We combine field sampling and mathematical analysis to understand species interactions, climate change, land uses, and how other factors affect the Pacific Northwest ecosystems. Our research encompasses species, populations, communities, and ecosystems. It integrates a variety of disciplines, including ecology, physiology, and statistics, and simulation modeling. Our work spans studies from headwater streams to the marine environment.
Our goals are to:
Identify patterns and processes
We combine field sampling and mathematical analysis to understand how factors such as species interactions, climate change, and land use affect the patterns we observe in our ecosystems.
- Thermal habitat for Pacific salmon.
- Climate impacts on Pacific salmon.
- Sockeye salmon migration.
- Population risk/viability analyses.
- Population responses to habitat change.
- Species use of nearshore habitats.
Develop scientific tools
We design, construct, and evaluate new techniques and equipment for studying animals in aquatic environments ranging from small streams to the ocean. We track animals using radio telemetry, passive integrated transponder (PIT), and acoustic tags with remote antenna systems for detection. We also develop quantitative methods and simulation tools software for both retrospective and forward-looking analyses of ecosystem attributes such as food web interactions, survival, and migration rates.
Contact
Beth Sanderson, Ecosystem Analysis Program Manager
