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Research
My research involves applied, rather than esoteric, areas of wildlife science. A major focus of my work is understanding species and community responses of herpetofauna to both natural and anthropogenic disturbance regimes. For example, we are currently investigating effects of forest conversion and residential development on home range and habitat selection of timber rattlesnakes in southwestern WI. Recent projects have included multi-scale habitat relationships of the federally-listed Cheat Mountain salamander in WV, responses of woodland salamanders to Appalachian silvopasture systems in WV, influences of abiotic and biotic features on torrent salamanders in headwater streams of northwestern OR, and effects of timber harvest and prescribed burning on aquatic and terrestrial herpetofauna in the southeastern U. S.
Although much of my work involves amphibians and reptiles, I have broad interests in wildlife ecology and management. For example, current graduate students are investigating 1) habitat relationships of passerine birds in peatland complexes across WI, and 2) mortality and survival of American marten in forests of northern WI. I also have conducted research on small mammals and invertebrates. Overall, my research addresses questions that serve the needs of both public agencies (e.g., USFS, USFWS, WDNR) and commercial forest landowners, with the ultimate goal of successfully integrating wildlife habitat and conservation needs with other resource management objectives.
Current Research Projects
Chris Hamilton with timber rattlesnake
Former graduate student Lindsey
Landowski at MVNWR
Current Research Projects
Responses of passerine bird and bat communities to green tree retention (GTR) within managed pine forests of the Lake States region.
The project is funded by
NCASI, Plum Creek Timber Company, Potlatch Corporation, and the U. S. Forest
Service to investigate wildlife responses to varying levels of green tree
retention (GTR) in managed pine forests of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Researchers and managers have increasingly recommended retention of live (or
“green”), residual trees after clearcutting and other timber harvest
practices to enhance the structure of regenerating stands, including
recruitment of future snags and coarse woody debris. In both
Home range and habitat selection of timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) within natural and human-influenced habitats of southwestern Wisconsin.
The project is funded by
McIntire-Stennis, the
Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources,
and the Milwaukee County Zoo to investigate effects of forest conversion and
bluff development on timber rattlesnakes in southwestern Wisconsin.
Timber rattlesnakes have undergone extensive population declines as a result
of habitat alterations, collection, and human persecution. Timber
rattlesnakes in Wisconsin are now largely confined to a relatively small
number of isolated populations along the bluffs of the Mississippi River in
the southwestern
Habitat relationships of passerine bird communities within peatland complexes of Wisconsin. The project is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to determine if the richness and relative abundance of passerine birds within peatland communities of Wisconsin can be reliably modeled as a function of both biotic and abiotic structural and compositional habitat attributes. This study is part of a larger long-term effort by WDNR focusing on peatland natural communities as a medium to assess potential influences of climate change on a diversity of wildlife and plant species. Therefore, a secondary objective of the project is to provide baseline data on passerine bird community and habitat relationships that can be compared to results from future studies focusing on climate-induced changes in peatlands and associated taxa. Stephanie B. Zolkowski is the graduate student working on this project. Stephanie is using point count surveys and standard habitat measurements to model bird-habitat relationships at 13 "intensive" peatland complexes (multiple surveys within and among years) and at over 50 "extensive" peatland sites (single surveys) distributed across the state of Wisconsin. The project is funded from 31 December 2005 to 31 May 2008.
Mortality, survival, and dispersal of juvenile American marten (Martes americana) in forests of northern Wisconsin. The project is funded by McIntire-Stennis, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Plum Creek Timber Company, U. S. Forest Service, and the Wisconsin Trappers Association to determine sources and rates of mortality, weekly survivorship, and investigate linkages between mortality and habitat parameters for the state-endangered American marten in northeastern Wisconsin. American marten were extirpated in Wisconsin by the late 1920's, but reintroductions between 1975-1990 reestablished two core populations in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). Although the reintroduction efforts initially appeared successful, recent surveys indicate that the populations have not expanded much beyond the original core areas and in fact be contracting. The factors limiting population expansion are unknown, but significant mortality of juveniles, in conjunction with limited dispersal habitat, has been suggested as a cause. Timothy S. White is the graduate student working on this project. Tim is using radio-telemetry to monitor the locations and status of juvenile marten on the CNNF and adjacent private forests, and to characterize the quality of habitats used by dispersing juveniles. The project is funded for three and a half years, from 1 January 2004 to 31 August 2006.