Stepien, C.A., and M.E. Neilson. 2013. What’s in a name? Taxonomy and nomenclature of invasive gobies in the Great Lakes and beyond. Journal of Great Lakes Research 39: 555-559.
Matthew Neilson, Ph.D.
My interests lie in the ecology, biology, systematics, population genetics, and zoogeography of fishes. I currently work with the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database program helping to refine our understanding of nonnative fish distributions and impacts in the United States.
Science and Products
Date published: April 20, 2020
Status: Active Implementing FAIR practices: Storing and displaying eDNA data in the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
We are working to incorporate environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, which houses over 570,000 records of nonindigenous species nationally, and already is used by a broad user-base of managers and researchers regularly for invasive species monitoring. eDNA studies have allowed for the identification and biosurveillance of numerous invasive and...
Contacts: Wesley Daniel, Ph.D., Matthew Neilson, Ph.D.
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Date published: May 8, 2019
Status: Active Establishing standards and integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) data into the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
Environmental DNA (eDNA) testing allows for high sensitivity monitoring efforts of cryptic species in large, remote systems and is performed by investigating water and soil samples for sloughed DNA. Having access to eDNA datasets across multiple taxa and ecosystems is necessary for improved coordination among researchers and management. Additionally, quality control protocols are needed to vet...
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Date published: May 7, 2019
Status: Active National Public Screening Tool for Invasive and Non-native Aquatic Species Data
Identifying the leading edge of a biological invasion can be difficult. Many management and research entities have biological samples or surveys that may unknowingly contain data on nonindigenous species. The new Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database automated online tool “SEINeD” (Screen and Evaluate Invasive and Non-native Data) will allow a user to search for these nonindigenous...
Contacts: Wesley Daniel, Ph.D., Matthew Neilson, Ph.D.
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Date published: March 26, 2019
Status: Active The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Alert Risk Mapper (ARM)
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) program has developed a new tool, the NAS Alert Risk Mapper (ARM), to characterize waterbodies in the conterminous U.S. and Hawaii at potential risk of invasion from a new nonindigenous species sighting.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Wildlife Program, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 3: Great Lakes, Region 4: Mississippi Basin, Region 5: Missouri Basin, Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas-Gulf, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin, Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest, Region 10: California-Great Basin, Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: March 26, 2019
Status: Active Defining Native Ranges of U.S. Inland Fishes
Understanding the native versus non-native range of a species can provide useful information about dispersal, population distribution patterns, and human mediated movement across hydrologic barriers. The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program is working with partners to define native ranges of inland fishes in the United States to help identify which species should be included in the...
Attribution: Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 3: Great Lakes, Region 4: Mississippi Basin, Region 5: Missouri Basin, Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas-Gulf, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin, Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest, Region 10: California-Great Basin, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: March 5, 2019
Status: Active The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Flood and Storm Tracker (FaST)
Storm-related flooding can lead to the potential spread of nonindigenous (or non-native) aquatic species into waterways they have not been seen in before. The USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species program has developed an innovative mapping tool to help natural resource managers with post-storm nonindigenous aquatic species detection and assessment efforts.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 3: Great Lakes, Region 4: Mississippi Basin, Region 5: Missouri Basin, Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas-Gulf, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin, Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest, Region 10: California-Great Basin, Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: April 10, 2018
Status: Active Knowledge Extraction Algorithms (KEA): Turning Literature Into Data
Identifying, extracting, and mobilizing information from current and historical literature is a time-consuming part of organizing and collating synthetic data productions. This project explored the use of algorithm-based methods to identify and extract occurrence information from the GeoDeepDive (GDD) literature database to support upkeep of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) data. The...
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Date published: April 10, 2018
Status: Active National Alert Risk Mapper for Nonindigenous Aquatic Species
The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database and Alert System (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/default.aspx) provides a framework for the rapid dissemination of new invasions as they are incorporated into the NAS Database. The system notifies registered users of new sightings of >1,330 non-native aquatic species as part of national-scale early...
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Date published: April 25, 2016
Status: Active Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Information System
The Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Information System (GLANSIS) was developed by the NOAA Great Lakes Science Center to monitor nonindigenous aquatic species introductions into the Great Lakes region.
Date published: April 11, 2016
Status: Active Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program
Welcome to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) information resource for the United States Geological Survey. Located at Gainesville, Florida, this site has been established as a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species. The program provides scientific reports, online/realtime queries, spatial data sets, distribution maps, and general...
Attribution: Ecosystems, Invasive Species Program, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 3: Great Lakes, Region 4: Mississippi Basin, Region 5: Missouri Basin, Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas-Gulf, Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin, Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin, Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest, Region 10: California-Great Basin, Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
Date published: March 22, 2016
Status: Active Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database and Website (NAS)
Nonindigenous - non-native - species threaten biodiversity, but the distribution of these species is not well-known. The Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database tracks occurrence data on non-native aquatic plant and animal species throughout the United States, and provides the public with species profiles, distribution maps, and online/real-time queries for state/hydrologic basin-...
Date published: March 12, 2014
Status: Active NASWeb API Web Services Access to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
The national Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database Program serves as a repository for geo-referenced occurrence data on introduced aquatic organisms across the nation. The NAS Program, including the database and website (http://nas.er.usgs.gov), is a well-known resource and has been widely referenced in peer reviewed literature, agency reports, state...
Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Year Published: 2020
Community for data integration 2018 funded project report
The U.S. Geological Survey Community for Data Integration annually funds small projects focusing on data integration for interdisciplinary research, innovative data management, and demonstration of new technologies. This report provides a summary of the 10 projects funded in fiscal year 2018, outlining their goals, activities, and accomplishments.
Hsu, Leslie; Andrews, Caitlin M.; Bradford, John B.; Buscombe, Daniel D.; Chase, Katherine J.; Daniel, Wesley M.; Jones, Jeanne M.; Fuller, Pam; Mirus, Benjamin B.; Neilson, Matthew E.; Vraga, Hans W.; Walker, Jessica J.; Walworth, Dennis H.; Warrick, Jonathan; Weltzin, Jake F.; Wieferich, Daniel J.; Wood, Nathan J.Attribution: Community for Data Integration (CDI), Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS), United States of America
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Hsu, L., Andrews, C.M., Bradford, J.B., Buscombe, D.D., Chase, K.J., Daniel, W.M., Jones, J.M., Fuller, P., Mirus, B.B., Neilson, M.E., Vraga, H.W., Walker, J.J., Walworth, D.H., Warrick, J., Weltzin, J., Wieferich, D.J., and Wood, N.J., 2020, Community for Data Integration 2018 funded project report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 1062, 9 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201062.
Year Published: 2020
The first occurrence of the Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868) in the contiguous United States
The Australian redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, is a popular aquaculture crayfish that has been introduced around the world. Here we report the first occurrence of the species in the United States in Lake Balboa, Los Angeles, California. The impacts of this species are largely unknown, and further research is needed to determine the...
Morningstar, Cayla; Daniel, Wesley; Neilson, Matthew; Yazaryan, Ara K.
Year Published: 2019
Interactive mapping of nonindigenous species in the Laurentian Great Lakes
Nonindigenous species pose significant risks to the health and integrity of ecosystems around the world. Tracking and communicating the spread of these species has been of interest to ecologists and environmental managers for many years, particularly in the bi-national Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. In this paper, we introduce the Great...
Smith, Joseph P.; Lower, El K.; Martinez, Felix A.; Riseng, Catherine M.; Mason, Lacey A.; Rutherford, Edward S.; Neilson, Matthew E.; Fuller, Pam; Wehrly, Kevin E.; Sturtevant, Rochelle A.
Year Published: 2018
Trends in nonindigenous aquatic species richness in the United States reveal shifting spatial and temporal patterns of species introductions
Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics underlying the introduction and spread of nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS) can provide important insights into the historical drivers of biological invasions and aid in forecasting future patterns of nonindigenous species arrival and spread. Increasingly, public databases of species observation...
Mangiante, Michael J.; Davis, Amy J. S.; Panlasigui, Stephanie; Neilson, Matthew E.; Pfingsten, Ian; Fuller, Pam; Darling, John A.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 4: Mississippi Basin
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Mangiante, M.J., Davis, A.J.S., Panlasigui, S., Neilson, M.E., Pfingsten, I., Fuller, P.L., and Darling, J.A., 2018, Trends in nonindigenous aquatic species richness in the United States reveal shifting spatial and temporal patterns of species introductions: Aquatic Invasions, v. 13, no. 3, p. 323-338, http://www.aquaticinvasions.net/2018/issue3.html or http://www.aquaticinvasions.net/2018/AI_2018_Mangiante_etal.pdf.
Year Published: 2016
Pathways of fish invasions in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States
Non-native fish introductions are a major threat to biodiversity and fisheries, and occur through numerous pathways that vary regionally in importance. A key strategy for managing invasions is to focus prevention efforts on pathways posing the greatest risk of future introductions. We identified high-risk pathways for fish establishment in the Mid...
Lapointe, Nicolas W. R.; Fuller, Pam; Neilson, Matthew E.; Murphy, Brian R.; Angermeier, PaulAttribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Region 4: Mississippi Basin
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Lapointe, N.W.R., Fuller, P.L., Neilson, M., Murphy, B.R., and Angermeier, P.L., 2016, Pathways of fish invasions in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States: Management of Biological Invasions, v. 7, no. 3, p. 212-220, http://www.reabic.net/journals/mbi/2016/Issue3.aspx, http://www.reabic.net/journals/mbi/2016/3/MBI_2016_Lapointe_etal.pdf.
Year Published: 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey’s nonindigenous aquatic species database: over thirty years of tracking introduced aquatic species in the United States (and counting)
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database has tracked introductions of freshwater aquatic organisms in the United States for the past four decades. A website provides access to occurrence reports, distribution maps, and fact sheets for more than 1,000 species. The site also includes an on-line reporting system...
Fuller, Pamela L.; Neilson, Matthew E.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
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Fuller, P., and Neilson, M.E., 2015, The U.S. Geological Survey’s Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: over thirty years of tracking introduced aquatic species in the United States (and counting): Management of Biological Invasions, v. 6, no. 2, p. 159-170, accessed August 7, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/mbi.2015.6.2.06.
Year Published: 2013
The NAS Alert System: A look at the first eight years
The U.S. Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database program (http://nas.er.usgs.gov) tracks the distribution of introduced aquatic organisms across the United States. Awareness of, and timely response to, novel species introductions by those involved in nonindigenous aquatic species management and research requires a...
Fuller, Pamela L.; Neilson, Matt; Huge, Dane H.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
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The NAS Alert System: a look at the first eight years; 2013; Article; Journal; Fisheries; Fuller, Pam; Neilson, Matt; Huge, Dane H.
Year Published: 2012
The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program maintains a database that monitors, records, and analyzes sightings of nonindigenous aquatic plant and animal species throughout the United States. The program is based at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida.The initiative to maintain...
Neilson, Matthew E.; Fuller, Pamela L.Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Ecosystems, Region 2: South Atlantic-Gulf (Includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
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Neilson, M.E., and Fuller, P.L., 2017, The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program (ver. 1.1, May 2017): U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012–3100, 4 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20123100.
Pre-USGS Publications
Neilson, M.E., and C.A. Stepien. 2011. Historic speciation and recent colonization of Eurasian monkey gobies (Neogobius fluviatilis and N. pallasi) revealed by DNA sequences, microsatellites, and morphology. Diversity and Distributions 17: 688-702.
Neilson, M.E., and C.A. Stepien. 2009. Escape from the Ponto-Caspian: evolution and biogeography of an endemic goby species flock (Benthophilinae: Gobiidae: Teleostei). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution54: 84-102.
Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the exotic round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cross-species amplification
Feldheim, K.A., P. Willink, J.E. Brown, D.J. Murphy, M.E. Neilson, and C.A. Stepien. 2009. Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the exotic round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) with cross-species amplification. Molecular Ecology Resources 9: 639-644.
Neilson, M.E., and C.A. Stepien. 2009. Evolution and phylogeography of the tubenose goby genus Proterorhinus (Gobiidae: Teleostei): evidence for new cryptic species. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society96: 664-684.
Stepien, C.A., J.E. Brown, M.E. Neilson, and M.A. Tumeo. 2005. Genetic diversity of invasive species in the Great Lakes versus their Eurasian source populations: insights for risk analysis. Risk Analysis 25: 1043-1060.
Neilson, M.E., and R.R. Wilson, Jr. 2005. mtDNA singletons as evidence of a post-invasion genetic bottleneck in yellowfin goby Acanthogobius flavimanus from San Francisco Bay, California. Marine Ecology Progress Series 296: 197-208.
Date published: January 28, 2016
Process Changes for Reporting Sightings of Asian Carp, other Non-Native Aquatic Species
Boaters, swimmers or other members of the public who see Lionfish, Asian carp, Zebra mussels or any other invasive or non-native plant or animal species have two options to report sightings.
Attribution: Ecosystems, Invasive Species Program
Date published: January 28, 2016
Process Changes for Reporting Sightings of Asian Carp, Other Non-Native Aquatic Species
Boaters, swimmers or other members of the public who see Lionfish, Asian carp, Zebra mussels or any other invasive or non-native plant or animal species have two options to report sightings.
Attribution: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center