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Moscow

Department of Fish & Wildlife
fish_wildlife@uidaho.edu

College of Natural Resources

phone: (208) 885-6434

875 Perimeter Drive MS 1136
Moscow, ID 83844-1136

Fish and Wildlife Graduate Student Research

Grad Students
Research
Major Professor
Abelleira, Oscar
Ph.D. IGERT

Ecohydrology—the effect of teak plantations on watershed hydrology and opportunities for the provisioning of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes

Dr. Alex Fremier
Barenberg, Amber
M.S. Fishery Science

Aquatic invasive invertebrate control strategies

Dr. Christine Moffitt
Blodgett, David
M.S. Wildlife Science

Sage-grouse reintroduction into the Yakima Indian Reservation

Dr. Kerry Reese
Buxton, Todd
Ph.D. Water Resources

Critical boundary shear stress of salmon spawned gravels in alluvial streams

Dr. Alex Fremier
Caisman, Jeffery
M.S. Fishery Science
Drivers influencing outmigration of juvenile steelhead in Lapwai Creek, Idaho
Dr. Brain Kennedy
Cajas de Gliniewicz, Lubia
Ph.D. Env. Sci.

Aspects of sustainable fish culture development to reduce the negative environmental footprints.

Dr. Christine Moffitt
Kate Cleary
Ph.D. IGERT

Bat/plant interactions in the San Juan/La Selva biological corridor of Costa Rica

Dr. Lisette Waits
Mary Coyle
M.S. Fishery Sciences
 Determining management strategies for nuisance blooms of Didymosphenia geminata in the Kootenai River through flume studies
Dr. Frank Wilhelm
Stephanie DeMay
M.S. Env. Sci.

Non-invasive genetic monitoring of pygmy rabbits

Dr. Lisette Waits and
Dr. Janet Rachlow
Dekker, Chris
M.S. Env. Sci.

Snapping turtle ecology and statewide survey in North Dakota

Dr. Dennis Scarnecchia
Dillon, Kristen
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Ecological causes of elevational variation in avian life history traits; avian habitat selection
Dr. Courtney Conway
Dobos, Marika
M.S. Fishery Sciences
Movement patterns and habitat availability of westslope cutthroat trout on the South Fork Clearwater River
Dr. Michael Quist
Estrada, Natalia
Ph.D. CATIE

Landscape biodiversity and ecosystem function of Meso-American landscapes

Dr. Alex Fremier
Fehringer, Tyson
M.S. Fishery Science

The effects of fish nutrition on immunity

Dr. Ken Cain
Gillette, Gifford
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse ecology

Dr. Kerry Reese
Goldberg, Amanda
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Effectiveness of forest restoration treatments on demography of the northern Idaho ground squirrel Dr. Courtney Conway
Grassel, Shaun
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Factors that influence territoriality, productivity, and survival of black-footed ferrets in South Dakota

Dr. Janet Rachlow
Hegg, Jensen
Ph.D. Water Resources

Investigating recent changes in the migration timing and life history strategy of juvenile Snake River Fall Chinook using otolith microchemistry

Dr. Brian Kennedy
Hemingway,
 R. J.

M.S. Env. Sci.

Lipid reserves in relation to paddlefish life history

Dr. Dennis Scarnecchia
Helsley, Jess
M.S. Env. Sci.
Exploring the post-spawn behavioral impacts of whitewater recreation on fall Chinook Salmon in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.  Looking at the interaction between whitewater recreation activity and hydrologic change based upon predictions from down-scaled climate models.
Dr. Brian Kennedy
Hill, Matthew
M.S. Fishery Science

I am studying the life history and inducible defenses of the Alkali Tadpole Shrimp. I plan to elucidate the signals involved in their inducible defenses, as well as the costs the induction of these defenses incur. I also plan to gain information on the life history of the animal, so that predictions on its responses to climate change can be made.

Dr. Frank Wilhelm
Holbrook, Joseph
Ph.D. IGERT

Ecosystem engineers in the sagebrush-steppe:  understanding ecological networks and habitat associations. Main goals: 1) better understand the role of burrowing mammals, and 2) determine what habitat features positively or negatively influence these animals.

Dr. Janet Rachlow and
Dr. Kerri Vierling
Jageman, Harry
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Habitat selection of pygmy owls in fragmented forests

Dr. E. O. Garton
Kirk, Mark
M.S. Fish Science

Exploring the migration ecology and behavior of Pacific lamprey and the effects of Columbia River dams on their upstream migrations

Dr. Chris Caudill
Klein, Zach
M.S. Fishery Science
Population Ecology of Burbot in the Green River Drainage Dr. Michael Quist
Lankford, Amber
M.S. Wildlife Science

Developing index to identify the vulnerability of species of greatest conservation need to climate change in Idaho; identifying vulnerability hotspots within the state.

Dr. Kerri Vierling
Leacock, William
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Geographic structure of genetic patterns and habitat selection by the brown bears of Kamchatka, Russia

Dr. Lisette Waits
Lonsinger, Robert
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Utilizing non-invasive genetic sampling within a mark-recapture framework to assess the population status of both kit foxes and coyotes

Dr. Lisette Waits
Lorenz, Teresa
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Space use and nest site selection by white-headed woodpeckers Dr. Kerri Vierling
Lundblad, Carl
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Avian life history evolution.  Avian migration dynamics, the evolution of, and proximate control of migratory behavior Dr. Courtney Conway
Martinez, Alejandra
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

The role of birds in ecosystem service provisioning in Costa Rica

Dr. Kerri Vierling
Mejia, Francine
Ph.D. Fishery Science

Understanding physical and biological processes interactions at different spatial and temporal scales as it relates to food productivity, fish growth and ultimately survival in the Methow River in the Upper Columbia River Basin, Washington

Dr. Alex Fremier
Mitchell, Liza
M.S. Water Resources

Researching the impact that returning Chinook Salmon have on ecosystem dynamics and nutrient cycling throughout a watershed in the Frank Church River-of-No-Return Wilderness

Dr. Alex Fremier and
Dr. Brian Kennedy
Mumma, Matthew
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Monitoring the predators of Newfoundland caribou using non-invasive genetic techniques

Dr. Lisette Waits
Myrvold, Marius
Ph.D. Water Resources

Hydrologic alterations and steelhead bioenergetics in Lapwai Creek, Idaho

Dr. Brian Kennedy
Ng, Elizabeth
M.S. Fishery Science
Population dynamics and trophic ecology of non-native lake trout in Priest Lake, Idaho Dr. Michael Quist
Oldemeyer, Bryce
M.S. Fishery Science
 My thesis is focused on using a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate spring Chinook salmon and steelhead trout smolt abundances with data-poor mark-recapture efficiencies for rotary screw traps in Idaho.  My field work consists of operating the IDFG screw trap on Big Creek, but my analysis will look at data from several screw traps throughout Idaho. 
Dr. Brian Kennedy
Ortega, Aline
Ph.D. Water Resources
The impacts of agriculture on tropical stream metabolism and organic matter dynamics. Dr. Alex Fremier
Penney, Zachary
Ph.D. Fishery Science

Developing strategies to improve survival and return recruitment of steelhead kelts from Snake River stocks

Dr. Christine Moffitt
Prisciandaro, Anthony
Fishery Science

Deadwood Reservoir, Idaho: a model for interactions between operations and bull trout ecology

Dr. Dennis Scarnecchia
Rajkovich, Hallie
M.S. Water Resources

Determining sediment and phosphorous loads from sub-watersheds to Willow Creek Reservoir (WCR) in Heppner, Oregon.  In addition, I will evaluate designs for a constructed wetland at the inlet of WCR to reduce the sediment and phosphorus load before it enters the reservoir.

Dr. Frank Wilhelm
Reams, Elliott
Ph.D. Fishery Science

Mysid shrimp zooplankton interactions in Lake Pend Oreille

Dr. Frank Wilhelm
Sanfiorenzo, Andre
Ph.D. IGERT

Influences of forest fragmentation on the reproductive ecology of bat-pollinated and bat-dispersed mid canopy tree species in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

Dr. Lisette Waits
Sauder, Joel
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Habitat ecology of fishers in managed forests in northern Idaho

Dr. Janet Rachlow
Severson, John
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Response of sage-grouse to removal of encroaching junipers

Dr. Kerry Reese
Smith, Chris
M.S. Fishery Science

Developing techniques for sampling juvenile burbot in the Kootenai River system

Dr. Michael Quist
Swearingen, Zachary
M.S. Wildlife Science

Investigating forest bird diversity patterns and habitat relationships with LiDAR remote sensing

Dr. Courtney Conway
Swift, Charles
M.S. Env. Sci.
I am using spectral and LiDAR remote sensing to map Aspen stands in the Long Valley of central Idaho as well as using LiDAR-derived stand-level metrics to investigate woodpecker diversity in mapped stands.  Aspens are declining across large portions of western North America and are important drivers of biodiversity in mixed forest settings as are woodpeckers which provide cavities for a variety of avian and other secondary cavity users.
Dr. Kerri Vierling
Tebbenkamp, Joel
M.S. Wildlife Science

Sage grouse spatial genetics

Dr. Kerry Reese
Terrazas, Marc
M.S. Wildlife Science
  Dr. Ken Cain
Uber, Jacob
M.S. Fishery Sciences
 Migration ecology of adult steelhead in the Willamette Basin
Dr. Chris Caudill
Viteri, Paulina
Ph.D. Wildlife Science

Conservation of protected areas combining biological and social sciences, focused on tropical highland ecosystems with Andean bear presence

Dr. Lisette Waits
Walrath, John
M.S. Fishery Science

Evaluating the effect of northern pike and smallmouth bass on adfluvial cutthroat trout in Lake Coeur d’Alene

Dr. Michael Quist
Watkins, Carson
M.S. Fish Science

Evaluating the effects of large-scale habitat restoration on fish assemblages and populations in side channels of the Kootenai River, Idaho.  Determining community-and population-level structure, function, and variation among side channels and evaluating sampling designs for monitoring the effects of habitat restoration

Dr. Michael Quist
Watson, Trevor
M.S. Env. Sci.

Water withdrawals and native fishes on the Yellowstone River, Montana

Dr. Dennis Scarnecchia
Whitlock, Steve
M.S. Fishery Science
Kokanee spawning ecology and recruitment response to water level management in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho
Dr. Michael Quist
Catherine Wiechmann
M.S. Env. Sci.

 I am studying the habitat requirements for the federally threatened riparian plant Howellia aquatilis (water howellia).  The small aquatic plant is found in ephemeral pools in the Pacific Northwest, and has very specific hydrologic needs.  My job will be to study more about these ecological needs and apply my findings to future management.

Dr. Alex Fremier
Wilson, Charlotte
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Modeling trade-offs and synergies in resource selection that influence habitat use by a specialist (pygmy rabbit) and generalist (mountain cottontail) herbivore
Dr. Janet Rachlow
Woodruff, Susannah
Ph.D. Wildlife Science
Non-invasive genetic sampling and capture-recapture of Sonoran Pronghorn to obtain estimates of key population parameters and hopefully develop a protocol for long-term monitoring in the future. Dr. Lisette Waits
Zuckerman, Adrianne
M.S. Water Resources
I am researching the role of riparian vegetation interactions on stream metabolism, nutrient cycling, and salmonid recovery success at reach and basin scales.  My study area is the Upper Columbia River Basin, The Methow River Watershed. Dr. Alex Fremier