Michael Newbrey

Very little is known about growth and the life history characteristics of fish in the fossil record. Fossils can provide valuable information about growth of extinct forms of fish, thereby providing insight into their life histories and ecology.

Project Objectives:
My project entails an examination of the relationships between age, growth, longevity, and climate on a geologic scale. The objectives of the study are to: 1) examine the age and growth patterns of fossil freshwater hiodontids, esocids, and the percid, Perca flavescens from all fossil localities known to produce these taxa in North America; 2) investigate geographic patterns occurring in the geologic record to understand the effects of climate change on fish; 3) quantify patterns of growth of extant hiodontids, esocids, and the percid, Perca flavescens from a range of latitudes and mean annual air temperatures (MAT); 4) estimate MAT for selected parts of the geologic record from the Cretaceous to Recent; and 5) examine the relationship between plate tectonics and global climatic cooling on the interpretation of paleoclimatic indices.

Progress:
In previous research, I have contrasted growth of living forms of pike (Esox) to that of fossils. More recently, I have been working with yellow perch (Perca flavescens). The research has shown that growth of living and extinct closely related species are similar. By examining the growth patterns of contemporary pike and yellow perch across their ranges, I have found that mean annual air temperature describes variation in growth. Using these relationships, I have made estimations of mean annual air temperature of the sites these fossil taxa inhabited.

Dissertation Committee:
Dr. Allan Ashworth (committee chair)
Department of Geosciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
E-mail: allan.ashworth@ndsu.nodak.edu
Home page: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/ashworth/

Dr. Gary Clambey
Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
E-mail: gary.clambey@ndsu.nodak.edu
Home page: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/scimath/botany_biology/faculty/clambey.html

Dr. James Grier
Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
E-mail: james.grier@ndsu.nodak.edu
Home page: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/grier/jwgrier.html

Dr. Craig Stockwell
Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
E-mail: craig.stockwell@ndsu.nodak.edu
Home page: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/cstockwe/

Dr. Mark Wilson
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
E-mail: mvhwilson@biology.ualberta.ca
Home page: http://www2.biology.ualberta.ca/wilson.hp/mvhw/

Dr. David Rider (Graduate School Representative)
AES Entomology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
E-mail: david.rider@ndsu.nodak.edu

General Research Interests and Background:

My general research interests include freshwater teleost systematics, biogeography, and ecology for both extant and extinct fish. In the past, my research has focused on the osteoglossids and esocids, but now includes other taxa in my dissertation research.

My Masters degree was obtained from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. There I studied the morphology of submerged trees and fish cribs as fish habitat in Katherine Lake of northern Wisconsin. Also during my Masters degree, I completed a literature review and report to the US Forest Service which examined published information on existing physiological capabilities of fish and current fish passage technology to determine passage impediments.

Masters Thesis Abstract:
Riparian areas are inextricably linked to aquatic systems. In light of widespread riparian and littoral zone tree removal caused by logging, cottage development, and road development, more research needs to be done to

assess the importance of woody structure as fish habitat. The objectives of this study were to: 1) quantify the morphology (e.g., branching complexity, length, etc.) of trees in lakes as it relates to physical habitat for fish, and 2) identify relations between species richness, diversity, abundance, and total length of individual fish species and the physical characteristics of submerged trees. Trees in Katherine Lake, Wisconsin were selected using random and random-stratified sampling. Tree morphology (e.g., branching complexity, bole diameter, wet length, freeboard, clearance, minimum depth of tree, total water depth at tree, and bridging distance), general site habitat characteristics (e.g., distance to other coarse woody structure, site slope, mean depth, and dominant and subdominant particle sizes), and fish metrics (e.g., taxa richness, diversity, adult abundance, and adult total length) were quantified at each site. Conifers were found to be more abundant than deciduous trees in Katherine Lake and physically complex trees of either type were rare. Branching complexity in coniferous trees was highly correlated with bole diameter, wet length, and clearance, whereas, branching complexity in deciduous trees was highly correlated with wet length. A total of 16 species of fish utilized submerged wood as habitat. There were significantly more smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) on sites with submerged wood compared to sites without submerged wood in Katherine Lake. Conifer trees had significantly higher numbers of schooling cyprinids (Cyprinidae), bluegill, and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) when compared to deciduous trees. Fish taxa richness, diversity, and abundance increased in coniferous and deciduous trees that were morphologically more complex with greater amounts of fine branching. Complex trees were dominated by schooling cyprinids, rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris), smallmouth bass, bluegill, and yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Walleyes were common in complex conifers but not deciduous trees. Less complex trees appeared to attract greater numbers of young-of-the-year (YOY) smallmouth bass and YOY rock bass as opposed to adults of the same species. Adult black crappie and rock bass showed seasonal tendencies in moving away from sites with submerged trees in late August. This study demonstrates that wood is important in lakes as fish habitat and continuous recruitment of new, more-complex trees from riparian areas is important to sustain the long-term ecological processes inherent to the riparian area-littoral zone ecotone. Ultimately, better policies need to be established in order to protect riparian vegetation, shoreline wood, and wood recruitment into lakes.

Download a pdf copy of the thesis: Newbrey Masters Thesis 2002 - Morphology of CWS

EFFECTS OF STREAM BARRIERS AS IMPEDIMENTS TO WARMWATER FISH MOVEMENT WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CULVERTS AND SILTATION: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Newbrey, M.G., M.A. Bozek, and C.J. Edwards. Final Report to the North Central Research Station. U.S. Forest Service, Grand Rapids, MN submitted November 5, 2001.

Abstract:
We reviewed information on existing physiological capabilities of fish and current fish passage technology to determine passage impediments and needs of fish. The purpose of this annotated bibliography was to assess problems for 27 species of fish stemming from Forest Service culverts and low head dams intersecting warmwater streams in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Wisconsin. The general problems for fish movement through culverts and other barriers are associated with water velocities, vertical jumps, or channel alterations. However, limited information was available on movement and migration of most species considered here, particularly quantitative information on physiological capabilities. It is clear that more research is needed prior to recommending appropriate fish passage criteria needed to pass all fish beyond barriers considered in this report. Species rating curves for sustained and burst swimming speeds in relation to total body length and temperature need to be constructed in order to determine which size and design culverts would be adequate to pass fish. Until more information regarding migration behavior, habitat use, and physiological capabilities is collected, design needs and criteria cannot be evaluated and developed to facilitate fish movements and prevent habitat fragmentation.

Download a pdf copy of the report: Newbrey et al. 2001 - Fish Passage Annotated Bibliography

Publications and Presentations:

Publications:
Newbrey, M.G. and A.C. Ashworth. 2004. A fossil record of colonization and response of lacustrine fish populations to climate change. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61:1807-1816.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 2003. Age, growth, and mortality of Joffrichthys triangulpterus (Teleostei: Osteoglossidae) from the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Formation, North Dakota, USA. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23:494-500.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 2000. A new species of Joffrichthys (Teleostei: Osteoglossidae) of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene), of North Dakota, USA. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20:6-14.

Manuscripts Accepted:
Baltezore, J.M. and M.G. Newbrey. The infection dynamics of a hypothetical virus in a high school: Use of an ultraviolet detectable powder. The American Biology Teacher. Scheduled to be in press in late 2005 or early 2006.

Presentations:
Newbrey, M.G., A.C. Ashworth, and M.V.H. Wilson. 2004. Geographic trends in North American Freshwater Fishes from the Cretaceous to the Pliocene. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 64^th Annual Meeting. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(supplement to 3):98A.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 2002. Growth of Esox tiemani of the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Formation of North Dakota with evidence to estimate mean annual temperature. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 62^nd Annual Meeting. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(supplement to 3):92A.

Newbrey, M.G. and B.R. Erickson. 2001. The fish assemblage of Wannagan Creek Quarry, Bullion Creek Formation (Paleocene: Tiffanian), North Dakota. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 61^st Annual Meeting. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 21(supplement to 3):83A.

Newbrey, M.G., M.A. Bozek, and M. Jennings. 2000. Architecture of submerged trees as fish habitat: Implications for riparian and littoral zone management. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 62^ndAnnual Meeting.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 1999. Growth of Esox tiemani and a new species of Joffrichthys of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) near Almont, North Dakota. Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Sciences 53:208.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 1997. A description of the fossil fish assemblage of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) near Almont, North Dakota including two new species. Proceedings of the North Dakota Academy of Sciences 51:211.

Newbrey, M.G. and M.A. Bozek. 1996. A morphological comparison of fossil fish scales and fish from the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) near Almont, North Dakota. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences. Vol. 103.

Newbrey, M.G. 1995. Animal fossils from the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) near Almont, North Dakota. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences. Vol. 102.

Invited Presentation:
Newbrey, M.G., M.A. Bozek, and M. Jennings. 2001. Architectural complexity of submerged trees: Riparian and littoral zone management of fish habitat. Wisconsin Chapter American Fisheries Society 30^th Annual Meeting.

Coauthored Presentations:
Harings, N.M., K.M. Kleczka, M.A. Bozek, M.G. Newbrey. 2004. Behavioral observations and dietary analysis of bullfrog (Rana catesbieana) tadpoles to determine the utilization of submerged riparian trees on Lake Katherine, Oneida County, Wisconsin. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 66^th Annual Meeting.

Bozek, M.A., B.J. Achuff, M.G. Newbrey, and J.E. Cook. 2002. A dynamic model linking riparian area tree recruitment to submerged woody habitat in lakes. Annual Meeting of the American Society for Oceanography and Limnology. Victoria, BC, Canada.

Bozek, M.A., B.J. Achuff, M.G. Newbrey, and J.E. Cook. 2002. Development of a dynamic model linking riparian area wood recruitment with submerged woody habitat. Wisconsin Chapter American Fisheries Society 31^st Annual Meeting.

Bozek, M.A., B.J. Achuff, M.G. Newbrey, and J.E. Cook. 2002. Development of a dynamic model linking riparian area wood recruitment with submerged woody fish habitat. 132^nd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society. Baltimore, MD.

Achuff, B.J., M.A. Bozek, J.E. Cook, and M.G. Newbrey. 2002. Developing a dynamic model linking riparian area forests with littoral zone coarse woody structure in a temperate lake. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America. Tucson, AZ.

Achuff, B.J., M.A. Bozek, J.E. Cook, and M.G. Newbrey. 2002. Development of a riparian land-use model for the sustainable recruitment of coarse woody structure to lakes as fish habitat. North Central Division of the American Fisheries Society Meeting. Bettendorf, IA.

Achuff, B.J., M.A. Bozek, J.E. Cook, and M.G. Newbrey. 2001. Linking riparian forest complexity and littoral zone habitat in a northern temperate lake. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference 63^rd Annual Meeting.

Posters:
Newbrey, M.G. and J.L. Newbrey. 2004. Evidence for long-term abundance fluctuations of piscivorous birds in North Dakota from a fossil record of fish populations responding to climate change. North Dakota Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting.

Newbrey, M.G. and A.C. Ashworth. July 2003. A new method to estimate early Holocene mean annual temperature using growth characteristics of fossil Perca flavescens (yellow perch). XVI International Union for Quaternary Research Congress.

Newbrey, M.G. presented poster authored by Drummond, D. and D. Comez. October 2002. Graduate Student University-High School Collaboration. NSF GK-12 3^rd Annual Meeting. Washington DC.

Professional Report:
Newbrey, M.G., M.A. Bozek, and C.J. Edwards. 2001. Effects of stream barriers as impediments to warmwater fish movement with an emphasis on culverts and siltation: An annotated bibliography. Final Report to the North Central Research Station. U.S. Forest Service, Grand Rapids, MN submitted November 5, 2001. 52pp.

Professional Memberships:
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Geological Society of America
National Association of Biology Teachers

Michael Newbrey

Dissertation Project:

General Research Interests and Background:

Publications and Presentations: