Publications from the lab can mostly be found here.
Species and Ecosystem Management
Our applied research supports effective, data-driven conservation strategies for species and ecosystems facing complex threats. We work closely with agencies, NGOs, and other partners to design and evaluate management actions such as:
- Translocation and reintroduction programs, particularly for gopher tortoises and other at-risk species, assessing post-release movement, survival, and long-term population outcomes.
- Effectiveness of prescribed burning and timber management for creating and maintaining habitat for multi-species management.
- Coastal adaptation and landowner decision-making, incorporating stakeholder-informed scenarios to model ecosystem change and conservation outcomes under sea-level rise.
- Disease management and environmental drivers of pathogen prevalence.
Our goal is to generate actionable science that directly informs conservation policy, land-use planning, and recovery efforts.
- Translocation and reintroduction programs, particularly for gopher tortoises and other at-risk species, assessing post-release movement, survival, and long-term population outcomes.
- Effectiveness of prescribed burning and timber management for creating and maintaining habitat for multi-species management.
- Coastal adaptation and landowner decision-making, incorporating stakeholder-informed scenarios to model ecosystem change and conservation outcomes under sea-level rise.
- Disease management and environmental drivers of pathogen prevalence.
Our goal is to generate actionable science that directly informs conservation policy, land-use planning, and recovery efforts.
Climate Change Impacts on Wildlife
Our lab investigates how climate change influences the long-term viability of wildlife populations and their habitats. We study the ecological consequences of rising temperatures, altered phenology, sea-level rise, and extreme climatic events across terrestrial and coastal systems.
Current projects include:
- Sea-level rise vulnerability of coastal species, integrating geomorphic modeling, sea level rise predictions, and demographic variables.
- Thermal ecology and developmental responses in reptiles, with a focus on how nest microclimates, incubation conditions, and warming trends shape sex ratios, survival, and phenology.
- Forecasting species responses to future climates using statistical and mechanistic models that incorporate uncertainty and environmental drivers across multiple scales.
Current projects include:
- Sea-level rise vulnerability of coastal species, integrating geomorphic modeling, sea level rise predictions, and demographic variables.
- Thermal ecology and developmental responses in reptiles, with a focus on how nest microclimates, incubation conditions, and warming trends shape sex ratios, survival, and phenology.
- Forecasting species responses to future climates using statistical and mechanistic models that incorporate uncertainty and environmental drivers across multiple scales.
Population and Spatial Ecology
We study how animals move, survive, reproduce, and interact with landscapes—and how these processes scale up to influence population dynamics. Our work combines field data, remote sensing, and advanced modeling approaches to quantify:
- Population demography, using mark–recapture, robust design survival models, integrated population models, and Bayesian hierarchical approaches.
- Landscape connectivity and habitat selection, leveraging spatial datasets and tools such as resource selection functions, occupancy models, and spatial capture–recapture.
- Range shifts and species redistribution, particularly in response to climate warming or land-use change.
This work allows us to identify key demographic bottlenecks, evaluate movement corridors, understand population viability, and support adaptive conservation strategies.
- Population demography, using mark–recapture, robust design survival models, integrated population models, and Bayesian hierarchical approaches.
- Landscape connectivity and habitat selection, leveraging spatial datasets and tools such as resource selection functions, occupancy models, and spatial capture–recapture.
- Range shifts and species redistribution, particularly in response to climate warming or land-use change.
This work allows us to identify key demographic bottlenecks, evaluate movement corridors, understand population viability, and support adaptive conservation strategies.
Conservation Technology
We develop and apply emerging technologies to improve wildlife monitoring, ecological forecasting, and conservation decision-making. Our lab combines ecology and data science to build practical, scalable tools for researchers and managers.
Active projects include:
- Autonomous acoustic monitoring using ARUs and AI pipelines (BirdNET Analyzer and other classifiers) to monitor biodiversity at landscape scales.
- Using remote sensing data (e.g., satellite imagery) to quantify ecosystem changes and the effects of management.
- Interactive decision-support tools and RShiny apps that integrate demographic models, climate projections, and habitat data for managers.
These technologies expand our ability to monitor wildlife efficiently, detect rare events, and provide real-time insights for conservation.
Active projects include:
- Autonomous acoustic monitoring using ARUs and AI pipelines (BirdNET Analyzer and other classifiers) to monitor biodiversity at landscape scales.
- Using remote sensing data (e.g., satellite imagery) to quantify ecosystem changes and the effects of management.
- Interactive decision-support tools and RShiny apps that integrate demographic models, climate projections, and habitat data for managers.
These technologies expand our ability to monitor wildlife efficiently, detect rare events, and provide real-time insights for conservation.
