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Population Dynamics of the Endangered Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla)
Landscape heterogeneity and fragmentation create local populations that differ in habitat availability and predator communities and present unique tradeoffs between reproductive success and survival. Varying demography across the landscape can result in a metapopulation structure and the recognition of source-sink dynamics ...
Try it with fire and lime: phytochemical responses to prescribed fire, soil amendments, and simulated herbivory
Phytogenic defensive compounds mediate important multitrophic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems, yet we have limited understanding of how the methods used to restore and maintain degraded ecosystems influence subsequent ecosystem chemical ecology. To elucidate the chemical ecology of applied ecological restoration ...
HISTORICAL DISTURBANCE AND RECENT MANAGEMENT FACTORS DRIVING QUERCUS GARRYANA VEGETATION COMMUNITIES IN THE PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS
Garry oak (Quercus garryana) ecosystems used to cover 111,000 hectares in the Puget Sound, yet currently occupy approximately 3% of this former land area. Today, most Garry oak systems are fragmented and remain outside of protected conservation areas, making them particularly prone to additional land development pressures. ...
Ecological interactions between Euphydryas editha larvae and their host plants
I examined ecological interactions between larvae of Euphydryas editha (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) and their host plants. These caterpillars, and the plants they eat, provide an intriguing system for studying several aspects of basic and applied ecology. In various chapters I focus on plant-mediated indirect effects, multi-trophic ...
Breeding Ecology of Golden Eagles in Western Washington
Raptors breeding in novel environments must find sufficient food resources to survive and reproduce. Available prey and landscapes surrounding territories can influence aspects of parental care and reproductive output. I investigated the influence of prey size and landscape on parental care and territory occupancy, respectively, ...
Experimental Investigations into the Ecological Functions of Cryptogams in Alpine Plant Communities
(2013-07-23)
Vegetation scientists and alpinists alike have long noted the impressive collection of cryptogams in alpine plant communities, yet few have endeavored to uncover what ecological roles they may have. I attempted to address the question of whether and how cryptogams affect the higher plants with which they cohabitate, using ...
Eastern Gray Squirrel Ecology and Interactions with Western Gray Squirrels
(2013-07-23)
Populations of State-threatened western gray squirrels (<italic>Sciurus griseus</italic>) have declined in areas invaded by introduced eastern gray squirrels (<italic>S. carolinensis</italic>) in the Western United States, but little is known about competitive interactions between these species. The western gray squirrel is ...
Predator species identification from saliva at kill sites with limited remains
Kill site investigations can provide valuable data about elusive predator species and predator-prey interactions for wildlife scientists and managers alike. However, the predator species must be definitively identified as the one responsible for the predation event. The traditional method of visually analyzing prey remains ...
Conservation of freshwater thermal habitats for Pacific salmon in a changing climate
Climate adaptation strategies for freshwater biota have focused on how water temperature and hydrology will change over time, but understanding spatial patterns in water temperature will also be essential for evaluating vulnerability of biota to future climate and for identifying and protecting diverse thermal habitats. I ...
The invasion risk in the Pacific Northwest of two closely related grass species in the Genus Cortaderia
The distribution of Cortaderia selloana and Cortaderia jubata in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) has not been examined on a regional scale although geospatial information exists. Cortaderia selloana continues to be sold in nurseries across Oregon and Washington and both species are used as landscape plantings. With invasive ...