Jacob Westhoff, PhD

Cooperative Assistant Professor/Assistant Unit Leader

School of Natural Resources

Contact Information

Email westhoffj@missouri.edu
Phone 573-884-8464
Address 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building
Website Aquatic Diversity Lab

Education

  • PhD 2011, University of Missouri

Research

  • Conservation and management of freshwater crayfish, mussels, and fish
  • Effects of climate change, introduced species, fine sediment, and other stressors on stream biota

Research Summary

  • The research conducted by Westhoff primarily focuses on the applied needs of state and federal cooperators as part of the Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. These needs often include study of life history, distribution, habitat use, environmental tolerances, and general ecology of aquatic organisms.

Recent research topics include:

  1. Linking stream fish thermal ecology and adaptive capacity to inform watershed-based management and Species Status Assessments
  2. Development of a novel measurement device for substrate compaction
  3. Distribution declines of rare endemic crayfish exposed to invasive crayfish
  4. Use of environmental DNA for monitoring rare stream fishes

Selected Publications

  • Westhoff, J.T., H. A. Abdelrahman, C. J. Rice, and J. A. Stoeckel. 2021.  Linking multiple aspects of thermal performance to explore the potential for thermal resource partitioning between a native and an invasive crayfish. Journal of Thermal Biology 97:102864.
  • DiStefano, R. J., J. T. Westhoff, C.W. Ames, and A. Rosenberger.  2016. Life History of the vulnerable endemic crayfish Cambarus (Erebicambarus) maculatus Hobbs and Pflieger, 1988 (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae) in Missouri, USA.  Journal of Crustacean Biology 36:615-627.
  • Westhoff, J.T. and A. Rosenberger.  2016.  A global review of freshwater crayfish temperature tolerance, preference, and optimal growth.  Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 26:329-349.
  • Westhoff, J.T., C. Paukert, S. Ettinger-Dietzel, H. Dodd, and M. Siepker.  2016.  Behavioural thermoregulation and bioenergetics of riverine smallmouth bass associated with ambient cool-period thermal refuge.  Ecology of Freshwater Fish 25:72-85.