Casey Huckins

Research Description

Research conducted by my lab group is focused on ecology and restoration in aquatic systems including lakes, streams, coastal wetlands and the riparian ecosystems that connect them The research that my graduate students, our collaborators and I conduct tends to focus on ecological patterns and processes in systems influenced by human actions. In many cases we apply the learned scientific understanding to inform the restoration or rehabilitation of the system or population. Our projects are often motivated by this reciprocal interplay and exchange between restoration and the advancement of scientific understanding. Major projects have/are conducting examine 1) the ecology and restoration of coaster brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Arctic Grayling, 2) the ecology, restoration, and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems degraded by disturbances (e.g., fine sediment aggradation resulting from logging and roads, historical stamp sand deposition, introduced species); 3) Fish habitat use and interactions, 4) biomonitoring and abiotic assessment of ecosystems such as streams, lakes, and watersheds, 5) understanding the invasion of Eurasian Watermilfoil and assessing its control and predicted establishment. This work is founded on the goal to increase our understanding of the biology, ecology, and natural history of the organisms and systems of interest for their continued restoration and sustainability.