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Erin K Buchholtz, PhD

Assistant Unit Leader - South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Erin Buchholtz's research bridges landscape ecology and quantitative wildlife ecology, broadly answering the question of how landscape disturbance (be it anthropogenic, fire, invasive species, or something else) impacts connectivity. She works on applied research in the sagebrush biome. This includes work on understanding multispecies connectivity for wildlife as well as the connectedness of fine fuels such as invasive grasses under current and future disturbance. She earned her PhD from Texas A&M University applying principals of spatial ecology and animal movement methods to understanding human-wildlife interactions and habitat selection for elephants in Botswana. She earned her BA in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. Her experience includes: field ecology and research, project management, spatial analysis and mapping, programming in R, remote sensing, and international community development. Erin enjoys working on collaborative, multidisciplinary teams and believes that positive, inclusive teams representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives lead to better science and better conservation outcomes.

Professional Experience

  • Assistant Unit Leader, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2022-

Education and Certifications

  • PhD, Texas A&M University, 2014

  • BA, Princeton University, 2007

Science and Products

Landscape and connectivity metrics as a spatial tool to support invasive annual grass management decisions

The spatial patterns and context of invasions are increasingly recognized as important for successful and efficient management actions. Beyond mapping occurrence or percent cover in pixels, spatial summary information that describes the size and arrangement of patches in the context of a larger landscape (e.g., infested regions, connected patch networks) can add a depth of information for managing
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Potential cheatgrass abundance within lightly invaded areas of the Great Basin

ContextAnticipating where an invasive species could become abundant can help guide prevention and control efforts aimed at reducing invasion impacts. Information on potential abundance can be combined with information on the current status of an invasion to guide management towards currently uninvaded locations where the threat of invasion is high.ObjectivesWe aimed to support management by develo
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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Image: Sagebrush Landscape

Defining Multi-Scaled Functional Landscape Connectivity for the Sagebrush Biome to Support Management and Conservation Planning of Multiple Species

USGS and Colorado State University scientists are modelling multispecies connectivity through intact and disturbed areas of the sagebrush landscape.
By
Land Management Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center
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Defining Multi-Scaled Functional Landscape Connectivity for the Sagebrush Biome to Support Management and Conservation Planning of Multiple Species

USGS and Colorado State University scientists are modelling multispecies connectivity through intact and disturbed areas of the sagebrush landscape.
Learn More
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Color photo of green cheatgrass

Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels

Invasive annual grasses (fine fuels) are a significant challenge for land and wildlife management.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Land Management Research Program, Fort Collins Science Center
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Assessing the Proliferation, Connectivity, and Consequences of Invasive Fine Fuels

Invasive annual grasses (fine fuels) are a significant challenge for land and wildlife management.
Learn More

Landscape and connectivity metrics based on invasive annual grass cover from 2016-2018 summarized at 15 kilometer grid cells in the Great Basin, USA

The spatial context of invasions is increasingly recognized as important for the success and efficiency of management actions. This information can be key for managing invasive grasses that threaten native ecosystems. We calculated landscape metrics and circuit-based centrality for invasive grasses using a source input raster of weighted-average annual herbaceous cover from 2016-2018 (Maestas et a
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Science and Products