Teaching Interests
BSC 414/L/514/L Ichthyology
BSC 415/L/515/L Biology of Fishes
BSC 441/L541/L Population and Community Ecology
Research Interests
My research focuses on the ecology of
freshwater fishes. Research in my lab is conducted on a
variety of organizational levels from the physiology of
individuals to community dynamics over large spatial and
temporal scales. Some of the recently completed projects
included studies on phenotypic plasticity of
physiological traits, mechanisms of reproductive
isolation, and techniques for assessing the magnitude of
temporal change in communities. Ongoing research
projects being conducted by graduate students in the lab
include studies on the phylogeography of darters, the
nature of competitive interactions among stream fishes,
and conservation of the Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae).
For more detailed information and electronic copies of
papers see the research section of my web page.
I am also curator of the USM Museum of
Ichthyology. The collection is an invaluable resource
for students and researchers interested in ichthyology.
As of December 2006, the museum contained over 31,000
lots and over 510,000 specimens representing
approximately 750 taxa. While most of the collection
contains fishes from the southeastern US, efforts are
underway to add a number of collections from Honduras.
Recent graduates from my laboratory
including research topic and current positions:
- James Kerfoot*, MS. 2003.
Ecomorphology and microhabitat characteristics of
Cottus carolinae in prairie and ozark
streams. Currently pursuing Ph.D. at Florida
Technical Institute.
- Bethany Kassebaum*, MS. 2004.
Thermal biology of three darters (Etheostoma
caerelum, E. flabellare and E.
spectabile) in thermally contrasting streams.
Currently managing zebrafish lab at the Washington
University School of Medicine.
*Completed degree at Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville (previous position)
Representative Publications
Vigueira, P., Schaefer, J.F.,
Duvernell, D.D. and Kreiser, B.R. 2007. Tests of
reproductive isolation among species in the Fundulus
notatus (Cyprinodontiformes: Fundulidae) species
complex. In press, Evolutionary Ecology
Duvernell, D., Schaefer, J.F. and Ravenelli, A. 2006.
Hybridization and Introgression Among Syntopic
Populations of the Topminnows Fundulus notatus and F.
olivaceus in Southern Illinois. In press, Journal of
Evolutionary Biology
Kerfoot, J.R. and Schaefer, J.F. 2006. Ecomorphology and
habitat use by two Cottus species. Environmental
Biology of Fishes: 76:1-13
Schaefer, J.F. and Ryan, A. 2006. Developmental
plasticity in the thermal tolerance of zebrafish (Danio
rerio). Journal of Fish Biology 69:722-734
Schaefer, J.F., Gido, K.G. and Smith, M. 2005. A test
for community change using a null model approach.
Ecological Applications 15(5) 1761-1771
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