Publications

The Piacenzian Age (3.60–2.58 Ma) of the Pliocene Epoch was characterized by globally warmer climates, higher sea levels, and atmospheric CO2 similar to present. Utilizing a robust dataset of 2,101 samples and over 637,000 foraminifer specimens from 77 deep-sea core sites worldwide, we document planktic foraminifer biogeography and biodiversity during the mid-Piacenzian Warm Period (mPWP...

Rationale Microplastics (MPs) can interact with engineered nanomaterials and alter their environmental fate and bioavailability. However, their influence on the bioaccumulation dynamics of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aquatic filter feeders under environmentally relevant conditions remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) alter the uptake...

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic changes on fish disease is vital for supporting mitigative actions for fisheries population recovery. The Lake Washington watershed in the Pacific Northwestern United States is influenced by high urban development and climate change, compromising the sustainability of anadromous salmon. We investigated Ceratonova shasta, a myxozoan parasite, in...

The National Park of American Samoa (NPSA), which protects some of the most intact tropical rainforest in the South Pacific, is exposed to recurring, intense tropical cyclones, including Tropical Cyclone Gita in 2018. In combination with other anthropogenic pressures, cyclones represent a potential source of disturbance to landbird populations, particularly native frugivorous and seed...

Empirical evidence of population demographic responses to environmental perturbations is a major knowledge gap for aquatic vertebrate populations. Extensive habitat alteration including channelization of headwater streams influences the habitat template on which small-bodied fish are dependent to carry out distinct life stages and maintain or increase population growth. The objectives of...

Characterizing the genetic structure and connectivity between populations of endangered species can be used to inform management actions. In vagile species with high gene flow or recently established populations, such characterizations can be difficult to undertake using traditional genetic markers, and genetic stock identification (GSI) may be confounded by allele-sharing between...

Population abundances, distributions, and compositions across a diversity of taxa are changing, partly as a consequence of human-induced global modifications. Although linking population fluctuations to anthropogenic-induced alterations can be challenging, it is increasingly clear that long-term monitoring is critical to understanding changing populations. For waterfowl, concerns over...

Background Wildfires abruptly change landscapes by altering soil properties and vegetation cover. These changes are thought to reduce soil infiltration capacity, making landscapes susceptible to runoff and erosion. However, post-fire soil response is complex and likely varies across locations and time.Aims Here, we aim to understand regional post-fire soil response and recovery by...

Life stages between hatching and adult recruitment are poorly described for most migratory shorebird species and represent a critical knowledge gap in understanding long-term population dynamics. We conducted a pilot study on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska, to assess the feasibility of following juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits Limosa lapponica baueri from their breeding grounds to their non...

An increase in the occurrence of large, high severity wildfires in the western Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, has created an urgent need for science to better inform forest management and policy decisions to maintain source water quality in the region. The western PNW faces similar challenges to other regions with shifting wildfire regimes and large population centers reliant on surface...

Aggregation is common across taxa and typically confers clear benefits to group members (e.g., allo-parenting, group defense, thermoregulation, access to resources). But aggregation can also be costly. The mechanisms that underpin aggregation—and the cues that elicit it—inform our understanding of how animals resolve tradeoffs among selection pressures. Snakes sometimes form conspicuous

The Missouri River basin (MRB), the largest river basin in the United States, presents major water management challenges due to its complex topology and extensive infrastructure designed to manage high annual flows. Severe hydroclimatic events, particularly floods in 1993, 2011, and 2019, have highlighted vulnerabilities, leading the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enhance flood risk...