Curriculum Vitae of Kevin S. Irons
April
9, 2007
1987-88
1987
1983
*Attended
from September 1987 to April 1988 to augment previous education and further
education and experience in Fisheries Science.
1991 - present
Employer
-
Position
– Associate Technical Scientist (Large River Ecologist)
(Rehired to new job
description from Assistant Research Scientist in 2005)
(Promoted from Senior Technical Research
Scientist in 1999)
(Promoted from Technical Research Biologist
in 1995)
Duties
include:
Long-Term Resource
Monitoring (LTRMP) - Fisheries Component
Collect
fish using nets, seines, trawls, and electroshocking; identify, weigh, and
measure fish; maintain field equipment including boats, trailers, and nets;
data entry and database management using Access 2000; data analysis (SAS,
Primer, MS Excel) and report preparation; collect, prepare, and read scales and
otoliths for age and growth analysis; maintain Global Imaging System (GIS)
software and coverages for field station using EPPL7, ARCINFO, and ARCVIEW
software; train and supervise personnel, boat operation in main channel, side
channels, and backwaters of the Illinois River; maintain buildings and grounds.
Long-Term Resource
Monitoring (LTRMP) – Exotic Fish Team Leader
Responsible
for editing and coordination of report, and data sharing of information about
non-native (exotic) fish and the relationship to LTRMP. Product will include contractual reports,
manuscripts, and contributions to other LTRMP products.
Environmental Monitoring
and Assessment of
Collect
fish, using day electrofishing, identify, weigh, and measure fish, and collect
fish flesh samples and photographs under standardized EPA EMAP-GRE methodology
on the
Dredge placement study –
United States Army Corp of Engineers 404 study
The purpose for this study is two-fold. First, we assessed the ability to link
digitized dredge placement information residing with the Rock Island District –
USACE to GIS referenced LTRMP fisheries data from six regional trend areas (RTA’s)
throughout the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). Secondly, with this task
completed we can begin assess the usefulness and ability of LTRMP
fisheries data to detect effects of dredge placement within the UMRS. The LTRMP has visited over 24,791 sites since
1993 with over 3 million fish of 134 species being collected. Duties included proposal writing, attending
Fish and Wildlife Interagency Committee (FWIC) meeting, accruing GIS data from
USACE, merging data using ArcView and MS Access, and data analysis using SAS
and Primer software.
Habitat Rehabilitation
and Enhancement Programs (HREP) - Fish
Responsible
for fish collection in side channels and backwater lakes of Illinois River
using gill nets, fyke nets, hoop nets, seines and electrofishing; identify,
weigh, and measure fish; maintain field equipment including boats, trailers,
and nets; data entry and database management; data analysis and report
preparation; collect, prepare, and read scales and otoliths for age and growth
analysis; establish new sampling locations; build and maintain database using
R:base for data entry, storage and manipulation for reports; generate project
summaries; train and supervise personnel.
Research Support
Assist with field
gathering of aquatic organisms including bighead carp, silver carp, common
carp, zooplankton, and turtles to assist with Illinois River Biological Station
ongoing research and assist in field collection when possible for researchers
from various organizations including USGS, and University of Illinois.
Staff/projects aided
includes: Ron Taylor INHS, Tracy Barkley
UI, Schuyler Sampson INHS, Lindsay Anderson INHS-EMU, Dwayne Chapman USGS, and
Jeff Rach USGS
Flood Sampling
Sample
floodplain habitats contiguous with the Illinois River during a record flood
(1995); LTRMP gears fished on a flooded marsh and agricultural field; collect
and record data for fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians; collect water
quality which includes dissolved oxygen, secchi disk, conductivity and
temperature.
Aging of
Collect
aging structures (scales and otoliths) from fish from LTRMP/HREP and additional
sampling on the Illinois River; collect, prepare, and read scales and otoliths
with Optimas Imaging system, compound microscopes, and microfiche readers; use
data to estimate spawning dates and growth rates; maintain database with all
measurements.
Bass Tagging Study
(LTRMP) - Fisheries Component
Collect
largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) using all LTRMP gear in addition to working
bass club-sponsored tournaments on the Illinois River; collect length/weight
data, location caught; tag all bass with a florescent Floy tag, clear nylon
blank tag, and fin clip for positive identification; fit bass with radio tags
beginning in 1993; locate and record telemetry data, including use of a
Magellan's Global Positioning System (Na 1000 Pro Model 31000); collect,
prepare, and read scales and otoliths with Optimas Imaging system; maintain database with all bass information;
write response letters to recreational fisherman returning Floy tags.
Assist
in sample design and collect fish from a waterfowl management unit with
larval-fish-light traps, ichthyoplankton nets, hoop nets and
electrofishing. Monitored dissolved
oxygen, turbidity, and water temperature.
Assisted with identification of larval and juvenile fish. Used GIS to assign sample locations and a GPS
unit to identify locations in the field. Maintained
database.
LTRMP - Sediment
Deposition
Surveyed
bed elevation change in both contiguous and isolated backwaters of the La
Grange Reach on the
LTRMP – Out of Pool
Sampling (
Conducted
intensive shocking runs covering both Pools 19 and 20 of the
LTRMP - Invertebrate
Sampling
Assist
in collection of Ponar dredge samples from randomly selected sites on La Grange
Reach, Illinois River; wash, pick out designated species, preserve samples; use
a mini-ponar dredge to sample sediment/bottom substrate; use maps, charts,
Magellan's GPS to locate sample sights.
LTRMP Water Quality
Component
Collect
water quality parameters: van Dorn
sampling, water depth, velocity at various depths, secchi disk transparencies,
pH and temperature, wind speed, wind and current direction using compass,
dissolved oxygen, and turbidity; maintain boat and equipment.
LTRMP Vegetation
Component
Assist
with data collection on vegetation transects on sections of the
Assist
with data collection at random forest transects on sections of the
HREP - Benthic Sampling
Assist
in collection of benthic organisms with Ponar dredges; use Magellan GPS NA 1000
Pro Model 31000 to triangulate location; wash and pick samples and preserve for
future examination; maintain boat and equipment.
Vallisneria Project
Assist
in collection of light intensities at various depths, water velocities, number
of leaves present and length, of wild celery experiment in Lake Matanzas;
distribution of experimental cages to grow wild celery.
Zebra Mussel
Analysis/Dive Project
Assist
in collection, washing, sorting and picking of .25 meter-squared quadrats taken
from various locations on the
Zebra Mussel
Veliger/Settlement Project
Assist
in collections of water samples taken from on the
1987 - 1988
Employer
-
Position
- Graduate Research Assistant
Lab
and Field work at MSU included:
Analysis
of Lake Michigan salmonids, including length, weight, stomach analysis and
location caught for use in diet study and possible migration patterns; aging
calcified structures collected from lakes in the upper peninsula of Michigan
and northern Wisconsin for the Environmental Protection Agency; egg extractions
from Lake Whitefish from Lake Huron and Lake Michigan for fecundity and egg
quality research; zooplankton Identification for U.S. Geological Survey.
1986
Employer
-
Position
- Assistant Biologist
Lab
work at Ashland Biological Station Ashland, Wisconsin included: Duties at the Ashland Biological Station of
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service included summary of catch records; generation of
length frequency histograms; preparation of scale and otolith samples for aging
and back calculation of growth.
Fieldwork
on R.V. Siscowet,
Fish
collection aboard the Siscowet included both bottom set gill nets and bottom
trawls; cruises were taken throughout spring, summer, and fall, some of these
lasting 10 to 14 days; areas sampled
were near shore waters of Lake Superior from Grand Marais, Minnesota to Copper
Harbor, Michigan; duties aboard the Siscowet included sampling of fish length,
weight, stomach analysis, and taking scale samples for age and growth
estimates; records of lamprey wounds were recorded on commercially valuable
fish species; preservation of forage
species such as herring, sculpins, and various shiners were done by freezing or
storing in 10% formalin solution for analysis of taxonomy and/or diet at
Ashland Biological Station.
Species
collected and identified at Ashland Biological Station included: Lake Trout,
Common Whitefish, Round Whitefish, Pygmy Whitefish, Lake Herring, Chinook
salmon, various forage species.
1983 - 1984
Employer
-
Position
- Lab Assistant
Duties
included
Media
preparation for reproduction and maintenance of Drosophila melanogaster stocks; transfer of adult stocks from old
to new media; sex identification, and pairing of sexes, to seed new cultures;
data entry on a microcomputer of journal titles for department libraries.
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Publications/Reports |
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43 |
2007
Irons, K.S., G.G. Sass, M.A. McClelland, and J.D. Stafford. In review.
Reduced condition factor of two native fish species coincident with
invasion of non-native Asian carps in the Illinois River, |
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42 |
2007
Irons, K.S., G.G. Sass, M.A. McClelland, and T.M. O’Hara. In review.
The Long Term Resource Monitoring Program: insights into the Asian
carp invasion of the Illinois River, |
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41 |
2007
Hoff, M.H., M.A. Pegg, and K.S. Irons.
In review. Management
Implications from a Stock-recruit Model for Bighead Carp in Portions of the |
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40 |
2006
Irons, K.S., M.A. McClelland, and M.A. Pegg.
Expansion of Round Goby in the |
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39 |
2006
Irons, K.S. and M.A. Pegg. Assessing
the ability of a long-term fish-monitoring program to detect effects of
dredged material placement within the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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38 |
2006 Pegg, M. A., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara, and
M. A. McClelland. Initial response of
a floodplain lake fish community to water-level stabilization. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. 15: 40-47 |
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37 |
2006
Bartels, A., M. C. Bowler, S. DeLain, E. Gittinger, D. Herzog, K. Irons, K.
Mauel, T. M. O'Hara, E. Ratcliff, and J. Ridings. 2006. 2005 Annual Status
Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River
System. |
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36 |
2005
Pegg, M. A., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara, and M. A. McClelland. |
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35 |
2005 Bartels, A., M. C. Bowler, S. DeLain, D.
Herzog, K. Irons, K. Mauel, T. M. O'Hara, E. Ratcliff, and J. Ridings. 2005.
2004 Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper
Mississippi River System. |
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34 |
2005
Ickes, B. S., M. C. Bowler, A. D. Bartels, D. J. Kirby, S. DeLain, J. H.
Chick, V. A. Barko, K. S. Irons, and M. A. Pegg. 2005. Multiyear synthesis of
the fish component from 1993 to 2002 for the Long Term Resource Monitoring
Program. |
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33 |
2005
Irons, K. S. Contributor and Invited
speaker in: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Proceedings of the Asian Carp Working Group Meeting. |
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32 |
2004
Pegg, M.A., Kevin S. Irons, T. Matthew O’Hara, and Michael A.
McClelland. |
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31 |
2003
Bartels, A., Steve DeLain, Kevin Mauel, Mel C. Bowler, Eric J. Gittinger,
Eric Ratcliff, David P. Herzog, Kevin S. Irons, Timothy M. O'Hara, and David
Ostendorf. 2003 Annual Status Report:
A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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30 |
2003
Burkhardt,R.W., J.S. Sauer, S. DeLain, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, E. Ratcliff,
D. P.Herzog, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O'Hara. 2000 Annual Status Report: A
summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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29 |
2003
Burkhardt, R.W., J.S. Sauer, S. DeLain, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, E.
Ratcliff, D. P.Herzog, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O'Hara. 2001 Annual Status
Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River
System. |
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28 |
2003
Ickes, B., J.S. Sauer, S. DeLain, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, E. Ratcliff, D.
P.Herzog, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O'Hara. 2002 Annual Status Report: A summary
of fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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27 |
2002
Irons, K. S., T. M. O’Hara, M. A.
McClelland, and M. A. Pegg. White
perch occurrence, spread, and hybridization in the middle |
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26 |
2001
Burkhardt, R. W., S. Delaine, E. Kramer, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, E.
Ratcliff, D. P. Herzog, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O’Hara. 1999 Annual Status Report: A summary of
fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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25 |
2001
O’Hara, T. M., K. S. Irons, and M. A. McClelland. Adult fish population dynamics in the North
Cell of Lake Chautauqua. Pages 6-35 In
Lemke, A. M., and M. A. Pegg, editors.
2001. Progress Report: |
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24 |
2000
Koel, Todd M., Kevin S. Irons, and Eric Ratcliff. 2000.
Asian Carp Invasion of the |
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23 |
2000
Burkhardt, R. W., S. Delaine, E. Kramer, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, F. A.
Cronin, M. D. Petersen, D. P. Herzog, T. M. O’Hara, and K. S. Irons. 2000.
1998 Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of
the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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22 |
1999
Gutreuter, Steve, Andrew D. Bartels, Kevin Irons, and M. Sandheinrich. Evaluation of the flood-pulse concept based
on statistical models of growth of selected fishes of the |
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21 |
1999
Stoeckel, James A., Kevin S. Irons, Kristy C. Boggs, and Bryan Cross. Progress Report: |
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20 |
1999
Irons, Kevin S. and Timothy M. O’Hara.
Annual Progress Report for the Bioreesponse Monitoring of |
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19 |
1998
Burkhardt, R. W., M. Stopyro, E. Kramer, A. Bartels, M. C. Bowler, F. A.
Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Petersen, D. P. Herzog, T. M. O’Hara, and K. S.
Irons. 1998. 1997 Annual Status Report: A summary of
fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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18 |
1998
Gutreuter, S., R. W. Burkhardt, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Petersen, D. P. Herzog, K. S.
Irons, T. M. O’Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and P. T. Raibley. 1997. 1991 Annual Status Report: A summary of
fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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17 |
1997
Irons, K.S., P. T. Raibley, K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks. Progress Report: |
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16 |
1997 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara,
K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks.
Winter habitats used by largemouth bass in the |
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15 |
1997 Raibley, P. T., T. M. O'Hara, K. S. Irons,
K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks.
Largemouth bass size distributions under varying annual hydrological
regimes in the |
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14 |
1997
Gutreuter, S., R. W. Burkhardt, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Peterson, D. P. Herzog, K. S.
Irons, T. M. O’Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and P. T. Raibley. 1992 Annual Status Report: A summary of
fish data in six reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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13 |
1997
Burkhardt, R. W., S. Gutreuter, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Peterson, D. P. Herzog, K. S.
Irons, T. M. O’Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and P. T. Raibley. |
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12 |
1996
Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper
Mississippi River System. |
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11 |
1997
Gutreuter, S., R. W. Burkhardt, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Peterson, D. P. Herzog, K. S.
Irons, T. M. O’Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and P. T. Raibley. |
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10 |
1995
Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of the Upper
Mississippi River System. |
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9 |
1997
Gutreuter, S., R. W. Burkhardt, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Peterson, D. P. Herzog, P. T.
Raibley, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O’Hara.
1994 Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of
the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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8 |
1997
Gutreuter, S., R. W. Burkhardt, M. Stopyro, A. Bartels, E. Kramer, M. C.
Bowler, F. A. Cronin, D. W. Soergel, M. D. Peterson, D. P. Herzog, P. T.
Raibley, K. S. Irons, and T. M. O’Hara.
1993 Annual Status Report: A summary of fish data in six reaches of
the Upper Mississippi River System. |
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7 |
1996 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara,
K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks. Mark
and Recapture Studies and Angling Impacts on Largemouth Bass in |
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6 |
1995 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M.
O'Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks.
Summary of fisheries sampling for Long Term Resource Monitoring
Program on La Grange Reach, Illinois River, 1991. National Biological Service, |
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5 |
1995 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M.
O'Hara, K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks.
Summary of fisheries sampling for Long Term Resource Monitoring
Program on La Grange Reach, Illinois River, 1992. National Biological Service, |
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4 |
1995 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara,
K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks. Summary
of fisheries sampling for Long Term Resource Monitoring Program on La Grange
Reach, Illinois River, 1993. National
Biological Service, |
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3 |
1995 Raibley, P. T., K. S. Irons, T. M. O'Hara,
K. D. Blodgett, and R. E. Sparks.
Summary of fisheries sampling for Long Term Resource Monitoring
Program on La Grange Reach, Illinois River, 1994. National Biological Service, |
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2 |
1994
Blodgett, K.D., K.S. Irons, T.R. Cook.
Progress Report: Bioresponse Monitoring at |
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1 |
1993
Irons, K. S., K. D. Blodgett. Annual
Progress Report for Bioresponse Monitoring of Habitat Rehabilitation and
Enhancement Projects (HREP's) for |
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Professional Presentations / Seminars / Talks Given |
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87 |
2007 Irons, K.S., G.G |