Current Projects
Recovering Populations
Computational Ecology Group built a simulation model of the sage-grouse environment and population in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and used it to identify actions that could help recover the species.
CEG is supporting partners with maps of population sources, sinks, risk maps, and projections of population trends.
Habitat Capacity
The elusive Pacific marten is hard to find and count. CEG integrated a range of habitat, population, and movement data to build a HexSim model that estimated how many martens could occupy and move between habitats.
We are working with managers to identify areas where habitat conditions may be right to discover new populations.
Habitat & Population Connectivity
CEG is compiling information on sage-grouse movement, behavior, and assessing habitat connectivity among populations. We are helping agencies to identify opportunities to restore habitat connectivity.
Multiple Interacting Stressors
CEG and the University of Washington are modeling how different kinds of stressors combine to impact species at risk of extinction in Washington and Texas. We are assessing the impacts of climate change, fire, invasive species, predation, and disturbance on butterflies, birds, and pocket gophers.
Captive Breeding & Release Strategies
CEG and partners developed an example of a multistep approach that leverages limited animal location data to characterize the risk landscape of captive breeding release using the endangered Greater sage-grouse as a case study.
Exploring Management Actions
Northern Spotted Owls are in danger of being extirpated from the northern reaches of their range. Along with our partners, CEG is developing tools to investigate the status of the NSO in the Pacific Northwest, explore the impacts of the invasive Barred Owl, and identify effective management actions to support the threatened species.
Climate-Invasion Forecasts
UW and CEG are forecasting where, and how quickly a stream network could become invaded by crayfish and bass as climate changes. We are simulating the effectiveness of management options in slowing or containing the spread of invasion to manage salmon.
Fire-Impact Modeling
CEG developed a wildfire simulator, HexFire, that is designed for non-fire specialists and HexSim users. HexFire can simulate fire spread, interactions with fuel breaks, and be integrated into other types of ecological models.