Dr. Stuart A. Ludsin
Professor
Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB)
Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
Director, Fish Management in Ohio Partnership with the Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW)
Co-Director, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory
President, Early Life History Section of the American Fisheries Society
My research explores mechanisms that regulate fish population and community structure and dynamics, as well as food web interactions, in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Typically, I have sought to apply my research to resource management problems such that agencies can make informed decisions about the environment. Overall, my research encompasses three broad but interconnected areas: 1) fish recruitment and early life-history; 2) stock discrimination and population connectivity; and 3) global change ecology. Of late, I have also been collaborating with researchers and agencies to advance successful implementation of ecosystem-based approaches to management worldwide, and especially in the North American Great Lakes.
While conducting this research, I have had the honor and pleasure of acting as steward of a decades old Fish Management in Ohio Partnership between the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory (AEL) and Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW), which was established in the 1980s by my former Ph.D. advisor, Roy Stein. In my current role as director of this partnership, I work with AEL colleagues, DOW biologists, and other university researchers to address fisheries ecology and conservation problems in Lake Erie and Ohio’s inland lakes and reservoirs.
Through this partnership, as well as research collaborations with other Great Lakes and coastal management and regulatory agencies, I use my passion for conducting ecological research and understanding how our natural world operates to benefit the management of our vital ecosystems, including the valued fish populations and the fisheries that they support.
Opportunities
I am currently seeking a PhD student to begin summer or autumn 2024 to work on a project assessing walleye spawning in the Sandusky River post dam-removal. See the AEL Opportunities page for more information.
I seek highly qualified, enthusiastic graduate students that are creative, motivated, and capable of working well both independently and cooperatively. Successful candidates would join a dynamic, interactive group of graduate students, post-docs, and faculty at The Ohio State University’s Aquatic Ecology Laboratory (AEL) within the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB). Interested applicants should check back for postings (usually in late summer or early fall) or reach out directly.
Find a list of my current students and lab members here.
Outreach
Outreach is a guiding principle of my work since it paves the way for stewardship in the broader community. Science is not complete until we effectively share our findings, so we work hard to share ours with all parts of our community.
Check out that many ways that the Ludsin Lab seeks to share our research with the broader community on the Aquatic Ecology Lab outreach page.