Mike Booth Lab – Aquatic ecology and inland fishes at the Michigan Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit

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Our lab focuses on aquatic systems, particularly how the movement and behavior of organisms influence ecosystem processes. We are interested in questions ranging from basic natural history (e.g., fish movement and dispersal) to ecosystem dynamics (fluxes of sediment and nutrients) and we use creative, technological approaches to address these questions at a variety of scales. We seek to provide data and conceptual understanding of biological processes that can inform better resource management in aquatic systems.

Mike moved to the Michigan Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit at Michigan State University in June 2024, where he serves as Assistant Unit Leader (Fisheries) and Adjunct Associate Professor in Fisheries and Wildlife.

Research

Work in the Booth lab group is typically focused on with freshwater aquatic communities. We are interested in examining how animal behaviors, such as movement dynamics, can modulate the influence of species on their ecosystems. Water is an often scarce and precious resource for humans and their environment–much of our work focuses on gathering data to enable better use of our resources to ensure a sustainable future. Modern technology provides us with amazing tools (e.g., passive integrated transponders and sonar cameras) to address important questions and surmount difficult hurdles.