Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory

Dr. Quenton Tuckett

Assistant Professor

Quenton Tuckett began researching non-native species in 2013 at the University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory (TAL) in Ruskin. Dr. Tuckett’s role at the lab is primarily research-based, but also includes the mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students and providing support to the ornamental aquaculture industry by informing agency and industry partners about aquaculture best management practices (BMPs) and the invasion risk of aquacultured fish.

Current research interests include 1) examining the ecological and evolutionary factors that limit/promote the persistence and establishment of non-native fishes, 2) non-native poeciliids-green swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii), southern platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus), and pike killifish (Belonesox belizanus)-as model organisms in the study of invasion dynamics, 3) assessing risks associated with the trade in aquatic organisms, and 4) the influence of coastal restoration on commercially important estuarine fish species. His past research also includes examining the ecological implications of disturbance, eutrophication, harvest, and wildfire on aquatic ecosystems, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and ecological stoichiometry theory.

Current research projects include:

Signals and patterns of domestication across highly-domesticated fish species
Feralization of non-native green swordtails in Tampa Bay
Evaluation of sportfish habitat use, growth, and condition at restoration areas in Tampa Bay
Evolutionary and ecological determinants of thermal tolerance for native and non-native fishes

Online and traditional graduate students with interests in the above areas (or others) are encouraged to contact him about opportunities.

Pictures of various non-native species

Quenton Tuckett bio page

CONTACT

UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory
1408 24th Street SE
Ruskin, FL 33570
qtuckett@ufl.edu
813-671-5230 x114

Google Scholar Profile

Education

Ph.D., Biological Sciences, 2013, University of Maine

M.S., Biology, 2007, Boise State University

B.S., Ecology, 2002, Idaho State University

Current Students

Brittany Scharf - Ph.D. student

Wyatt Jorgensen - M.F.A.S student

Myles Domohowski - M.S. student

Tyler Kennell - M.F.A.S student

Kelly Chase - M.S. student

Former Students

2022-2024      M.S., Katie Everett, University of Florida, Biocontrol of Tropical Clawed Frogs

2020-2023      M.S., Elizabeth Walsh, University of Florida, Resolving variation in invasion success between Gambusia species

2021-2023       M.S., Matthew Bunting, University of Florida, Atlantic Tarpon movement ecology

2017-2019      M.S., Kailee Schulz, University of Florida, Response of Common Snook and fish communities to ecological restoration

2017-2019      M.S., Jeffrey Greenspan, University of Florida, Prediction of suitable habitat for blue tilapia

2016-2018      M.S., Timothy Lyons, University of Florida, Risk of invasion for the lionfishes

Research Publications

For the most recent publications, please visit Quenton's Google Scholar Profile.

Vilizzi, L., and 194 authors. 2021. A global-scale screening of non-native aquatic organisms to identify potentially invasive species under current and future conditions. Science of the Total Environment 788:147868.
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Tuckett, Q.M., K.M. Lawson, T.N. Lipscomb, J.E. Hill, W.M. Daniel and Z.A. Siders. 2021. Non-native poeciliids in hot water: the role of thermal springs in facilitating invasion of tropical species. Hydrobiologia 848(20):4731-4745.
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Schofield, P.J., Q.M. Tuckett, D.H. Slone, K.M. Reaver and J.E. Hill. 2021. Invasion frustration: can biotic resistance explain the small geographic range of non-native Croaking Gourami Trichopsis vittata (Cuvier, 1831) in Florida, USA? Aquatic Invasions 16(3):512-526.
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Tuckett, Q.M., A.E. Deacon, D. Fraser, T.J. Lyons, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2021. Unstable intraguild predation causes establishment failure of a globally invasive species. Ecology 102(8):e03411.
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Tuckett, Q.M., K.N. Ressel, J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2021. Domestication and feralization influence the distribution and phenotypes of escaped ornamental fish. Biological Invasions 23(4):1033-1047.
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Goodman, C.M., G.F.M. Jongsma, J.E. Hill, E.M. Stanley, Q.M. Tuckett, D.C. Blackburn, and C.M. Romagosa. 2021. A case of mistaken identity: genetic and anatomical evidence reveals the cryptic invasion of Xenopus tropicalis in central Florida. Journal of Herpetology 55(1):62-69.
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Schulz, K., P.W. Stevens, J.E. Hill, A.A. Trotter, J.L. Ritch, Q.M. Tuckett, and J.T. Patterson. 2020. Coastal restoration evaluated using domestic habitat characteristics and associated fish communities. PLOS ONE 15(10):e0240623.
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Hill, J.E., G.H. Copp, S. Hardin, K.M. Lawson, L.L. Lawson Jr., Q.M. Tuckett, L. Vilizzi, and C.A. Watson. 2020. Comparing apples to oranges and other misrepresentations of the risk screening tools FISK and AS-ISK – a rebuttal of Marcot et al. (2019). Management of Biological Invasions 11(2):325-341.
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Lyons, T.J., Q.M. Tuckett, A. Durland-Donahou, and J.E. Hill. 2020. Risk screen of lionfishes, Pterois, Dendrochirus, and Parapterois, for southeastern United States coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Biological Invasions 22:1573-1583.
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Schluz, K., P.W. Stevens, J.E. Hill, A.A. Trotter, J.L. Ritch, K.L. Williams, J.T. Patterson, and Q.M. Tuckett. 2020. Coastal wetland restoration improves habitat for juvenile sportfish in Tampa Bay, Florida, U.S.A. Restoration Ecology 28(5):1283-1295.
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Lipscomb, T., A. Wood, Q. Tuckett, J. Patterson, S. Ramee, C. Watson, and M. DiMaggio. 2019. Culture protocols for the Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish Elassoma gilberti. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 51(3):679-689.
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Lyons, T.J., Q.M. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2019. Characterizing the US trade in Lionfishes. PLOS ONE 14(8):e0221272.
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Lyons, T.J., Q.M. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2019. Data quality and quantity for invasive species: a case study of the Lionfishes. Fish and Fisheries 20:748-759.
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Schaberg, S.J., J.T. Patterson, J.E. Hill, K.V. Guindon, and Q.M. Tuckett. 2019. Fish community composition and diversity at restored estuarine habitats in Tampa Bay, Florida, United States. Restoration Ecology 27:54–62.
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Hill, J.E. and Q.M. Tuckett. 2018. Abiotic and biotic contributions to invasion resistance for ornamental fish in west-central Florida, USA. Hydrobiologia 817:363-377.
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Hill, J.E., Q.M. Tuckett, and C.A. Watson. 2018. Court ruling creates opportunity to improve management of non-native fish and wildlife in the United States. Fisheries 43:225-230.
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Lipscomb, T.N., A.L. Wood, M.A. DiMaggio, Q.M. Tuckett, L.L. Lawson, and C.A. Watson. 2018. Evaluation of spawning aids and administration routes on ovulation success in an ornamental cyprinid. Aquaculture Research 49:3926-3929.
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Tuckett, Q.M. and P. Koetsier. 2018. Post-fire debris flows delay recovery and create novel headwater stream macroinvertibrate communities. Hydrobiologia 814(1):161-174.
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Hill, J.E., Q.M. Tuckett, S. Hardin, L.L. Lawson Jr., K.M. Lawson, J.L. Ritch, and L. Partridge. 2017. Risk screen of freshwater tropical ornamental fishes for the conterminous United States. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 146(5):927-938.
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Hill, J.E., K.M. Lawson, and Q.M. Tuckett. 2017. First record of a reproducing population of the African Clawed Frog Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) in Florida (USA). BioInvasions Records 6(1):87-95.
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Lawson, K.M., Q.M. Tuckett, J.L. Ritch, L. Nico, P. Fuller, E. Matheson, and J.E. Hill. 2017. Distribution and status update for select non-native fishes in the Tampa Bay area, a hot spot for non-native fishes. BioInvasions Records 6(4):393-406.
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Lyons, T.J., Q.M. Tuckett, and J.E. Hill. 2017. Lower lethal temperatures for two commonly traded species of Lionfish: implications for establishment beyond Pterois volitans and P. miles. Copeia 105(4):630-633.
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Tuckett, Q.M., K.S. Simon, and M.T. Kinnison. 2017. Cultural eutrophication mediates context-dependent eco-evolutionary effects of a fish invader. Copeia 105(3):483-493.
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Tuckett, Q.M., J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2017. Landscape-scale survey of non-native fishes near ornamental aquaculture facilities in Florida, USA. Biological Invasions 19(1):223-237.
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Tuckett, Q.M., M.T. Kinnison, J.E. Saros, and K.S. Simon. 2016. Population divergence in fish elemental phenotypes associated with trophic adaptations and lake trophic state. Oecologia 182:765–778.
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Tuckett, Q.M. and P. Koetsier. 2016. Mid- and long-term effects of wildfire and debris flows on stream ecosystem metabolism. Freshwater Science 35(2):445-456.
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Tuckett, Q.M., J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2016. Implementation of best management practices for Florida ornamental aquaculture with an emphasis on non-native species. North American Journal of Aquaculture 78(2):113-124.
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Tuckett, Q.M., J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, L.L Lawson Jr., and J.E. Hill. 2016. Variation in cold tolerance in escaped and farmed non-native Green Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii) revealed by laboratory trials and field introductions. Biological Invasions 18(1):45-56.
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Lawson, L.L, Q.M. Tuckett, K.M. Lawson, C.A. Watson, and J.E. Hill. 2015. Lower lethal temperature for Arapaima Arapaima gigas: potential implications for culture and establishment in Florida. North American Journal of Aquaculture 77(4):497-502.
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Tuckett, Q.M., K.S. Simon, J.E. Saros, S.M. Coghlan Jr., and M.T. Kinnison. 2015. Biomass versus biodiversity: the relative contribution of population attributes to excretion loading of aquatic systems. Evolutionary Ecology Research 16:705-723.

Tuckett, Q.M., K.S. Simon, J.E. Saros, D.B. Halliwell, and M.T. Kinnison. 2013. Trophic specialization along a lake productivity gradient revealed by historic invasion and contemporary eutrophication. Freshwater Biology 55(12):2517-2531.

Koetsier, P., T. Krause, and Q.M. Tuckett. 2010. Present effects of past wildfire on leaf litter breakdown in stream ecosystems. Western North American Naturalist 70(2):164-174.

Koetsier, P., Q.M. Tuckett, and J. White. 2007. Present effects of past wildfire on stream fish diets. Western North American Naturalist 37(3):429-438.

Extension Publications

For the most recent publications, please visit Quenton's Google Scholar Profile.

Watson, C., M. DiMaggio, J. Hill, Q. Tuckett, and R. Yanong. 2019. Evolution, culture, and care for Betta splendens. University of Florida/IFAS EDIS Publication FA212.
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Cassiano, E.J., J. Hill, Q. Tuckett, and C. Watson. 2018. Eastern Mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki, for control of mosquito larvae. University of Florida/IFAS EDIS Publication FA202.
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Hill, J.E. and Q.M. Tuckett. 2018. Preventing escape from aquaculture operations. Publication No. 4312. USDA-Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, Stoneville, Mississippi.
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Tuckett, Q.M., C.V. Martinez, J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2016. Preventing escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities in Florida, Part 1: general considerations and regulation. University of Florida/IFAS Extension Publication FA195.
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Hill, J.E., Q.M. Tuckett, C.V. Martinez, J.L. Ritch, and K.M. Lawson. 2016. Preventing escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities in Florida, Part 2: facility evaluation strategies. University of Florida/IFAS Extension Publication FA196.
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Tuckett, Q.M., C.V. Martinez, J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2016. Preventing escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities in Florida, Part 3: structural strategies. University of Florida/IFAS Extension Publication FA197.
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Tuckett, Q.M., C.V. Martinez, J.L. Ritch, K.M. Lawson, and J.E. Hill. 2016. Preventing escape of non-native species from aquaculture facilities in Florida, Part 4: operational strategies. University of Florida/IFAS Extension Publication FA198.
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