Katherine Zeller

Missoula, MT 59801-4421
United States
Large landscape conservation networks: I modeled connectivity among jaguar populations across their geographic distribution from Mexico to Argentina and designed a rapid assessment protocol to validate these corridors in the field. This has resulted in the Jaguar Corridor Initiative, the only conservation initiative in the world that focuses on the health of jaguars across their entire geographic range. As part of this work, I also assisted in determining how well this conservation network functioned as an umbrella for other species and how threatened it is by fragmentation and deforestation.
Landscape genetics: I have used the genetics of wildlife to determine which landscape features facilitate or impede the movement of individuals and their genes across the landscape and to determine the demographic connections among populations.
Road ecology: Roads pose serious threats to the safety of wildlife -- and wildlife on roads are a human safety issue. I have used movement and genetic data to identify road crossing hotspots for large mammals. These hotspots can be used to site road mitigation measures. I have also explored the different methods used to identify crossing hotspots to assess their efficacy at capturing empirical crossing locations.
- University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ph.D., Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, 2016
- University of Montana, M.S., Environmental Studies, 2003
- Tufts University, B.S., Biology, 1997
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Postdoctoral Researcher,
Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit,
2017 -
2020
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Postdoctoral Researcher,
San Diego State University,
2016 -
2017
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Research Coordinator, Landscape Analysis Lab,
Panthera,
2008 -
2011
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Environmental Consultant,
Wildlife Conservation Society,
2004 -
2011
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Jennings, Megan K.; Vickers, T. Winston; Ernest, Holly B.; Cushman, Samuel A.; Boyce, Walter M.. 2018. Are all data types and connectivity models created equal Validating common connectivity approaches with dispersal data
- Zeller, Katherine A.; McGarigal, Kevin; Cushman, Samuel A.; Beier, Paul; Vickers, T. Winston; Boyce, Walter M.. 2017. Sensitivity of resource selection and connectivity models to landscape definition
- Zeller, Katherine A.; McGarigal, Kevin; Cushman, Samuel A.; Beier, Paul; Vickers, T. Winston; Boyce, Walter M.. 2015. Using step and path selection functions for estimating resistance to movement: Pumas as a case study
- McGarigal, Kevin; Wan, Ho Yi; Zeller, Kathy A.; Timm, Brad C.; Cushman, Samuel A.. 2016. Multi-scale habitat selection modeling: A review and outlook
- Parks, Sean A.; Holsinger, Lisa M.; Littlefield, Caitlin E.; Dobrowski, Solomon Z.; Zeller, Katherine A.; Abatzoglou, John T.; Besancon, Charles ; Nordgren, Bryce L.; Lawler, Joshua J.. 2022. Efficacy of the global protected area network is threatened by disappearing climates and potential transboundary range shifts
- Jennings, Megan K.; Zeller, Katherine A.; Lewison, Rebecca L.. 2021. Dynamic Landscape Connectivity Special Issue Editorial
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Schroeder, Cody A.; Wan, Ho Yi; Collins, Gail ; Denryter, Kristin ; Jakes, Andrew F.; Cushman, Samuel A.. 2021. Forecasting habitat and connectivity for pronghorn across the Great Basin ecoregion
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Cushman, Samuel A.; Van Lanen, Nicholas J.; Boone, John D.; Ammon, Elisabeth. 2021. Targeting conifer removal to create an even playing field for birds in the Great Basin
- Teitelbaum, Claire S.; Siren, Alexej P. K.; Coffel, Ethan ; Foster, Jane R.; Frair, Jacqueline L.; Hinton, Joseph W.; Horton, Radley M.; Kramer, David W.; Lesk, Corey ; Raymond, Colin ; Wattles, David W.; Zeller, Katherine A.; Morelli, Toni Lyn. 2020. Habitat use as indicator of adaptive capacity to climate change
- Zeller, K. A.; Wattles, D. W.; Conlee, L. ; Destefano, S.. 2020. Response of female black bears to a high-density road network and identification of long-term road mitigation sites
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Lewsion, Rebecca ; Fletcher, Robert J., Jr..; Tulbure, Mirela G.; Jennings, Megan K.. 2020. Understanding the importance of dynamic landscape connectivity
- Jennings, Megan K.; Zeller, Katherine A.; Lewison, Rebecca L.. 2020. Supporting adaptive connectivity in dynamic landscapes
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Wattles, David W.; Bauder, Javan M.; DeStefano, Stephen. 2020. Forecasting seasonal habitat connectivity in a developing landscape
- Zeller, Katherine A.; Wattles, David W.; Destefano, Stephen. 2020. Evaluating methods for identifying large mammal road crossing locations: Black bears as a case study
- Zeller, Katherine A.; McGarigal, Kevin; Beier, Paul; Cushman, Samuel A.; Vickers, T. Winston; Boyce, Walter M.. 2014. Sensitivity of landscape resistance estimates based on point selection functions to scale and behavioral state: Pumas as a case study
- Cushman, Samuel A.; McRae, Brad; Adriaensen, Frank; Beier, Paul; Shirley, Mark; Zeller, Kathy. 2013. Biological corridors and connectivity Chapter 21
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Bosco, L., S.A. Cushman, H.Y. Wan, K.A. Zeller, R. Arlettaz, A. Jacot. 2020. Fragmentation effects on woodlark habitat selection depend on habitat amount and spatial scale. Animal Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12604
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Zeller, K.A., D.W. Wattles, L. Conlee, S. DeStefano. 2019. American black bears (Ursus americanus) alter movements in response to anthropogenic features with time of day and season. Movement Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-019-0166-4
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Zeller, K.A., D.W. Wattles, S. DeStefano. 2018. Predicting moose-vehicle collisions in Massachusetts, USA: Incorporating road crossing data into collision risk models. Environmental Management 62: 518-528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-018-1058-x
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Wattles, D.W., K.A. Zeller, S. DeStefano. 2018. Range expansion in unfavorable environments through behavioral adaptation to microclimates: moose (Alces americanus) as the model. Mammalian Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2018.05.009
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Jędrzejewski, W., H.S. Robinson, M. Abarca, K.A. Zeller, G. Velasquez, E. Paemelaere, J.F. Goldberg, E. Payan, R. Hoogesteijn, E.O. Boede, K. Schmidt, M. Lampo, A.L. Viloria, R. Carreño, N. Robinnson, P.M. Lukacs, J.J. Nowak, R. Salom-Pérez, F. Castañeda, V. Boron, H. Quigley. 2018. Estimating large carnivore populations at global scale based on spatial predictions of density and distribution – application to the jaguar (Panthera onca). PLoS ONE 13(3): e0194719. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194719
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Wattles, D.W., K.A. Zeller, S. DeStefano. 2018. Response of moose to a high-density road network. Journal of Wildlife Management 82: 929-939. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21459
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Petracca, L., J. Frair, J. Cohen, A.P. Calderón, J. Carazo-Salazar, F. Castañeda, D. Corrales-Gutiérrez, R. Foster, B. Harmsen, S. Hernández-Potosme, L. Herrera, M. Olmos, S. Pereira, H. Robinson, N. Robinson, R. Salom-Pérez, Y. Urbina, K.A. Zeller, H. Quigley. 2018. Robust inference on large-scale species habitat use using interview data: The status of jaguars outside protected areas in Central America. Journal of Applied Ecology 55: 723-734. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12972
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Zeller, K.A., T.W. Vickers, H.B. Ernest, W.M. Boyce. 2017. Multi-level, multi-scale resource selection functions and resistance surfaces for conservation planning: pumas as a case study. PLoS ONE 12(6): e0179570. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179570
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Olsoy, P.J., K.A. Zeller, J.A. Hicke, H.B. Quigley, A.R. Rabinowitz, D.H. Thornton. 2016. Quantifying the effects of deforestation and fragmentation on a range-wide conservation plan for jaguars. Biological Conservation 203: 8-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.08.037
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McGarigal, K., K.A. Zeller, S.A. Cushman. 2016. Multi-scale habitat selection modeling: Introduction to the special issue. Landscape Ecology 31: 1157-1160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-016-0388-4
- Zeller, K.A., T. G. Creech, K.L. Millette, R.S. Crowhurst, R.A. Long, H.H. Wagner, N. Balkenhol, E.L. Landguth. 2016. Using simulations to evaluate Mantel-based methods for assessing landscape resistance to gene flow. Ecology and Evolution 6 (12): 4115-4128. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2154
- Thornton, D., K.A. Zeller, C. Rondinini, L. Boitani, K. Crooks, C. Burdett, H. Quigley. 2016. Assessing the umbrella value of a range-wide conservation network for jaguars (Panthera onca). Ecological Applications 26: 1112-1124. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0602
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Zeller, K.A., K. McGarigal, A. Whiteley. 2012. Estimating landscape resistance to movement: A review. Landscape Ecology 27:777-797. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-012-9737-0
- Zeller, K.A., S. Nijhawan, J. Hines, R. Salom-Perez, S. Hernandez. 2011. Integrating Site Occupancy Modeling and Interview Data for Identifying Jaguar (Panthera onca) Corridors: A case study from Nicaragua. Biological Conservation 144: 892-901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.12.003
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Salom-Pérez, R., J. Polisar, H. Quigley, K.A. Zeller. 2010. Iniciativa del Corredor del Jaguar: Un Corredor Biológico y un Compromiso a Largo Plazo para la Conservación. Mesoamericana 14: 25-34.
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Rabinowitz, A., K. A. Zeller. 2010. A Range-wide model of landscape connectivity and conservation for the jaguar, Panthera onca. Biological Conservation 143: 939-945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.01.002