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Matthew R Fisk

I am an Ecologist at the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center. I am interested in restoration, native plant materials development, wildland seed collection and processing, seed technology, and plant species distribution patterns and population dynamics. 

With almost 20 years of experience working in restoration ecology and native plant materials development research, I help supervise and lead technical staff within the Plant-Soil-Environment Laboratory team. My current projects include widespread post-fire monitoring efforts across the Great Basin United States, as well as conducting research on the ecological effects of fuels reduction management and the potential of byproducts for use in restoration. I am interested in finding better ways to collect, grow, and store native seed for long term use, helping bridge the gap to get the right seed in the right place at the right time. I have collaborated on projects spanning from the western United States, to Germany, to the Hawaiian Islands, to The Middle East. It is our job to streamline avenues for individuals and cultures across the globe to come together and solve local and global-scale issues by sharing science and utilizing specialized expertise.

Professional Experience

  • 2016-present: Ecologist, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Boise, ID

  • 2003-2016: Biological Science Technician, U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Boise, ID

  • 2006-2007: Faculty Research Assistant, Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus, Germany

Education and Certifications

  • M.S., Natural Resources, University of Idaho (2016)

  • B.S., Biology (Botany Emphasis), Minor in Philosophy, Boise State University (2006)

  • Red Card - Incident Qualification Certified – Biologist & Botanist Technical Specialist

  • NOLS Wilderness First Aid Certified

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Society of Xi Sigma Pi

  • Society for Ecological Restoration, International Network for Seed-Based Restoration

  • Society for Ecological Restoration, Great Basin Chapter

Science and Products

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

Relationship of greater sage-grouse to natural and assisted recovery of key vegetation types following wildfire: Insights from scat

Megafires are creating severe conservation problems worldwide for wildlife that have obligate dependencies on plant species that are foundational but fire-intolerant. Wildfire-induced loss of native perennials and increases in exotic annual grasses threaten greater sage-grouse (GRSG, Centrocercus urophasianus) in its sagebrush steppe habitat in western North America. Post-fire restoration using he
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Monitoring for adaptive management of burned sagebrush-steppe rangelands: addressing variability and uncertainty on the 2015 Soda Megafire

• Use of adaptive management supported by robust monitoring is vital to solving severe rangeland problems, such as the exotic annual grass invasion and fire cycle in sagebrush-steppe rangelands.• Uncertainty in post-fire plant-community composition and plant response to treatments poses a challenge to land management and research but can be addressed with a high density of observations over short
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Bunchgrass root abundances and their relationship to resistance and resilience of a burned shrub-steppe landscape

Invasion of exotic annual grasses (EAG) and increased wildfire have motivated an emphasis on managing rangeland plant communities for resistance to invasion and resilience to disturbances. These traits are provided primarily by perennial bunchgrasses in rangelands such as shrub steppe, and specifically but also hypothetically, the abundances and functioning of bunchgrass roots. We asked how bunc
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Can’t see the random forest for the decision trees: Selecting predictive models for restoration ecology

Improving predictions of restoration outcomes is increasingly important to resource managers for accountability and adaptive management, yet there is limited guidance for selecting a predictive model from the multitude available. The goal of this paper was to identify an optimal predictive framework for restoration ecology using eleven modeling frameworks (including, machine learning, inferential,
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Appropriate sample sizes for monitoring burned pastures in sagebrush steppe: How many plots are enough, and can one size fit all?

Statistically defensible information on vegetation conditions is needed to guide rangeland management decisions following disturbances such as wildfire, often for heterogeneous pastures. Here we evaluate the number of plots needed to make informed adaptive management decisions using >2000 plots sampled on the 2015 Soda Fire that burned across 75 pastures and 113,000 ha in Idaho and Oregon, USA. We
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Vegetative community response to landscape-scale post-fire herbicide (imazapic) application

Disturbances such as wildfire create time-sensitive windows of opportunity for invasive plant treatment, and the timing of herbicide application relative to the time course of plant community development following fire can strongly influence herbicide effectiveness. We evaluated the effect of herbicide (imazapic) applied in the first winter or second fall after the 113,000 ha Soda wildfire on the
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Thresholds and hotspots for shrub restoration following a heterogeneous megafire

ContextReestablishing foundational plant species through aerial seeding is an essential yet challenging step for restoring the vast semiarid landscapes impacted by plant invasions and wildfire-regime shifts. A key component of the challenge stems from landscape variability and its effects on plant recovery.ObjectivesWe assessed landscape correlates, thresholds, and tipping points for sagebrush pre
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Fisk MF, Apostol KG, Ross-Davis AL, Cahoy DO, Davis AS (2018) Informing native plant sourcing for ecological restoration: cold‐hardiness dynamics, flowering phenology, and survival of Eriogonum umbellatum. Restoration Ecology 27(3): 616-625. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12912
Fisk MF (2016) Dynamics of cold hardiness accumulation and loss in the Great Basin species Eriogonum umbellatum: spatial and temporal changes in populations. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho. 34p. Thesis.
Davis AS, Fisk MF, Apostol KG, Pete KW (2014) Dynamics of germination and cold hardiness for Great Basin native plants. Great Basin Native Plant Project 2013 Progress Report p. 39-46.
Shaw NL, Ott JE, Fisk MR, Bjork R, Gurr JE, Denney EK, Malcomb A (2013) Native plant selection and restoration strategies. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project 2012 Progress Report p. 210-224.
Youtie B, Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Jensen S (2013) A strategy for maximizing native plant material diversity for ecological restoration, germplasm conservation and genecology research. 8th European Conference on Ecological Restoration; September 9-14 2012; Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Washington, DC: SER Europe, Knowledge Base on Ecological Restoration in Europe. Online: http://ser.semico.be/ser-pdf/EA_SER2012_Youtie.pdf
Shaw NL, Pellant M, Fisk MR, Denney EK (2012) A collaborative program to provide native plant materials for the Great Basin. Rangelands 34(4): 11-16. Available: https://doi.org/10.2111/RANGELANDS-D-12-00030.1
Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Gurr JE, Malcomb A, Cox RD (2012) Native plant selection and restoration strategies. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project 2011 Progress Report p. 188-208.
Shaw NL, Cox RD, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Gurr JE (2011) Native plant selection, seed biology and seeding equipment and technology. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY2010 Progress Report p. 173-183.
Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Williams ND (2010) Native plant selection, seed biology and seeding equipment and technology. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY2009 Progress Report p.150-166.

**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.

If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

Exotic and perennial grass cover for pastures in the Soda Fire (2016)

The point data file ("Soda Fire Point and Pasture Data (2016).Point Data.csv") includes 2016 vegetative cover values of exotic annual grass and perennial grass measured within three different types of plots for 75 pastures in the Soda Fire, which burned in 2015: 6m2 plot using a grid-point intercept photo software, SamplePoint (Booth et al. 2006), 1m2 quadrat using an unguided rapid ocular estimat
By
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
link

Vegetative Community Response to Landscape Scale Post-fire Herbicide (Imazapic) Application

The timing of herbicide application following wildfire can strongly influence its effectiveness. USGS researchers evaluated the effect of the commonly...

Read Article
link

Sampling Strategies for Monitoring Post-Disturbance Treatments on Rangelands

Methodological guidelines are needed to rapidly determine vegetation responses to wildfire and post-disturbance treatments, such as seeding and...

Read Article

Science and Products

  • Publications

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

    Relationship of greater sage-grouse to natural and assisted recovery of key vegetation types following wildfire: Insights from scat

    Megafires are creating severe conservation problems worldwide for wildlife that have obligate dependencies on plant species that are foundational but fire-intolerant. Wildfire-induced loss of native perennials and increases in exotic annual grasses threaten greater sage-grouse (GRSG, Centrocercus urophasianus) in its sagebrush steppe habitat in western North America. Post-fire restoration using he
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Monitoring for adaptive management of burned sagebrush-steppe rangelands: addressing variability and uncertainty on the 2015 Soda Megafire

    • Use of adaptive management supported by robust monitoring is vital to solving severe rangeland problems, such as the exotic annual grass invasion and fire cycle in sagebrush-steppe rangelands.• Uncertainty in post-fire plant-community composition and plant response to treatments poses a challenge to land management and research but can be addressed with a high density of observations over short
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Bunchgrass root abundances and their relationship to resistance and resilience of a burned shrub-steppe landscape

    Invasion of exotic annual grasses (EAG) and increased wildfire have motivated an emphasis on managing rangeland plant communities for resistance to invasion and resilience to disturbances. These traits are provided primarily by perennial bunchgrasses in rangelands such as shrub steppe, and specifically but also hypothetically, the abundances and functioning of bunchgrass roots. We asked how bunc
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Can’t see the random forest for the decision trees: Selecting predictive models for restoration ecology

    Improving predictions of restoration outcomes is increasingly important to resource managers for accountability and adaptive management, yet there is limited guidance for selecting a predictive model from the multitude available. The goal of this paper was to identify an optimal predictive framework for restoration ecology using eleven modeling frameworks (including, machine learning, inferential,
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Appropriate sample sizes for monitoring burned pastures in sagebrush steppe: How many plots are enough, and can one size fit all?

    Statistically defensible information on vegetation conditions is needed to guide rangeland management decisions following disturbances such as wildfire, often for heterogeneous pastures. Here we evaluate the number of plots needed to make informed adaptive management decisions using >2000 plots sampled on the 2015 Soda Fire that burned across 75 pastures and 113,000 ha in Idaho and Oregon, USA. We
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Land Management Research Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Vegetative community response to landscape-scale post-fire herbicide (imazapic) application

    Disturbances such as wildfire create time-sensitive windows of opportunity for invasive plant treatment, and the timing of herbicide application relative to the time course of plant community development following fire can strongly influence herbicide effectiveness. We evaluated the effect of herbicide (imazapic) applied in the first winter or second fall after the 113,000 ha Soda wildfire on the
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Thresholds and hotspots for shrub restoration following a heterogeneous megafire

    ContextReestablishing foundational plant species through aerial seeding is an essential yet challenging step for restoring the vast semiarid landscapes impacted by plant invasions and wildfire-regime shifts. A key component of the challenge stems from landscape variability and its effects on plant recovery.ObjectivesWe assessed landscape correlates, thresholds, and tipping points for sagebrush pre
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center

    Non-USGS Publications**

    Fisk MF, Apostol KG, Ross-Davis AL, Cahoy DO, Davis AS (2018) Informing native plant sourcing for ecological restoration: cold‐hardiness dynamics, flowering phenology, and survival of Eriogonum umbellatum. Restoration Ecology 27(3): 616-625. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12912
    Fisk MF (2016) Dynamics of cold hardiness accumulation and loss in the Great Basin species Eriogonum umbellatum: spatial and temporal changes in populations. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho. 34p. Thesis.
    Davis AS, Fisk MF, Apostol KG, Pete KW (2014) Dynamics of germination and cold hardiness for Great Basin native plants. Great Basin Native Plant Project 2013 Progress Report p. 39-46.
    Shaw NL, Ott JE, Fisk MR, Bjork R, Gurr JE, Denney EK, Malcomb A (2013) Native plant selection and restoration strategies. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project 2012 Progress Report p. 210-224.
    Youtie B, Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Jensen S (2013) A strategy for maximizing native plant material diversity for ecological restoration, germplasm conservation and genecology research. 8th European Conference on Ecological Restoration; September 9-14 2012; Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Washington, DC: SER Europe, Knowledge Base on Ecological Restoration in Europe. Online: http://ser.semico.be/ser-pdf/EA_SER2012_Youtie.pdf
    Shaw NL, Pellant M, Fisk MR, Denney EK (2012) A collaborative program to provide native plant materials for the Great Basin. Rangelands 34(4): 11-16. Available: https://doi.org/10.2111/RANGELANDS-D-12-00030.1
    Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Gurr JE, Malcomb A, Cox RD (2012) Native plant selection and restoration strategies. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project 2011 Progress Report p. 188-208.
    Shaw NL, Cox RD, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Gurr JE (2011) Native plant selection, seed biology and seeding equipment and technology. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY2010 Progress Report p. 173-183.
    Shaw NL, Fisk MR, Denney EK, Williams ND (2010) Native plant selection, seed biology and seeding equipment and technology. Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project FY2009 Progress Report p.150-166.

    **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.

  • Data

    If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.

    Exotic and perennial grass cover for pastures in the Soda Fire (2016)

    The point data file ("Soda Fire Point and Pasture Data (2016).Point Data.csv") includes 2016 vegetative cover values of exotic annual grass and perennial grass measured within three different types of plots for 75 pastures in the Soda Fire, which burned in 2015: 6m2 plot using a grid-point intercept photo software, SamplePoint (Booth et al. 2006), 1m2 quadrat using an unguided rapid ocular estimat
    By
    Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
  • News
    link

    Vegetative Community Response to Landscape Scale Post-fire Herbicide (Imazapic) Application

    The timing of herbicide application following wildfire can strongly influence its effectiveness. USGS researchers evaluated the effect of the commonly...

    Read Article
    link

    Sampling Strategies for Monitoring Post-Disturbance Treatments on Rangelands

    Methodological guidelines are needed to rapidly determine vegetation responses to wildfire and post-disturbance treatments, such as seeding and...

    Read Article

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government