Martin A Simonson

I am a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a Ph.D. in Fisheries in the NREM department at ISU. My research will estimate the biomass of common carp and bigmouth buffalo populations at four shallow lakes in Iowa. Common carp and bigmouth buffalo can have a negative impact on lake water quality, especially in shallow lakes, and are associated with reduced water clarity, decreased macrophyte abundance, and shifts in the planktonic community in the lake. These fish can also promote internal phosphorus loading in lakes through disturbance of lake sediments. At the University of Toledo, I studied the nearshore fish community in Lake Erie, quantifying how the fish community changed in response to different shoreline modifications. At Michigan State University, I was a lab assistant on a project studying the trait-mediated non-consumptive effects of bluegill on zooplankton communities. I was born and raised in West Michigan, and in 2017 I camped on the shorelines of all five Great Lakes.