Background
2007-2012 – Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology, McMaster University Department of Biology, Hamilton, ON
2002-2007 – B.Sc. in Biodiversity, McMaster University Department of Biology, Hamilton, ON
Research Interests
Habitat loss or alteration is one of the main drivers behind global declines in biodiversity. As a result, I am broadly interested in the fundamental connections between a species and its habitat. Recently, I completed work focused on coastal wetlands, using remote sensing and modeling to determine how habitat will respond to predicted changes in water levels. Working in aquatic habitat peaked my interest in fish movement. To this end, I looked at habitat selection by fishes in and among coastal wetlands. Moving forward, I am increasingly curious about the mechanisms behind fish habitat selection and the factors that drive their movement.
Summary of Current Research
My earlier work was focused more at the landscape level and I hope to learn more about fish movement, fish physiology, and telemetry during my time in the Cooke Lab. I am excited to be involved in multiple projects. In early March, I had the opportunity to travel to Denmark to start a study looking at the impact of stress on the out-migration of brown trout. We will hopefully get data for this study in late May or early June. In Watt’s Creek we have started a study to determine how the fish community will respond following habitat restoration. We will also look at habitat selection and movement of fish species in the creek. Some other projects are in the pipe, so I will update the website once things get finalized.
Refereed Publications
Midwood, J.D., & Chow-Fraser, P. 2012. Predicting the response of submerged aquatic vegetation to low water levels in coastal wetlands of Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. (In Submission: Journal of Great Lakes Research).
Midwood, J.D., Rokitnicki-Wojcik, D., & Chow-Fraser, P. 2012. Development of an inventory of coastal wetlands for eastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. ISRN Ecology vol. 2012, Article ID 950173, 13 pages. doi:10.5402/2012/950173.
Midwood, J.D. & Chow-Fraser, P. 2012. Changes in aquatic vegetation and fish communities following five years of sustained low water levels in coastal marshes of eastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. Global Change Biology 18:93-105.
Midwood, J.D. & Chow-Fraser, P. 2010. Mapping floating and emergent aquatic vegetation in coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Canada. Wetlands 30(6):1141-1152.
Non-refereed publications
Midwood, J.D. & Chow-Fraser, P. 2011. Surveying Aquatic Vegetation in Coastal Wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay.
Midwood, J.D., Fracz, A., & Chow-Fraser, P. 2010. Amount of aquatic vegetation in coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay that would become transformed for any given water level between 163 and 176 m (asl). Performance indicator report submitted to the Environmental Technical Work Group of the Upper Great Lakes Study.
Chow-Fraser, P. & Midwood, J.D. 2010. Areal cover of emergent and submersed aquatic vegetation in Goulais Bay, Lake Superior. Performance indicator report submitted to the Environmental Technical Work Group of the Upper Great Lakes Study.
Chow-Fraser, P. & Midwood, J.D. 2010. Areal cover of emergent and submersed aquatic vegetation in Batchawana Bay, Lake Superior between water levels 177.0 to 185.5 (m asl). Performance indicator report submitted to the Environmental Technical Work Group of the Upper Great Lakes Study.
Midwood, J.D., Rokitnicki-Wojcik, D., Cimaroli, K., & Chow-Fraser, P. 2010. Development of an inventory of coastal wetlands for eastern and northern Georgian Bay, Lake Huron. Technical Report Submitted to the Georgian Bay Forever.
Midwood, J.D., & Chow-Fraser, P. 2010. Water-level induced changes in fish communities in coastal wetlands of eastern Georgian Bay. Technical Report Submitted to Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Chow-Fraser, P., Croft, M.V. & Midwood, J.D. 2008. Volunteer Aquatic Plant Survey Guide
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