Research and Graduate Students

Updated September 2008

My research explores the behavior of wildlife populations, emphasizing the application of ecological knowledge to resolving conflicts between wildlife and humans. Studies are conducted within the context of training students. Most of the work focuses on larger vertebrates and questions range from the influence of social behavior on population management to the merits of satellite imagery to explore landscape ecology. Students completing graduate programs become proficient with field biology, computer analysis, communication and leadership.

Wild Turkey Research

Graduate Students – Current

David Williams - Doctoral Candidate – Modeling spread of disease in deer populations in forest-agricultural matrix habitats.

Amy Dechen - Doctoral Candidate - Deer population dynamics, behavior and the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Jonathan Zysik - Masters Candidate - Biological feasibility of restoring elk to West Virginia.

Frank DeSantis - Masters Candidate - Modeling spread of chronic wasting disease in the Adirondacks.

Megan Skrip – Masters Candidate – Harvest pressure and population dynamics of ruffed grouse in New York.

Matthew Smith – Masters Candidate – Modeling spread of disease in deer in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.

Brigham Whitman – Masters Candidate – TBA

Kevin Jablonski – Masters Candidate – Habitat associations of lowland boreal birds in Adirondack Park. (Co-advise with Stacy McNulty)

Abigail Larkin – Masters Candidate – TBA (Co-advise with Colin Beier)

Post-Doctoral Associates – Completed

Richard Lawrence - 1995-1997 - Current position: Project Manager with ESRI, Redlands, California

Doctoral Degree Students – Completed

Benjamin Zuckerberg – Ph.D. 2008. - Long-term responses of breeding birds to climate change and reforestation in New York State. Doctoral Dissertation State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. Pp. – Current position: Post Doctoral Associate, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Dawn Gorham - Ph.D. 2005 - Landscape-level analysis of suburban white-tailed deer overabundance. Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 110 pp. - Current position:  Executive Director, Pocono Land Trust (Pennsylvania).

Karl Didier - Ph.D. 2003 - Impact of disturbance and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on plant community and nutrient dynamics in northern hardwood forests of northern New York State. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 170 pp. - Current position:  Landscape ecologist, Wildlife Conservation Society.

Kathy Fleming -Ph.D. 2003 - Scale-explicit spatial determinants of population structure in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 95 pp - Current position:  Biologist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.

Michale Glennon - Ph.D. 2002 - Effects of land-use management on biotic integrity in the Adirondack Park, New York. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 135 pp - Current position: Ecologist, Wildlife Conservation Society.

Steve Roberts - Ph.D. 1997 – Relationships between weather and the annual dynamics of wild turkey populations in New York. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 95 pp - Current position: Wildlife Biologist (head of wildlife biometrics unit) with Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Dale Garner - Ph.D. 1995 - Population ecology of moose in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 99 pp - Current position: Chief, Bureau of Wldlife, Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Kevin Church - Ph.D. 1992 - Comparative ecology of gray partridge in established and translocated ranges of New York. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 95 pp - Current position: Wildlife consultant.

Brian Underwood - Ph.D. 1990 - Population dynamics of a white-tailed deer population in the central Adirondack mountains of New York: Influences of winter, harvest and population abundance. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 124 pp - Current position: Research Biologist and Leader of Cooperative Park Studies Unit of USGS Biological Resources Division at SUNY ESF.

Robin Kruse - Ph.D. 1990 - The dynamics of wildlife habitat in northern hardwood ecosystems in New York's Adirondack region. Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 220 pp - Current position: Research Associate with School of Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia.

Nancy Mathews - Ph.D. 1989 - Social structure, genetic structure and anti-predator behavior of white-tailed deer in the central Adirondacks. Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 171 pp - Current position: Associate Professor at University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Robert Brooks - Ph.D. 1984 - An analysis of the use of national land use inventories for regional avian habitat assessments. .  Doctoral dissertation. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 176 pp - Current position: Research Wildlife Biologist with USDA Forest Service, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Masters Degree Students – Completed

Elizabeth Dowling Danks – M.S. 2008 – An assessment of the impact of residential development on mammal communities in the Adirondacks, New York. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. pp. Current position: Temporary Wildlife Biologist, USDA Forest Service.

Ariel Diggory – M. S. 2008 – Using enduring landscape features and geographic information system to map potential wetlands. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. pp. Current position: Environmental Program Specialist, Adirondack Park Agency.

Anne Woods – M.S. 2007 – Quantifying the relationship between anthropogenic disturbance and biotic integrity in the Adirondack Park. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 88 pp. Current Position: Biologist, Adirondack Ecological Center.

Zachary Danks – M. S. 2007 – Spatial, temporal and landscape characteristics of moose-vehicle collisions in Maine. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 84 pp. Current Position: Biologist, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Jeff Organ – M.S. 2007 – Linking white-tailed deer harvests to population and environmental processes through ecological modeling. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 149 pp. Current Position: Research Technician with the Center for Sustainable Environments in the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Northern Arizona University.

Susan Walker – M.S. 2006 – Evaluation of micoclimate within white-tailed deer wintering yards in the central Adirondacks of New York State. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 103 pp. Current Position: Research/Extension Associate, Cornell University.

Carolyn Spilman – M.S 2006 – The effects of lakeshore development on common loon productivity in the Adirondack Park, New York. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 50 pp. Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, Audubon New York.

Alison Lott - M.S. 2004 - Quantifying the relationship between white-tailed deer and forest regeneration in the central Adirondacks of New York.  Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 66 pp. Current position: Completing graduate program in education, University of Scranton.

Jeremy Hurst - M. S. 2004 - Evaluation in historical change in white-tailed deer winter yards in the Adirondack region of New York. Masters Thesis. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse. 115 pp.   Current position: Deer Biologist, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York.

Sharon Goetz - M.S. 2002 - Statewide habitat assessment for wild turkey in Arkansas..  Current position:  Wild Turkey Biologist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Madelia, Minnesota.

Brian Miranda - M.S. 2002 - Statewide habitat assessment for white-tailed deer in Arkansas.  Current position:  Ecologist, USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station, Rhinelander, Wisconsin

Anne Oyer - M.S. 2002 - Localized management of white-tailed deer in the Central Adirondack Mountains of New York.  Current position:  Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Cortland, New York

Jennifer Woodard - M.S. 2001 - Localized management of white-tailed deer in a suburban environment.  Current position:  Veterinary assistant.

Genevieve Nesslage - M.S. 2000 - An assessment of long-term trends in harvest of white-tailed deer in the Adirondack Park, New York.  Completed doctoral program at Michigan State University in 2005.  Current position:  Assistant Professor, Clarion University, Clarion, PA.

Brent Rudolph - M.S. 1999 - Evaluating immuno-contraception to control the growth of a free-ranging, suburban deer population in Irondequoit, New York.  Current position: Deer Biologist with Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Bobbi Jo McClain - M.S. 1999 - Evaluating habitat for white-tailed deer in the Adirondack Mountains using satellite imagery. Current position:  Wildlife Biologist with National Wetland Inventory - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Karl Didier - M.S. 1998 - Feasibility of restoring elk to New York State. Current position: See under Doctoral Students above.

Michale Glennon - M.S. 1997 - Using satellite imagery to assess habitat conditions for wild turkeys on a landscape scale. Current position: See under Doctoral Students above

Stacy McNulty - M.S. 1997 - Influence of habitat on recruitment of young in white-tailed deer - Current position: Research Associate, Adirondack Ecological Center.

Clayton Nielsen - M.S. 1996 - Modeling the feasibility of contraceptive management of white-tailed deer - Completed doctoral program at the University of Southern Illinois in 2001.  Current position:  Associate Professor, Southern Illinois University.

Paul Quinlan - M.S. 1996 - An assessment of wildlife habitat characteristics in Adirondack selection system stands - Current position: US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Jennifer Fewster (Hill) - M.S. 1995 - Creation of a geographic void in a white-tailed deer population in northern New York - Current position: High school biology teacher, Florida.

Steve Nelson - M.S. 1994 - Ecology of a partially-enclosed, supplementally-fed deer white-tailed deer population - Current position: Manager of family farm in northwest Iowa.

James Schaberl - M.S. 1994 - Assessment of hunting adjacent to park boundaries on the survival and population dynamics of white-tailed deer - Current position: Resource Management Specialist with the National Park Service, Voyageurs National Park.

Jocelyn Aycrigg - M.S. 1993 - Socio-spatial dynamics of white-tailed deer in the central Adirondack Mountains, New York - Current position: Doctoral candidate at University of Idaho.

Steve Roberts - M. S. 1993 - Survival and reproduction of wild turkeys in south-central New York.  Current position: See under Doctoral Students above

William Seybold - M.S. 1992 - Ecology and monitoring of white-tailed deer on Cape Cod, Massachusetts - Current position: Research Associate, Colorado State University.

Daniel Gefell - M.S. 1990 - An exploration of the influence of environmental factors on variation in wild turkey populations - Current position: Biologist, Syracuse Research Corporation.

Dale Garner - M.S. 1989 - Ecology of the moose and feasibility for translocation into the greater Adirondack ecosystem. Current position: See under Doctoral Students above

Mary Bayer Caulway - M.S. 1987 - An analysis of a guild approach to avian habitat assessment - Current position: Homemaker raising family in Charleton, Massachusetts.

Jody Enck - M.S. 1986 - Brood-rearing ecology of gray partridge in New York - Completed Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1996 - Current position: Research Associate, Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University.

Brian Underwood - M.S. 1986 - Population dynamics of a central Adirondack deer herd – Current position: See under Doctoral Students above

Samuel Droege - M.S. 1985 - Response of an Adirondack bird community to understory defoliation - Current position: Wildlife Biologist with USGS Biological Resources Division, Patuxent, Maryland.

Terrance Doyle - M.S. 1983 - Testing the U. S. Forest Service renewable resources evaluation for its suitability in assessing avian habitat - Current position: Refuge Wildlife Biologist with Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Tok, Alaska.

Abby Parness Rudin - M.S. 1982 - Internship with Brukner Nature Center in Troy, Ohio - Last known position: Teacher with South Orangetown Central School, Mohegan Lake, NY.

Nancy Mathews - M.S. 1982 - The capability of U.S. Forest Service resources evaluation in assessing small mammal habitat.  Current position: See under Doctoral Students above

Jan Lazarus - M.S. 1982 - Identification of features of wild turkey nest habitat in southeastern Minnesota - Current position: Research Associate with Dartmouth Medical School.

John Hecklau - M.S. 1982 - Feasibility of transplanting wild turkeys into areas of restricted forest cover and high human density - Current position: Wildlife Biologist with NYS Power Authority.

Contacting me

E-mail wfporter@esf.edu........Telephone (315) 470-6798.......Fax (315) 470-4861

1 Forestry Drive, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York 13210