FRESC Research

Aquatic & Semi-Aquatic

Avian Ecology

Change & Disturbance

Ecosystem & Landscape

Restoration & Monitoring

Terrestrial Wildlife

The scientists from the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center capitalize on their diverse expertise to answer critically important scientific questions shaped by the equally diverse environments of the western United States. FRESC scientists collaborate with each other and with partners to provide rigorous, objective, and timely information and guidance for the management and conservation of biological systems in the West and worldwide.

In the Spotlight

Spatial Variability of Chinook Salmon Spawning Distribution and Habitat Preferences
A wide range of environmental conditions can affect Pacific salmon’s habitat selection and spawning distribution. Understanding how habitat selection occurs at different... [Read more]

Seventy-Five Years of Land Treatments on Public Rangelands in the Great Basin
The Bureau of Land Management actively manages vegetation on millions of acres of public rangelands in the United States. USGS and BLM compiled over 75 years of records... [Read more]

Oak Mistletoe Linked to Microhabitat Availability and Avian Diversity
Mistletoes are flowering plants that parasitize woody plants, and can be important food and cover for wildlife. However, the relationship between availability of... [Read more]

New Study: Evaluating Effects and Effectiveness of Fuel Breaks
Fuel breaks are intended to reduce fire size and frequency, and can potentially reduce rates of fire spread. To accomplish these objectives, managers construct fuel... [Read more]

Subalpine Tree Recruitment Affected by Warming, Seed Provenance
To test how warming will alter subalpine tree recruitment, researchers designed an experiment in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado over five years. They sowed seeds from... [Read more]

Featured Scientist

Todd Katzner specializes in studying and monitoring wildlife, especially raptors, to help understand their ecology, estimate demographic characteristics and population connectivity, and track their long-distance movements. Katzner also uses GPS-GSM telemetry systems and GIS analyses to track birds of prey to understand how renewable energy development can be best managed to reduce risk to birds from turbines and solar fields. Katzner conducts research throughout North America and in central Asia. MORE >