Catherine Johnston

Contact Information

Email:catherine_johnston@fws.gov

Advisor: Dr. Gayle Zydlewski

Education

M.S. Marine Biology, University of Maine, 2016
B.A. Bowdoin College, 2012

Description

My research at UMaine focused on the response of endangered shortnose sturgeon to dam removals from the Penobscot River in 2012 and 2013. A main objective of my work was to understand how shortnose sturgeon used the river in the first years following the dam removals, with a particular focus on determining if spawning occurred. I used acoustic telemetry and early-life stage monitoring to address this. My second objective was to quantify the amount of suitable spawning habitat made available by the dam removals. I used field sampling and a 2-D hydrodynamic model to accomplish this.