Matthew Kauffman, Ph.D.
Matt grew up in rural southern Oregon, the son of a horse logger and an elementary schoolteacher. He has an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Oregon and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Biography
Matt has worked on topics that include the management and recovery of peregrine falcons, habitat quality and fidelity of North Pacific whale species, the effects of range management on carnivores in southern Africa, the dynamics of elk populations, and interactions among wolves, elk and aspen.
Only Matt's five most recent publications are shown here. For more information about Matt, including a full publications list, visit his profile page on the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit web site.
Matt also can be reached at his University of Wyoming email address: mkauffm1@uwyo.edu
Education
- University of Montana 2004
- University of California, Santa Cruz 2003
- Ph D University of California, Santa Cruz 2003
- BA University of Oregon 1992
Research Interests
Matt and his graduate students are conducting studies on elk, wolves, moose, deer, and bighorn sheep in Wyoming, addressing the influence of habitat condition, predation, human disturbance, and energy development on these species. Matt’s research combines work on animal physiology, behavior and demography to better understand population- and landscape-level processes. A primary focus of this work is to provide timely information to agency biologists charged with managing Wyoming’s wildlife.
Teaching Interests
Matt teaches graduate courses in quantitative analysis of spatial wildlife data, community ecology of wildlife, and migration ecology.
Science and Products
Webinar: Ungulates and Climate Change: an Examination of the Potential Impacts
View this webinar for more information about the effects of climate change on moose, mule deer, and elk in Wyoming.
Quantifying the Influence of Climate Change on Rocky Mountain Ungulates
Many ungulate populations in the Rocky Mountains are predicted to respond to declining snow levels and increased drought, though in ways that remain uncertain. This project investigated how climate change may affect the abundance of Rocky Mountain ungulates, their migration patterns, the degree to which they transmit diseases to livestock, and their herbivory impact on aspen. To complete this...
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2018 annual report
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was established in 2007 as a collaborative interagency partnership to develop and implement science-based conservation actions. During the past 11 years, partners from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State and Federal land management agencies, universities, and the public have collaborated to...
Anderson, Patrick J.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Alexander, Jason S.; Assal, Timothy J.; Aulenbach, Steven; Bowen, Zachary H.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Copeland, Holly; Edmunds, David R.; Germaine, Steve; Graves, Tabitha; Heinrichs, Julie A.; Homer, Collin G.; Huber, Christopher; Johnston, Aaron; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Manier, Daniel J.; McShane, Ryan R.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Miller, Kirk A.; Monroe, Adrian P.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Ortega, Anna; Walters, Annika W.; Wieferich, Daniel J.; Wyckoff, Teal B.; Zeigenfuss, Linda
Ungulate migrations of the western United States, Volume 1
Across the western United States, many ungulate herds must migrate seasonally to access resources and avoid harsh winter conditions. Because these migration paths cover vast landscapes (in other words migration distances up to 150 miles [241 kilometers]), they are increasingly threatened by roads, fencing, subdivisions, and other development. Over...
Kauffman, Matthew; Copeland, Holly; Berg, Jodi; Bergen, Scott; Cole, Eric; Cuzzocreo, Matthew; Dewey, Sarah; Fattebert, Julien; Gagnon, Jeff; Gelzer, Emily; Chris Geremia; Graves, Tabitha; Hersey, Kent; Hurley, Mark; Kaiser, Rusty; Meacham, James; Merkle, Jerod; Middleton, Arthur; Nuñez, Tristan; Oates, Brendan; Olson, Daniel; Olson, Lucas; Sawyer, Hall; Schroeder, Cody; Sprague, Scott; Steingisser, Alethea; Thonhoff, Mark
Conserving transboundary wildlife migrations: Recent insights from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Animal migrations are ecologically, culturally, and economically important. Ungulate populations in many parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas migrate long distances to access seasonally available resources, traversing vast landscapes in large numbers. Yet some migrations are declining, raising concerns among scientists and natural...
Middleton, Arthur D.; Sawyer, Hall; Merkle, Jerod A.; Kauffman, Matthew; Cole, Eric. K.; Dewey, Sarah R.; Gude, Justin A.; Gustine, David D.; McWhirter, Douglas E.; Proffitt, Kelly M.; White, P. J. Migrating bison engineer the green wave
Newly emerging plants provide the best forage for herbivores. To exploit this fleeting resource, migrating herbivores align their movements to surf the wave of spring green-up. With new technology to track migrating animals, the Green Wave Hypothesis has steadily gained empirical support across a diversity of migratory taxa. This hypothesis...
Geremia, Chris; Merkle, Jerod; Eacker, Daniel R.; Wallen, Rick L.; White, P. J.; Hebblewhite, Mark; Kauffman, Matthew J. Multi‐scale habitat selection of elk in response to beetle‐killed forest
Forests of the Rocky Mountains (USA and Canada) have experienced a large‐scale bark‐beetle (Dendoctronus ponderosae) epidemic that has led to widespread mortality of pine trees, followed by structural and compositional changes to the forest. The millions of dead trees resulting from this event likely have an effect on ecosystem processes, but...
Lamont, Bryan G.; Monteith, Kevin L.; Merkle, Jerod; Mong, Tony W.; Albeke, Shannon E.; Hayes, Matthew M.; Kauffman, Matthew J.
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2017 annual report
The Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) was established in 2008 to address the scientific and conservation questions associated with land use changes because of energy development and other factors in southwest Wyoming. Over the past decade, partners from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State and Federal land management agencies,...
Zeigenfuss, Linda; Aikens, Ellen; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Germaine, Stephen S.; Graves, Tabitha; Homer, Collin G.; Huber, Christopher; Johnston, Aaron; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Manier, Daniel J.; McShane, Ryan R.; Miller, Kirk A.; Monroe, Adrian P.; Ortega, Anna; Walters, Annika W.; Wyckoff, Teal B. Functional attributes of ungulate migration: Landscape features facilitate movement and access to forage
Long‐distance migration by terrestrial mammals is a phenomenon critical to the persistence of populations, but such migrations are declining globally because of over‐harvest, habitat loss, and movement barriers. Increasingly, there is a need to improve existing routes, mitigate route segments affected by anthropogenic disturbance, and in some...
Monteith, Kevin L.; Hayes, Matthew M.; Kauffman, Matthew; Copeland, Holly; Sawyer, Hall Green‐wave surfing increases fat gain in a migratory ungulate
Each spring, migratory herbivores around the world track or ‘surf’ green waves of newly emergent vegetation to distant summer or wet‐season ranges. This foraging tactic may help explain the great abundance of migratory herbivores on many seasonal landscapes. However, the underlying fitness benefits of this life‐history strategy remain poorly...
Middleton, Arthur D.; Merkle, Jerod; McWhirter, Douglas E.; Cook, John G.; Cook, Rachel C.; White, P.J.; Kauffman, Matthew J.
U.S. Geological Survey science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative—2016 annual report
This is the ninth annual report highlighting U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science and decision-support activities conducted for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI). The activities address specific management needs identified by WLCI partner agencies. In fiscal year (FY) 2016, there were 26 active USGS WLCI science-based projects...
Bowen, Zachary H.; Aikens, Ellen; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Anderson, Patrick J.; Assal, Timothy J.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Chong, Geneva W.; Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Garman, Steven L.; Germaine, Steve; Homer, Collin G.; Johnston, Aaron; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Manier, Daniel J.; Melcher, Cynthia P.; Miller, Kirk A.; Walters, Annika W.; Wheeler, Jerrod D.; Wieferich, Daniel J.; Wilson, Anna B.; Wyckoff, Teal B.; Zeigenfuss, Linda Factors influencing elk recruitment across ecotypes in the Western United States
Ungulates are key components in ecosystems and economically important for sport and subsistence harvest. Yet the relative importance of the effects of weather conditions, forage productivity, and carnivores on ungulates are not well understood. We examined changes in elk (Cervus canadensis) recruitment (indexed as age ratios) across 7 states and 3...
Lukacs, Paul M.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Hebblewhite, Mark; Johnson, Bruce K.; Johnson, Heather E.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Proffitt, Kelly M.; Zager, Peter; Brodie, Jedediah; Hersey, Kent; Holland, A. Andrew; Hurley, Mark; McCorquodale, Scott; Middleton, Arthur; Nordhagen, Matthew; Nowak, J. Joshua; Walsh, Daniel P.; White, P.J. Demographic drivers of a refugee species: Large‐scale experiments guide strategies for reintroductions of hirola
Effective reintroduction strategies require accurate estimates of vital rates and the factors that influence them. The hirola (Beatragus hunteri) is the rarest antelope on Earth, with a global population size of <500 individuals restricted to the Kenya–Somali border. We estimated vital rates of hirola populations exposed to varying levels of...
Ali, Abdullahi H.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Amin, Rajan; Kibara, Amos; King, Juliet; Mallon, David P.; Musyoki, Charles; Goheen, Jacob R. Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements
Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803 individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint...
Tucker, Marlee A.; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Fagan, William F.; Fryxell, John; Van Moorter, Bram; Alberts, Susan C; Ali, Abdullahi H.; Allen, Andrew M.; Attias, Nina; Avgar, Tal; Bartlam-Brooks, Hattie; Bayarbaatar, Buuveibaatar; Belant, Jerrold L.; Bertassoni, Alessandra; Beyer, Dean; Bidner, Laura; M. van Beest, Floris; Blake, Stephen; Blaum, Niels ; Bracis, Chloe; Brown, Danielle; Nico de Bruyn, P. J.; Cagnacci, Francesca; Calabrese, J.M.; Camilo-Alves, Constança; Chamaillé-Jammes, Simon; Chiaradia, Andre; Davidson, Sarah C.; Dennis, Todd; DeStefano, Stephen; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Douglas-Hamilton, Iain; Fennessy, Julian; Fichtel, Claudia; Fiedler, Wolfgang; Fischer, Christina; Fischhoff, Ilya; Fleming, Christen H.; Ford, Adam T.; Fritz, Susanne A.; Gehr, Benedikt; Goheen, Jacob R.; Gurarie, Eliezer; Hebblewhite, Mark; Heurich, Marco; Mark Hewison, A.J.; Hof, Christian; Hurme, Edward; Isbell, Lynne A.; Janssen, René; Jeltsch, Florian; Kaczensky, Petra; Kane, Adam; Kappeler, Peter M.; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Kays, Roland; Kimuyu, Duncan; Koch, Flavia; Kranstauber, Bart; LaPoint, Scott; Leimgruber, Peter; Linnell, John D. C.; López-López, Pascual; Markham, A. Catherine; Mattisson, Jenny; Medici, Emilia Patricia ; Mellone, Ugo; Merrill, E.; de Miranda Mourão, Guilherme; Morato, Ronaldo G. ; Morellet, Nicolas; Morrison, Thomas A.; Díaz-Muñoz, Samuel L. ; Mysterud, Atle; Nandintsetseg, Dejid; Nathan, Ran; Niamir, Aidin ; Odden, John; O'Hara, Robert B.; Oliveira-Santos, Luiz G. R.; Olson, Kirk A. ; Patterson, Bruce D.; Cunha de Paula, Rogerio; Pedrotti, Luca; Reineking, Björn; Rimmler, Martin; Rogers, T.L.; Rolandsen, Christer Moe; Rosenberry, Christopher S.; Rubenstein, Daniel I. ; Safi, Kamran; Saïd, Sonia; Sapir, Nir; Sawyer, Hall; Schmidt, Niels Martin; Selva, Nuria; Sergiel, Agnieszka ; Shiilegdamba, Enkhtuvshin; Silva, João Paulo; Singh, N.; Solberg, Erling J.; Spiegel, Orr; Strand, Olav; Sundaresan, S.R.; Ullmann, Wiebke; Voigt, Ulrich; Wall, J.; Wattles, David W.; Wikelski, Martin; Wilmers, Christopher C.; Wilson, John W.; Wittemyer, George; Zięba, Filip; Zwijacz-Kozica, Tomasz; Mueller, Thomas
International team partners with UN to launch global initiative to map ungulate migrations
An international team of 92 scientists and conservationists has joined forces to create the first-ever global atlas of ungulate (hooved mammal) migrations, working in partnership with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), a UN treaty.
Yellowstone's migrating bison manipulate springtime green-up
On a typical June day in Yellowstone National Park, it’s not unusual to see hundreds of bison grazing in the Lamar Valley. The herds appear to aimlessly move back and forth through meadows threaded by a winding river, just passive figures in an idyllic scene. But as it turns out, that’s far from the full picture.
Wildlife Researchers to Give Public Close-Up, Real-Time View of Big Game Fieldwork
LARAMIE, WY — Seeking insights to help moose, elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep populations, researchers from the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the U.S. Geological Survey and other partners will spend much of March capturing animals on their winter ranges in western and southern Wyoming.