Our research is focused on applied aquatic conservation ecology and sustainability. Much of this work falls into one or more of these categories:

• Nature-based infrastructure that enhances aquatic biodiversity. This work is conducted in collaboration with the Network for Engineering With Nature.
• Understanding and predicting fish distributions and abundances. This includes work on population viability analysis, predictions of fish distributions under climate change, and assessment of population trajectories of imperiled species. This includes collaborative work with Trout Unlimited and the US Forest Service, among other partners.
• Flow ecology: understanding how water flow patterns affect populations, communities and ecosystem processes.
• Aquatic ecosystem ecology. Ecosystem processes are an important focus of many lab members, particularly those co-advised by Amy Rosemond.
• Urban stream ecology: understanding the mechanisms by which urbanization degrades streams, and developing better management approaches.
• Developing practical analytical methods to support conservation. Many of Wenger’s contributions are methodological, intended to make better use of data in conservation.
• Conservation prioritization. The lab group has made a series of contributions to both broad-scale and fine-scale aquatic conservation planning and spatial prioritization.
• Data-driven management policies. Members of the group collaborate with Katie Hill and other environmental policy experts to develop efficient management policies supported by the best available scientific understanding.

Not all work falls into these categories, though… it’s a diverse group and members are free to pursue the questions that interest them.