Research Interests
My research program examines predator-prey interactions in aquatic communities. To examine this problem, I have been focussing primarily on the characteristics of prey and their environment, and how these influence interactions between predators and their prey.
Projects
1. The impact of the physical environment
Much of my research is conducted in relatively shallow, freshwater systems. A characteristic of these shallow habitats is that there can be tremendous fluctuations in the physical environment, particularly with respect to temperature, turbidity and dissolved oxygen. Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that there is considerable variation in the ability of predator and prey species to withstand different levels of dissolved oxygen. Earlier research in my lab has also shown that turbidity can alter the relative importance of different types of information used by fish in this ecosystem. This is of particular interest since there is considerable variation between species in their ability to use different sensory modalities. Experiments are also currently investigating the role of temperature and how if affects interactions between predators and their prey. All of these aspects are currently being investigated by either myself or my graduate students./P>
2. Lake Sturgeon
An ongoing theme in my laboratory is to identify parameters that affect habitat quality. This research is an application of this knowledge by trying to determine the parameters that are important for the conservation of Lake Sturgeon. In collaboration with Drs. Gary Anderson and Steve Peake (University of New Brunswick) we are determining which components of the environment are required for Lake Sturgeon to survive in the Assiniboine and Winnipeg Rivers. Research includes identify diet preferences, substrate types, their interaction, and the potential effects of competitors and predators.
3. Population Models
Using individual-based population models, we are trying to determine the potential population dynamics that are associated with individual characteristics such as physiology and behaviour. I am hoping that this will be an especially valuable tool for better understanding the population level consequences associated with genetic manipulation.
Publications
Abrahams, M.V. & J. Sloan (submitted). Hypoxic environments and their impact upon habitat selection decisions involving the risk of predation.
Tymchuk WE, MV Abrahams & RH Devlin (2005). Competitive ability and mortality of growth-enhanced transgenic coho salmon (Onchorhynchus kisutch) when foraging for food. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 134:381-389 Reprint
Biro, P, MV Abrahams, J.R. Post & C Thompson (2004). Predators select against high growth rates and risk-taking behaviour in domestic trout populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B 271: 2232-2237 Reprint
Robb TL
& MV Abrahams (2003). Variation in tolerance to hypoxia in a predator and
prey species: An ecological advantage to being small? Journal of Fish
Biology
Koops MA & MV Abrahams (2003). Integrating the roles
of information and competitive ability on the spatial distribution of social
foragers. American Naturalist
Robb TL & MV Abrahams
(2002).
The influence of hypoxia on risk of predation and
habitat choice by the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas.
Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 52: 25-30.
Tallman RF, MV Abrahams & DH Chudobiak (2002).
Migration and life history alternatives in a high latitude species, the
broad whitefish, Coregonus nasus
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 11: 101-116
Chudobiak DH, MV Abrahams & RF
Tallman (2002). Variation in the morphology of two populations of
Arctic broad whitefish, Coregonus nasus (Pallas), in the
McGowan RA, C Bjornsson & MV Abrahams (2001). De-chorionation of fixed zebrafish embryos. Biotechniques 31: 288-290
Mangel, M & Abrahams, M.V (2001). Age and longevity in fish, with consideration of the Ferox Trout. Experimental Gerontology 36: 765-790. Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. D.M. Gillis, & L.D. Taylor
(2000). Applying ecological principles on the job:
engaging students in authentic environmental projects. Journal of College Science Teaching. 30: 166-171.
Cartar, R.V. & M.V. Abrahams (2000). The infection of pyrola (Pyrola asarifolia; Pyrolaceae) by spruce cone rust (Chrysomyxa pirolata; Uredinales): morphological correlates in the host and consequences for spore dispersal. Ecoscience 7: 357-364
Abrahams, M.V. & R.V. Cartar (2000). Within group variation in the willingness to risk exposure to a predator: the influence of species and size. Oikos 89: 340-344.Reprint
Hartman, E.J. & M.V. Abrahams (2000). Sensory compensation and the detection of predators: the interaction between chemical and visual information. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences. 267: 571-575 Reprint
Abrahams M.V. & T.C. Pratt (2000). Hormonal manipulations of growth rate and its influence on predator avoidance/foraging tradeoffs. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78: 121-127.Reprint
Koops, M.A. & M.V. Abrahams (1999). Assessing the Ideal Free Distribution: Do guppies use aggression as public information about patch quality? Ethology 105: 737-746 Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. & A. Sutterlin (1999). The foraging and antipredator behaviour of growth enhanced transgenic Atlantic Salmon. Animal Behaviour 58: 933-942 Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. & L.M. Dill (1998). The value of titration experiments for the quantification of behavioural trade-offs. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 44: 147-148.Reprint
Koops, M.A. & M.V. Abrahams (1998). Life history and the fitness consequences of imperfect information. Evolutionary Ecology. 12: 601-613. Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. & M.G. Kattenfeld (1997). The role of turbidity as a constraint on predator-prey interactions in aquatic environments. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology. 40: 169-174. Reprint
Cartar, R.V. & M.V. Abrahams (1997). Predicting the distribution of organisms among a few patches: problems with detecting departures from an ideal free distribution. Oikos 78: 388-393.
Cartar, R.V. & M.V. Abrahams (1996). Risk-sensitive foraging in a patch departure context: a test with worker bumble bees. American Zoologist 36: 447-458
Abrahams, M.V. (1996). Interaction between young-of-year fathead minnows and brook sticklebacks: effects on growth and diet selection. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 125: 480-485.
Abrahams, M.V. (1995). The interactions between antipredator behaviour and antipredator morphology: experiments with fathead minnows and brook sticklebacks. Canadian Journal of Zoology 73: 2209-2215.
Abrahams, M.V. (1994). Risk of predation and its influence on the relative competitive abilities of two species of freshwater fishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 51: 1629-1633
Abrahams, M.V. & M.C. Healey (1993) Some consequences of variation in vessel density: a manipulative field experiment. Fisheries Research 15: 315-322 Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. & M.C. Healey (1993) A comparison of the relative willingness of four species of Pacific salmon to risk exposure to a predator. Oikos 66: 439-446
Abrahams, M.V. & L. Townsend (1993) Bioluminescence in dinoflagellates: a test of the burglar alarm hypothesis. Ecology 74: 258-260. Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. (1993) The trade-off between foraging and courting in male guppies. Animal Behaviour 45: 673-681. Reprint
Johnsson, J.I. & M.V. Abrahams 1991 Domestication increases foraging under threat of predation in juvenile steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): an experimental study. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48: 243-247.
Abrahams, M.V. & M.C. Healey (1990) Variation in the competitive
abilities of fishermen and its influence on the spatial distribution of the
Abrahams, M.V. (1989). Foraging guppies and the ideal free distribution: the influence of information on patch choice. Ethology 82: 116-126.
Abrahams, M.V. & L.M. Dill (1989). A determination of the energetic equivalence of the risk of predation. Ecology 70: 999-1007. Reprint
Godin, J-G.J., L.J. Classon & M.V. Abrahams (1988). Group vigilance and shoal size in a small characin fish. Behaviour 104: 29-40.
Abrahams, M.V. & P.W. Colgan (1987). Fish schools and their hydrodynamic function: a reanalysis. Environmental Biology of Fishes 20: 79-80. Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. (1986). Patch choice under perceptual constraints: a cause for departures from an ideal free distribution. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology 19: 409-415. Reprint
Abrahams, M.V. & P.W. Colgan (1985). Risk of predation, hydrodynamic efficiency and their influence on school structure. Environmental Biology of Fishes 13: 195-202. Reprint