About Me

While working in Sequoia National Park a number of years ago, I had the good fortune to see a number of small carnivores in their natural habitat, including American martens (Martes americana) and fishers.  Although sightings of these animals were brief and infrequent, they were absolutely unforgettable – and I have been fascinated by the Martes genus ever since.  In addition to my curiosity about elusive small carnivores, I am also very interested in the interactions that occur between species in wildlife communities as well as the relationship between wildlife and habitat.

Current Project

Fisher Project

Research Interests

Conservation – As ecosystems continue to change as a result of human activities, conservation plans to protect species and habitat are becoming ever more important.  I am particularly interested in finding a balance between the needs of forest dwelling wildlife species and human activities in managed and unmanaged landscapes.

Wildlife-Habitat Relationships – Managed and unmanaged forested ecosystems; the influence of forest age and mechanisms of decay in creating wildlife habitat; variation in wildlife habitat suitability across seasons and spatial scales; wildlife-habitat models. 

Mammalogy – General carnivore ecology; mesocarnivore and forest carnivore ecology –with a particular focus on the genus Martes; interspecific interactions (predator-prey, large predator-small predator); reproductive ecology; distribution of species across habitat types and elevation gradients.

Curriculum Vitae