Scientists

Many ungulate populations in the Rocky Mountains are predicted to respond to declining snow levels and increased drought, though in ways that remain uncertain. This project investigated how climate change may affect the abundance of Rocky Mountain ungulates, their migration patterns, the degree to which they transmit diseases to livestock, and their herbivory impact on aspen. To complete this work we brought together a team of USGS and University scientists with experience, data, and strong agency collaboration that enabled us to quantify climate impacts and deliver products useful for wildlife managers.

Julie Vano is a project scientist in the Hydrometeorological Applications Program at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Julie's research interests include hydrology, water resource management, science policy, climate change impacts, and system dynamics. Her current work aims to better connect climate science and the applications community and use these connections to develop innovative ways to address climate impacts on local water resources.

Amanda's research interests are in the ecology and conservation of freshwater fishes with an emphasis on the role of ecological processes in shaping fish distributions, population characteristics, and community structure.

John has been working to integrate bird conservation with natural resource management in the Pacific Northwest since 1992. He is focused on applying bird conservation science as a tool for advancing ecosystem conservation regionally, nationally, and internationally. His expertise includes participatory action research; ecological monitoring and research using standard bird and habitat sampling techniques; the use of scientific results for overcoming land stewardship challenges; and the development of applied science tools and teaching materials for natural resource management professionals, community members, and students of all ages.

Environmental Management and Economics, Ecosystem Service Values, Urbanizing Regions, Business Sustainability , Sustainability effects of Genetically Engineered Crops

My research interests fall broadly within the area of human-environment relations and human dimensions of global change. Much of my past research has focused on household level analysis of land management decisions to explore the spatial dimensions of deforestation and reforestation, while more recent work addresses the intersection between agriculture, water and food security.

Schlosser is interested in eelgrass distribution and growth. Annual collaborative eelgrass surveys provide useful information to resource managers for developing management plans, reviewing development proposals, levee design, restoration projects, and bridge repair. She also manages an invasive eelgrass monitoring and eradication program in Humboldt Bay and the Eel River Estuary. She is starting research on best practices for community programs using an ecosystem-based management approach.

My scientific interests began with a focus on arboreal organisms living in the crowns of tall trees, but has recently shifted to the trees themselves, particularly the five species with living individuals over 300 feet tall. How fast do they grow, what limits their maximum size, and how will they respond to a changing climate? My team is also considering how second-growth forests might be managed to accelerate the development of old-growth forest complexity and biodiversity.

Application of geochemistry to problems concerning the geologic record of climate change, history of the oceans and atmosphere, and interactions between the environment and life. Schrag studies climate and climate change over the broadest range of Earth history. He is particularly interested in how information on climate change from the geologic past can lead to better understanding of anthropogenic climate change in the future. In addition to his work on geochemistry and climatology, Schrag studies energy technology and policy, including carbon capture and storage and low-carbon synthetic fuels.

My interests are in climate variability across a wide range of time scales. I'm particularly interested in how present day climate differs from climates in the past, and what may have caused climates to change.

Dr. Patrick Kinney's teaching and research address issues at the intersection of global environmental change, human health, and policy, with an emphasis on the public health impacts of climate change and air pollution.

Using observations and climate model output, I study the physics, impact, and predictability of climate variability on interannual to decadal time scales. This includes research on phenomena such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the interannual variability of tropical Atlantic climate (TAV), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and of their impacts on variations of temperature, rainfall, and storminess around the world.

Midlatitude Dynamics, Air-sea interactions, Moist Processes in Extratropical Cyclones

Past projects have involved developing forest fire mitigation strategies, habitat restoration strategies for fish and wildlife recovery, direct manipulation of species abundances for endangered species recovery, examination of climate effects and land and water resource management.