Michael Booth

Michael Booth is an Associate Professor at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, and serves as Assistant Leader of the Michigan Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. His work bridges freshwater aquatic systems, organism behavior, and sustainable resource management.

• Education
  • B.Sc. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz
  • Ph.D. from Cornell University, advised by Nelson Hairston, Jr., and Alex Flecker

The Booth lab investigates how organism movement and behavior influence ecosystem processes, spanning basic natural history (e.g., fish dispersal) to applied management challenges (e.g., habitat assessment, stormwater management). They employ technological approaches across scales, collaborating with regional, state, and federal agencies to address environmental issues tied to fisheries and water resource sustainability.

Mike’s career includes roles as a fisheries biologist/ecologist for the United Water Conservation District (2011–2018) and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati (2018–2024), where he tackled aquatic ecology problems in reservoirs, urban streams, and ecosystem dynamics.