Spatial Ecology of Freshwater Ecosystems

We develop techniques for spatial analysis of watersheds, lakes, rivers, and stream networks, and we study the interactions between the surrounding landscape, local habitat, and management as they affect aquatic biota. We also develop classification and monitoring techniques for tracking status and trends and for linking aquatic communities with the mechanisms that influence their distribution and abundance. Our studies examine a wide range of aquatic and riparian organisms in environments ranging from high-elevation streams and lakes to forested headwaters and mainstem rivers.

Featured Studies

• Influence of Landscape Pattern and Composition on Species in Forested Ecosystems in Western Oregon
• Longitudinal Patterns of Fish Assemblage Structure, Stream Habitat, and Water Temperature in the Lower Crooked River, Oregon
• Primer for Identifying Cold-water Thermal Refugia for the Protection and Restoration of Habitat for Native Salmonids
• Multivariate Classification of Hydrologic Landscapes for Paired Watershed Studies in Headwater Catchments
• Linking Hydrogeology and Aquatic Communities for Ecological Monitoring of Wadeable Mountain Streams
• Developing a Multivariate Tool for Classifying Aquatic Ecosystems and Predicting Zooplankton and Water Quality Response to Climate Change in Lakes and Ponds of Mount Rainier National Park
• Multi-layered Interdisciplinary Mapping of Riverscapes in the Pacific Northwest
• Linkages between Spring Chinook Habitat Quality and Spawning Sites in the Yakima River
• Predicting the Spread of Invasive Exotic Plants into De-Watered Reservoirs following Dam Removal on the Elwha River, Olympic National Park, WA
• Spatial Models for Connecting Landscapes to Fish Diversity in Alaska
• Variability in Cutthroat Trout Abundance Relative to Habitat Characteristics in Headwater Catchments
• Integrating Future Climate Change and Riparian Land-Use to Forecast the Effects of Stream Warming on Species Invasions and Their Impacts on Native Salmonids