The Ice Age Legacy of Western Fishes: How One Rodent Can Turn Back the Clock on Climate Change

Wednesday, Dec. 4, 7:00 pm – Mars Ag Center – Room 201

With Niall Clancy, Ph.D. Candidate, Wyoming Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming

Abstract:
The Earth has gone through many cycles of warming and cooling, and the distribution of freshwater fish ebb and flow accordingly. During the last Ice Age, cold-adapted fishes colonized the Northern Great Plains. Human-caused climate warming is now putting these cold-adapted species at risk. However, some cold-adapted fishes also find refuge in beaver ponds, so conserving beaver populations may help these species adapt to a warmer and drier climate. In this presentation, we will discuss the deep-time legacy of past climates, implications for today’s world, and practical ways to help conserve native species.

Biosketch:
Niall is a PhD Candidate at the University of Wyoming. He holds a B.S. in fish and wildlife management from Montana State University and M.S. in ecology from Utah State University. He works with private, state, and federal partners to conserve and restore native fishes in the Intermountain West.