Raymond M. NewmanRaymond M. Newman

Professor, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Director of Graduate Studies, Water Resources Science

Project Director, Introduced Species & Genotypes IGERT
Phone: 612-625-5704
E-mail: RNewman@umn.edu
Ph. D. University of Minnesota
B.S. Slippery Rock University

Fields of Interest

Aquatic ecology, invasive species, and fisheries management.

Courses

Research

My research interests are in applied and basic aquatic ecology with an emphasis on trophic relations, littoral zones, and streams. I have a wide range of research interests in fisheries ecology and believe a mix of descriptive and manipulative research is essential. Much of my work is interdisciplinary and has involved collaboration with other researchers.

I am interested in basic and applied aspects of herbivory on freshwater macrophytes by invertebrates. This work includes applied research on potential biological control agents of nuisance weeds such as Eurasian watermilfoil and more basic research on the role of secondary chemicals in the use of macrophytes by aquatic invertebrates. My students and I have examined secondary chemicals as feeding deterrents to generalist herbivores and as oviposition attractants to specialist herbivores that may be useful biological control agents. More recently we have been examing the ecology of invasive aquatic plants such as milfoil and curlyleaf pondweed. This includes work on effects of large scale treatments to control invasive plants, models to predict invasion and the ecology of propagules such as seeds and turions.

I am also interested in trophic relations of fish. For example, at what spatial scale are stream fish food limited? Does fish predation limit populations of watermilfoil control agents?

Lastly, I am interested in stream fish and invertebrates, especially as these relate to density, growth, and feeding relations. I am particularly interested in research linking individual fish responses to population level responses. Recent applied work is aimed at determining the effects of riparian logging practices on stream habitat, invertebrates and fish population.

Selected Publications

  • Hemstad, N. A. and R. M. Newman. 2006. Local and landscape effects of past forest harvest on stream habitat and fish assemblages. Pages 413-427 in R. M. Hughes, L. Wang, and P. W. Sellbach, editors. Influences of landscape on stream habitats and biological aseemblages. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 48, Bethesda, Maryland.
  • Ward, D. M. and R. M. Newman. 2006. Fish predation on Eurasian watermilfoil herbivores and indirect effects on macrophytes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63(5): 1049-1057.
  • Roley, S.S. and R.M. Newman. 2006. Developmental performance of the milfoil weevil, Euhrychiopsis lecontei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on northern watermilfoil, Eurasian watermilfoil, and hybrid (northern x Eurasian) watermilfoil. Environmental Entomology 35(1): 121-126.
  • Newman, R.M., E. M. Gross, W. Wimmer and P. Sprick. 2006. Life history and developmental performance of the Eurasian milfoil weevil, Eubrychius velutus (Coleoptera: Curculiondae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 60(2): 170-176.
  • Marko, M. D., Newman, R.M. and F. K. Gleason . 2005. Chemically mediated host-plant selection by the milfoil weevil: a freshwater insect-plant interaction. Journal of Chemical Ecology 31 (12): 2857-2876.
  • Newman, R.M.  2004.  Invited Review - Biological control of Eurasian watermilfoil by aquatic insects: basic insights from an applied problem.  Archiv für Hydrobiologie 159 (2): 145 - 184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1127/0003-9136/2004/0159-0145