Charles Van Riper, III, Ph.D.
Charles van Riper III grew up observing the wildlife and resulting in a lifelong love of nature. He earned obtaining a B.S. in Zoology and a M.Ed. in Science from Colorado State University where he became intensely interested in Hawaiian birds. He later moved to the island of Hawaii to teach biology at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) and to study Hawaiian birds.
Charles’ doctoral research, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew J. Berger at the University of Hawaii (UH), was on two endangered species of Hawaiian native birds (honeycreepers). While working as a post-doctoral researcher with Dr. Clifford Smith in the UH Botany Department, Charles met his wife, Sandra Jean Guest, a fellow ornithology graduate student. Together, they elucidated the complex system of introduced diseases on native Hawaiian birds.
At the University of California, Davis, Charles started the first California Cooperative Parks Studies Unit and began his 20-year career with the National Park Service. In 1989, the National Park Service asked Charles to initiate another Cooperative Parks Studies Unit at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Arizona. Dr. van Riper built this unit from one individual to a team of 42 researchers, who solved natural resources problems throughout the Colorado Plateau and the southwestern United States. In 2003, Charles was again invited to assist with a university-based research station, this time with the Sonoran Desert Research Station at the University of Arizona (UA) in Tucson, Arizona. Today, he serves as a ST Research Ecologist, SDRS Station Leader, and Professor in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Resources in the UA School of Natural Resources.
Professional societies/affiliations/committees/editorial boards
- American Ornithologists' Union
- California Field Ornithologists
- Cooper Ornithological Society
- Ecological Society of America
- George Wright Society
- Hawaii Audubon Society
- Natural Areas Association
- Raptor Research Foundation
- Sigma Xi
- Society for Conservation Biology
- Western Bird-banding Association
- Wilson Ornithological Society
- Wildlife Disease Association
- Wildlife Society
Books:
- Colorado River Plateau: Cultural, Biological, and Physical Research - the book, published by UA Press
Articles on these subjects are available on Dr. Riper's personal website:
- Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
- Wildlife of Africa at Venetia Limpopo & Silkaatskop
- Status of Breeding and Wintering Birds
- Bald Eagle Abundance and Relationships to prey base and human activity along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
- West Nile Virus Presentation
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1978, Zoology, University of Hawaii. Honolulu, HI
M. Ed. 1967, Science, Colorado State University. Fort Collins, CO
B.S. 1965, Zoology, Colorado State University. Fort Collins, CO
Science and Products
Effects of reintroduced beaver (Castor canadensis) on riparian bird community structure along the upper San Pedro River, southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico
Influences of the Tamarisk Leaf Beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) on the diet of insectivorous birds along the Dolores River in Southwestern Colorado
Home range characteristics of Mexican Spotted Owls in the Rincon Mountains, Arizona
The distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in song sparrows along Arizona's upper Santa Cruz River
Toxoplasmosis
Projecting climate effects on birds and reptiles of the Southwestern United States
Distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), upper Santa Cruz River watershed, southern Arizona, 2011-12
Conflation and aggregation of spatial data improve predictive models for species with limited habitats: a case of the threatened yellow-billed cuckoo in Arizona, USA
Trichinosis
Influence of monsoon-related riparian phenology on yellow-billed cuckoo habitat selection in Arizona
Great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: on the importance of food, forest structure, and human disturbance
Understanding how social networking influences perceived satisfaction with conference experiences
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 129
Effects of reintroduced beaver (Castor canadensis) on riparian bird community structure along the upper San Pedro River, southeastern Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico
Chapter 1.—We measured bird abundance and richness along the upper San Pedro River in 2005 and 2006, in order to document how beavers (Castor canadensis) may act as ecosystem engineers after their reintroduction to a desert riparian area in the Southwestern United States. In areas where beavers colonized, we found higher bird abundance and richness of bird groups, such as all breeding birds, insecAuthorsGlenn E. Johnson, Charles van RiperInfluences of the Tamarisk Leaf Beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) on the diet of insectivorous birds along the Dolores River in Southwestern Colorado
We examined the effects of a biologic control agent, the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata), on native avifauna in southwestern Colorado, specifically, addressing whether and to what degree birds eat tamarisk leaf beetles. In 2010, we documented avian foraging behavior, characterized the arthropod community, sampled bird diets, and undertook an experiment to determine whether tamarisk leaAuthorsSarah L. Puckett, Charles van RiperHome range characteristics of Mexican Spotted Owls in the Rincon Mountains, Arizona
We studied a small isolated population of Mexican Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis lucida) from 1996–1997 in the Rincon Mountains of Saguaro National Park, southeastern Arizona, USA. All mixed-conifer and pine-oak forest patches in the park were surveyed for Spotted Owls, and we located, captured, and radio-tagged 10 adult birds representing five mated pairs. Using radio-telemetry, we examined owlAuthorsDavid W. Willey, Charles van RiperThe distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in song sparrows along Arizona's upper Santa Cruz River
Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and transport of metals into the environment poses a threat to ecosystems, as plants and wildlife are susceptible to long-term exposure, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in southwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia fallax), a resident riparian bird sAuthorsMichael B. Lester, Charles van RiperToxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), one of the better known and more widespread zoonotic diseases, originated in wildlife species and is now well established as a human malady. Food- and waterborne zoonoses, such as toxoplasmosis, are receiving increasing attention as components of disease emergence and resurgence. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted to humans via consumption of contaminated food or waterAuthorsDolores E. Hill, J. P. Dubey, Rachel C. Abbott, Charles van Riper, Elizabeth A. EnrightProjecting climate effects on birds and reptiles of the Southwestern United States
We modeled the current and future breeding ranges of seven bird and five reptile species in the Southwestern United States with sets of landscape, biotic (plant), and climatic global circulation model (GCM) variables. For modeling purposes, we used PRISM data to characterize the climate of the Western United States between 1980 and 2009 (baseline for birds) and between 1940 and 2009 (baseline forAuthorsCharles van Riper, James R. Hatten, J. Tomasz Giermakowski, David Mattson, Jennifer A. Holmes, Matthew J. Johnson, Erika M. Nowak, Kirsten Ironside, Michael Peters, Paul Heinrich, K.L. Cole, C. Truettner, Cecil R. SchwalbeDistribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), upper Santa Cruz River watershed, southern Arizona, 2011-12
Riparian ecosystems in arid environments provide critical habitat for breeding, migratory, and wintering birds, yet are often at risk of contamination by heavy metals. Birds and other animals living in contaminated areas are susceptible to adverse health effects as a result of long-term exposure and bioaccumulation of heavy metals. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metAuthorsMichael B. Lester, Charles van RiperConflation and aggregation of spatial data improve predictive models for species with limited habitats: a case of the threatened yellow-billed cuckoo in Arizona, USA
Riparian vegetation provides important wildlife habitat in the Southwestern United States, but limited distributions and spatial complexity often leads to inaccurate representation in maps used to guide conservation. We test the use of data conflation and aggregation on multiple vegetation/land-cover maps to improve the accuracy of habitat models for the threatened western yellow-billed cuckoo (CoAuthorsMiguel L. Villarreal, Charles van Riper, Roy E. PetrakisTrichinosis
Trichinosis, or trichinellosis, is one of the most widespread global parasitic diseases of humans and animals. This ancient disease is caused by the larval stage of parasitic roundworms (nematodes) in the genus Trichinella. Often called the “trichina worm,” this parasite is considered to be the king of the parasite community, because it has adapted to an extremely wide range of hosts including domAuthorsWilliam J. Foreyt, Rachel C. Abbott, Charles van RiperInfluence of monsoon-related riparian phenology on yellow-billed cuckoo habitat selection in Arizona
Aim: The western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis), a Neotropical migrant bird, is facing steep population declines in its western breeding grounds owing primarily to loss of native habitat. The favoured esting habitat for the cuckoo in the south-western United States is low-elevation riparian forests and woodlands. Our aim was to explore relationships between vegetation pheAuthorsCynthia S.A. Wallace, Miguel L. Villarreal, Charles van RiperGreat gray owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: on the importance of food, forest structure, and human disturbance
We studied great gray owls (Strix nebulosa Forster) in Yosemite National Park, California, measuring variables that could potentially influence patterns of occurrence and conservation of this stateendangered species. We found that owl presence was closely tied to habitat (red fir (Abies magnified A. Murray) and the abundance of meadows), prey, and snags across the landscape. We also found that indAuthorsCharles van Riper, Joseph J. Fontaine, Jan W. van WagtendonkUnderstanding how social networking influences perceived satisfaction with conference experiences
Social networking is a key benefit derived from participation in conferences that bind the ties of a professional community. Building social networks can lead to satisfactory experiences while furthering participants' long- and short-term career goals. Although investigations of social networking can lend insight into how to effectively engage individuals and groups within a professional cohort, tAuthorsCarena J. van Riper, Charles van Riper, Gerard T. Kyle, Martha E. Lee