Lab Members
Principal Investigator
David Luther, PhD
My teaching and research focus on animal behavior, ecology, and conservation biology.
Current research themes include:
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Long-term trends in tropical avian communities and the effects of habitat fragmentation and climate change on those communities
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The efficacy of conservation actions on the population trends of threatened species.
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The influence of background noise and urbanization on the ecology and evolution of animals.
Emilia Roberts | Master's Student
I study the effects of forest fragmentation and climate change on bird behavior and conservation in the Brazilian Amazon. Specifically, my masters research investigates whether or not Amazonian birds use microclimate refugia, small scale climatically stable locations, in the dry season to buffer themselves from the adverse effects of forest fragmentation and climate change. By isolating the effects of microclimate changes such as understory drying on behavioral adjustments, I aim to understand how biodiversity responds to climatic change in the Amazon rainforest and beyond.
Prior to coming to GMU I held a variety of banding positions in the neotropics in countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, and Peru, and worked as a video editor for National Geographic's Photo Ark.
Aline Medeiros | PhD candidate
My doctoral research focuses on the responses of mammal and bird communities to habitat restoration and rapid microclimate changes in the Amazon. The main site of this research is the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project - BDFFP near Manaus, Brazil. The BDFFP is the longest-running experiment on the effects of forest fragmentation in the Amazon and is a crucial site to understand the process of forest and biodiversity restoration. To detect faunal species, I use camera traps and passive acoustic recordings along a disturbance gradient, which includes forest fragments, and continuous and secondary forests. With this research I aim to reveal patterns of mammal and bird occupancy and the factors that limit viable populations in disturbed and regenerating areas; which could be vital for maintaining a balanced ecosystem in the tropics over time.
I was awarded a George Mason University Research Assistant position and the Jones-Tschiemer Ph.D. Fellowship in Environmental Science and Public Policy for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024.
Bernadette Rigley | PhD Student
Co-advised by Dr. Johnson at the Smithsonian
My dissertation will focus on behavioral ecology and conservation of grassland birds, one of the most imperiled taxonomic group of birds in the United States. I will study the effects of land management practices on the reproductive success of grassland birds breeding in Virginia by filling knowledge gaps in the full annual cycle of the eastern meadowlark through investigating their migratory behavior and the elusive post-fledging life stage. I most recently worked as a consulting biologist where I surveyed for T&E species and drafted documents for environmental actions under NEPA.
Awarded Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes
Fellowship and Washington Biologist Field Club Grant.
Hunter Van Doren | Master's Student
Co-advised by Dr. Akre at the Smithsonian
I am investigating life history traits, such as survival and dispersal, of wood turtles in western Virginia as well as global analyses of turtle conservation.
Shawn Smith | PhD Candidate
I am interested in the effects climate change and humans can have on avian systems. My PhD research focuses on the effects of climate on survival and reproductive success of birds. I'm working with long-term mistnet and climate data in collaboration with Point Blue in coastal Northern California.
My master’s research focused on the effects of warming temperatures and human adaptations to climate change on the breeding phenology of American kestrels in southwestern Idaho.
Former Graduate Students and Postdocs
Cameron Rutt PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2021
Cameron investigated the movements patterns of understory birds in the Amazon as well as the Beta diversity of avian communities in the Amazon rainforest. Cameron currently works for the American Bird Conservancy as the Lost Birds Coordinator.
Jon Clark | Masters Degree
2016 - 2019
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - Population Genetics of Song Sparrows in Virginia
Lara Kazo | Masters Degree
2017 - 2021
Lara investigated both how forest fragmentation in the Amazon affects body condition of understory birds and how anthropogenic noise affects avian responses to alarm calls of the Tufted Titmouse.
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - White-crowned Manakin male and female
Jon investigated morphological adaptations of the Atlantica Song Sparrow Subspecies that is restricted to sand dune habitat in the mid Atlantic region of the United States. He also investigated the genetic relationship between Eastern Song Sparrow and Atlantica Song Sparrow subspecies. He is now a PhD student at the University of New Hampshire.
Justin Cooper | Masters Degree
2016 - 2018
Justin investigated the relative influences of habitat productivity and heterogeniety and the effects of scale on species richness. He used remote sensing techniques, such as sattelite imagry and Lidar, as well as camera traps and passive accoustic recorders to assess bird, frog, and mammal species.
Ray Danner, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2014-2015
Ray modeled the cultural evolution of bird song using historical and present white-crowned sparrow songs. He now has a faculty position at UNC - Wilmington.
Dana Moseley, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2017
Dana studied cultural evolution as a mechanism of song-learning that animals could use in order to respond to anthropogenic noise. She now has a faculty position at James Madison University.
Katherine Gentry | Graduated with MS and PhD
2012 - 2017
Artistic interpretation of thesis on White-crowned Sparrow Songs
Kate's research focused on how anthropogenic noise disrupts communication networks and affects intraspecific and interspecific interactions. Kate was a postdoctoral fellow in the Lucas lab at Purdue University. https://lucaslabpurdue.weebly.com/ and is now the Gophor Tortoise Program Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/gopher-tortoise-permits/contacts/
Amy Johnson | Graduated with PhD
2013 - 2017
Amy's research focused assessed the influence of habitat structure, land management practices and landscape features on grassland bird abundance and diversity on local working farms during both the breeding season and winter. Amy is now the director for the Virginia Working Landscape Project.
http://www.vaworkinglandscapes.org/
Fall 2020 TEDx talk by Amy Johnson - Bringing the birds back one farm at a time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-buqK26PLU
Emma Boyer | Graduated with Master's Degree 2012-2014
Emma studied animal behavior and climate change. She graduated with Master’s in December 2014. She now works as a riverkeeper, protecting the Waccamaw watershed and the coastal plain rivers that drain into Winyah Bay, SC.
Former Undergraduate Students
Brooke Wooldridge - Life history traits of amazonian animals
Casey Chen - Historical effects of temperature on avian bill morphology
Jesse Wong - Effective conservation actions for critically endangered species
Jodie Pho - Life history traits of tropical mammals
Hafsa Chaudhry - Microhabitat preferences of tropical mammals
Vanessa Sanchez - Quantifying the use of mineral salt licks in Amazonia by birds
Evan Lamb - Cultural evolution of bird song
Emma Howes - Finances and endangered species
Jonathon Clark - Impact of traffic noise on grassland birds
Cassie Kostiuk - Urban noise and bird song
Doug Meisser - Community ecology and the acoustic niche
Beth Klemick - Bill variation and temperature
Tracy Brown - Bill size and song production
Jessica Magnotti - Urban noise and song discrimination
Samantha Didlay - Bird song variation in song sparrows
Inci Kaymak - Climate change and morphological adaptations
Laura McDonald - Citizen science and butterfly count
Devin Johnsone - Urban noise and bird song
Jessica Hong - Urban noise and bird song
Morgan Stone - Range limits of the Atlantic song sparrow
Jesse Wong - Effect of climate on avian bill size of Puerto Rican birds
Will Dries - Habitat restoration to maximize endangered species recovery
Former Graduate Students and Postdocs
Cameron Rutt PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2021
Cameron investigated the movements patterns of understory birds in the Amazon as well as the Beta diversity of avian communities in the Amazon rainforest. Cameron currently works for the American Bird Conservancy as the Lost Birds Coordinator.
Jon Clark | Masters Degree
2016 - 2019
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - Population Genetics of Song Sparrows in Virginia
Lara Kazo | Masters Degree
2017 - 2021
Lara investigated both how forest fragmentation in the Amazon affects body condition of understory birds and how anthropogenic noise affects avian responses to alarm calls of the Tufted Titmouse.
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - White-crowned Manakin male and female
Jon investigated morphological adaptations of the Atlantica Song Sparrow Subspecies that is restricted to sand dune habitat in the mid Atlantic region of the United States. He also investigated the genetic relationship between Eastern Song Sparrow and Atlantica Song Sparrow subspecies. He is now a PhD student at the University of New Hampshire.
Justin Cooper | Masters Degree
2016 - 2018
Justin investigated the relative influences of habitat productivity and heterogeniety and the effects of scale on species richness. He used remote sensing techniques, such as sattelite imagry and Lidar, as well as camera traps and passive accoustic recorders to assess bird, frog, and mammal species.
Ray Danner, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2014-2015
Ray modeled the cultural evolution of bird song using historical and present white-crowned sparrow songs. He now has a faculty position at UNC - Wilmington.
Dana Moseley, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2017
Dana studied cultural evolution as a mechanism of song-learning that animals could use in order to respond to anthropogenic noise. She now has a faculty position at James Madison University.
Katherine Gentry | Graduated with MS and PhD
2012 - 2017
Artistic interpretation of thesis on White-crowned Sparrow Songs
Kate's research focused on how anthropogenic noise disrupts communication networks and affects intraspecific and interspecific interactions. Kate was a postdoctoral fellow in the Lucas lab at Purdue University. https://lucaslabpurdue.weebly.com/ and is now the Gophor Tortoise Program Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/gopher-tortoise-permits/contacts/
Amy Johnson | Graduated with PhD
2013 - 2017
Amy's research focused assessed the influence of habitat structure, land management practices and landscape features on grassland bird abundance and diversity on local working farms during both the breeding season and winter. Amy is now the director for the Virginia Working Landscape Project.
http://www.vaworkinglandscapes.org/
Fall 2020 TEDx talk by Amy Johnson - Bringing the birds back one farm at a time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-buqK26PLU
Emma Boyer | Graduated with Master's Degree 2012-2014
Emma studied animal behavior and climate change. She graduated with Master’s in December 2014. She now works as a riverkeeper, protecting the Waccamaw watershed and the coastal plain rivers that drain into Winyah Bay, SC.
Former Undergraduate Students
Brooke Wooldridge - Life history traits of amazonian animals
Casey Chen - Historical effects of temperature on avian bill morphology
Jesse Wong - Effective conservation actions for critically endangered species
Jodie Pho - Life history traits of tropical mammals
Hafsa Chaudhry - Microhabitat preferences of tropical mammals
Vanessa Sanchez - Quantifying the use of mineral salt licks in Amazonia by birds
Evan Lamb - Cultural evolution of bird song
Emma Howes - Finances and endangered species
Jonathon Clark - Impact of traffic noise on grassland birds
Cassie Kostiuk - Urban noise and bird song
Doug Meisser - Community ecology and the acoustic niche
Beth Klemick - Bill variation and temperature
Tracy Brown - Bill size and song production
Jessica Magnotti - Urban noise and song discrimination
Samantha Didlay - Bird song variation in song sparrows
Inci Kaymak - Climate change and morphological adaptations
Laura McDonald - Citizen science and butterfly count
Devin Johnsone - Urban noise and bird song
Jessica Hong - Urban noise and bird song
Morgan Stone - Range limits of the Atlantic song sparrow
Jesse Wong - Effect of climate on avian bill size of Puerto Rican birds
Will Dries - Habitat restoration to maximize endangered species recovery
Former Graduate Students and Postdocs
Cameron Rutt PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2021
Cameron investigated the movements patterns of understory birds in the Amazon as well as the Beta diversity of avian communities in the Amazon rainforest. Cameron currently works for the American Bird Conservancy as the Lost Birds Coordinator.
Jon Clark | Masters Degree
2016 - 2019
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - Population Genetics of Song Sparrows in Virginia
Lara Kazo | Masters Degree
2017 - 2021
Lara investigated both how forest fragmentation in the Amazon affects body condition of understory birds and how anthropogenic noise affects avian responses to alarm calls of the Tufted Titmouse.
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - White-crowned Manakin male and female
Jon investigated morphological adaptations of the Atlantica Song Sparrow Subspecies that is restricted to sand dune habitat in the mid Atlantic region of the United States. He also investigated the genetic relationship between Eastern Song Sparrow and Atlantica Song Sparrow subspecies. He is now a PhD student at the University of New Hampshire.
Justin Cooper | Masters Degree
2016 - 2018
Justin investigated the relative influences of habitat productivity and heterogeniety and the effects of scale on species richness. He used remote sensing techniques, such as sattelite imagry and Lidar, as well as camera traps and passive accoustic recorders to assess bird, frog, and mammal species.
Ray Danner, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2014-2015
Ray modeled the cultural evolution of bird song using historical and present white-crowned sparrow songs. He now has a faculty position at UNC - Wilmington.
Dana Moseley, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2017
Dana studied cultural evolution as a mechanism of song-learning that animals could use in order to respond to anthropogenic noise. She now has a faculty position at James Madison University.
Katherine Gentry | Graduated with MS and PhD
2012 - 2017
Artistic interpretation of thesis on White-crowned Sparrow Songs
Kate's research focused on how anthropogenic noise disrupts communication networks and affects intraspecific and interspecific interactions. Kate was a postdoctoral fellow in the Lucas lab at Purdue University. https://lucaslabpurdue.weebly.com/ and is now the Gophor Tortoise Program Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission https://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/gopher-tortoise-permits/contacts/
Amy Johnson | Graduated with PhD
2013 - 2017
Amy's research focused assessed the influence of habitat structure, land management practices and landscape features on grassland bird abundance and diversity on local working farms during both the breeding season and winter. Amy is now the director for the Virginia Working Landscape Project.
http://www.vaworkinglandscapes.org/
Fall 2020 TEDx talk by Amy Johnson - Bringing the birds back one farm at a time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-buqK26PLU
Emma Boyer | Graduated with Master's Degree 2012-2014
Emma studied animal behavior and climate change. She graduated with Master’s in December 2014. She now works as a riverkeeper, protecting the Waccamaw watershed and the coastal plain rivers that drain into Winyah Bay, SC.
Former Undergraduate Students
Brooke Wooldridge - Life history traits of amazonian animals
Casey Chen - Historical effects of temperature on avian bill morphology
Jesse Wong - Effective conservation actions for critically endangered species
Jodie Pho - Life history traits of tropical mammals
Hafsa Chaudhry - Microhabitat preferences of tropical mammals
Vanessa Sanchez - Quantifying the use of mineral salt licks in Amazonia by birds
Evan Lamb - Cultural evolution of bird song
Emma Howes - Finances and endangered species
Jonathon Clark - Impact of traffic noise on grassland birds
Cassie Kostiuk - Urban noise and bird song
Doug Meisser - Community ecology and the acoustic niche
Beth Klemick - Bill variation and temperature
Tracy Brown - Bill size and song production
Jessica Magnotti - Urban noise and song discrimination
Samantha Didlay - Bird song variation in song sparrows
Inci Kaymak - Climate change and morphological adaptations
Laura McDonald - Citizen science and butterfly count
Devin Johnsone - Urban noise and bird song
Jessica Hong - Urban noise and bird song
Morgan Stone - Range limits of the Atlantic song sparrow
Jesse Wong - Effect of climate on avian bill size of Puerto Rican birds
Will Dries - Habitat restoration to maximize endangered species recovery
Former Graduate Students and Postdocs
Sarah Weber | Graduated with PhD
2018 - 2023
Sarah's focused on the socio-political factors that are important for successful Rewilding projects. She is currently Program Manager of Science and Policy at OneEarth. https://www.oneearth.org/contributor/sarah-hertel-m-sc/
Artistic interpretations of Theses and Dissertations
Jillian Jorgenson | Graduated with Masters
2019 - 2023
Co-advised by Dr. Pukazhenthi at the Smithsonian
Jillian focused on the health and conservation of the mountain tapir Tapirus pinchaque in both wild and captive settings
Sarah Farinelli | Graduated with PhD
2017 - 2023
Sarah investigated the passive monitoring techniques, such as Lidar, eDNA, and drone videos, to detect and monitor global Manatee populations. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Clearwater Aquarium in Florida.
Jessica Roberts | Graduated with PhD
2017 - 2023
Jess investigated the effects of best management practices, especially behavioral modification, for reintroducing captive bird species into the wild. She is now the Habitat Connectivity Director at Wild Virginia. https://wildvirginia.org/about-us/staff/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=ba1e4347-e394-441a-8fbd-20fa7945a1fb
Tovah Siegel | Graduated with PhD
2018 - 2023
Tovah investigated the effects of forest fragmentation on interspecific mutualistic interactions in the Amazon rainforest. She is now a Environmental Policy Analyst at the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C.
Charlie Coddington | Graduated with MS and PhD
2016 - 2023
Charlie investigated the effects of forest fragmentation on mixed species flocks of birds in the Amazon rainforest. Charlie now a Biologist in the US Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program.
Cameron Rutt PhD | Postdoctoral Fellow
2020 - 2021
Cameron investigated the movements patterns of understory birds in the Amazon as well as the Beta diversity of avian communities in the Amazon rainforest. Cameron currently works for the American Bird Conservancy as the Lost Birds Coordinator.
Lara Kazo | Masters Degree
2017 - 2021
Lara investigated both how forest fragmentation in the Amazon affects body condition of understory birds and how anthropogenic noise affects avian responses to alarm calls of the Tufted Titmouse. Lara is a currently a Naturalist at the Mass Audubon Society.
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - White-crowned Manakin male and female
Eleanor King | Masters Degree
2018 - 2021
Eleanor investigated reforestation techniques and effectiveness in Madagascar.
Jon Clark | Masters Degree
2016 - 2019
Jon investigated morphological adaptations of the Atlantica Song Sparrow Subspecies that is restricted to sand dune habitat in the mid Atlantic region of the United States. He also investigated the genetic relationship between Eastern Song Sparrow and Atlantica Song Sparrow subspecies. He is now a PhD student at the University of New Hampshire.
Artistic interpretation of Thesis - Population Genetics of Song Sparrows in Virginia
Justin Cooper | Masters Degree
2016 - 2018
Justin investigated the relative influences of habitat productivity and heterogeniety and the effects of scale on species richness. He used remote sensing techniques, such as sattelite imagry and Lidar, as well as camera traps and passive accoustic recorders to assess bird, frog, and mammal species. Justin is a now Wildlife Biologist for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Ray Danner, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2014-2015
Ray modeled the cultural evolution of bird song using historical and present white-crowned sparrow songs. He now has a faculty position at UNC - Wilmington.
Dana Moseley, PhD | Postdoctoral fellow
2016-2017
Dana studied cultural evolution as a mechanism of song-learning that animals could use in order to respond to anthropogenic noise. She now has a faculty position at James Madison University.
Katherine Gentry | Graduated with MS and PhD
2012 - 2017
Kate's research focused on how anthropogenic noise disrupts communication networks and affects intraspecific and interspecific interactions. Kate was a postdoctoral fellow in the Lucas lab at Purdue University. https://lucaslabpurdue.weebly.com/ and is now the Imperiled Species Policy Administrator at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Artistic interpretation of thesis on White-crowned Sparrow Songs
Amy Johnson | Graduated with PhD
2013 - 2017
Amy's research focused assessed the influence of habitat structure, land management practices and landscape features on grassland bird abundance and diversity on local working farms during both the breeding season and winter. Amy is now the director for the Virginia Working Landscape Project.
http://www.vaworkinglandscapes.org/
Fall 2020 TEDx talk by Amy Johnson - Bringing the birds back one farm at a time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-buqK26PLU
Emma Boyer | Graduated with Master's Degree 2012-2014
Emma studied animal behavior and climate change. She graduated with Master’s in December 2014. She now works as a riverkeeper, protecting the Waccamaw watershed and the coastal plain rivers that drain into Winyah Bay, SC.
Recent Undergraduate Students
In 2022 and 2023 the lab worked with 3 excellent teams of undergraduate researchers. The first 2 teams investigated species identification, behavior, and ecology of tropical animals along a disturbance gradient at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP) in the Brazilian Amazon.
The first team identified over 50 species of mammals and birds from over 3,000 images taken by camera traps at the BDFFP in the Amazon rainforest. Team members: Adriana Em, Hibo Hassan, Tristan Silva-Montoya, Piper Robinson, Jordan Seidmeyer, Alix Upchurch, Carolina Sanabria, and Katie Russell
The second team identified 184 species of birds from acoustic recordings from the BDFFP in the Amazon rainforest. Team members: Alexis Lembke, Amanda Jones, Adriana Em, Madison Cheung, Morgan Ellingsworth, Grace, Carriero
A third team of researchers, in conjunction with the Alliance for Zero Extinction, helped identify land tenure and management at high priority global conservation sites around the world. Team members: Allison Gregg, Morgan Ellingsworth, Grace, Carriero, and Elsa Nazir
Maggie Walker - Field guide to camera trapping
mammals and birds at the BDFFP in the
Amazon Rainforest
- The conservation of threatened species at
Alliance for Zero Extinction sites
Jackie Batchelor - The effects of forest fragmentation on the
population age structure of birds in the Amazon
Gwen Fields - Cheetah cub growth rates under different
diets in Namibia
Anna McElhinny- Suboscine vocalization changes in the
presence of traffic noise near Santa Cruz
Bolivia
Former Undergraduate Students
Brooke Wooldridge - Life history traits of amazonian animals
Casey Chen - Historical effects of temperature on avian bill morphology
Jesse Wong - Effective conservation actions for critically endangered species
Jodie Pho - Life history traits of tropical mammals
Hafsa Chaudhry - Microhabitat preferences of tropical mammals
Vanessa Sanchez - Quantifying the use of mineral salt licks in Amazonia by birds
Evan Lamb - Cultural evolution of bird song
Emma Howes - Finances and endangered species
Jonathon Clark - Impact of traffic noise on grassland birds
Cassie Kostiuk - Urban noise and bird song
Doug Meisser - Community ecology and the acoustic niche
Beth Klemick - Bill variation and temperature
Tracy Brown - Bill size and song production
Jessica Magnotti - Urban noise and song discrimination
Samantha Didlay - Bird song variation in song sparrows
Inci Kaymak - Climate change and morphological adaptations
Laura McDonald - Citizen science and butterfly count
Devin Johnsone - Urban noise and bird song
Jessica Hong - Urban noise and bird song
Morgan Stone - Range limits of the Atlantic song sparrow
Jesse Wong - Effect of climate on avian bill size of Puerto Rican birds
Will Dries - Habitat restoration to maximize endangered species recovery