J. Ryan Bellmore
Research Fish Biologist
Land and Watershed Management
11175 Auke Lake Way
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
Juneau, AK 99801
United States
Phone
907-586-7805
Current Research
"Who looks upon a river in a meditative hour, and is not reminded of the flux of all things?" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Freshwater ecosystems provide invaluable services to society, but are among the most imperiled environments on Earth. My research aims to illuminate the often invisible mechanisms that support freshwater ecosystem productivity and resilience, and use this knowledge to contribute to better-informed stewardship. My research employs holistic, ecosystem-based approaches that combine tools and theory from food-web ecology, ecosystem ecology, and system dynamics modeling.
Current research themes include: (1) synthesizing ecological impacts of dam removal, (2) investigating the influence of landscape complexity on river food webs, (3) quantifying the impact of ecological subsidies on rivers, (4) assessing the impacts of climate change of Pacific salmon, and (5) developing system dynamics models to inform freshwater restoration and management.
Past Research
Much of my past research has focused on river-floodplain ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest and the importance of these floodplains for fish. My dissertation research at Idaho State University illustrated that floodplains support diverse food webs that are important for Pacific salmon and trout. Moreover, this reseach suggested that these complex and interconnected food webs may promote the long-term maintenance of biodiversity by stabalizing ecosystems against perterbations.
Research Interest
- Structure and dynamics of river food webs
- Restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- System dynamics modeling
- Ecology and management of Pacific salmon and trout
- Impact of Invasive species on aquatic ecosystems
Why This Research Is Important
Healthy rivers, streams and lakes directly contribute to human wellbeing. In the Pacific Northwest, for instance, forest streams support valuable commercial, recreational, and subsistence salmon fisheries. By illuminating how these ecosystem's function, my research contributes to informed management and restoration so that these freshwater resources can be enjoyed by future generations
Education
- Idaho State University, Ph.D., Biology, 2011
- Oregon State University, B.S., Fisheries and Wildlife Science, 2004
Other Publications
- Armstrong, Jonathan B.; Fullerton, Aimee H.; Jordan, Chris E.; Ebersole, Joseph L.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Arismendi, Ivan ; Penaluna, Brooke E.; Reeves, Gordon H.. 2021. The importance of warm habitat to the growth regime of cold-water fishes
- McDaniel, Josh ; Johnson, Adelaide (Di); Bellmore, J. Ryan; Haught, Stormy ; Medel, Ron. 2020. Alaska s forest fish: Calculating the value of wild salmon from the Chugach and Tongass National Forests
- Whitney, Emily J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Benjamin, Joseph R.; Jordan, Chris E.; Dunham, Jason B.; Newsom, Michael ; Nahorniak, Matt. 2020. Beyond sticks and stones: Integrating physical and ecological conditions into watershed restoration assessments using a food web modeling approach
- Sergeant, Christopher J.; Falke, Jeffrey A.; Bellmore, Rebecca A.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Crumley, Ryan L.. 2020. A classification of streamflow patterns across the coastal Gulf of Alaska
- Pearson, James ; Dunham, Jason ; Bellmore, Ryan, J.; Lyons, Don. 2019. Modeling control of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) in a shallow lake wetland system
- Johnson, Adelaide C.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Haught, Stormy ; Medel, Ronald. 2019. Quantifying the monetary value of Alaska national forests to commercial Pacific salmon fisheries
- Bellmore, J Ryan; Pess, George ; Duda, Jeffrey ; O’Connor, Jim ; East, Amy ; Foley, Melissa ; Wilcox, Andrew ; Major, Jon ; Shafroth, Patrick ; Morley, Sarah ; Magirl, Christopher ; Anderson, Chauncey ; Evans, James ; Torgersen, Christian ; Craig, laura S.. 2019. Conceptualizing ecological responses to dam removal: If you remove it, what's to come
- Whitney, Emily J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Benjamin, Joseph R.. 2019. User manual for the aquatic trophic productivity model: a river food web simulation model for management and research
- Mejia, Francine H.; Fremier, Alexander K.; Benjamin, Joseph R.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Grimm, Adrianne Z.; Watson, Grace A.; Newsom, Michael. 2019. Stream metabolism increases with drainage area and peaks asynchronously across a stream network
- Daniels, Silvie ; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Benjamin, Joseph R.; Witters, Nele ; Vangronsveld, Jaco ; Van Passel, Steven. 2018. Quantification of the indirect use value of functional group diversity based on the ecological role of species in the ecosystem
- Watts, Andrea; Bellmore, Ryan, J.; Benjamin, Joseph; Baxter, Colden. 2018. River food webs: Incorporating nature s invisible fabric into river management
- Penaluna, Brooke E.; Olson, Deanna H.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Weber, Matthew A.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Wondzell, Steven M.; Dunham, Jason B.; Johnson, Sherri L.; Reeves, Gordon H.. 2017. Aquatic biodiversity in forests: a weak link in ecosystem services resilience
- Roon, David; Dunham, Jason; Harvey, Bret; Bellmore, Ryan, J.; Olson, Deanna; Reeves, Gordon. 2017. Evaluating the ecological trade-offs of riparian thinning for headwater stream ecosystems in second-growth redwood forests
- Foley, M. M.; Bellmore, J. R.; O'Connor, J. E.; Duda, J. J.; East, A. E.; Grant, G. E.; Anderson, C. W.; Bountry, J. A.; Collins, M. J.; Connolly, P. J.; Craig, L. S.; Evans, J. E.; Greene, S. L.; Magilligan, F. J.; Magirl, C. S.; Major, J. J.; Pess, G. R.; Randle, T. J.; Shafroth, P. B.; Torgersen, C. E.; Tullos, D.; Wilcox, A. C.. 2017. Dam removal: Listening in
- Sergeant, Christopher J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; McConnell, Casey; Moore, Jonathan W.. 2017. High salmon density and low discharge create periodic hypoxia in coastal rivers
- Ryan Bellmore, J.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Craig, Laura S.; Greene, Samantha L.; Torgersen, Christian E.; Collins, Mathias J.; Vittum, Katherine. 2016. Status and trends of dam removal research in the United States
- Bellmore, J. Ryan; Benjamin, Joseph R.; Newsom, Michael; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Dombroski, Daniel. 2017. Incorporating food web dynamics into ecological restoration: a modeling approach for river ecosystems
- Tullos, Desirée D.; Collins, Mathias J.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Bountry, Jennifer A.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Wilcox, Andrew C.. 2016. Synthesis of common management concerns associated with dam removal
- Benjamin, Joseph R.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Watson, Grace A.. 2016. Response of ecosystem metabolism to low densities of spawning Chinook Salmon
Research Highlights
Predicting Ecosystem Recovery After Dam Removal
Year: 2019
Aquatic ecosystem recovery is a main goal of dam removal, but predicting exactly how an ecosystem will recover is complicated. New models offer further insight for managers into the connections between the components and pathways likely to determine ecosystem response to dam removal in different loc...
Restoration of freshwater biodiversity important for maintaining healthy salmon fisheries
Year: 2018
Streams with greater biodiversity appear more resilient to environmental change compared to streams with lower biodiversity. The value of protecting or restoring biodiversity in streams used by salmon can be quantified as economic benefits to the commercial fishing industry.
After the dam comes down
Year: 2017
New work synthesizes knowledge about the physical and ecological responses to dam removal.
Illuminating Nature’s Invisible Fabric
Year: 2016
Forest Service scientists conducted a series of studies to understand how river fish are connected to the broader food web. They then used this knowledge to develop modeling tools that can inform restoration and fisheries management.