Education
- M.S., University of Lodz, Poland, 1997
- Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia, 2005
External Affiliations
Founder, Carp Solutions, LLC.
Areas of Interest
Invasive fish ecology & management
Biography
My current work focuses on understanding why some species of introduced fish become invasive in some geographic regions but not in others and how predation, disturbance and ecosystem productivity play a role in that. I study various aspects of the behavior and ecology of invasive fish including seasonal migrations, winter aggregations, cognitive aspects of foraging behavior and social dynamics. I also study the effects of invasive fish on lakes (water quality, nutrients, biodiversity) using whole-lake experiments.
Research
Current research projects include: 1) Developing common carp-specific toxins by studying social aggregations and learning abilities, 2) common carp biocontrol by native predators, 3) using the Whooshh technology to remove invasive fish during their spawning migrations, 4) manipulating reproductive cycle of carp in the laboratory to facilitate genetic engineering experiments (collaboration with Dr. Smanski), 5) determining values of AIS management in Minnesota (collaboration with Drs. Levers and Pradhananga).
Select Publications
- Tolo, I.E., Bajer, P.G., Wolf, T.M., Mor, S.K. and Phelps, N.B., 2022. Investigation of Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) Disease Periods and Factors Influencing CyHV-3 Transmission in A Low Stocking Density Infection Trial. Animals, 12(1), p.2.
- Bajer, P.G., Hundt, P.J., Kukulski, E. and Kocian, M., 2022. Field test of an electric deterrence and guidance system during a natural spawning migration of invasive common carp. Management of Biological Invasions, 13.
- Tolo, I.E., K Padhi, S., Hundt, P.J., Bajer, P.G., K Mor, S. and Phelps, N.B., 2021. Host Range of Carp Edema Virus (CEV) during a Natural Mortality Event in a Minnesota Lake and Update of CEV Associated Mortality Events in the USA. Viruses, 13(3), p.400.
- Huser, B.J., Bajer, P.G., Kittelson, S., Christenson, S. and Menken, K., 2021. Changes to water quality and sediment phosphorus forms in a shallow, eutrophic lake after removal of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Inland Waters, pp.1-14.
- Larkin, D. J., Beck, M. W., & Bajer, P. G. 2020. An invasive fish promotes invasive plants in Minnesota lakes. Freshwater Biology.
- Sorensen, P. W., & Bajer, P. G. 2020. Case Studies Demonstrate that Common Carp Can Be Sustainably Reduced by Exploiting Source-Sink Dynamics in Midwestern Lakes. Fishes, 5(4), 36.
- *Hundt, P. J., Amberg, J., Sauey, B., Vacura, K., & Bajer, P. G. 2020. Data from: Tests in a semi-natural environment suggest that bait and switch strategy could be used to control invasive Common Carp.
- Huser B. J., Bajer, P. G., Kittelsen, S., Christenson, S., Menken, K. 2020. Changes to water quality and sediment phosphorus forms in a shallow, eutrophic lake after removal of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Inland Waters.
- Poole JR, Bajer PG. 2019. A small native predator reduces reproductive success of a large invasive fish as revealed by whole-lake experiments". PloS one, 14(4), p.e0214009
- Bajer, P. G., J. D. Lechelt, G. Hansen, M. S. Kornis. 2019. Biological control of invasive fish and aquatic invertebrates: a brief review with case studies. Management of Biological Invasions. 10(2), p.227
- Bajer, P.G., M. Beck, P. Hundt. 2018. Are non-native invaders worse than their native proxies: comparison of two benthic fishes in North America. Hydrobiologia 817: 379-391
- Bajer, P. G., Claus, A. C., Wein, J., & Kukulski, E. 2018. Field test of a low-voltage, portable electric barrier to guide invasive common carp into a mock trap during seasonal migrations. Management of Biological Invasions 9(3), 291-297
- Bajer, P.G. 2018. A decade of common carp research and management in Minnesota: insights for managers. Lake Line.
- Bartodziej, W., P. W. Sorensen, P. G. Bajer, K. Pilgrim, S. Blood. 2018. A Minnesota story: urban shallow lake management. Lake Line.
- Joshua R. Poole, Blake W. Sauey, Jon J. Amberg, Przemyslaw G. Bajer. 2018. Assessing the efficacy of corn-based bait containing antimycin-a to control common carp populations using laboratory and pond experiments. Biological Invasions 20:1809-1820.
- Escobar, L. E., S. Mallez, M. McCartney, C. Lee, D. P. Zielinski, R. Ghosal, P. G. Bajer, C. Wagner, B. Nash, M. Tomamichel, P. Venturelli, P. P. Mathai, A. Kokotovich, J. Escobar-Dodero, N. B. D. Phelps. 2017. Aquatic Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Region: An Overview. Reviews in Fisheries Science and Aquaculture https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2017.1363715
- Lechelt J. D., M. Kocian, P. G. Bajer. 2017. Low downstream dispersal of young-of-year common carp from marshes into lakes in the Upper Mississippi River region and its implications for integrated pest management strategies. Management of Aquatic Invasions 8:485-495
- Lechelt J. D., P. G. Bajer. 2016. Elucidating the mechanism underlying the productivity-recruitment hypothesis in the invasive common carp. Aquatic Invasions (accepted).
- Chizinski, C. J., Bajer, P. G., Headrick, M., Sorensen, P. W. 2016. Different migratory strategies of invasive Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and native Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in the American Midwest suggest an opportunity for selective management strategies. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02755947.2016.1167141
- Bajer, P. G., Beck, M., Cross, T. K., Koch, J., Bartodziej, B., & Sorensen, P. W. 2016. Biological invasion by a benthivorous fish reduced the cover and species richness of aquatic plants in most lakes of a large North American ecoregion. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13377.
- Lechelt J. D., P. G. Bajer. 2016. Modeling the potential for managing invasive common carp in temperate lakes by targeting their winter aggregations. Biological Invasions.
- Huser, B. J., P. G. Bajer, C. J. Chizinski, P. W. Sorensen. 2015. Effects of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on sediment mixing depth and phosphorus availability in a shallow lake. Hydrobiologia. 763: 23-33.
- Bajer, P. G., Cross, T. K., Lechelt. J, D., Chizinski, C. J., Weber, M. J., Sorensen, P. W. 2015. Across-ecoregion analysis suggests a hierarchical nature of processes that regulate the recruitment of a globally invasive fish. Diversity and Distributions 21: 500-510.
- Bajer, P. G., Parker, J. E., Cross, T. K., Venturelli, P. A., Sorensen, P. W. 2015. Partial migration to seasonally-unstable habitat facilitates biological invasions in a predator-dominated system. Oikos 124: 1520-1526.