Aquatic ecology or limnology, fish, and the socio-ecological systems that use fish and water, are important areas of research in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (DNRE). We conduct research in oceans, Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers, and streams across New York State and the world, and work directly with management agencies, international organizations, and federal laboratories to solve applied problems in water resources and fisheries.

Our research span spatial and temporal scales from whole lakes and analysis of long-term patterns, to mechanisms governing species interactions operating at scales of mm and seconds. We work across scales of organization from ecosystems to populations and individuals, and with tools such as population genetics, simulation and statistical models, and large scale automated surveys.  Three field stations within DNRE are dedicated to aquatic research, the Cornell Biological Field Station on Oneida Lake, the Adirondack Fisheries Research Laboratory, and the Hudson River Institute. The USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife unit is located in DNRE.

This research area integrates with terrestrial ecology through studies on coupling between watersheds and lakes, with social science through studies of socio-ecological systems, with international conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources across the world, and with climate and energy by including climate change in predictions and solutions of aquatic and fisheries problems.

Affiliated Faculty

A man holds a fish
Thomas Detmer

Senior Research Associate

Natural Resources and the Environment

Thomas Detmer
Matthew Hare

Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Director

Environment and Sustainability

Matthew Hare
Barbara A. Knuth
Barbara Knuth

Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Barbara Knuth
Man with hat on boat
Clifford Kraft

Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Clifford Kraft
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Peter McIntyre

Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Peter McIntyre
Stephen Morreale
Stephen Morreale

Director of MPS Program. Senior Research Associate and Adjunct Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Stephen Morreale
A man holds a fish on a boat
Lars Rudstam

Director, Cornell Biological Field Station and Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Lars Rudstam
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Rebecca Schneider

Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Rebecca Schneider
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Suresh Sethi

Adjunct Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Suresh Sethi
  • suresh.sethi [at] cornell.edu
Nina Overgaard Therkildsen
Nina Therkildsen

Associate Professor

Natural Resources and the Environment

Nina Therkildsen
James Watkins
James Watkins

Associate Director, Cornell Biological Field Station and Senior Research Associate

Natural Resources and the Environment

James Watkins