Zoogeochemistry of Animals on the MoveIdentifying and investigating how the movement of animals may distribute nutrients into and across ecosystems.
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Identifying Animal-Vectorized Subsidies
Animals are always on the move, and through what they eat, where they die, and where they urinate and defecate, they move nutrients. It was not until recently that the role of larger animals in nutrient cycles, such as our planet’s carbon and nitrogen cycles, has been recognized as significant. This is especially relevant under climate change, as rewilding certain areas with animals could be a nature based solution to offset carbon emissions.
However, understanding where, when, and how much animals distribute nutrients across ecosystems is challenging, as it relies on methods and concepts from a variety of scientific disciplines (Ellis-Soto, Ferraro et al., 2021). Further, studying how animals impact biogeochemical cycles is even more important in an ever-changing, human-dominated world where anthropogenic activity modifies zoogeochemistry through changes to animal community composition, diet, or movement patterns (Abraham, Duvall, Ferraro, et al., 2022). My work seeks to address this information gap, helping ecologists better understand the important role animals play in biogeochemical processes.
However, understanding where, when, and how much animals distribute nutrients across ecosystems is challenging, as it relies on methods and concepts from a variety of scientific disciplines (Ellis-Soto, Ferraro et al., 2021). Further, studying how animals impact biogeochemical cycles is even more important in an ever-changing, human-dominated world where anthropogenic activity modifies zoogeochemistry through changes to animal community composition, diet, or movement patterns (Abraham, Duvall, Ferraro, et al., 2022). My work seeks to address this information gap, helping ecologists better understand the important role animals play in biogeochemical processes.
Collaborators and Support:
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Christine Stevens Wildlife Award
Yale Institute of Biospheric Studies The National Science Foundation |
Nitrogen and Carbon Dynamics of Calving
Migrating animals can alter ecosystem biogeochemical cycles, which can have drastic impacts for nutrient limited northern ecosystems. In this project, I seek to quantify the role of caribou calving in nitrogen cycling, plant growth, and carbon storage on Fogo Island, Newfoundland.
Collaborators and Support:
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Memorial University
Yale Institute of Biospheric Studies The National Science Foundation |
Modeling the Zoogeochemical Effects of Ungulates
Animals alter nutrient distributions across ecosystems, yet analyzing these effects at a landscape scale is logistically challenging. To address this, I use individual-based models to examine how ungulates impact nutrient distribution at the landscape scale. I began by exploring the theory, using caribou as a test-case to explore how animal density, sociality, and initial landscape conditions shaped zoogeochemical effects (Ferraro et al., 2022).
Now, I seek to use animal movement data to explore how the great migration of Yellowstone distribute nutrients across the American West. Stay tuned for the results of this work!
Now, I seek to use animal movement data to explore how the great migration of Yellowstone distribute nutrients across the American West. Stay tuned for the results of this work!
Collaborators and Support:
Oswald Schmitz
Matthew McCary
Arthur Middleton
Matthew Kauffman
Blake Lowrey
Matthew McCary
Arthur Middleton
Matthew Kauffman
Blake Lowrey