The Forest Animal Ecology Lab has added two new postdocs. Sara Galbraith comes to us from the Univeristy of Idaho and is starting a project evalutating how native bees and their pollination services in forests are influenced wildlfire and postfire salvage logging activities. Joe Northrup just finished up at Colorado State University and is going to be leading research on the spatial ecology of Marbled Murrelets in western Oregon. Welcome to you both!
Jim was selected as a Fellow at the 133rd stated meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) in Norman, Oklahoma this past July for his outstanding contributions to the field of ornithology and service to the AOU.
Amy was interviewed for a story about the McDonald Forest published in the latest issue of the Oregon Stater. Very nice!
Kristin Jones wrapped up her thesis titled "Combined Effects of Intensive Forest Management and Microclimate on Demography of a Cavity-Nesting Songbird" with a strong presentation and thesis defense. Way to go, Kristin!
The lab is looking to hire a Postdoctoral Researcher with experience in Seabird Spatial Ecology. This person will be housed in the College of Forestry and will assist with research projects that are investigating space use, habitat selection, and population ecology of the endangered Marbled Murrelet in western Oregon. See the attached announcement for more details and for instructions on how to apply.
Kristin discusses her thesis research in an instruction video that was put together to provide a window into the process of scientific inquiry as a field scientist. Lots of action shots of her study sites and processing birds, along with a cameo by OSU undergrad Jonah Powell who helped her with field work. Well done, Kristin!
In August, Janel Lajoie joined the lab to pursue her M.S. degree in the College of Forestry. She comes to us as a Ford Opportunity Scholar and a Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Scholar. For her graduate work, she is interested in understanding how recreational activities can impact wildlife populations, and she is pursuing work that will assess the impacts of supplemental bird feeding on songbird health and social dynamics. Welcome Janel!
The Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) released a report that highlights the importance of early seral forests in Oregon and helps forest managers learn about early seral-associated songbirds, their habitat needs, and science-based recommendations to maintain songbird habitat. Several studies from the lab are highlighted in this document, so it's a good introduction to the work we are doing in this area.
Jim and collaborators received a grant to study Marbled Murrelet ecology in the Coast Range Mountains of western Oregon. This work is focused on understanding breeding ecology, space use, and the factors that limit reproductive success in this exceptionally cryptic and difficult-to-study species.
Jim was elected Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU) at the annual conference held in July. This comes as a huge honor, as AOU Fellows are chosen for exceptional and sustained contributions and service to the society.