My research focuses on using environmental DNA(eDNA) methods to better inform conservation management in the Sierra Nevada
My previous work with eDNA methods used DNA metabarcoding to measure prey DNA from the scats of sympatric Sierra Nevada mesopredators. This data highlighted how the survival and persistence of the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox may depend closely on the continued availability of subalpine-adapted prey species, particularly as climate change allows generalist competitors to become more numerous at higher elevations.
Currently, I aim to assess how different lake regions and dynamic lake conditions affect eDNA detection of aquatic species in Lake Tahoe. The data from this project will help facilitate a better understanding of the most effective eDNA sampling methods for future eDNA monitoring of aquatic invasive species (AIS).
My next goal is to use eDNA monitoring to measure how elevational gradients affect the presence of AIS and native aquatic species throughout reservoirs in the Sierra Nevada.
I grew up in South Lake Tahoe and graduated from South Tahoe High School class of 2015. I received a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolution from UC Santa Barbara in 2019. Before starting graduate school at UC Davis, I worked with the US Forest Service to study Southern California stream habitats and endangered steelhead trout populations, as well as with the US Geological Survey to collect data on the greater sage-grouse in the Great Basin of Nevada. During my free time, I love to hike, ski, swim, mountain bike, and backpack in the Sierras.
Primary advisors: Dr. Andrea Schreier, Dr. Robert Lusardi, and Dr. Benjamin Sacks