Pitcher Research Lab @UWindsor
Our lab (housed at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor) investigates scientific questions related to evolutionary biology, reproductive ecology, and conservation biology using fishes (both economically important species and species at risk) from the Great Lakes Basin and the west/east coast of Canada. Our primary species of study include (among others) Chinook Salmon, Redside Dace, Lake Sturgeon, Atlantic Salmon, and Lake Trout.
We conduct field research across the Great Lakes basin (and on each coast of Canada) and we employ molecular ecology approaches including (among others) population genetics, environmental DNA (eDNA), proteomics, and transcriptomics. In addition to our foundational research program focused on genetic quality in wild populations we also apply this knowledge to; (1) improve captive breeding for endangered and threatened species of fishes, (2) increase the fitness of fishes released from fish hatcheries and (3) inform and improve the sustainability of salmon aquaculture. Our lab also focuses on questions related to reintroduction biology in species as varied as fishes, frogs and snakes.
In order to offer students unique experiential learning opportunities and to educate the public about science we founded the Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre (FREC, see video below and link in banner for more details) in partnership between the Town of LaSalle and the University of Windsor. This facility houses unique infrastructure, species at risk experimental populations, and access to the Lake Huron-Erie Corridor via the Detroit River.
Latest news
recent publications
Roberts D, Madliger CL, Mokdad A, Firth BL, Pitcher TE (2025) Evaluating the effects of probiotic supplementation and structural enrichment prior to transportation on the stress physiology of reintroduced juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Environmental Biology of Fishes.
Watt A, and Pitcher T.E. (2025) Trait based prediction of conservation status of North American small-bodied minnows (Leuciscidae) and darters (Percidae). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. [pdf]
Adeli K.A., Pitcher, T.E., Ludwig, J.M., Rinchard, J., Neff, B.D. (2025) Low thiamine concentrations are associated with altered cardiac morphology across reproductive life histories of spawning Chinook salmon. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health.
Watt AM, Madliger CL, Turko AJ, Mokdad AI, and Pitcher TE (2024) Transport does not influence maximum metabolic rate or thermal tolerance of endangered redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus) FACETS 9: 1-9 [pdf]
Roberts D., Madliger C, Mokdad AI, Pitcher TE (2024) Comparing the stress physiology of hard- and soft-released juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) after transportation for reintroduction. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
Watt A, Mokdad AI, Pitcher TE (2024) Effect of enrichment on gamete production, gamete quality, and spawning coloration in hormonally induced redside dace Clinostomus elongatus. Endangered Species Research 53: 395-407. [pdf]
Choquette J, Gui J, Litzgus J, Pitcher TE (2023) A systematic review of snake translocations to identify potential tactics for reducing post-release effects. Conservation Biology. 2022;e14016. [pdf]
Thorstensen MJ, Turko AJ, Heath DD, Jeffries KM, Pitcher TE (2022) Acute thermal stress elicits interactions between gene expression and alternative splicing in a fish of conservation concern. Journal of Experimental Biology. 225: jeb244162. [pdf]
Turko AJ, Nolan CB, Balshine S, Scott GR, Pitcher TE (2020). Thermal tolerance depends on season, age and body condition in imperilled redside dace, Clinostomus elongatus. Conservation Physiology 8 [pdf]
Lehnert SJ, Christensen K, Vandersteen WE, Sakhrani D, Pitcher TE, Heath JW, Koop BF, Heath DD, Devlin RH (2019) Carotenoid pigmentation in salmon: Variation in expresssion at BCO2-I locus controls a key fitness trait affecting red colouration. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1588 [pdf]
Lamothe et al. (2019) Reintroduction of fishes in Canada: a review of research progress for SARA-listed species. Environmental Reviews. 27: 575-599. [pdf]