Melanie Davis, PhD
Assistant Unit Leader - Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units
Melanie arrived at the Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in Fall 2020 after almost seven years as a Project Coordinator for the USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Olympia, Washington substation. Her work is focused on ecosystem and community level responses to disturbance, landscape scale processes and their effects on target species, and the development of monitoring tools, programs, and strategies to inform management actions. Most of her research is directed toward salmonids and non-game fishes, but her lab's emphasis on habitat has allowed her to work in an array of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Davis employs a variety of quantitative tools and techniques to learn about how species interact with their environment, with a particular emphasis on spatially explicit habitat models. She teaches a graduate-level course on multivariate statistical analysis and is currently developing a spatial ecology course for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students.
Professional Experience
Assistant Unit Leader, Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2020-
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. University of Washington, 2019
M.S. Colorado State University, Ecology, 2012
B.S. Miami University of Ohio, Zoology, Chemistry, 2009
Science and Products
Projected future habitat, elevation change, and carbon accumulation of coastal wetlands in the Nisqually River Delta, Washington Projected future habitat, elevation change, and carbon accumulation of coastal wetlands in the Nisqually River Delta, Washington
San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019) San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019)
Tidal marsh biomass field plot and remote sensing datasets for six regions in the conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2020) Tidal marsh biomass field plot and remote sensing datasets for six regions in the conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2020)
Vulnerability to sea-level rise varies among estuaries and habitat types: Lessons learned from a network of surface elevation tables in Puget Sound Vulnerability to sea-level rise varies among estuaries and habitat types: Lessons learned from a network of surface elevation tables in Puget Sound
Allochthonous marsh subsidies enhances food web productivity in an estuary and its surrounding ecosystem mosaic Allochthonous marsh subsidies enhances food web productivity in an estuary and its surrounding ecosystem mosaic
Selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment—Summary of current knowledge to inform future wetland management Selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment—Summary of current knowledge to inform future wetland management
Coherence among Oregon Coast coho salmon populations highlights increasing relative importance of marine conditions for productivity Coherence among Oregon Coast coho salmon populations highlights increasing relative importance of marine conditions for productivity
Can coastal habitats rise to the challenge? Resilience of estuarine habitats, carbon accumulation, and economic value to sea-level rise in a Puget Sound estuary Can coastal habitats rise to the challenge? Resilience of estuarine habitats, carbon accumulation, and economic value to sea-level rise in a Puget Sound estuary
A climate-mediated shift in the estuarine habitat mosaic limits prey availability and reduces nursery quality for juvenile salmon A climate-mediated shift in the estuarine habitat mosaic limits prey availability and reduces nursery quality for juvenile salmon
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
Projected future habitat, elevation change, and carbon accumulation of coastal wetlands in the Nisqually River Delta, Washington Projected future habitat, elevation change, and carbon accumulation of coastal wetlands in the Nisqually River Delta, Washington
San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019) San Gorgonio Pass Wind Resource Area Repower Data (2018-2019)
Tidal marsh biomass field plot and remote sensing datasets for six regions in the conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2020) Tidal marsh biomass field plot and remote sensing datasets for six regions in the conterminous United States (ver. 2.0, June 2020)
Vulnerability to sea-level rise varies among estuaries and habitat types: Lessons learned from a network of surface elevation tables in Puget Sound Vulnerability to sea-level rise varies among estuaries and habitat types: Lessons learned from a network of surface elevation tables in Puget Sound
Allochthonous marsh subsidies enhances food web productivity in an estuary and its surrounding ecosystem mosaic Allochthonous marsh subsidies enhances food web productivity in an estuary and its surrounding ecosystem mosaic
Selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment—Summary of current knowledge to inform future wetland management Selenium hazards in the Salton Sea environment—Summary of current knowledge to inform future wetland management
Coherence among Oregon Coast coho salmon populations highlights increasing relative importance of marine conditions for productivity Coherence among Oregon Coast coho salmon populations highlights increasing relative importance of marine conditions for productivity
Can coastal habitats rise to the challenge? Resilience of estuarine habitats, carbon accumulation, and economic value to sea-level rise in a Puget Sound estuary Can coastal habitats rise to the challenge? Resilience of estuarine habitats, carbon accumulation, and economic value to sea-level rise in a Puget Sound estuary
A climate-mediated shift in the estuarine habitat mosaic limits prey availability and reduces nursery quality for juvenile salmon A climate-mediated shift in the estuarine habitat mosaic limits prey availability and reduces nursery quality for juvenile salmon
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.