Computational Ecology Lab - University of Montana

We focus on developing, optimizing, and applying individual-based simulation programs for understanding relationships between biological processes, environment, and climate with population patterns across landscapes. Our goals are to produce tools that will be valuable to natural resource managers, planners, decision makers, and scientists with a stake in maintaining biodiversity, from genes to ecosystems.  ​

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​Current Research

Computational Ecology, Evolution and Epidemiology

A spatially explicit mechanistic modeling framework integrating changing environments with disease ecology and genomics to predict disease dynamics. Example projects include:

• Range-wide evolutionary potential of Myotis velifer ​
• US-UK Collab: A spatially-explicit model of bat evolution and pathogen transmission dynamics in complex changing landscapes

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Landscape & Riverscape Demogenetic Connectivity

​Landscape genetics, habitat connectivity modeling, wildlife corridor and passage designs. ​Example projects include:

• Genetic connectivity of Grizzly Bear in Canada, American Badger in Canada, Fisher in California, Wolverine in N. America

• Testing wildlife friendly fencing for Pronghorn in Montana
• Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Eastern Brook Trout and YY, Bull Trout in lower Pend Oreille River system
• Multi-species in the Skagit system   

Center for Population Health Research

Example projects include:​

• Modeling the factors the influence respiratory health 

• Improving air pollution and wildfire smoke exposure models.

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