People | Timothy E. Targett

• B.S., Biology, University of Maine, 1972.
• M.S., Marine Biology, RSMAS, University of Miami, 1975.
• Ph.D., Zoology, University of Maine, 1979.

• Ecology of estuarine and coastal marine fish
• Physiological ecology of feeding, digestion, growth, and survival
• Essential fish habitat (EFH) and recruitment processes
• Trophic biology, marine and estuarine food webs, energetics
       
• Complete CV

• Laboratory assessment of the impacts of hypoxia and pH on estuarine nursery habitat quality for juvenile estuary-dependent fishes. Effects of diel-cycling hypoxia and accompanying diel pH changes on growth and survival of young striped bass, weakfish, summer flounder, and mummichogs across a range of temperatures. Use exposure-effects models to predict effects of diel-cycling hypoxia and pH on fish growth over the range of conditions found in the field. (Collaborative research with Dr. Denise Breitburg, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; and Dr. Kenny Rose, Louisiana State University).

• Determining the relative resource value of hypoxia-impacted habitats for young estuary-dependent fishes. Studies of the spatial extent and severity of diel-cycling hypoxia in Delaware’s Coastal Bay tributaries. Examining fishes and prey (benthic & epibenthic) across spatiotemporal gradients of diel-cycling hypoxia to investigate when and why juvenile fish move in and out of these nursery systems in response to short-term changes in dissolved oxygen. (Collaboration with Dr. Robert Diaz, Virginia Institute of Marine Science).

• Investigations of growth (prey) limitation of juvenile plaice in inshore nursery areas in the Irish Sea, west coast of Scotland, and North Sea. Using laboratory-derived relationships between RNA:DNA and growth rate of young plaice to assess biotic and abiotic factors controlling the spatial and temporal dynamics of abundance, growth, and production in the field. (Collaboration with Dr. Richard Nash, Institute of Marine Research, Norway; and Drs. Robert Batty and Michael Burrows, Scottish Marine Institute, Scotland).

• Comparisons of habitat-specific growth (via RNA:DNA) and productivity of young Atlantic menhaden and striped bass in Chesapeake and Delaware Bay nursery grounds. Development of relationships between estimated productivity and environmental parameters to contrast the relative production potential of different habitats within and between estuaries. (Collaboration with Dr. Thomas Miller, University of Maryland, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory).
• Identification of patterns in timing and abundance of influx of offshore-spawned ichthyoplankton (particularly larval Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic croaker, and glass eel stage American eel) into Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. Shore-based and shipboard ichthyoplankton sampling. Determination of potentially different physical mechanisms that influence ingress into these estuaries and evaluation of factors causing recruitment variability. [Website] (Collaboration with Drs. Elizabeth North and Ed Houde, University of Maryland, Horn Point Laboratory (EWN) and Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (EDH); and Dr. Eric Hilton, Virginia Institute of Marine Science). 

Ichthyology; Topics in Fish Biology

• Complete List of Publications

Rees, BB, TE Targett, BJ Ciotti, CA Tolman, SS Akkina, AM Gallaty. 2012. Temporal dynamics in growth and white skeletal muscle composition of the mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus during chronic hypoxia and hyperoxia. J Fish Biol 81:148-164

Balouskus RG, TE Targett. 2012. Egg deposition by Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia: Substrate utilization and comparision of natural and altered shoreline type. Estuar Coasts 35:1100-1109

Ciotti BJ, TE Targett, RDM Nash, RS Batty, MT Burrows, AJ Geffen. 2010. Development, validation and field application of an RNA-based growth index in juvenile plaice Pleuronectes platessa. J Fish Biol 77:2181-2209

Brady, DC, TE Targett. 2010. Characterizing the escape response of juvenile summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus to diel-cycling hypoxia. J Fish Biol 77:137-152

Stierhoff KL, RM Tyler, TE Targett. 2009. Hypoxia tolerance of juvenile weakfish (Cynoscion regalis): laboratory assessment of growth and behavioral avoidance responses. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 381:S173-S179

Breitburg DL (with TE Targett and 16 coauthors). 2009. Nutrient enrichment and fisheries exploitation: interactive effects on estuarine living resources and their management. Hydrobiologia 629:31-47

Stierhoff KL, TE Targett, JH Power. 2009. Hypoxia-induced growth limitation of juvenile fishes in an estuarine nursery: assessment of small-scale temporal dynamics using RNA:DNA. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 66:1033-1047 

Brady DC, TE Targett, DM Tuzzolino. 2009. Behavioral responses of juvenile weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) to diel-cycling hypoxia: swimming speed, angular correlation, expected displacement, and effects of hypoxia acclimation. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 66:415-424

Tyler RM, DC Brady, TE Targett. 2009. Temporal and spatial dynamics of diel-cycling hypoxia in estuarine tributaries. Estuar Coasts 32:123-145

Nye, JA, TE Targett, TE Helser. 2008. Reproductive characteristics of weakfish in Delaware Bay: implications for management. N Am J Fish Mgmt 27:1-11

Tyler RM, TE Targett. 2007. Juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis distribution in relation to diel-cycling dissolved oxygen in an estuarine tributary. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 333:257-269

Stierhoff KL, TE Targett, KL Miller. 2006. Ecophysiological responses of juvenile summer and winter flounder to hypoxia: experimental and modeling analyses of effects on estuarine nursery quality. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 325:255-266

Epifanio CE, AI Dittel, RA Rodriguez, TE Targett. 2003. The role of macroalgal beds as nursery habitat for juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. J Shellf Res 22:881-886

Stierhoff KL, TE Targett, PA Grecay. 2003. Hypoxia tolerance of the mummichog: the role of access to the water surface. J Fish Biol 63:580-592

Lankford, TE Jr, TE Targett. 2001. Physiological performance of young-of-the-year Atlantic croakers from different Atlantic coast estuaries: implications for stock structure. Trans Amer Fish Soc 130:367-375

Lankford TE Jr, TE Targett. 2001. Low-temperature tolerance of age-0 Atlantic croakers: recruitment implications for U.S. Mid-Atlantic estuaries. Trans Amer Fish Soc 130:236-249

Wyanski DM, TE Targett. 2000. Development of transformation larvae and juveniles of Ctenogobius boleosoma, Ctenogobius shufeldti, and Gobionellus oceanicus (Pisces:Gobiidae) from western North Atlantic estuaries, with notes on early life history. Bull Mar Sci 67:709-728

Paperno R, TE Targett, PA Grecay. 2000. Spatial and temporal variation in recent growth, overall growth, and mortality of juvenile weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) in Delaware Bay. Estuaries 23:10-20

Lankford TE Jr, TE Targett, PM Gaffney. 1999. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of population structure in the Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae). Fish Bull US 97:884-890

Thorrold SR, CM Jones, PK Swart, TE Targett. 1998. Accurate classification of juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis to estuarine nursery areas based on chemical signatures in otoliths. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 173:253-265%

• Edward Taylor, MS 1987 (EdD 2005, Wilmington College)
  Head of Department, Professor of Biological Science, Wor-Wic Community College, Salisbury, MD
• Anne-Marie Eklund, MS 1988 (PhD 1996, University of Miami)
  Fishery Biologist (Retired), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL
• Paul Grecay, PhD 1990
  Professor, Salisbury University, Deptartment of Biological Sciences, Salisbury, MD
• Kirk Malloy, MS 1990, PhD 1993
  Vice President, Customer Solutions & Quality, Illumina, San Diego, CA
• Jami Montgomery, MS 1991 (MS 1996, Johns Hopkins University)
  Executive Director, National Science Foundation, Waters Network Project Office, Arlington, VA
• Richard Paperno, PhD 1991
  Research Administrator, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Melbourne, FL
• Thomas Lankford, Jr., MS 1993, PhD 1997
  Associate Professor, Univ. of North Carolina, Biology & Marine Biology, Wilmington, NC
• Daniel Martin, MS 1993
  Instructor, Univ. of South Alabama, Biology Department, Mobile, AL
• Ursula Howson, PhD 2000
  Assistant Professor, Monmouth University, Department of Biology, West Long Branch, NJ
• Richard Wong, MS 2001
  Biometrician, DNREC, Division of Fish & Wildlife, Dover, DE
• Janet Nye, MS 2002 (PhD 2007, University of Maryland)
  Research Ecologist, Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, Narragansett, RI
• Robin Tyler, PhD 2004
  Environmental Scientist, DNREC, Division of Water Resources, Dover, DE
• Kevin Stierhoff, PhD 2005
  Research Fisheries Biologist, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA
• Danielle Tuzzolino, MS 2008
  Outreach Communications Specialist, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey, CA
• Michael Rhode, MS 2008
  Fisheries Research Technician, Univ. of North Carolina, Center for Marine Science, Wilmington, NC
• Damian Brady, PhD 2008
  Assistant Research Professor, University of Maine, Darling Marine Center, Walpole, ME
• Brian Boutin, PhD 2008
  Climate Adaption Project Director, The Nature Conservancy, Kill Devil Hills, NC
• Margaret Miller, MS 2010
  Program Analyst, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Ecosystem Assessment, Silver Spring, MD

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Commissioner
Governor's Appointee representing Delaware
1987 - 2009

American Fisheries Society
Campus Network Representative
1997 - present

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