Research
Broadly, I am interested in how habitat changes affect demographic rates of birds.
My current research focuses on Piping Plovers on Fire Island, NY. Fire Island is a barrier island off the southern shores of Long Island, and was impacted by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. I am interested in differences in vital rates among habitat types, as well as testing whether vital rates and depredation rates are density dependent. I am also interested in resource selection and the variation in distribution of piping plover adults and broods. Finally, I hope to gain a better understanding of the carrying capacity of piping plovers on Fire Island, to better inform management decisions. The research from my Master's project was focused on space use and survival of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in Kansas, specifically how survival and space use varied across different landscape contexts. |