Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Agency: Ecological Modeling of the Mississippi River Basin
Location: La Crosse, WI
Closing Date: February 15, 2021
Contact: Dr. James Peirce, jpeirce@uwlax.edu
Term/Grade: Summer Research Opportunity
Position Summary:
As part of this program, students will explore how the size distributions of particular fish species influence patterns of growth, movement, and survival at the population level. Recent models have merged individual-based population models with network-node-based spatial models. Students will apply these models to fish species found in the Upper Mississippi River System and investigate how factors such as harvesting, spawning, and competition affect population patterns. After an introduction to general ecological principles and the theoretical components of existing models, students will be encouraged to develop questions that are of interest to them. Research mentors from the Mathematics & Statistics Department, Biology Department, and U.S. Geological Survey will assist students with modifying existing code (in R or Python) to create simulations that attempt to answer their specific questions. Results from this work will be important for both understanding the basic ecology of particular fish species and developing appropriate strategies aimed at managing their populations.
See the complete announcement and apply here.
