In the summer of 2022, students Nick Franta and Sara Gartner examined how light intensity affects behavior of Deepwater Sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsonii), a benthic fish common to Lake Superior. The undergraduate researchers determined the as light intensity decreases, sculpin activity increases. It is likely that sculpin increase activity with darkness since the predatory lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) is usually moves to shallower water at night (diel vertical migration). 

Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference in Kansas

Their study was the control portion of a larger study investigating sculpin behavior in the presence of the siscowet lake trout. Tom Hrabik (UMD) and Owen Gorman (USGS) are coauthors on this paper which is currently in internal review with USGS. 

The sculpin foraging tank at CSB/SJ

Preparing for fish transport from Lake Superior