A5056984796- Avian ecology and behavior
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Career Development and Diversity
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
- Higher Education Research Studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Marine and fisheries research
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Marine animal studies overview
- Innovative Teaching Methods
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Climate variability and models
- Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
- Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
- Mentoring and Academic Development
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Conservation, Ecology, Wildlife Education
- Coastal and Marine Dynamics
University of Maine
2015-2025
University of Connecticut
2017
Effective management of valuable coastal systems, such as salt marshes requires an understanding the complex stressors influencing their continued threat drowning. However, efforts to determine effects one potential stressor, ditches, have produced diverging results complicating efforts. Ditches (linear trenches dug drain for agriculture and mosquito control) alter marsh hydrology, but on widescale function degradation are poorly understood. We created a dataset visible ditches summarized...
Demographic rates are rarely estimated over an entire species range, limiting empirical tests of ecological patterns and theories, raising questions about the representativeness studies that use data from a small part range. The uncertainty results using demographic just few sites is especially pervasive in population projections, which critical for wide range ecology conservation. We developed simple simulation to quantify how this lack geographic can affect inferences global mean variance...
The effects of hybridization on evolutionary processes are primarily determined by the differential between hybrid and parental species fitness. Assessing impacts can be challenging, however, as determining relationship individual fitness extent introgression in wild populations is difficult. We evaluated consequences for pure females a zone two tidal marsh birds, saltmarsh sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus), salt obligate, Nelson's (A. nelsoni), which has broader ecological niche much younger...
The balance of abiotic and biotic stressors experienced by a species likely varies across its range, resulting in spatially heterogeneous limitations on the species' demographic rates. Support for spatial variation (often latitudinal gradients) has been found many species, usually with physiological or correlative occupancy data, but it rarely estimated directly data. We collected data from 23 sites spanning majority Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) breeding range. Using 837 nests,...
Changes in the frequency and severity of extreme weather may introduce new threats to species that are already under stress from gradual habitat loss climate change. We provide a probabilistic framework quantifies potential by applying concepts ecological resilience single populations. Our approach uses computation compare disturbance-impacted projections population's normal range variation, quantifying full impacts. illustrate this with projection models for coastal birds, which commonly...
As saltmarsh habitat continues to disappear, understanding the factors that influence population dynamics of breeding birds is an important step in conservation these declining species. Using 5 yrs (2011–2015) demographic data, we evaluated and compared apparent adult survival nest Seaside (Ammodramus maritimus) Saltmarsh (A. caudacutus) sparrows at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge New Jersey, USA. We determined effect site management history (unditched vs. ditched marshes) on aid...
ABSTRACT Salt marshes in the northeastern United States provide critical breeding habitat for tidal marsh specialist birds like Ammospiza caudacuta (Saltmarsh Sparrow). The population declined by 9% annually from 1998 to 2012, necessitating immediate conservation actions this vulnerable species. However, estimating species vital rates across a large geographic region is logistically challenging and cost prohibitive. Therefore, we developed tested rapid assessment monitoring protocol focused...
Abstract Determining factors that shape a species’ population genetic structure is beneficial for identifying effective conservation practices. We assessed and diversity Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta), an imperiled tidal marsh specialist, using 13 microsatellite markers 964 individuals sampled from 24 marshes across the breeding range. show populations are structured regionally by isolation-by-distance, with gene flow occurring among within ~110 to 135 km of one another....
Addressing common student questions in introductory STEM courses early the term is one way that instructors can ensure their students have all been presented with information about how to succeed courses. However, categorizing and identifying evidence-based resources address takes time, may not be able easily collect respond at beginning of every course. To help faculty effectively anticipate questions, we 1) administered surveys multiple identify 2) conducted a qualitative analysis...
An individual's body condition and probability of survival can change throughout the annual cycle, based on combined effects many factors, including reproductive investment during breeding, colder temperatures winter, elevated risks migration. We evaluated breeding non‐breeding periods in two closely related species with notably different systems. Male female saltmarsh sparrows Ammodramus caudacutus represent extremes parental care: males perform none, leaving females to do everything from...
Understanding habitat selection and its fitness consequences in remnant populations of birds fragmented urbanized may provide guidance to land managers for imperiled species conservation. We studied Saltmarsh Sparrow, <em>Ammospiza caudacuta</em>, Seaside <em>A. maritima</em>, nest site survival at five sites New York City (NYC) one on western Long Island, 2012 2013. compared marsh vegetation structure characteristics between our study other these the Northeastern United States. Sparrows NYC...
Abstract Ecology lags among STEM disciplines in terms of recruiting and retaining undergraduate students from marginalized groups. A keystone element many ecologists' training is an emphasis on field experiences at the level, such as research courses (FRCs), which involve undergraduates research. FRCs similar common ecology (e.g., technician position, thesis research) have been shown to increase feelings self‐efficacy belonging who engage with them, including However, design implementation...
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A body of research by Russell Greenberg, Glenn Tattersall and their colleagues has proposed a corollary Allen's Rule: that in freshwater‐limited environments, bill surface area increases with temperature. Increases both population density sexual dimorphism, however, could also explain area. After controlling for the effects hybrid zone, we tested whether temperature or saltmarsh sparrow Ammospiza caudacuta , sexually monomorphic estuarine specialist, explained greater variance This allowed...