Wang, Hui-Yu
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Ag. Engineering Annex
Phone: 413-577-3304
Email: hywhyw(at)nrc.umass.edu
Education
B.S. National Taiwan University 1999
M.S. University of Michigan 2003
Ph.D. University of Michigan 2009
Primary Interests
My research primarily involves evolutionary and population ecology for fishes. As part of my dissertation work, I explored variation in life history traits (maturation schedules and egg size) for walleye Sander vitreus and lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in the Great Lakes region. Such variation may reflect adaptive responses (upon genetic selection) and changes in growth rates. For example, size-selective fisheries harvest may induce changes in maturation via altering growth rates (e.g., by reducing population size) and selecting for genotypes for early maturity. Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape life history variation should help minimize impact by fisheries.
I am also interested in developing quantitative methods to study fisheries sciences and fish biology. Previously, I investigated movement (based on tag recapture analysis) and growth (based on bioenergetics modeling) of walleye in Lake Erie. In addition, I developed (and continue developing) eco-genetic individual-based modeling to explore the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape life history variation. Currently, I participate (as a post-doc) in a collaborative project to explore recruitment dynamics of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and cod Gadus morhua using mathematical modeling.
Current Projects
• Comparative analysis of salmon and cod population response
Together with Francis Juanes (U Mass), Mike Fogarty (NMFS), and several researchers at UC Davis, we are working on a project funded by U.S. GLOBEC to investigate variation in life histories (e.g., semelparity vs. iteroparity) and recruitment dynamics for cod and salmon populations across east and west coasts of U.S. Combining theoretical models and empirical data, we aim to test if and how life history variation mediates recruitment variability under stochastic environmental forcing.
• Variation in egg size and number for walleye in the Great Lakes region
I collaborate with many researchers 
throughout the Great Lakes region
(Michigan DNR, Ohio DNR, New York
DEC, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental
Research Laboratory, Cornell University,
and Purdue University) to investigate
variation of egg size and number for
walleye. We aim to explore habitat and
maternal effects on egg size and number
for various walleye populations (our
sampling sites are shown in the figure).
Publications
Wang, H.-Y. and T.O. Höök. In press. Eco-genetic model to explore fishing-induced ecological and evolutionary effects on growth and maturation schedules. Evolutionary Applications.
Wang, H.-Y., H.A. Cook, D.W. Einhouse, D.G. Fielder, K.A. Kayle, L.G. Rudstam, and T.O. Höök. In press. Maturation schedules of walleye populations in the Great Lakes region: Comparison of maturation indices and evaluation of sampling induced biases. North American Journal of Fisheries Management.
Wang, H.-Y., T.O. Höök, M.P. Ebener, L.C. Mohr, and P.J. Schneeberger. 2008. Spatial and temporal variation of maturation schedules of lake whitefish (Coregonus
clupeaformis) in the Great Lakes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic
Sciences 65: 2157-2169.
Wang, H.-Y., E.S. Rutherford, H.A. Cook, D.W. Einhouse, R.C. Haas, T.B. Johnson, R.
Kenyon, B. Locke, and M.W. Turner. 2007. Movement of walleye in Lakes Erie
and St. Clair inferred from tag return and fisheries data. Transactions of the
American Fisheries Society 136: 539-551.
