Caroline R Van Hemert, Ph.D.
Avian health and disease, ecology of landbirds, beak deformities in Alaska (“avian keratin disorder”), anatomy and structure of keratinized tissues, wildlife pathology
Biography
Education
Ph.D. 2012 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK Biology and Wildlife
M.A. 2005 Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA English/Creative Nonfiction
B.S. 2000 University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Ecology and Evolution
B.A. 2000 University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Gender Studies
Professional Experience
2012 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
2005 - 2012 Wildlife Biologist, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
2003 - 2005 Teaching Assistant, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
2001 Volunteer Field Assistant, Wild Dog Research Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
2000 - 2002 Bioscience Technician, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
1999 Research Assistant, Wildlife Conservation Society, Haines, Alaska
1998 Field Research Assistant, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska
1997 - 1998 Research Assistant, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Professional Activities and/or Memberships
American Ornithological Society
Boreal Partners in Flight
The Wildlife Society
Wildlife Disease Association
Honors and/or Awards
- Performance Award, USGS Alaska Science Center, 2011
- Best Student Presentation Award, Wildlife Disease Association International Meeting, 2011
- UAF Dissertation Completion Fellowship Award, 2011–2012
- UAF College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Student Travel Grant, 2011
- UAF Institute for Arctic Biology Director’s Travel Award, 2011
- Best Student Presentation Award, Alaska Bird Conference, 2010
- IdEANetwork of Biomedical Research Exellence Student Travel Awards, 2010, 2011
- Betty A. Anderson Memorial Scholarship, 2010
- Student Travel and Presentation Awards, Alaska Bird Conference, 2008
- Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation, 2008–2011
- Angus Gavin Memorial Bird Research Grant, University of Alaska Foundation, 2008
- Graduate Research Fellowship, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2007–2008
Science and Products
Environmental Contaminants and Beak Deformities in Alaskan Chickadees
A recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides some of the first environmental contaminants data for a species of passerine bird (perching birds) in Alaska but leaves unanswered questions as to the cause of beak abnormalities found in this species.Beginning in the late 1990s, biologists and members of the public reported an unusual number of beak abnormalities among black-capped...
Haemosporidian parasite infections in grouse and ptarmigan: Prevalence and genetic diversity of blood parasites in resident Alaskan birds
Projections related to future climate warming indicate the potential for an increase in the distribution and prevalence of blood parasites in northern regions. However, baseline data are lacking for resident avian host species in Alaska. Grouse and ptarmigan occupy a diverse range of habitat types throughout the northern hemisphere and are among...
Smith, Matthew M.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Merizon, Richard Blood serum chemistry of wild Alaskan Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) with avian keratin disorder
We measured serum chemistries in wild Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) from Alaska to test for potential differences associated with beak deformities characteristic of avian keratin disorder. Lower uric acid in affected birds was the only difference detected between groups, although sample sizes were small. This difference could be...
Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M. Elements in whole blood of Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus) in Alaska: No evidence for an association with beak deformities
A recent outbreak of beak deformities among resident birds in Alaska has raised concern about environmental contamination as a possible underlying factor. We measured whole blood concentrations of 30 essential and nonessential elements to determine whether any were associated with beak deformities in Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus). We tested...
Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M. Avian malaria in a boreal resident species: long-term temporal variability, and increased prevalence in birds with avian keratin disorder
The prevalence of vector-borne parasitic diseases is widely influenced by biological and ecological factors. Environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation can have a marked effect on haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium spp.) that cause malaria and those that cause other malaria-like diseases in birds. However, there have...
Wilkinson, Laura C.; Handel, Colleen M.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Loiseau, Claire; Sehgal, Ravinder N. M. Isolation of a complete circular virus genome sequence from an Alaskan black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) gastrointestinal tract sample.
We report here the genome sequence of a circular virus isolated from samples of an Alaskan black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) gastrointestinal tract. The genome is 2,152 bp in length and is most similar (30 to 44.5% amino acid identity) to the genome sequences of other single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) circular viruses belonging to the...
Hanna, Zachary R.; Runckel, Charles; Fuchs, Jerome; DeRisi, Joseph L.; Mindell, David P.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M.; Dumbacher, John P. Microbial infections are associated with embryo mortality in Arctic-nesting geese.
To address the role of bacterial infection in hatching failure of wild geese, we monitored embryo development in a breeding population of Greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. During 2013, we observed mortality of normally developing embryos and collected 36 addled eggs for analysis. We also collected...
Hansen, Cristina M.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Hare, Rebekah F.; Hueffer, Karsten Forecasting wildlife response to rapid warming in the Alaskan Arctic
Arctic wildlife species face a dynamic and increasingly novel environment because of climate warming and the associated increase in human activity. Both marine and terrestrial environments are undergoing rapid environmental shifts, including loss of sea ice, permafrost degradation, and altered biogeochemical fluxes. Forecasting wildlife responses...
Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Flint, Paul L.; Udevitz, Mark S.; Koch, Joshua C.; Atwood, Todd C.; Oakley, Karen L.; Pearce, John M. Environmental contaminants and chromosomal damage associated with beak deformities in a resident North American passerine
A large cluster of beak abnormalities among black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska raised concern about underlying environmental factors in this region. Metals and trace elements, organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD-Fs) were...
Handel, Colleen M.; Van Hemert, Caroline R. Avian cholera causes marine bird mortality in the Bering Sea of Alaska
The first known avian cholera outbreak among wild birds in Alaska occurred during November 2013. Liver, intestinal, and splenic necrosis consistent with avian cholera was noted, and Pasteurella multocida serotype 1 was isolated from liver and lung or spleen in Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella), Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia),...
Bodenstein, Barbara L.; Kimberlee Beckmen; Gay Sheffield; Kathy Kuletz; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Berlowski-Zier, Brenda M.; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie I. Wildlife health in a rapidly changing North: focus on avian disease
Climate-related environmental changes have increasingly been linked to emerging infectious diseases in wildlife. The Arctic is facing a major ecological transition that is expected to substantially affect animal and human health. Changes in phenology or environmental conditions that result from climate warming may promote novel species assemblages...
Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Pearce, John M.; Handel, Colleen M. Melanin-based color of plumage: role of condition and of feathers' microstructure
Whether melanin-based colors honestly signal a bird's condition during the growth of feathers is controversial, and it is unclear if or how the physiological processes underlying melanogenesis or color-imparting structural feather microstructure may be adversely affected by condition. Here we report results from two experiments designed to measure...
D'Alba, Liliana; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Spencer, Karen A.; Heidinger, Britt J.; Gill, Lisa; Evans, Neil P.; Monaghan, Pat; Handel, Colleen M.; Shawkey, Matthew D.
Wildlife disease and environmental health in Alaska
Environmental health is defined by connections between the physical environment, ecological health, and human health. Current research within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recognizes the importance of this integrated research philosophy, which includes study of disease and pollutants as they pertain to wildlife and humans. Due to its key...
Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Pearce, John M.; Oakley, Karen; Whalen, Mary E.