Jason
Leppi, Ph.D.
705 Christensen Drive
Anchorage, AK 99501
Areas of expertise: fish biology, conservation, freshwater habitat modeling, fish movement, biogeochemistry, otolith microchemistry, and watershed ecology.
Overview of research
His research is focused on understanding the ecology of freshwater fish. His work seeks to integrate empirical data and models to understand habitat use and movement patterns of freshwater fish to inform conservation and management.
Professional Accomplishments
Education
Ph.D. Fisheries; College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences; University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 2021; Emphasis in fisheries and freshwater ecology in the Arctic.
M.S. Resource Conservation; University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 2010 Emphasis in hydrology, aquatic ecology, and climate change.
B.S. Land Resource Environmental Science; Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 2005; Emphasis in Land Resource Analysis and Management of Ecosystems and soil science.
Current research
His current research is mostly focused on studying the foraging ecology, habitat use, and movement patterns of Broad Whitefish (an important subsistence fish species) in the Colville River watershed, Alaska.
Publications
Leppi, J.C., Rinella, D.J., Wipfli, M.S.,Whitman, M.S. Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) isotopic niches: stable isotopes reveal diverse foraging strategies and habitat use in Arctic Alaska. PLOS ONE, 17(7): e0270474. Available here
Leppi, J.C., Rinella, D.J., Wipfli, M.S., Brown, R.J., Spaleta, K.J., Whitman, M.S. (2022). Strontium isotopes reveal diverse life history variations, migration patterns, and habitat use for Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) in Arctic, Alaska. PLOS ONE, 17(5): e0259921. Available here
Leppi, J.C., Falke, J.A., Rinella, D.J., Wipfli, M.S., Seitz, A.C., Whitman, M.S. Landscape Geomorphology and Local-Riverine Features Influence Broad Whitefish (Coregonus nasus) Spawning Habitat Suitability in Arctic Alaska. Available here
Leppi J.C., M. Lunde, M.S. Wipfli, D.J. Rinella. 2017. In Search of Arctic Bonefish. Fisheries. Available here
Sformo T.L., Adams B., Seigle, J.C., Ferguson, J.A., Purcell, M.K., Raphaela, S., Welch, J.H., Ellis, L.E., Leppi, J.C., George, J.C. Observations and first reports of saprolegniosis in Aanaakłiq, broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus), from the Colville River near Nuiqsut, Alaska. Polar Science. Available here
Belote R.T., Dietz M.S., McKinley P.S., Carlson A.A., Carroll C., Jenkins C.N., Urban D.L., Fullman T.J., Leppi J.C, Aplet G.H. 2017. Mapping conservation strategies under a changing climate. BioScience. Available here
Belote R.T., M.S. Dietz, C. Jenkins, P.S. McKinley, G.H. Irwin, T.J. Fullman, J.C Leppi, G.H. Aplet. 2017. Wild, connected and diverse: building a more resilient system of protected areas. Ecological Applications. Available here
Mauger S., R. Shaftel, J.C. Leppi, D.J. Rinella. 2016. Summer temperature regimes in southcentral Alaska streams: watershed drivers of variation and potential implications for Pacific salmon. CJFAS Available here
Leppi J.C, C.D. Arp, M.S. Whitman. 2015. Predicting late winter dissolved oxygen levels in Arctic lakes using morphology and landscape metrics. Environmental Management Available here
Leppi J.C, D.J. Rinella, R.R. Wilson, W.M. Loya. 2014. Linking climate change projections for an Alaskan watershed to future coho salmon production.Global Change Biology. 20:1808-1820. Available here
Leppi J.C, T.H. DeLuca, S.W. Harrar, S.W. Running. 2011. Impacts of climate change on August stream discharge in the Central-Rocky Mountains. Climatic Change. Available here
Jason’s personal webpages:
