Associate Professor of Biology
B.S. 1977, St. Johns University
M.S. 1979, University of North Dakota
Ph.D. 1986, Texas A&M University
Fish Biology
Physiological Ecology of Fishes
Fisheries Management
Assistant Professor (Fish Biology)
Eastern New Mexico University, 1988-1991
Visiting Assistant
Professor/Instructor Texas A&M University, 1987.
Fisheries
Research
My research interests are relatively diverse including ecology, physiological ecology, systematics, and management of fishes. I have developed an integrated field/laboratory approach to the study of fish biology. I have found that the combination of these diverse approaches has yielded in-sight into broader theoretical problems of biology and new approaches for management of fishes.
I have developed some theoretical models which describe behavioral responses of fishes to temperature as functions of physiological and thermodynamic processes. I have set up a laboratory equipped to test predictions of these models. This work has implications for identifying and measuring environmental optima and subsequently insight into the distribution and abundance of organisms.
I am also involved in studying fish ecology in the field. This ranges from basic research in fish ecology to applied research in fisheries management.
Field and laboratory research each enhance the other. Difficult field questions may be simplified when translated to the laboratory setting and also may suggest theoretical models to be tested. Laboratory research may suggest new approaches for fisheries management.
Currently, I am involved in studying maximum critical swimming speeds
of fishes as a function of acclimation and test temperature. I am testing
whether swimming speed is a good measure of surplus power available to
a fish under a given thermal regime.
Wang, X., A. M. Melesse, S. W. Kelsch, and W. Yang. 2006. Discussion of “Adapting Existing Models to Examine Effects of Agricultural Conservation Programs on Stream Habitat Quality,” by F. Douglas Shields, Jr., Eddy J. Langendoen, and Martin W. Doyle. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 42(6):1711 – 1713 .
Kelsch, S. W. and J. L. Wendel. 2004 Lotic habitat availability and use by channel catfish in the Red River of the North. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 19:473-484.
Wendel, J. L. and S. W. Kelsch. 1999. Summer range and movement of channel catfish in the Red River of the North. Pages 203-214 in E. R. Irwin, W. A. Hubert, C. F. Rabeni, H. L. Schramm, Jr., and T. Coon, editors. Catfish 2000: proceedings of the international ictalurid symposium. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 24, Bethesda, Maryland.
Johnson, J. A., and S. W. Kelsch. 1998. Effects of evolutionary thermal environment on temperature-preference relationships in fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 53:447-458.
Kelsch, S. W. 1996. Temperature selection and performance by bluegills: evidence for selection in response to available power. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 125:948-955.
Kelsch, S. W., and B. Shields. 1996. Care and handling of sampled organisms. Pages 121-155 (Chapter 5) In Fisheries Techniques, 2nd Edition, B. Murphy and D. Willis (eds.). American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
Kelsch, S. W. 1995. Patterns of morphometric variation in the channel and headwater catfishes. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 124:272-279.
Kelsch, S. W. 1994. Lotic fish-community structure following transition from severe drought to high discharge. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 9:331-341.
Kelsch, S. W., and F. S. Hendricks. 1990. Distribution of the headwater catfish Ictalurus lupus (Pisces: Ictaluridae). Southwestern Naturalist 35:292-297.
Kelsch, S. W., and W. H. Neill. 1990. Temperature preference vs. acclimation in fishes: Selection for changing metabolic optima. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 119:601-610.
Bryan, J. D., S. W. Kelsch, and W. H. Neill. 1990. The maximum power principle in behavioral thermoregulation by fishes. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 119:611-621.
Kelsch, S. W., and F. S. Hendricks. 1986. An electrophoretic and multivariate morphometric comparison of the American catfishes Ictalurus lupus and I. punctatus. Copeia 1986:646-652.
Amemiya, C. T., S. W. Kelsch, F. S. Hendricks, and J. R. Gold. 1986. The karyotype of the Mexican blindcat, Prietella phreatophila Carranza (Ictaluridae). Copeia 1986:1024-1028.
Bettoli, P. W., W. H. Neill, and S. W. Kelsch. 1985. Temperature preference and heat resistance of grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes), bighead carp, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Gray), and their F1 hybrid. Journal of Fish Biology 27:239-247.
Kelsch, S. W., and F. S. Hendricks. 1982. Temporal analysis of aerial photographs for environmental assessments. Texas Journal of Science 34:23-56.
Fisheries Research at the University of North Dakota
Find UND Graduate Student Opportunities in Fish Biology Here
Biology Department Graduate Programs
Contact Dr. Steve Kelsch: steven_kelsch@und.nodak.edu
Last updated: 10/14/03