CELEBRATING 50
CELEBRATING
50
A NEW UNIT
The news was so big that a letter just wouldn’t do! An August 10, 1962, telegram brought the news that funding had been approved for a Cooperative Fishery Unit at North Carolina State College (now NC State University). Letters in support of the Unit had been sent by university administrators and the Executive Director of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The new Unit, one of 15 in the nation at that time, began with an appropriation of $30,000. It joined two other Fishery Units in the southeast at Louisiana State University and the University of Georgia.
MISSION
The mission of that fi rst North Carolina Unit was almost identical to
our current one. It was to provide technical and professional training
in fi shery management, teaching, research, demonstration, and
administration. Research was to focus on the production, utilization,
management, and restoration of desirable populations of fi shes
compatible with good land and water use. Newspaper articles at the
time noted the need for trained biologists to conduct sport fi shery
research at the state and federal levels.
PEOPLE AND RESEARCH
The fi rst Unit leader
was F. Eugene Hester
II. A Wendell, North
Carolina, native, Dr.
Hester was already at
State College as an
assistant professor of
Zoology. Dr. Hester
served as Unit Leader
from 1963 to 1971, then
moved to Washington, DC, to
the position of Chief, Division
of Fishery Research within the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Recognized in a 1968 newspaper article as Tar Heel of the Week, Dr.
Hester noted that “The need for conservation is really increasing each
year. Our natural resources seemed inexhaustible years ago. But now
we must begin to put priorities on them to save them.”
Research in the earliest days of the North Carolina Unit covered
a wide range of topics, from selective fi sh breeding to aquatic
toxicology. Dr. Hester wrote a number of popular articles about
their research fi ndings, including several in Wildlife in North Carolina
(WINC). In a 1966 WINC article about the Unit, Dr. Hester stated that
“the central theme of our Unit research program is the reproduction,
growth and heredity of fi shes.” Interestingly, another important
line of research for this Fishery Unit was wood duck ecology and
CELEBRATING50YEARS
management! Seven students earned MS degrees on topics ranging
from duck growth to nesting success. Dr. Robert E. Stevens was the
Assistant Unit Leader (AUL) between 1966 and 1970, and Dr. Garland
B. Pardue between 1971 and 1974.
Dr. Melvin T. Huish (right in image) was the second Unit leader,
from 1972 through 1988. Work on fi sh reproduction continued, but
there were also a number of studies about fi sh ecology in coastal
streams and swamps, eff ects of channelization, and environmental
impacts of the nuclear plant at Southport. Dr. J. Howard Kerby (left
in image) was AUL for most of that period (1975-88). His research
focused primarily on fi sh culture, particularly hybrid striped bass.
After 25 years as a Fishery
Unit, it was time to expand
the research to include
wildlife. A combined Fish
and Wildlife Unit was
formed in 1988, with Dr.
W. James Fleming as the
fi rst leader. The scope of
research was now much
broader (not counting the
early wood duck era!). Dr. Fleming served as Unit leader from 1988
to 1995, before moving to Washington, DC, to serve as Deputy
Chief of the Unit program. Dr. Fleming held that position until
2007 and currently serves as Unit Supervisor for the southeastern
region, including the NC Unit. While at the NC Unit, Dr. Fleming
conducted toxicological studies on wildlife and fi sh, with many of
the projects involving students and faculty of the NCSU College
of Veterinary Medicine. AUL Dr. Jaime Collazo (1989-present)
focused on avian ecology and broadened the geographic scope
of the Unit, with many projects in Puerto Rico and across the
Caribbean. AUL Dr. Joseph E. Hightower (1991-present) added a
fi sh population dynamics component to the Unit, as well as an
emphasis on riverine migratory fi sh. AUL Dr. Theodore R. Simons
came to NC State in 1993 as the Director of the National Park
Service Cooperative Park Studies Unit and he joined the Unit in
1996. Although he is primarily an avian ecologist he has worked on
everything from raccoons to salamanders!
The fourth (and current)
Unit Leader is Dr. Thomas
J. Kwak (1999-present).
Much of Dr. Kwak’s research
has focused on rivers and
streams, including studies of
the invasive fl athead catfi sh
and endangered fi shes. The
Unit has grown considerably
under Dr. Kwak’s able
leadership. During 2011 and
2012, the Unit conducted
and facilitated 76 ($16.5 m)
research projects, of which
52 ($12 m) were conducted
directly by Unit scientists, and
24 ($4.5 m) were undertaken
by cooperating faculty at North Carolina State University.
One constant in the North Carolina Unit has been outstanding
admini strative support. This is among the most important
contributions of our University cooperator. This person must know
how to get things done within the university and federal systems, and
ride herd on Unit scientists and scores of graduate students, post-
docs, and research associates. The fi rst administrative assistant for the
North Carolina Unit was Faye Godwin, followed by Norma Walker,
Dorothy Wright, Kathy Bueche, and Wendy Moore. Wendy has been
an integral part of the Unit since 1997 and a key to our success.
EDUCATION AND MENTORSHIPEDUCATION AND MENTORSHIP
Training the next generation of biologists has been a major mission of the North Carolina Unit throughout its 50-year history. Unit faculty have made signifi cant contributions to graduate classroom teaching over the years. Historically they have taught courses ranging from Vertebrate Zoology to Wildlife Toxicology. Current Unit staff have generated over 2,200 student credit hours teaching classes in Wildlife Habitat Management, Tropical Biology, Aquatic Birds, Migration, Species Habitat Modeling, Climate Change, Fishery Science, Quantitative Fisheries Management, Aquatic Ecology, Scientifi c Writing and Communication, Fisheries Techniques, Management of Small Impoundments, and Ornithology. A total of 133 MS and PhD students have come through the NC Unit, and 18 are currently enrolled (see Student List, below). Unit students have gone on to leadership roles in state and federal agencies and universities throughout the U.S.
CELEBRATING50YEARS
GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA UNIT
Name Year Graduated Degree Committee Chair Research Topic
Hardister, John Paul, Jr. 1963 MS Hester Wood duck tagging
Washburn, Seth Lopez 1963 MS Hester & Hassler Sunfi sh incubation temperature
Pardue, Garland Burnis 1965 MS Hester Largemouth bass growth
West, Jerry Lee 1965 MS Hester Sunfi sh hybridization
Merriner, John Vennor 1966 MS Hester Sunfi sh hybridization
Stalnaker, Clair B. 1966 PhD Hester Bluegill growth
Holloman, Jerry Lawrence 1967 MS Hester Wood duck nest site fi delity
Wilbur, Robert “Bob” Linn 1967 MS Hester Herbicide toxicity to aquatic midges
Stroud, Charles Robert “Bob”, Jr. 1968 MS Hester Bluegill tagging eff ects
Vance, John Francis, Jr. 1968 MS Hester Wood duck brood habitat
Hudson, Robert “Bob” Greenlee 1969 MS Hester Redbreast sunfi sh population dynamics
Kapetsky, James “Jim” McDaid 1969 MS Hester Sunfi sh genetic techniques
Meshaw, John Cardon, Jr. 1969 MS Hester Striped bass fry feeding
Tyus, Harold Maurice 1969 MS Hester Sunfi sh hybridization
Benfi eld, Daniel Holton 1970 MS Hester Wood duck feather morphology
Davies, William “Bill” Donald 1970 PhD Hester Striped bass water quality eff ects
Farmer, Adrian “Bubba” Hayes 1970 MS Hester Wood duck radio telemetry
Stephenson, Don Walton 1970 MS Hester Wood duck population dynamics
Stevens, Robert “Bob” Edward 1970 PhD Hester Largemouth bass hormonal physiology
Baynes, Aubrey Sidney 1971 MS Hester Wood duck population dynamics
Geddings, William Randall “Randy” 1971 MS Hester Striped bass stocking evaluation
Roberts, T. W. 1971 MS Pardue Pond pesticide eff ects
Tyus, Harold Maurice 1971 PhD Hester & Davis Alewive population dynamics
Luempert, Louis George 1972 MS Pardue Bluegill growth
Laney, Reid Wilson 1973 MS Pardue & Copeland Shrimp thermal tolerance
Reagan, Roland Edward 1973 PhD Pardue & Davis Channel catfi sh genetics
Perry, Horace Randolph “Randy”, Jr. 1974 PhD Pardue & Barkalow Mammal trapping response
Rulifson, Roger Allen 1975 MS Huish Marine fi sh swimming performance
Tarplee, William “Bill” Harry, Jr. 1975 MS Huish & Pardue Swamp stream fi shes
Hartwell, Stuart Ian 1976 MS Huish Spot thermal shock resistance
Hudson, Robert “Bob” Greenlee 1976 PhD Huish & Roberts Catfi sh genetics
Whitehurst, David Keith 1976 MS Huish Swamp stream fi sh trapping
Robinson, Sarah Sheffi eld 1977 MS Barkalow Wood duck dump nesting
Geaghan, James “Jay” Patrick 1978 MS Huish Flier sunfi sh biology
Borawa, James “Jim” Carver 1979 MS Kerby Largemouth bass habitat ecology
Dollof, Charles Andrew “Andy” 1979 MS Huish Juvenile fi sh marking techniques
Wicker, Anton Michael “Mike” 1979 MS Huish Fish spermatazoa morphology
Geaghan, James “Jay” Patrick 1980 PhD Huish Estuarine biodiversity
Woods, Lewis Curry, III 1983 PhD Huish & Kerby Striped bass feeding ecology
Grear, Jason S. 1992 MS Collazo Shorebird habitat ecology
Conomy, John Theodore 1993 MS Collazo Military noise eff ects on ducks
Temple, Edmund “Ed” Randolph 1993 MS Fleming Noise eff ects on black ducks
Dinsmore, Stephen James 1994 MS Collazo Shorebird population dynamics
Zeller, Nanette Strucinski 1994 MS Collazo Bottomland hardwood bird ecology
Carmichael, John T. 1995 MS Hightower Striped bass spawning ecology
Guzy, Michael Joseph 1995 MS Collazo Black-throated blue warbler breeding
Haeseker, Stephen Lewis 1995 MS Hightower Striped bass distribution
Miranda, Leopoldo 1995 MS Collazo Wading bird feeding ecology
Packer, Rebecca Anne 1995 MS Collazo Migratory bird habitat ecology
Rice, Susan M. 1995 MS Collazo Sandpiper migration ecology
Siesko, Melanie May 1995 MS Fleming Aquatic macrophyte toxicology
Beeman, Diane K. 1996 PhD Fleming Wood duck contaminant biomarkers
Moulton, Cynthia Ann 1996 PhD Fleming Frog toxicology
Tripp, Kimberly J. 1996 MS Collazo Calidrid sandpiper feeding ecology
Waller, Lynn M. 1996 MS Hightower Estuarine clam population dynamics
Williams, Steven Gregory 1996 MS Collazo Migratory bird ecology
Krieger, Sharlene Marie 1997 MS Collazo Fire ecology of birds
Sandling, K. Elizabeth 1997 MR Collazo Black-throated blue warbler nesting
Waters, Christian Tull 1997 MS Hightower Blueback herring water quality ecology
Beasley, Christopher “Chris” Allen 1998 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh dam eff ects
Farnsworth, George Low, III 1998 PhD Simons Wood thrush breeding ecology
Sparks, Kimberly Lynn 1998 MS Hightower American shad spawning ecology
Armstrong, James “Jim” Leland 1999 MS Hightower Juvevile Atlantic sturgeon ecology
Carlo-Joglar, Tomás A. 1999 MS Collazo & Groom Frugivorous bird feeding ecology
Davis, Melissa Barnett 1999 MS Simons & Groom American oystercatcher breeding biology
Hyde, Erin Johnson 2000 MS Simons Salamander diversity and abundance
Kelly, Christine Ann 2000 MS Collazo Shorebird habitat ecology
Lichstein, Jeremy William 2000 MS Simons Breeding songbird landscape ecology
Zehfuss, Kathryn P. 2000 PhD Hightower Gulf sturgeon habitat ecology
Borkhataria, Rena Rebecca 2001 MS Collazo Shade-grown coff ee ecology
Bowman, Stephen “Steve” W. 2001 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh spawning ecology
Fox, Dewayne A. 2001 PhD Hightower Gulf sturgeon reproductive biology
O’Harra, Dawn Ann 2001 MS Collazo Migratory shorebird ecology
Peoples, Lori 2001 MR Collazo Urban habitat assessment
Philhower, Susan Kay 2001 PhD Collazo & Walters Piping plover reproductive ecology
Saracco, James Frederick 2001 PhD Collazo Frugivorous bird ecology
Shriner, Susan Ann 2001 PhD Simons Breeding bird distribution
Weeks, Kendrick Collins 2001 MS Simons Warbler feeding and nesting ecology
Bailey, Larissa Lynn 2002 PhD Simons Salamander sampling techniques
Barwick, Robert “Bob” D. 2002 MS Kwak & Noble Reservoir fi sh habitat ecology
Podolsky, Andrei Lvovich 2002 PhD Simons & Collazo Wood thrush and ovenbird ecology
Herring, Garth 2003 MS Collazo Lesser scaup population dynamics
Hewitt, David Allen 2003 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh migratory ecology
Howard, Amanda “Mandy” Kelly 2003 MS Kwak Cape Fear shiner habitat ecology
Muiznieks, Britta Dace 2003 MS Collazo Puerto Rican parrot population dynamics
Oakley, Nathaniel Corey 2003 MS Hightower Shortnose sturgeon population status
Pine, William E. “Bill”, III 2003 PhD Kwak & Rice Flathead catfi sh population ecology
Alldredge, Matthew “Matt” W. 2004 PhD Simons & Pollock Bird detection probability
Hostetler, Jeff rey Allan 2004 MS Collazo & Pollock Semipalmated sandpiper migration ecology
McGowan, Conor Patrick 2004 MS Simons American oystercatcher nesting ecology
Read, Alesia Noelle 2004 MS Hightower American shad spawning ecology
Sustache, José A. Sustache 2004 MS Collazo Plant and bird hurricane eff ects
Tuomikoski, Jack Esa 2004 MS Buckel & Hightower Striped bass feeding ecology
Burdick, Summer Michelle 2005 MS Hightower Dam eff ects on migratory fi shes
CELEBRATING50YEARS
Gleff e, Jessica Dawn 2005 MS Collazo Shaded coff ee avian ecology
Lee, Laura Maleda 2005 MS Rand & Hightower Atlantic croaker population dynamics
Trujillo Pinto, Anna M. 2005 MS Collazo Puerto Rican parrot habitat ecology
Brewster, Jerome Paul 2006 MS Simons Forest songbird singing rates
Malindzak, Edward George 2006 MS Kwak Flathead catfi sh habitat ecology
Mitchell, Warren Anderson 2006 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh sampling techniques
Stolen, Eric Douglas 2006 PhD Collazo & Percival Wading bird habitat ecology
Brewster, Jessica Robin 2007 MS Kwak Flathead catfi sh feeding ecology
Lombard, Claudia Danielle 2007 MS Collazo & Simons Least tern nesting ecology
McKerrow, Alexa Jacqueline 2007 PhD Collazo & Wentworth Plant mapping and monitoring
Oberneufemann, Kelsey P. 2007 MS Collazo Semipalmated sandpiper habitat ecology
Pacifi ci, Jamian Krishna 2007 MS Simons & Pollock Avian point count accuracy eff ects
Bacheler, Nathan “Nate” Mitchell 2008 PhD Buckel & Hightower Red drum population ecology
Brown, Christin Hambrick 2008 MS Kwak Stream fi sh sampling techniques
Garner, Alan Brad 2008 MS Kwak Grass carp stocking eff ects
Magowan, Kevin James 2008 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh sampling techniques
Midway, Stephen Russel 2008 MS Kwak and Aday Carolina madtom habitat ecology
Tarr, Nathan Moloney 2008 MS Simons Human disturbance of shorebirds
Favrot, Scott Douglas 2009 MS Kwak Sicklefi n redhorse habitat ecology
Krachey, Matthew James 2009 PhD Pollock & Hightower Fish tagging model development
Mays, Jason Warren 2009 MS Kwak & Cope Freshwater mussel metal contamination
Paine, Lisa 2009 MR Collazo Rapid urban habitat assessment
Smith, Joseph “Joe” Alan 2009 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh habitat ecology
Fisk, James Michael, II 2010 MS Kwak Robust redhorse habitat ecology
Harris, Julianne “Julie” Elaine 2010 PhD Hightower Anadromous shad spawning ecology
Iglecia, Monica Nicole 2010 MS Collazo Avaian habitat conservation modeling
Waine, Michael W. 2010 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh sampling techniques
Waldstein, Arielle Hopkins 2010 MS Simons Raccoon ecology and management
Wallace, Benjamin Craig 2010 MS Kwak Stream trout population dynamics
Weaver, Daniel Marc 2010 MS Kwak Stocked trout nongame fi sh eff ects
Buttermore, Elissa Nicole 2011 MS Kwak & Cope Stream contaminant ecology
Friedl, Sarah Elizabeth 2011 MS Buckel & Hightower Juvenile spot mortality estimation
Kornegay, Mary Edythe 2011 MS Collazo Avian breeding ecology
Rogers, Samantha Layne 2011 MS Collazo King rail reproductive ecology
Schwarzer, Amy C. 2011 MS Collazo & Percival Red knot population ecology
Hughes, Jacob B. 2012 MS Hightower Anadromous fi sh sonar techniques
Keller, Rebecca Ann 2012 PhD Simons Air pollution and mountain birds
Schulte, Shiloh A. 2012 PhD Simons American oystercatcher breeding ecology
Archambault, Jennifer M. Current MS Kwak & Cope Freshwater mussel thermal tolerance
Belica, Laura Current PhD Kwak & Cope River contaminant ecology
Borneman, Tracy E. Current MS Simons Shorebird military noise eff ects
Cooney, Patrick B. Current PhD Kwak Stocked trout ecology
Cove, Michael Current PhD Simons Small mammal population dynamics
Ellis, Timothy A. Current PhD Buckel & Hightower Spotted sea trout mortality
Engman, Augustin “Gus” Current PhD Kwak Amphidromous fi sh recruitment ecology
Flowers, H. Jared Current PhD Hightower Sturgeon migration ecology
Irizarry, Julissa I. Current MS Collazo Landscape habitat ecology
Ivasauskas, Tomas Current PhD Kwak Sicklefi n redhorse habitat ecology
Pandolfo, Tamara J. Current PhD Kwak & Cope Freshwater mussel climate change eff ects
Parks, Morgan Current MS Collazo Shorebird wetland habitat ecology
Raabe, Joshua K. Current PhD Hightower Dam eff ects on migratory fi sh
Rose, Eli Current MS Simons Breeding bird fi re ecology
Rudershausen, Paul Current PhD Buckel & Hightower Estuarine fi sh habitat ecology
Smith, William E. Current PhD Kwak Amphidromous fi sh ecology
Stocking, Jessica J. Current MS Simons American oystercatcher habitat ecology
White, Angela Current MS Kwak & Cope Freshwater mussel contaminant dynamics
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This document was prepared by Joe Hightower, Wilson Laney, Wendy
Moore, Tom Kwak, Ted Simons, and Jaime Collazo. Materials were
provided by Gene Hester, Garland Pardue, and Rich Noble. We would
like to express our gratitude to our Cooperators, NC State University,
the US Geological Survey, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife
Management Institute for their support over the last 50 years. We are
looking forward to meeting the challenges of the next 50 years.
N o r th Caro l ina St ate Unive r s it y
N o r th Carol ina W ildl i fe Resources Co mmission
Unite d St ates G e o l o g ic al Sur vey
Unite d St ates Fish an d W il d l i fe S e r v ice
W i l d l i f e M a n a g e m e nt I ns t i tu te
U.S.FISH & WILDLIFE
SERVICE
department of the interior