I earned my Master's degree studying seed dispersal with
Dr. Steve Vander Wall at the University of Nevada, Reno. My thesis project was studying seed dispersal of a native, herbaceous plant, the wild peony (Paeonia brownii). I performed artificial seed cache experiments to determine seed preference, I tracked seed dispersal from under plants, and I tested germination of fresh and dessicated seeds. I also have had the opportunity to contribute to other research as part of the Vander Wall Lab. Please, click on the buttons below to view our publications. |
After earning my MS degree at the University of Nevada, Reno, I worked on two local research projects. The first project was with the Great Basin Institute, where I was the team lead on a project aimed at identifying nest tree preference for northern flying squirrels in the east Tahoe Basin. Northern flying squirrels are important for forest health, as they disperse mycorrhizal fungi that help forest trees absorb water and nutrients. In light of this fact, this project was designed to help the Nevada Department of Wildlife to maintain corridors for northern flying squirrels as they perform fire remediation activities in the Carson Range.The second project was with the Great Basin Bird Observatory, where I performed area searches for birds along riparian corridors of the Walker River. This project required me to identify and map all bird species observed at my three study sites, with the objective of creating homerange maps for all breeding bird pairs. This work was performed as part of a study that has been ongoing since 2006, and will help inform watershed-wide restoration planning for the Walker River.
Experiences prior to graduate school...
Effects of Grazing Treatments on Vegetation and Wildlife Communities Across Managed Burns and Habitat Controls
I was a field technician helping to perform bird point-counts and transects, locate and track nest success, trap small mammals, and collect vegetation data at a high-elevation sagebrush site in
south-central Wyoming. |
Effects of Off-Highway Vehicle Use on the Flora and Fauna of the Mojave Desert
I was contracted by a non-profit to perform ecological fieldwork for the Bureau of Land Management in Ridgecrest, CA. This involved working with various wildlife, including Mohave ground squirrels, desert tortoises, passerine and raptor birds, bats, snakes, lizards, small mammals, and insects. I also performed habitat vegetation characterization and worked on a Joshua tree health assessment. It was a real crash course in field methods and a wonderful experience!
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Population Dynamics of Pacific Jumping Mice
This was my first field job and it taught me how wonderful and challenging it can be to perform ecological research. We live-trapped small mammals along three rivers in the Olympic Mountains of Washington throughout the summer.
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