Meredith is interested in understanding the influence of climate change and environmental factors on aquatic communities that occupy high alpine lakes. Meredith aims to describe the relationships between snowpack and ice phenology as they relate to biological limnology, zooplankton community structure, and trout growth and reproduction under the lens of climate change. Meredith utilizes a combination of field collection, laboratory techniques, and remote sensing methods to better understand the seasonal dynamics of this often-understudied ecosystem. In particular, she is interested in how naturally reproducing populations of historically stocked trout in high-elevation lakes will continue to subsist and impact their ecosystem under future climate scenarios.
Meredith received her M.S. degree from the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA (2015). Her research focused on the early marine growth and physiology of out-migrating juvenile salmon in the Salish Sea and beyond. After completing her M.S. degree, Meredith accepted a professional appointment as a Research Biologist at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle WA (2016-2022). During this time, she worked to understand and model the biological and oceanographic factors influencing salmon growth in the Salish Sea, Columbia River Estuary, and Northern California Current.
Beyond research, Meredith enjoys spending her free time enjoying mountains rock climbing and backcountry skiing. Rest days include crossword puzzles and cuddling with her cat Jasper.
Professional Preparation and Appointments
EDUCATION
2015 M.S., Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
2011 B.S., Environmental Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
2016-2022 Research Biologist, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA
2012-2013 Fisheries Biologist, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA
2011 Intern, Pacific Northwest National Lab, Department of Energy, Sequim, WA
Publications
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Journey, ML, Neville, C, Young, G, Trudel, M, & Beckman, BR (2020) Spatial and interannual variability of juvenile coho salmon growth in the Strait of Georgia (2012-2015). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 646, 145-160
Journey, ML, Trudel, M, Young, G, & Beckman, BR (2018). Evidence for depressed growth of juvenile Pacific salmon in Johnstone and Queen Charlotte Straits, British Columbia. Fisheries Oceanography, 27(2), 174-183
Bersin, TV, Cordova, KL, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2024) Food deprivation reduces sensitivity of liver Igf1 synthesis pathways to growth hormone in juvenile gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 346:114404
Bersin, TV, Mapes, HM, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2023) Insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1) signaling responses to food consumption after fasting in the Pacific rockfish Sebastes carnatus. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 282:111444
Bersin, TV, Cordova, KL, Saenger, EK, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2023) Nutritional status affects Igf1 regulation of skeletal muscle myogenesis, myostatin, and myofibrillar protein degradation pathways in gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus). Molecular and Cellular Endocrincology, 573:111951
Weitkamp, LA, Beckman, BR, Van Doornik, D, Munguia, A, Hunsicker, M & ML Journey (2022) Life in the fast lane: feeding and growth of juvenile Chinook Salmon and Steelhead in mainstem habitats of the Columbia River Estuary. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 151(5): 587-610
Bersin, TB, Cordova, KL, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2021) Fasting inhibits GH stimulation of IGF-1 synthesis pathways in the liver of gopher rockfish (Sebastes carnatus). Integrative and Comparative Biology, 61:E56
Cordova, KL, Bersin, TB, Saenger, EK, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2020) Opposing influences of fasting stress and Igf1 on skeletal muscle gene pathways for Igf-signaling and myofibrillar protein degradation in gopher rockfish. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 60:E45
Strobel, JS, Hack, NL, Label, KT, Cordova, KL, Bersin, T, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2020) Effects of food deprivation on plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1) and Igf binding protein (Igfbp) gene transcription in juvenile cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus). General and Comparative Endocrinology, 286:113319
Bersin, TB, Cordova, KL, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2019) Effects of nutritional stress on the sensitivity of liver IGF-1 production to GH in a Pacific rockfish. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 59:E273
Hack, NL, Cordova, KL, Glaser, FL, Journey, ML, Resner, EJ, Hardy, KM, … & Lema, SC (2019). Interactions of long-term food ration variation and short-term fasting on insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) pathways in copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus). General and comparative endocrinology, 280, 168-184
Kaneko, N, Journey, ML, Neville, CM, Trudel, M, Beckman, BR, & Shimizu, M (2019). Utilization of an endocrine growth index, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1b, for postsmolt coho salmon in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada. Fish physiology and biochemistry, 45(6), 1867-1878
Duguid, WD, Iwanicki, TW, Journey, ML, Noel, AL, Beckman, BR, & Juanes, F (2018). Assessing Indices of Growth for Field Studies of Juvenile Salmon: An Experiment and Synthesis. Marine and Coastal Fisheries, 10(2), 204-223
Glaser, FL, Cordova, KL, Hack, NL, Journey, ML, Resner, EJ, Hardy, KM, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2018) Response of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system to nutritional stress in juvenile copper rockfish Sebastes caurinus. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 58:E324
Hack, NL, Strobel, JS, Journey, ML, Beckman, BR & SC Lema (2018) Response of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (Igf1) system to nutritional status and growth rate variation in olive rockfish (Sebastes serranoides). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 224:42-52
TECHNICAL REPORTS
Morgan, CA, Auth, TD, Beckman, BR, Burke, BJ, Daly, EA, Huff, DD, Journey, ML, Miller, JA, Norrie, CR & Van Doornik, DM (2022) Ocean Survival of Salmonids RME, 1/1/2021-12/31/2021, Annual Report, 1998- 014-00, 63 pp.
Morgan, CA, Auth, TD, Beckman, BR, Burke, BJ, Chasco, BE, Daly, EA, Huff, DD, Journey, ML, Miller, JA, Norrie, CR, Van Doornik, DM, & Zamon JE (2021) Ocean Survival of Salmonids RME, 1/1/2020-12/31/2020, Annual Report, 1998-014-00, 50 pp.
Weitkamp, LA, Beckman, BR, Van Doornik, DM, Munguia, A, Hunsicker, ME, Jacobson, KC & ML Journey (2020) Restoration Action Effectiveness Monitoring and Research in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, 2016-2017: Chapter 6.0 Juvenile Salmon in Mainstem Habitats of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary: the Indirect Benefits of Tidal Wetland Restoration. 62 pp.
Beckman, BR, Journey, ML, Rohrbach, L, Neville, CM & Marc Trudel (2015) Assessing growth of juvenile salmon in the Strait of Georgia. Annual Report for 2014, Pacific Salmon Commission Southern Fund, Agreement SF-2012-I-18. 25 pp.
Beckman, BR, Journey, ML, Rohrbach, L, Sweeting, R, Neville, CM & M Trudel (2014) Assessing growth of juvenile salmon in the Strait of Georgia. Annual Report for 2013, Pacific Salmon Commission Southern Fund, Agreement SF-2012-I-18. 29 pp.