Education

• B.S., California University of Pennsylvania, 1995
• M.S., Frostburg State University, Maryland, 1999
• Ph.D., State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 2006
• Postdoc, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 2007
• Postdoc, Central Michigan University, 2007-2008

Research Fields

Great Lakes Ecology, Aquatic Ecology, Community Ecology, Ecosystem Functioning, Fisheries, Tropical Ecology

Current Research Projects

My labs primary research is directed toward gaining a better understanding of the ‘rules’ that govern aquatic food web structure, functioning, and stability. Using size-spectra theory as a functional framework we are addressing questions related to food web capacity, the role of biodiversity, species identity, and disturbance on food web structure, functioning and stability, and ultimately the factors that regulate aquatic ecosystem services. To address these questions our studies have included investigations at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels and utilize statistical, simulation, and theoretical modeling (all based on extensive field sampling). My lab also collaborates extensively with CMU faculty and external institutions resulting in much emphasis on Great Lakes invasive species, assessment of Great Lake coastal wetland health, and evaluations of fisheries restoration (e.g. stocking and dam removals). Some active projects include:

• Size-structure of the inland lakes of Beaver Island
• Assessment of Great Lake Ecosystem Health (co-PI with D. Uzarski)
• Evaluation of rock ramps at meeting restoration goals
• Various investigations of Great Lakes invasive species, e.g. round goby use of Great Lake coastal wetlands

Selected Publications

• Murry, B.A., Cooper, M.J., Kapuncinski, K., *Coulter, D., Paoli, T., Clapp, D., Ruetz, C., Farrell, J.M., Uzarski, D.  In Review.  Increasing prevalence of the invasive round goby in coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes: implications to native fish refugia. Journal of Great Lakes Research.
• Kapuncinski, K., Farrell, J.M., Murry, B.A.  In Review.  Selection of native and non-native prey by wild young-of-year muskellunge ( Esox masquinongy) within large river ecosystems.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science.
• *Coulter, D. P., B. A. Murry, W. C. #Webster, and D. G. Uzarski. Accepted. The growth of a Great Lakes invasive fish species, the round goby, on four naturally occurring prey types. Journal of Freshwater Ecology.
• Nack, C.C., B.A. Murry, M.J. Connerton, and N.H. Ringler.  Accepted.  Contribution of wild-origin chinook salmon to the spawning run in the Salmon River, New York.  Journal of Freshwater Ecology.
• Murry, B.A., M.J. Connerton, R. O’Gorman, D.S. Stewart, N.H. Ringler.  2010.  Estimates of whole-lake Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) abundance, biomass, and gross consumption in Lake Ontario 1989 – 2005: implications to prey fish exploitation.  Transactions of the American  Fisheries Society 139: 223-240.
• Farrell, J.M., B.A. Murry, D.J. Leopold, A. Halpern, M. Rippke, K.S. Godwin, and S.D. Hafner.  2010.  Water level regulation and coastal wetland vegetation in the upper St. Lawrence River: Inferences from historical aerial imagery, seed banks, and Typha dynamics.  Hydrobiologia.
• Connerton, M.J., B.A. Murry, N.H. Ringler, D.S. Stewart.  2009.  Temporal changes in the contribution of wild Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to the Lake Ontario sport fishery 1989 – 2005: implications to stocking decisions.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 35: 419-429.

*Graduate student; Undergraduate