秘密研究所

#MyFirstJob: Thomas 'Reid' Nelson

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Posted on July 22, 2019

Jeb Schrenk

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#MyFirstJob is a series focused on 秘密研究所 Class of 2019 graduates who are beginning their careers.

Like the salmon he studies in California鈥檚 Central Valley, Thomas 鈥淩eid鈥� Nelson can migrate between fresh and saltwater.

Nelson grew up among the rivers and lakes in North Carolina鈥檚 Piedmont region, but was less than a five-hour drive to the salty shores of the Outer Banks. He earned a master鈥檚 degree from Auburn University, where he focused on estuarine fishes.

At the 秘密研究所, his doctoral research explored the relationship between salinity levels and different populations of red drum. By the time graduates walked across the stage at Spring Commencement, Nelson already had taken his job at the University of California Santa Cruz.

There, in a National Marine Fisheries Service lab on the Pacific Coast, Nelson and a team of UC Santa Cruz scientists are studying ways to boost the dismal survival rates of Chinook salmon.

鈥淕rowing up I always enjoyed being outdoors and being around the water,鈥� Nelson said. 鈥淚 was enthralled with our aquatic resources and spending time on the water. I thought if I could give back to something I enjoy in a way to protect these resources for future generations 鈥� sustainable fisheries and clean water 鈥� if I have a career to meet those goals, I thought that would be a good thing.鈥�

Most days, Nelson rides his bike to the office, where he鈥檚 focused on the plight of salmon in the Sacramento鈥揝an Joaquin River Delta. Salmon are born in the Delta before migrating downriver as smolt to spend their late juvenile and adult life in the ocean saltwater. When it鈥檚 time to reproduce, the salmon go back up river, produce their eggs and die.

The problem is most of those salmon never finish the first leg of their journey. A five-year look at juvenile Chinook salmon in the Delta estimated downriver survival at five percent at best, according to a study published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 

There are environmental causes, including rising water temperatures, low water levels and dam construction. But research suggests predation by invasive species, mainly striped and largemouth bass introduced for recreational fishing, also take a toll on the salmon population. That鈥檚 where Nelson and his team are trying to make an impact.

One area of interest is contact points where migrating salmon intersect with other fish. For example, the team is examining the effect of artificial lighting. 鈥淚f a light is causing out-migrating salmon to stop at the same spot other fish are gathered, that might be causing increased predation and lower salmon survival,鈥� Nelson said.

He credits South鈥檚 Ph.D. program in marine sciences with having the resources and range of expertise in faculty to support his research interests and education. He was also allowed freedom in how he approached his work.

鈥淚 think that鈥檚 really important (now that I鈥檓) here, 鈥淣elson said, 鈥渢o be able to come in and work in the field, and I have this giant data set I鈥檓 trying to go through. I feel really confident, and that鈥檚 because of my time at South.鈥�

Santa Cruz, on the northern edge of Monterey Bay just south of San Francisco, is an ideal location for Nelson鈥檚 interests. In addition to biking to work, Nelson enjoys surfing in the Pacific Ocean and camping in the mountains that rise above California鈥檚 coast. His home doesn鈥檛 have air conditioning, 鈥渂ut you don鈥檛 need it. Moving from Alabama, it鈥檚 like, 鈥榃ow, what鈥檚 going on?鈥欌��

Professionally, Nelson said, it鈥檚 gratifying to be able to work on research with applications that could shape the future of fisheries in the Central Valley and beyond.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a new exciting opportunity to work on an issue where hopefully what we find can be directly incorporated into different management strategies to increase salmon survival.鈥�

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