Emily M. Standen
Ph.D. Student
Lauder Laboratory
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Department
Harvard University
26 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA, 02139
Phone: (617) 496-7199
standen@fas.harvard.edu
Research Interests
I am interested in the ecological biomechanics and physiology of fish swimming. My thesis research focuses on fish’s ability to maintain balance and stability in moving water. Using hydrodynamic, kinematic and electromyographic studies I am determining how fish fins interact to produce torques during swimming hoping to reveal evolutionary and ecological pressures that have led to particular fin morphology and function.
Currently completing a Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
M.A. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
M.Sc. in Forestry, University of British Columbia
B.S.Honours in Marine Biology with an Oceanography minor, University of King's College/Dalhousie University
Maneuverability and stability of fishes
I am working to understand how fish use their paired and median fins to control body position during swimming. I use high speed kinematics, Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) and electromyography to determine the hydrodynamics of fish fin motion and infer the functional consequence of fin activity on stabilization during swimming. These projects represent the first half of my Ph.D. thesis and have been funded by the American National Science Foundation and the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engeneering Research Council.
Hydrodynamic consequences of interacting fin wakes
Following my earlier work I am interested in how the wakes of fins interact with each other during swimming. Large lateral forces are produced by paired and median fins during steady swimming. These lateral forces appear to travel along the fish's body accumulating hydrodynamic momentum until they are shed by the tail. Using PIV, EMG and detailed kinematics I can determine how the wakes of upstream fins may contribute to the thrust procudtion of the fish's body and whether these fin wakes are produced actively or are the result of a passive motion due to body undulation. Fish have long been noted as having particularly efficient swimming performance, this project may help elucidate how fish conserve energy expenditure while augmenting thrust production during swimming.
Evolutionary significance of paired fin function in fishes
Just like terrestrial animals fish swim using different gait patterns depending on the speed they are moving. Often at high speeds the paired fins of fishes are tucked against the body to limit drag production and the body and median fins produce thrust. At slow speeds however, the paired fins of fishes become much more active and show a variety of movement patterns depending on the locomotory behaviour. I am interested in how the movement patterns of the paired fins are controlled, when fin muscle contraction is isometric and when it is concentric and how this control may impact muscle function. I am also interested in the combined movement of pectoral and pelvic fins and how their motions may help determine central pattern generation in routine fish swimming gaits.
Tytell, E.D., E.M. Standen and G.V. Lauder. (2007 in press). Escaping Flatland: Three-dimensional kinematics and hydrodynamics of median fins in fishes. Journal of Experimental Biology, (2007 in press).
Claireaux, G., C. Handelsman, E.M. Standen and J. Nelson (2007). Thermal and temporal stability of swimming performances in the European sea bass. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 80(2):186-196. (PDF)
Standen, E.M. and Lauder, G.V. (2007). Hydrodynamic function of dorsal and anal fins in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Journal of Experimental Biology, 210:325-339. (PDF)
Standen, E.M. and Lauder, G.V. (2005). Dorsal and anal fin function in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus): Three-dimensional kinematics during propulsion and maneuvering. Journal of Experimental Biology, 208:2753-2763. (PDF)
Domenici, P., E.M. Standen, and R.P. Levine. (2004). Escape Manoeuvres in the spiny dogfish (Squalis acanthias). Journal of Experimental Biology. 207 (13):2339-2349. (PDF)
Standen, E.M., Hinch, S.G. and Rand, P.S. (2004). Influence of river speed on path selection by migrating adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 61 (6):905:912. (PDF)
Standen, E.M., S.G. Hinch, M.C. Healey and A.P. Farrell. (2002). Energetic costs of migration through the Fraser River canyon, British Columbia, in adult pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye (O. nerka) salmon as assessed by EMG telemetry. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 59 (11): 1809:1818. (PDF)
Hinch, S.G., E.M. Standen, M.C. Healey and A.P. Farrell. (2002). Swimming patterns and behaviour of upriver migrating adult pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye (O. nerka) salmon as assessed by EMG telemetry in the Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada. Hydrobiologia. 483: 147-160. (PDF)
Hinch, S.G., E.M. Standen, M.C. Healey and A.P. Farrell. (2003). Swimming patterns and behaviour of upriver migrating adult pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye (O. nerka) salmon as assessed by EMG telemetry in the Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada. Developments in Hydrobiologia. 165: 147-160. (see above reference)
O’Neill, D.F., J.F.F. Powell, E.M. Standen, J.H. Youson, C.M. Warby, N.M. Sherwood. (1998) Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in ancient teleosts, the bonytoungue fishes: Putative origins of salmon GnRH. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 112:415-425. (PDF)
Powell, J.F.F., E.M. Standen, (and nine others). (1997) Primary structure of three forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the Pacu Brain. Regulatory Peptides. 68:189-195. (PDF)
Selected Conference Papers
Standen, E.M. (2007). The advantage of being downstream: How fish fins influence each other. Society for Experimental Biology. Glasgow, Scotland, 31 March-4th April 2007.
Standen, E.M. (2007). Finfull thoughts: Does pelvic oscillation influence anal fin action in fishes? Vogel Symposium. Annual Meeting for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Comparative Biolmechanics. Phoenix, Arizona, Jan 3-7th.
Standen, E.M. (2006). The advantage of being downstream: how fish fins influence each other. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Vertebrate Morphology Regional Meeting. Brown University, Providence, RD, Nov 4th.
Standen, E.M. and G.V. Lauder. (2006). Hydrodynamic function of dorsal and anal fins in trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). Annual Meeting for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Orlando, FL, Jan 4-8th.
Standen, E.M. (2005). Maintaining balance and moving forward: Fin function during fish swimming. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Vertebrate Morphology Regional Meeting. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, .
Standen, E.M. and G.V. Lauder. (2005). Hydrodynamic function of dorsal and anal fins in teleost fishes. Society for Experimental Biology, Barcelona, Spain, July 11-15th.
Standen, E.M. and G.V. Lauder. (2005). Kinematic and hydrodynamic function of dorsal and anal fins in teleost fishes. Annual Meeting for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, San Diego, CA, Jan 4-8th.
Standen, E.M. and G.V. Lauder. (2004). Dorsal and anal fin function in teleost fishes. Society for Experimental Biology, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Standen E.M., R.P. Levine, P. Domenici. (2004). Fast and slow escape maneuvers in the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). Annual Meeting for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, New Orleans, LA.
Standen E.M., R.P. Levine, E.L. Brainerd, P. Domenici (2003). Effect of body size on fast-start performance in the Pacific staghorn sculpin, Leptocottus armatus. Annual Meeting for the Society for Experimental Biology, Toronto.
Standen, E.M., S.G. Hinch and P.S. Rand. (2002). Moving water, swimming fish: Using underwater Videography to study the effects of hydraulic condition on energy use in up-river migrating salmon. International Congress on the biology of Fish, Vancouver, BC.
Standen E.M. and S.G. Hinch. (2002). Is scale an issue? Using underwater stereo videography to study the effects of hydraulic condition on energy use in up-river migrating salmon. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Vancouver, BC.
Standen, E.M. (2001). Flow Fields and Fish: measuring the effects of hydraulic conditions on behaviour and energy use in migrating salmon. University of British Columbia/University of Washington Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium 2001, Vancouver, BC.
Standen, E.M., S.G. Hinch and P.S. Rand. (2001). The Effects of Hydraulic Condition on Energy Use in Up-river Migrating Salmon: A Videography Study. American Fisheries Society 131st Annual Meeting. 2001: A Fisheries Odyssey, Phoenix AZ.
Standen E.M., S.G. Hinch, M.C. Healey and A.P. Farrell. (2001). Using EMG Telemetry to Asses Energetics and Behaviour of Migrating Adult Pacific Salmon in relation to River Features. 4th Annual Conference on Fish Telemetry, Trondheim, Norway.
Standen E.M. and S.G. Hinch. (2001). Energy Use and Behaviour of Up-River Migrating Adult Salmon in the Fraser Canyon: Assessing the Effects of River Features Using EMG Telemetry. Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research, Toronto, ON.
Standen E.M. (2000). Energy Use and Behaviour of Up-River Migrating Adult Salmon. UBC-SFU-UVIC Evolution and Ecology Retreat, Squamish, BC.
