Eric T Schultz

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Verified

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• PhD
• Professor Emeritus at University of Connecticut

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) seasonally aggregate in Long Island Sound and the Con-necticut River, but their size and age structure and use of the river remain insufficiently understood. We analyzed all available length data from monitoring efforts (1988-2021: number of samples [n]=3544), estimated age from sections of pectoral-fin spin...

Our study investigates the trophic ecology of the anchoveta (Engraulis ringens). The anchoveta plays a key role in the Greater Humboldt Ecosystem and is extensively exploited by countries from the south-eastern Pacific Ocean. For a comprehensive study of trophic ecology, we employed a combined approach that included stomach content analysis, stable...

Objective Open‐access marine recreational fisheries are a major source of fishing mortality in the United States. These fisheries are difficult to manage, as anglers change their behavior in response to regulations, socioeconomic influences, and weather. Previous studies have suggested that regulations tend to become more restrictive to reduce fish...

Identifying how the demands of migration are met at the level of gene expression is critical for understanding migratory physiology and can potentially reveal how migratory forms evolve from nonmigratory forms and vice versa. Among fishes, migration between freshwater and seawater (diadromy) requires considerable osmoregulatory adjustments, powered...

Objective The northern stock of Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata has spatially expanded over the past decade, potentially due to warming northwest Atlantic Shelf waters affecting overwintering. Methods To gather empirical data on temperature‐dependent energetics, we quantified winter growth and lipid accumulation in juveniles from Long Island...

River herring (Alosa sp.) are ecologically and economically foundational species in freshwater streams, estuaries, and oceanic ecosystems. The migration between fresh and saltwater is a key life stage of river herring, where the timing and magnitude of out-migration by juveniles can be limited when streams dry and hydrologic connectivity is lost. O...

Reductions in cold-water habitat owing to anthropogenic stressors are focusing attention on indicator fish species. We investigated an apparent range expansion in Connecticut of a native cold-water fish, Slimy Sculpin (Cottus cognatus). Unexpectedly, genetic and morphological analyses identified the new population as a non-native cottid from the Oz...

Using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values, we analyzed the trophic position (TP) and the isotopic niche width of lanternfishes from three different areas in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Fishes from Perú had slightly higher δ13C values compared with fish from Chilean areas. In contrast, δ15N values increased with latitude (North to South). Myct...

Many marine fisheries rely on production and energy flow in the pelagic zone; thus, sustainable management of exploited pelagic fishes benefits from insight into temporal, spatial, and ontogenetic variability in the trophic ecology of these species. Here, we analyze stomach contents and stable isotopes to reveal spatial variability (focusing on two...

Using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values, we analyzed the trophic position (TP) and the isotopic niche width of lanternfishes from three different fishing grounds in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Fishes from Perú had slightly higher δ13C values compared with fish from Chilean fisheries grounds. In contrast, δ15N values increased with latitude...

Synopsis Ecological transitions across salinity boundaries have led to some of the most important diversification events in the animal kingdom, especially among fishes. Adaptations accompanying such transitions include changes in morphology, diet, whole-organism performance, and osmoregulatory function, which may be particularly prominent since div...

The bidirectional dynamics between species and their biotic and abiotic environments, known as eco‐evolutionary feedbacks, may shift the direction of evolution and alter the ecological role of species. Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus, is an exemplary species to study reciprocal feedbacks between ecology and evolution, owing to repeated independent de...

This series of papers highlights research into how biological exchanges between salty and freshwater habitats have transformed the biosphere. Life in the ocean and in freshwaters have long been intertwined; multiple major branches of the tree of life originated in the oceans and then adapted to and diversified in freshwaters. Similar exchanges cont...

Ecological transitions across salinity boundaries have led to some of the most important diversification events in the animal kingdom, especially among fishes. Adaptations accompanying such transitions include changes in morphology, diet, whole-organism performance, and osmoregulatory function, which may be particularly prominent since divergent sa...

For young fishes, growth of somatic tissues and energy reserves are critical steps for survival and progressing to subsequent life stages. When thermal regimes become supraoptimal, routine metabolic rates increase and leave less energy for young fish to maintain fitness-based activities and, in the case of anadromous fishes, less energy to prepare...

Synopsis This series of papers highlights research into how biological exchanges between salty and freshwater habitats have transformed the biosphere. Life in the ocean and in freshwaters have long been intertwined; multiple major branches of the tree of life originated in the oceans and then adapted to and diversified in freshwaters. Similar excha...

This series of papers highlights research into how biological exchanges between salty and freshwater habitats have transformed the biosphere. Life in the ocean and in freshwaters have long been intertwined; multiple major branches of the tree of life originated in the oceans and then adapted to and diversified in freshwaters. Similar exchanges cont...

Ecological transitions across salinity boundaries have led to some of the most important diversification events in the animal kingdom, especially among fishes. Adaptations accompanying such transitions include changes in morphology, diet, whole-organism performance, and osmoregulatory function, which may be particularly prominent since divergent sa...

River herring—a collective name for the Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and Blueback Herring A. aestivalis—play a crucial role in freshwater and marine ecosystems along the Eastern Seaboard of North America. River herring are anadromous and return to freshwater habitats in the tens to hundreds of millions to spawn, supplying food to many species and p...

Growth rate and energy reserves are important determinants of fitness and are governed by endogenous and exogenous factors. Thus, examining the influence of individual and multiple stressors on growth and energy reserves can help estimate population health under current and future conditions. In young anadromous fishes, freshwater habitat quality d...

We analyzed ovarian dynamics of anadromous blueback herring, Alosa aestivalis, in Connecticut River with the principal aim of exploring oocyte recruitment and how it shapes the fecundity pattern. We examined the oocyte release strategy and analyzed spawning cyclicity by linking oocyte growth to the degeneration of postovulatory follicles. Females w...

Fish populations with broad age distributions are expected to have higher reproductive capacity than age-truncated populations because of the disproportionate contributions of older fish. Harvest slot limits, an expected means of ameliorating age truncation, are modeled for Tautog Tautoga onitis in an overfished population subunit that is experienc...

Fish populations with broad age distributions are expected to have higher reproductive capacity than age-truncated populations because of the disproportionate contributions of older fish. Harvest slot limits, an expected means of ameliorating age truncation, are modeled for Tautog Tautoga onitis in an overfished population subunit that is experienc...

Key findings There was relatively strong support for slot limits, and roughly comparable support for status quo management, among anglers fishing for Tautog in Long Island Sound. Respondents were not in favor of a total moratorium on fishing for Tautog. Providing survey respondents information on how different management scenarios will affect fishi...

• Local extirpation events are often poorly documented and the causes are not well understood. A case in point is the bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus), a cyprinid that is declining and carries various conservation listings over most of its range. • Recent research suggested that the apparent decline of the bridle shiner in the state of Connectic...

Interactions between two species with similar ranges may cause character displacement, especially if the two species are closely related. There is little research regarding character displacement between two related mammal species. American martens (Martes americana) and fishers (M. pennanti) are closely related and have some range overlap. I hypot...

American Bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) and Green Frogs (Rana clamitans) share ranges and breeding seasons, are ecologically similar, and often occupy the same breeding ponds throughout the summer. Males of both species use vocalizations to defend territories and attract females; however, Bullfrogs have longer calls and call much more frequently than...

Whole-organism performance tasks are accomplished by the integration of morphological traits and physiological functions. Understanding how evolutionary change in morphology and physiology influences whole-organism performance will yield insight into the factors that shape its own evolution. We demonstrate that nonmigratory populations of alewife (...

In marine ecosystems, high trophic level predators can present high trophic plasticity, facilitating partitioning of resources among coexisting species and enhancing food web stability. Conversely, high overlap between top predators can indicate low resilience to environmental perturbations. In this research we analyzed the tropho dynamic of two op...

Los peces de la familia Macroidea habitan en ambientes batipelágicos, son descritos como depredadores eurífagos, con posible selección por tipo y tamaño de presa. Su gran longevidad, lenta tasa de crecimiento y media-baja fecundidad los hace altamente susceptibles a los efectos adversos de la sobrepesca. En Chile, se encuentran presentes, Macrourus...

Variability in the feeding ecology of young fishes over short and long time scales in estuaries is likely to affect population dynamics. We studied 14 years of early stage Striped Bass feeding ecology in the Hudson River Estuary over a 25-year time span, including years in which invasive zebra mussels markedly altered energy flow within the estuary...

Informe Final Técnico Pesquero proyecto IFOP-SUBPESCA: 1049-50-16. 27pp.

Informe Final Técnico Pesquero proyecto IFOP-SUBPESCA: 1049-50-16. 23pp.

Comparative approaches in physiological genomics offer an opportunity to understand the functional importance of genes involved in niche exploitation. We used populations of Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) to explore the transcriptional mechanisms that underlie adaptation to fresh water. Ancestrally anadromous Alewives have recently formed multiple,...

The distribution and demographics of a population of Winter Flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus were examined for changes related to habitat quality over a fishery-independent survey period of 29 years, encompassing an 82% decline in abundance. We tested for spatial and temporal variation in indicators of fitness to determine whether they reveal...

Stated preference scenarios often describe outcomes to be valued in terms of intermediate biophysical processes or ecosystem services with indirect utility effects, rather than in terms of final, directly welfare-relevant consequences. This article evaluates whether valid welfare estimates can emerge from this practice. We begin with a theoretical...

Background: Post-Pleistocene diversification of threespine stickleback in fresh water offers a valuable opportunity to study how changes in environmental salinity shape physiological evolution in fish. In Alaska, the presence of both ancestral oceanic populations and derived landlocked populations, including recent lake introductions, allows us to...

Innovative methods for analysis of reproduction may provide more information that can be used to conserve species of concern. We present data on oocyte development, batch size, and batch number of anadromous Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus in a lake‐spawning population located in Connecticut. We sampled female Alewives as they arrived at the spawning...

Estuaries act as nursery habitat critical to survival and early development of fishes; as such, variability in the feeding success and diet composition of young fishes over short and long time scales in estuaries is likely to affect population dynamics. We studied 14 years of early stage Striped Bass feeding ecology in the Hudson River Estuary exte...

Adaptation to freshwater may be expected to reduce performance in seawater, since these environments represent opposing selective regimes. We tested for such a trade-off in populations of the Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus). Alewives are ancestrally anadromous, and multiple populations have been independently restricted to freshwater (landlocked). W...

A handbook for hatching and rearing colonies of Threespine Sticklebacks, which includes detailed procedures for handling eggs and larvae, maintaining water quality, and culturing brine shrimp nauplii. I also instruct how to wean juvenile sticklebacks onto an artificial diet, and provide printable spreadsheet logs for all aspects of fish husbandry.

In the Connecticut River, annual returns of anadromous Blueback Herring (BBH) have drastically declined in the last two decades. Increased seasonal presence of Striped Bass (SB) over this period suggests that heavy in-river predation on adult BBH may be a contributing factor. If SB predation is depressing BBH production, then alternative management...

Anthropogenic disturbance has resulted in reduced connectivity among aquatic habitats, presenting challenges for anadromous fish such as river herring. Dams in coastal Connecticut block the anadromous migrations of alewives, and have resulted in multiple, independently-derived landlocked populations. The functional consequences of land-locking amon...

Innovative methods for analysis of reproduction may inform efforts to conserve species of concern. We present data on oocyte development, batch size and batch number of anadromous river herring (Alewives [ALE; Alosa aestivalis] and Blueback Herring [BBH; A. pseudoharengus]) in Connecticut, USA. At our collection site for ALE, we could distinguish f...

Bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) is apparently declining over most of its range and is currently listed as a species of concern in Connecticut. Recent research indicated the apparent decline of bridle shiner in the state was in part due to changes in sampling gear used for statewide surveys. Seining used 50 years ago was demonstrably more effect...

Invasion of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in the Hudson River in the early 1990s sharply reduced phytoplankton biomass and markedly altered estuarine energy flow. Previous studies suggest that early-stage fishes of several species were negatively impacted by the invasion; one such species was the American Shad (Alosa sapidissima). The objecti...

Ecological transitions from marine to freshwater environments have been important in the creation of diversity among fishes. Evolutionary changes associated with these transitions likely involve modifications of osmoregulatory function. In particular, relaxed selection on hypo-osmoregulation should strongly affect animals that transition into novel...

Predicting the success of a species' colonization into a novel environment is routinely considered to be predicated on niche-space similarity and vacancy, as well as propagule pressure. The role genomic variation plays in colonization success (and the interaction with environment) may be suggested, but has not rigorously been documented. To test an...

ABSTRACT: Three theories of habitat use proposed for marine fishes, the constant density model (CDM), the proportional density model (PDM), and the basin model (BM), make contrasting predictions of how the range, local density, and fitness change as population size changes. We tested model predictions using a survey of silver hake Merluccius biline...

Predicting the success of a species' colonization into a novel environment is routinely considered to be predicated on niche‐space similarity and vacancy, as well as propagule pressure. The role genomic variation plays in colonization success (and the interaction with environment) may be suggested, but has not rigorously been documented. To test an...

The ecological literature accepts that many policy outcomes cannot be observed directly and must be characterized using indicators. Multiple indicators can often be used to communicate similar ecological outcomes. Previous studies using alternative indicators in stated preference surveys suggest that welfare estimates may be indicator-dependent, ca...

Stated preference scenarios often provide information on intermediate biophysical processes but omit information on the resulting final services that provide utility. This may cause respondents to speculate about the effects of intermediate outcomes on their welfare, leading to biased welfare estimates. This work clarifies distinctions between inte...

This chapter focuses on the evolutionary importance and taxonomic distribution of euryhalinity. Euryhalinity refers to broad halotolerance and broad halohabitat distribution. Salinity exposure experiments have demonstrated that species vary tenfold in their range of tolerable salinity levels, primarily because of differences in upper limits. Haloto...

This chapter focuses on the evolutionary importance and taxonomic distribution of euryhalinity. Euryhalinity refers to broad halotolerance (capability of surviving in both freshwater and seawater) and broad halohabitat distribution. Species vary widely in their range of tolerable salinity levels. Halotolerance breadth varies with species' evolution...

Three theories of habitat use proposed for marine fishes-the constant density model, the proportional density model, and the basin model-make contrasting predictions of how the geographical range, local density, and fitness change as population size changes. We tested model predictions with survey data on yellowtail flounder Limanda ferruginea from...

Over the past two decades, declines in the populations of river herring (alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring Alosa aestivalis) have been documented across both species' ranges. Information concerning the natal origins of spawning adult fish could aid in their restoration but has been unattainable. We investigated the efficacy of otoli...

Anadromous blueback herring Alosa aestivalis are declining throughout much of their range, and fishery closures in some systems have failed to produce population recovery. A potential contributing factor is increased predation pressure from sympatric striped bass Morone saxatilis . We integrated data on the predator–prey interaction between striped...

Glacial retreat during the Pleistocene caused landlocking of anadromous Alaskan threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, furnishing a natural ‘experiment’ in osmoregulatory divergence. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of individual acclimation and population divergence on salinity preference. Full-sibling families of mar...

Because it can uniquely furnish insights into nonuse values for ecosystem services, survey‐based Stated Preference (SP) valuation is widely used to estimate the benefits of ecological restoration. SP surveys ask respondents to select among restoration options yielding different ecological outcomes. This review examines the representation of ecologi...

The alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) is a clupeid that undergoes larval and juvenile development in freshwater preceding marine habitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate osmoregulatory mechanisms in alewives that permit homeostasis in different salinities. To this end, we measured physiological, branchial biochemical and cellular respo...

Stated preference surveys often provide ambiguous descriptions of ecological commodities, yielding welfare estimates that have unclear interpretations and cannot be linked to measurable outcomes. This paper proposes guidelines to promote ecological content validity in survey scenarios and defensible use of ecological information for welfare analysi...

Stated preference surveys often give minimal attention to distinctions between intermediate and final ecosystem services, leading to the potential for welfare estimates that overlook, misrepresent or double count associated values. This paper illustrates potential mechanisms through which multimetric indexes of the type developed in the ecological...

Genetic differences among populations of Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia) are hypothesized to be evolutionary responses to intense, size-selective winter mortality at high latitudes. Three experiments were conducted to test features of winter mortality. In the first experiment, we varied size and whether food was provided or withheld; temperat...

Accurately defining species boundaries in the green algae (Chlorophyta) is integral for studies of biodiversity and conservation, water-quality assessments, and the use of particular species as paleoindicators. Recent molecular phylogenetic and SEM analyses of the family Hydrodictyaceae (Chlorophyta) resolved three phylogenetic lineages of isolates...

River herring, two closely related anadromous alosine species found along the east coast of North America, are an ecologically significant forage fish. Populations of both alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) have declined across their range in the past 30 years. Fisheries managers have employed a variety of techni...

Spawning aggregations are localized concentrations of a species at a predictable time of year. Predators often evolve migratory patterns and feeding strategies that take advantage of these aggregations. During these relatively small spatio-temporal windows, predators may be highly efficient and thus make an outsized impact on prey populations. Targ...

We analyzed juvenile anadromous alewife migration at Bride Lake, a coastal lake in Connecticut, during summer 2006 and found that migration on 24-hour and seasonal timescales was influenced by conditions of the environment and characteristics of the individual. To identify environmental cues of juvenile migration, we continuously video recorded fis...

Populations of anadromous alewives ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) are declining throughout much of their range, particularly in southern New England where fishery moratoriums have recently been instituted in three states. The alewife run at Bride Brook, a coastal stream in East Lyme, Connecticut, was studied from 2003-06 to assess shifts in demography an...

Populations of anadromous alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring A. aestivalis, collectively referred to as river herring, have declined in the Connecticut River. An explanatory hypothesis for these declines is that predation pressures have increased as a result of recent increases in abundance of sympatric striped bass Morone saxatilis....

Populations of anadromous alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring Alosa aestivalis , collectively referred to as river herring, have declined in the Connecticut River. A hypothesis for why river herring have declined is that predation pressures have increased associated with recent increases in abundance of striped bass Morone saxatilis ....

Sex differences in seasonal timing include differences in hatch- or birth-date distribution and differences in the timing of migration or maturation such as protandrous arrival timing (PAT), which is early male arrival at breeding sites. I describe a novel form of protandrous arrival timing, as a sex difference in birth-date distribution in a live-...

Copulatory organs rapidly evolve and are subject to complex selective pressures affecting mating success. One feature of copulatory organs that is subject to such selective pressures is size. Benefits of longer organs may include greater signal effectiveness in courtship and longer ‘reach’ when attempting copulations with evasive females. Costs of...

Abstract.--Few studies estimate the impact of individual size on annual reproductive output, which is an important consideration where size-selective harvest may truncate size distributions and sharply reduce populationwide reproductive potential. We conducted a 2-year study of reproduction in field-collected and captive tautog Tautoga onitis from...

Winter flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes americanus ) come inshore during the late winter and early spring to lay their eggs in shallow bays and estuaries along the coast. Unlike most fish eggs, which are buoyant, these eggs are demersal and sink to the seafloor. This makes them vulnerable to burial from various types of natural and human caused distur...

Parasitic infections may cause alterations in host life history, including changes in reproductive investment (absolute amount of energy allocated to reproduction) and reproductive effort (proportion of available energy allocated to reproduction). Such changes in host life history may reflect: 1) a parasite tactic: the parasite adaptively manipulat...

(beginning of rainbow smelt executive summary)Evidence indicates that anadromous rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax ) populations in Connecticut and elsewhere in the northeast United States have severely declined. Several sampling programs have documented declines in Connecticut's smelt populations over the last three decades (Marcy 1976a, Marcy 1976b,...

We found in an earlier study that mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis and G. holbrooki) ceased reproduction in the late summer, long before the end of warm weather, stored fat, then utilized reserves to survive the winter and initiate reproduction the following spring. We hypothesized that this pattern of fat utilization was a life history adaptation th...

Alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) and blueback herring ( A. aestivalis ) occur in anadromous populations that have a largely overlapping distribution from Florida to Newfoundland (Loesch 1987). Anadromous populations of these species are commonly collectively referred to as “river herring”. Adults inhabit coastal shelf waters until sexual maturity i...

Winter flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes americanus ) is an important commercial and recreational species providing both a valuable catch for commercial fisherman and an incentive for recreational fisherman to spend money in their pursuit. Winter flounder eggs are at risk of burial during maintenance dredging efforts in harbors. This impact can be mini...

We review three areas of recent research on Hudson River bay anchovy. One focus has been the along-estuary movement of early life stages. A cohort analysis of samples collected in a spatiotemporally extensive monitoring program has confirmed that early-stage anchovy migrate up-estuary, at an estimated rate of 0.6 km/d. Complementary fine-scale fiel...

Larvae and juveniles are often most abundant at some distance from where spawning occurs. Such apparent distribution shifts can be the result of larval migration, seasonal shifts in the distribution of spawners, or spatial heterogeneity in mortality. In the present study, a cohort-based method was adopted to test for larval migration of bay anchovy...

White catfish (Ameiurus catus) is native to the Hudson River and is now coexisting with the recently established channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). These species were sampled from four freshwater reaches and four habitat types of the Hudson River estuary to assess whether the two species overlapped in their habitat use, and whether any impact o...

Bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli and naked goby Gobiosoma bosc larvae have been reported to move up-estuary, In the present study, we examined depth preferences and periodic vertical movements that might promote such along-estuary transport in these 2 species. We conducted 2 cruises of 3 d each in the Hudson River estuary, USA. The cruises were 1 wk ap...