Natalie Klinard
MSc Student
Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research
Research
I began my research journey in September 2015 with my B.Sc. thesis in which I studied the movement and habitat use of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) in the Detroit River using acoustic telemetry. My growing interest in telemetry and aquatic ecology in the Laurentian Great Lakes led me to pursue a M.Sc. degree at GLIER that I started in January 2017.
My M.Sc. research focuses on determining the post-release behaviour, habitat use, and preliminary survival estimates of hatchery-reared bloater (Coregonus hoyi) stocked in Lake Ontario using acoustic telemetry. Through my current research, I aim to gain a better understanding of the fate of juvenile bloater stocked in Lake Ontario each year to assist in re-establishing a self-sustaining population of deepwater ciscoes. A population of deepwater ciscoes will help to achieve a healthy lake ecosystem by restoring fish native to the lake and increasing biodiversity. A substantial population of forage fishes would also improve food web stability through providing a trophic link between benthic production and top predators and reduce the potential for invasive species to colonize the niche that bloater would fill. Successful re-establishment of hatchery-reared fish resulting from studies done using acoustic telemetry would also provide a foundation that can be used as the basis for reintroduction and management of other native species throughout the Great Lakes.
Background
2018-
NSERC CGS M Scholarship holder
2017-2018
Ontario Graduate Scholarship holder
2017-
M.Sc. Environmental Science, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor (Windsor, ON). Supervised by Aaron Fisk (University of Windsor) and Tim Johnson (OMNRF).
2015
NSERC USRA Scholarship holder
2012-2016
B.Sc. Honours, Environmental Science, University of Windsor (Windsor, ON). Honours thesis supervised by Aaron Fisk and Scott Colborne.
Publications
1. Klinard, N.V., Fisk, A.T., Kessel, S.T., Halfyard, E.A., and Colborne, S.F. (2018) Habitat use and small-scale residence patterns of sympatric sunfish species in a large temperate river. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 75(7): 1059-1069.
2. Klinard, N.V., Halfyard, E.A., Fisk, A.T., Stewart, T., and Johnson, T.B. (2018) Effects of surgically implanted acoustic tags on body condition, growth, and survival in a small laterally compressed forage fish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 147(4): 749-757.