Please join for a seminar talk by Dr. Jen Cruz, an Assistant Professor at Boise State University.

Impacts of long-term habitat changes on predators and prey

Abstract

Habitat loss and modification continue to be major drivers of species declines and extinctions worldwide. Efforts to reverse these trends include restoration of vegetation communities, with the assumption that restoring habitat will lead to the return of higher trophic levels. However, this is seldom assessed. Further, reintroductions are often unsuccessful, in part, because species are being reintroduced to highly modified habitats. In this talk I will discuss some of our current work evaluating the effects of long-term habitat changes on predator and prey demography and behavior, as well as possible mechanisms by which modified habitats may hinder reintroduction efforts.

Bio

Before joining Boise State University as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Jen Cruz was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she evaluated interactions among recovering raptors. Prior to that she worked at Landcare Research Institute in New Zealand, quantifying interactions among native and invasive species. Dr. Jen Cruz completed her PhD in Ecology from the University of Queensland in Australia, studying the impacts of invasive predators on native brushtail possums. She was born in Colombia moved to Australia during high school, and attended Monash University for her Bachelor in Environmental Science with Honors.