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Karen Beard I have been a professor of conservation ecology at Utah State for 23 years. A lot of my research has focused on linking animals to ecosystem processes. Right now, I am focused mostly research in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta of Alaska. I have been working there since 2010 and have been involved in four NSF-funded projects near the town of Chevak. The first project focused on the effects of changes in migratory bird timing and the start of the growing season on ecosystem functioning. It was exciting to see this project through and to start writing new proposals to continue my work there. In 2020, I started a project in the area focused on the effects of herbivores, namely geese, on microbial communities and greenhouse gas flux. Then, I started working on a project focused on climate change effects - how increased flooding through increased storm surges, warming and changing herbivory patterns influences ecosystems from lowlands to uplands. Finally, I have been investigating the effects of Typhoon Merbok on the vegetation communities and fluxes. All of these projects have given me amazing insights into this system and I have greatly enjoyed working with undergraduates, graduate students, post-docs, and my co-PIs through these experiences.
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar
ADScientificIndex
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar
ADScientificIndex
Lab Members
Kaitlyn Purington is a MS student starting in fall of 2025. She has been working as a Native Aquatics Biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Rresources for the past 3.5 years. Her work is to monitor, manage, and conserve Utah's Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
While at USU, her research will broadly focus on the habitat needs, preferences, and limitations of Western Toad populations in Utah. |
Shantell Garrett is a PhD candidate and is focusing on the effects of lagomorphs and ungulates on vegetative communities and aboveground biomass in the Henry Mountains of Utah. We are working with Dr. Johan DuToit on this project. She is also a stellar TA of Mammalogy, which she has helped teach for three years, and where she has been acknowledged by teachers and students alike with a Graduate Student Teacher of the Year award in 2022.
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Emily Santos is a PhD student starting in the summer of 2024. She is working in the Y-K Delta on determining the effects of increased flooding and warming and changing on species traits in a wetland tundra, and how flooding, warming and changing are herbivory are influencing above- and belowground traits. She is part of a NSF-funded project. She is also working on wetland restoration of Utah Lake for her dissertation under Dr. Kettenring, who is co-advising.
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Tyler Williams is a MS student studying how climate change effects will influence the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta into the future. More specifically his research focuses on the impacts of increased flooding from storm surges, warming and changing herbivory patterns on vegetation communities and carbon flux. He started off as an undergrad tech on our project, and we're excited to have him as a MS student. He is also a TA for WILD 2200: Ecology of our Changing World.
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Cristina Chirvasa is an undergraduate researcher in my lab. She is working on an independent research project focused on effects of climate change - understanding how flooding, warming and herbivory - influences plant traits in three different plant communities. She received her own research funding and was part of our research team in Alaska. She has presented her work in Washington, D.C. and at ESA in 2025.
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Past graduate students/Post-docs
Post-doctoral Researcher:
Matteo Petit Bon, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
PhD Students:
Martin Holdrege, USGS Post-doctoral Researcher
Ryan Choi, Vegetation Ecologist, University of Alaska Anchorage
Leandro do Nascimento, Lead Scientist, Bioacoustics, Map of Life
Rodrigo B. Ferreira, Assistant Professor, Universidade Vila Velha (UVV), Espirito Santo - Brazil
Emily Kalnicky, Director of Monitoring Evaluation and Learning at Partnership for Public Service
Eric O’Neill, Associate Technical Director, DNA Identification Testing Division
Master’s students:
Taylor Saunders, Crew Leader, US Forest Service
Jack Marchetti, Wildlife Biologist, New Mexico Fish and Game
Shane Hill, Wildlife Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife
Lindsay Carlson, Ph.D. Student, University of Saskatchewan
Robyn Smith, Environmental Consultant, California
Nicole Nolan-Keleher, Habitat Program Manager, Dept Conservation & Recreation, Massachusetts
Pascale Warren, Air Quality Specialist, Sacramento Air Quality Management
Ryan Choi, Vegetation Ecologist, University of Alaska Anchorage
Christina Olson, Research Scientist, Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland
Nathania Tuttle, Research Scientist, California
Hans Sin, Senior Wildlife Biologist, California Fish and Game
G. Page Kyle, Research Scientist, Joint Global Change Research Institute, University of Maryland
Echo Rexroad, Environmental Consultant, Texas
Matteo Petit Bon, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
PhD Students:
Martin Holdrege, USGS Post-doctoral Researcher
Ryan Choi, Vegetation Ecologist, University of Alaska Anchorage
Leandro do Nascimento, Lead Scientist, Bioacoustics, Map of Life
Rodrigo B. Ferreira, Assistant Professor, Universidade Vila Velha (UVV), Espirito Santo - Brazil
Emily Kalnicky, Director of Monitoring Evaluation and Learning at Partnership for Public Service
Eric O’Neill, Associate Technical Director, DNA Identification Testing Division
Master’s students:
Taylor Saunders, Crew Leader, US Forest Service
Jack Marchetti, Wildlife Biologist, New Mexico Fish and Game
Shane Hill, Wildlife Biologist, Utah Division of Wildlife
Lindsay Carlson, Ph.D. Student, University of Saskatchewan
Robyn Smith, Environmental Consultant, California
Nicole Nolan-Keleher, Habitat Program Manager, Dept Conservation & Recreation, Massachusetts
Pascale Warren, Air Quality Specialist, Sacramento Air Quality Management
Ryan Choi, Vegetation Ecologist, University of Alaska Anchorage
Christina Olson, Research Scientist, Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland
Nathania Tuttle, Research Scientist, California
Hans Sin, Senior Wildlife Biologist, California Fish and Game
G. Page Kyle, Research Scientist, Joint Global Change Research Institute, University of Maryland
Echo Rexroad, Environmental Consultant, Texas