Laura E D'Acunto, PhD
(they/them)Laura is a quantitative ecologist interested in the behavioral landscape ecology of wildlife communities and how climate change and ecosystem restoration impact those wildlife communities.
Additionally, Laura develops decision support tools (including models and visualization) that assist natural resource managers in understanding the potential ecological impacts of an uncertain future. Before joining USGS, Laura's research focused on modeling anthropogenic disturbance to wildlife such as recreation or road traffic to identify management strategies that mitigate adverse effects to wildlife populations. They also researched the landscape and social ecology of threatened and endangered Midwestern bats.
Education and Certifications
PhD., Wildlife Science, Purdue University, 2018
MSc., Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2012
BSc., Wildlife Conservation Biology, University of Rhode Island, 2010
Science and Products
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.
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Multimedia
- Publications
Non-USGS Publications**
D’Acunto, L.E. and Zollner, P.A. 2019. Factors influencing endangered bat conservation management by professional foresters. Forest Ecology and Management, 434:172-180.D’Acunto, L.E., Spaul, R.J., Heath, J.A., and Zollner, P.A. 2018. Simulating the success of trail closure strategies on reducing disturbance to nesting Golden Eagles. The Condor: Ornithological Applications, 120, 703-719.Flaherty, E.A., Urbanek, R., Wood, D., Day, C., D’Acunto, L., Quinn, V., and Zollner, P.A. 2018. A framework for mentoring students attending their first professional conference. Natural Sciences Education, 47, 1-8.D’Acunto, L.E., Pauli, B.P., Moy, M., Johnson, K., Abu-Omar, J., and Zollner, P.A. 2018. Timing and technique impact the effectiveness of road-based, mobile acoustic surveys of bats. Ecology and Evolution, 8, 3153-3160.Mutascio, H.E., Zollner, P.A., Pittman, S.E., and D’Acunto, L.E. 2017. Modeling relative habitat suitability of southern Florida for invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus). Landscape Ecology, 33, 257-274.Quackenbush*, H., D’Acunto, L.E., Flaherty, E.A., and Zollner, P.A. 2016. Testing the efficacy of an acoustic lure on bat mist-netting success in North American central hardwood forests. Journal of Mammalogy, 97, 1602-1616.**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.
- Software