky reefs. I preseneted a poster with my initial results in November 2015 at the Western Society of Naturalist annual meeting.

Staton, J.M., I.D., Kelmartin, D.R., Barrett, T.J., Mulligan, J., Tyburczy, 2015. Distance from port as a proxy for historical fishing pressure on nearshore rocky reefs in Northern California. Poster.

Abstract
Rocky reefs are iconic features of the California coast that support both recreational and commercial fisheries while providing habitat for a rich diversity of fishes. Monitoring rocky reef fish communities in the newly established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), off California’s North Coast, is critical to evaluating their effectiveness. Using methods developed by the California Collaborative Fisheries Research program, we conducted hook-and-line surveys, partnering with commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) captains and volunteer anglers to characterize the baseline status of fish assemblages in four MPAs, each with a suitable reference site, along the north coast. Linear models were used to compare relative fish abundance, diversity, and size structure to distance from the nearest fishing port, a proxy for historical fishing pressure. We found higher relative fish abundances (p-value = 0.001) and diversity (p-value = 0.022) as distance from port increased. We also saw significant increases in fork length of the two most commonly captured fishes, Black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) and Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) as the distance from nearest fishing port increased (p-value < 0.0001). Our results suggest that distance from port can be used as a proxy for historical fishing pressure on the north coast.

Thesis Project Poster PDF

Undergraduate Research - Purdue University

				During my final two years at Purdue University I completed an undergraduate research project examining the condition and diet of yellow perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron from 1970 to 2011. I presented a poster of my findings at the International Association of Great Lakes Research annual meeting in 2013. I also published my findings in the Journal of Great Lakes Research Saginaw Bay Special Issue.

Staton, J.M., C.R., Roswell, D.G. Fielder, M.V. Thomas, S.A. Pothoven, T.O. Hook, 2014. Condition of yellow perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron (1970-2011). Journal of Great Lakes Research 40 (2014): 139-147.

Abstract
In Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, yellow perch (Perca flavescens) constitute an ecologically important component of the ecosystem and support both recreational and commercial fisheries. Over the past 40 years, Saginaw Bay has experienced multiple ecosystem-level changes (e.g., non-indigenous species introductions, reduced nutrient loading and variable temperatures). In turn, abundances and growth rates of yellow perch and their predators and prey have fluctuated. Recent changes to Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron foodwebs have potential to influence prey composition and subsequently, growth and condition for yellowperch; but a complete description of yellow perch diet composition across seasons has not been undertaken in recent years. We calculated mean relative weight (Wr), an index of condition, of age-1 and older yellow perch in Saginaw Bay annually for 1970–2011. We found high interannual variation in condition and documented low meanWr during 1978–1991.We developed regression models to explain this variation using phosphorus load, temperature, forage fish density, and yellow perch density as potential explanatory factors. Patterns of Wr were associated with changes in yellow perch densities, although interannual variation was not significantly associatedwith any of the available explanatory variables. Diet analysis of yellow perch collected in 2009 and 2010 demonstrated that age-1 and older yellow perch consumed a fundamentally different diet from a previous study (1986–1988), exhibiting a greater reliance on non-indigenous prey (e.g. Bythotrephes longimanus).

Yellow Perch Condition and Diet Poster PDF