Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team (FRESC)
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By Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
November 27, 2017
Wildlife respond to changes in their environment, some of which are dramatic and others subtle. To fully understand the factors that drive changes in populations and communities, we need better information on wildlife ecology in natural and human-altered landscapes. We conduct research and provide technical assistance to address applied questions about the ecology and conservation of wildlife species, populations, communities, and habitats. We study a wide range of ecosystems, from streams and ponds to forests and shrublands, in the Intermountain West and Great Basin.
Our work is organized into several major themes, including restoration, monitoring and evaluation, habitat relationships, invasive species, species life histories, ecosystem processes, and wildfire.
Principal Investigator
David Pilliod - Supervisory Research Ecologist
Federal Staff
Robert Arkle - Supervisory Biologist
Michelle Jeffries - Biologist & Project Manager for Land Treatment Digital Library and Land Treatment Exploration Tool
Savannah Bartel - Post-doctoral Ecologist
Kristina Parker - Biologist
Ashley Leavell - Biologist
Michaela Grossklaus - Biologist
Amanda Boone - Biologist/Lab Manager (PNW eDNA Laboratory)
Craig Steele - Biologist (PNW eDNA Laboratory)
Madison Roth - Biological Science Technician (PNW eDNA Laboratory)
Jayde Dempsey - Biological Science Technician (PNW eDNA Laboratory)
University/Contractor/Volunteer/Other
Leeland Bennion - Post-doctoral Ecologist, Boise State University
Amethyst Tagney - Student Intern, Boise State University
Science Themes of the FRESC Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team are highlighted below.
Filter Total Items: 23
Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
Whether generalists or specialists, wildlife species use habitats based on their structural, compositional, and climatic characteristics. This use may vary with life stage, age, or physiological condition of the animal, as well as weather, season, food availability, need for cover or shelter, and other factors. Our research focuses on understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive...
Wildlife Responses to Climate, Land Use, and Invasive Species
Wildlife issues drive many federal and state land management decisions, either because of litigation or mandates to protect habitat and limit extinction risks. We conduct applied research to meet this need, particularly related to the effects of natural (disease, predation) and anthropogenic (habitat loss, invasive species) stressors on wildlife populations and communities. Research on the effects...
Tools and Techniques for Monitoring Wildlife Habitats, Communities, and Populations
Resource monitoring is critically important for documenting trends and learning from the past (i.e., adaptive management), yet it has been plagued with poor design and execution. We are developing and testing novel approaches to wildlife monitoring, including the use of non-invasive field sampling and molecular markers to determine patterns of species occurrence and population abundance relative...
Fire, Fuel Treatments, and Restoration Ecology
Land managers have invested considerable funding to decrease fuel loads and restore resilient ecosystems in forests and rangelands, using techniques such as grazing, mowing, herbicides, and thinning. Yet, little information is available about how such restoration activities have influenced wildlife species and habitats. We are conducting empirical studies and developing novel approaches to better...
An Interagency Collaboration to Develop and Evaluate New Science-Based Strategies for Great Basin Watershed Restoration in the Future
This project was designed to use the combined strengths of the cooperators to address their concerns stemming from the degradation of arid environments in the Great Basin. The project aimed to identify the regional ecological and social costs and benefits of both immediate hydrologic modifications (low-profile constructed dams) and longer-term restoration of beavers (Castor canadensis)...
Science Themes of the FRESC Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Biology Team are highlighted below.
Filter Total Items: 23
Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
Whether generalists or specialists, wildlife species use habitats based on their structural, compositional, and climatic characteristics. This use may vary with life stage, age, or physiological condition of the animal, as well as weather, season, food availability, need for cover or shelter, and other factors. Our research focuses on understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive...
Wildlife Responses to Climate, Land Use, and Invasive Species
Wildlife issues drive many federal and state land management decisions, either because of litigation or mandates to protect habitat and limit extinction risks. We conduct applied research to meet this need, particularly related to the effects of natural (disease, predation) and anthropogenic (habitat loss, invasive species) stressors on wildlife populations and communities. Research on the effects...
Tools and Techniques for Monitoring Wildlife Habitats, Communities, and Populations
Resource monitoring is critically important for documenting trends and learning from the past (i.e., adaptive management), yet it has been plagued with poor design and execution. We are developing and testing novel approaches to wildlife monitoring, including the use of non-invasive field sampling and molecular markers to determine patterns of species occurrence and population abundance relative...
Fire, Fuel Treatments, and Restoration Ecology
Land managers have invested considerable funding to decrease fuel loads and restore resilient ecosystems in forests and rangelands, using techniques such as grazing, mowing, herbicides, and thinning. Yet, little information is available about how such restoration activities have influenced wildlife species and habitats. We are conducting empirical studies and developing novel approaches to better...
An Interagency Collaboration to Develop and Evaluate New Science-Based Strategies for Great Basin Watershed Restoration in the Future
This project was designed to use the combined strengths of the cooperators to address their concerns stemming from the degradation of arid environments in the Great Basin. The project aimed to identify the regional ecological and social costs and benefits of both immediate hydrologic modifications (low-profile constructed dams) and longer-term restoration of beavers (Castor canadensis)...