Stephanie M. Carlson

Assistant Professor

Ph.D.  Aquatic and Fishery Sciences    University of Washington, Seattle
B.S.   Evolution and Ecology    University of California, Davis

327 Mulford
Berkeley, California 94720
smcarlson@berkeley.edu
office: 510-643-9704   lab: 510-643-9688   fax:  510-643-5438

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My general interest is in understanding the dynamics of freshwater fish populations, particularly the factors that shape these populations and influence their persistence. Much of my research is field-based and incorporates elements of behavioral, population, community, and evolutionary ecology. My research combines various field techniques including the tagging and tracking of individually-marked fish, experimental manipulations in the field, and direct observations.

Through my current research, I seek to understand the ecological context for variation in population dynamics and selection acting on natural populations. In particular, I am interested in questions such as: what are the biotic and abiotic factors driving seasonal and/or annual variation in the growth and survival of freshwater fishes? What mechanisms generate and maintain individual variation in fitness-related traits? How is phenotype related to fitness, that is, what is the strength and form of selection? And, what are the factors driving variation in the strength and form of selection within and among populations?

Wild populations are increasingly subject to disturbance from human activities, including from harvest, ecological interactions with exotic species, habitat degradation, and climate change. All of these disturbances likely alter the selective environment and may therefore be driving selection in the impacted populations. Much of my current research relates to understanding the consequences of this human-induced selection. I believe that a better understanding of the process of human-induced selection and how organisms have evolved in response to human disturbances will result in more effective management and conservation efforts.

Siepielski, A.M., DiBattista, J.D., and Carlson, S.M. 2009. It’s about time: the temporal dynamics of phenotypic selection in the wild. Ecology Letters 12: 1261-1276.

Olsen, E.M., Carlson, S.M., Gjøsæter, J., and Stenseth, N.C. 2009. Nine decades of decreasing phenotypic variability in Atlantic cod. Ecology Letters 12: 622-631.

Carlson, S.M., Rich, H.B., and Quinn, T.P. 2009. Does variation in selection imposed by bears drive divergence among populations in the size and shape of sockeye salmon? Evolution 63: 1244-1261.

Darimont, C.T., Carlson, S.M., Kinnison, M.T., Paquet, P.C., Reimchen, T.E., and Wilmers, C.C. 2009. Human predators outpace other agents of trait change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106: 952-954.

Carlson, S.M., Olsen, E.M., and Vøllestad, L.A. 2008. Seasonal mortality and the effect of body size: A review and an empirical test using data on individual brown trout. Functional Ecology 22: 663-673.

Carlson, S.M., and Seamons, T.R. 2008. A review of fitness and its quantitative genetic components in salmonids: implications for adaptation to future change. Evolutionary Applications 1: 222-238.

McClure, M.M., Carlson, S.M., Beechie, T.J., Pess, G.R., Jorgenson, J.C., Sogard, S.M., Sultan, S.E., Holzer, D.M., Travis, J., Sanderson, B.L., Power, M.E., and Carmichael, R.W. 2008. Evolutionary consequences of habitat loss for Pacific anadromous salmonids. Evolutionary Applications 1: 300-318.

Carlson, S.M., and Quinn, T.P. 2007. Ten years of varying lake level and selection on size-at-maturity in sockeye salmon. Ecology 88: 2620-2629.

Carlson, S.M., Hilborn, R., Hendry, A.P., and Quinn, T.P. 2007. Predation by bears drives senescence in natural populations of salmon. PLoS ONE 2: e1286.

Carlson, S.M., Edeline, E., Vøllestad, L.A., Haugen, T.O., Winfield, I.J., Fletcher, J.M., James, J.B., and Stenseth, N.C. 2007. Four decades of opposing natural and human-induced artificial selection acting on Windermere pike (Esox lucius). Ecology Letters 10: 512-521.

Edeline, E., Carlson, S.M., Stige, L.C., Winfield, I.J., Fletcher, J.M., James, J.B., Haugen, T.O., Vøllestad, L.A., and Stenseth, N.C. 2007. Trait changes in a harvested population are driven by a dynamic tug-of-war between natural and harvest selection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104: 15799-15804.

Carlson, S.M., Hendry, A.P., and Letcher, B.H. 2007. Growth rate differences between resident native brook trout and non-native brown trout. Journal of Fish Biology 71: 1430-1447.