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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.

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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

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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