David Deslauriers

Pressures to Publish: Catalysts for the Loss of Scientific Writing Integrity?

ABSTRACT Publishing research is the final step in the scientific process and is used as the primary means for disseminating research findings to the scientific community. Publishing can embody many personal motivations (e.g., gratification, seeing a finished product in print, desire to further science) for authors as well as professional benefits (e.g., promotion, tenure, future funding opportunities). As the scientific workforce and competition for jobs and funding increase, publishing productivity has become a driving factor for many authors, which may lead to writing practices that violate integrity. In this essay, we discuss writing actions that may be considered a violation of integrity in the context of traditional manuscript sections (introduction and discussion, methods, and results). We define “integrity” as consistency of actions that reflect honesty and truthfulness. Writing the introduction and discussion can be compared to an artistic creation because the rendition of the data may vary depend...

Fish Bioenergetics 4.0: An R-based modeling application

Bioenergetics modeling is a widely used tool in fisheries management and research. Although popular, currently available software (i.e., Fish Bioenergetics 3.0) has not been updated in over 20 years and is incompatible with newer operating systems (i.e., 64-bit). Moreover, since the release of Fish Bioenergetics 3.0 in 1997, the number of published bioenergetics models has increased appreciably from 56 to 105 models representing 73 species. In this article, we provide an overview of Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 (FB4), a newly developed modeling application that consists of a graphical user interface (Shiny by RStudio) combined with a modeling package used in the R computing environment. While including the same capabilities as previous versions, Fish Bioenergetics 4.0 allows for timely updates and bug fixes and can be continuously improved based on feedback from users. In addition, users can add new or modified parameter sets for additional species and formulate and incorporate modifications such as habitat-dep...

Effect of Morphological Fin-Curl on the Swimming Performance and Station-Holding Ability of Juvenile Shovelnose Sturgeon

Abstract We assessed the effect of fin-curl on the swimming and station-holding ability of juvenile shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (mean fork length = 17 cm; mean weight = 16 g; n = 21) using a critical swimming speed test performed in a small swim chamber (90 L) at 20°C. We quantified fin-curl severity using the pectoral fin index. Results showed a positive relationship between pectoral fin index and critical swimming speed indicative of reduced swimming performance displayed by fish afflicted with a pectoral fin index < 8%. Fin-curl severity, however, did not affect the station-holding ability of individual fish. Rather, fish affected with severe fin-curl were likely unable to use their pectoral fins to position their body adequately in the water column, which led to the early onset of fatigue. Results generated from this study should serve as an important consideration for future stocking practices.

Effects of Passive Integrated Transponder Tags on Survival, Growth, and Swimming Performance of Age-0 Shovelnose Sturgeon

AbstractInnovative tools that benefit conservation biology are critical because freshwater fishes are being lost at unprecedented rates. Although mark–recapture is important to characterize population ecology and describe life history traits of declining species, techniques for tagging small-bodied individuals are limited. Recent advances in passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag technology may transform our understanding of fish ecology by providing opportunities to tag small-bodied fishes and early life stages of larger species. Despite the potential value of new PIT tags (8.4 × 1.4 mm), 30% smaller than those previously available, limited research has evaluated their suitability when implanted into small fishes. We evaluated the effectiveness of these tags when surgically implanted into two size-classes (small: 40–70 mm FL; and large: 80–120 mm FL) of age-0 Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus. This species is closely related to the endangered Pallid Sturgeon S. albus and is often used as ...

How to Incorporate Experiential Learning in the Classroom to Address Complex Problems in Ecology

An alternative to the use of live predators in the context of predator–prey feeding relationships for educational purposes is presented here. A group of 18 students was asked to maneuver a fictional predator (pipette), which was used to capture age-0 Shovelnose Sturgeon under different densities (1–30 fish per 40-L tank) and temperature treatments (13°C, 18°C, and 24°C). The data were then used to estimate the functional feeding response coefficients typical of a type II curve. Results indicated that the temperature treatments did not have a significant influence on the magnitude of the coefficients. However, the use of a fictional predator provided useful insight into behaviors (fish captured head first and off the bottom of the tank) that were more likely to lead to a predation event. This exercise also limited the mortality of organisms typically associated with these types of trials. Conclusions should provide students with a mechanistic understanding of predator–prey interactions by means of an exper...