Species interactions are fundamental to ecology and are the base unit by which higher ecological processes emerge. Interactions such as predation, competition, and mutualism are all key to the ways in which biological communities develop and persist over time. In the Anthropocene, humans are having myriad impacts on species interactions, potentially resulting in large-scale consequences such as declines in ecosystem function and biodiversity.
Predicting species responses to grizzly bears in US Northern Rockies
I am currently leveraging Fuzzy Interaction Webs (FIWs) to predict ecological changes in large vertebrate populations in response to grizzly bear re-population in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Through both direct and indirect interactions, returning grizzlies could impact black bears, mountain lions, ungulates, wolves, coyotes, and more.
I am currently leveraging Fuzzy Interaction Webs (FIWs) to predict ecological changes in large vertebrate populations in response to grizzly bear re-population in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Through both direct and indirect interactions, returning grizzlies could impact black bears, mountain lions, ungulates, wolves, coyotes, and more.
Global tropical mammal spatial overlap
We developed a novel Bayesian statistical framework integrating two-species occupancy models with a global regression to assess how species spatial overlap changed in response to environmental and human landscape conditions. This global assessment, drawing from camera trap data from the TEAM Network as well as ecological trait data for 1,216 species pairs, was published in Global Change Biology and identified that ecologically similar species were more likely to overlap spatially in protected areas that had high surrounding human density.
We developed a novel Bayesian statistical framework integrating two-species occupancy models with a global regression to assess how species spatial overlap changed in response to environmental and human landscape conditions. This global assessment, drawing from camera trap data from the TEAM Network as well as ecological trait data for 1,216 species pairs, was published in Global Change Biology and identified that ecologically similar species were more likely to overlap spatially in protected areas that had high surrounding human density.
Voyageurs Wolf Project
I worked on this project in conjunction with the National Parks Services as part of the Student Conservation Association. Data collection consisted of camera trapping, scat collection and analysis, and live-captures of wolves.
Check out more info here!!
I worked on this project in conjunction with the National Parks Services as part of the Student Conservation Association. Data collection consisted of camera trapping, scat collection and analysis, and live-captures of wolves.
Check out more info here!!