Katherine Zeller

Research Biologist

Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute

790 East Beckwith Avenue
Missoula, MT 59801-4421
United States

Phone

406-542-4197

Research
Education & Experience
Publications & Products

Current Research

My research integrates the fields of landscape ecology, wildlife biology, genetics, and conservation biology to understand wildlife population dynamics, habitat relationships, and movement. I am modeling multi-scale habitat suitability for wildlife species over large areas to understand the importance of those habitats in a larger geographic context, and the location of those habitats relative to conserved lands. I am also modeling connectivity for wildlife species among conserved lands and other areas of suitable habitat to identify movement routes and wildlife corridors. To determine how demographically connected populations are and to identify source-sink population dynamics, I also use genetic data in my research. Lastly, I am using scenario modeling to determine the effects of future climate and land use change on wildlife habitats and corridors. All my research is conducted in an applied context and results from my research can be used by managers to aid in complex land use and resource use decisions.

Past Research

Modeling wildlife movement: I developed a methodology to model animal movement from GPS collar data that incorporates multiple spatial scales. These multi-scale movement models allow for the appropriate scale of selection for a landscape feature to be identified and allow for a deeper understand of how wildlife respond to features as they move about the landscape. I have used this method to model multi-scale movement for mountain lions, bobcat, mule deer, black bear, and other species.

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.

Research Interest

I am interested in how wildlife respond to natural and human landscape features and how our land and resource use decisions affect wildlife populations. Because wildlife do not observe protected area boundaries and because they often need larger areas than current protected areas provide, I am interested in identifying and maintaining connectivity among conserved lands and important habitat patches. By connecting areas, habitats and populations are less isolated from one another and the overall area available to a species is effectively increased. I am also interested in how these connections affect the health of wildlife populations. Do they provide increased opportunities for genetic exchange? Do they increase the genetic viability of populations? Are some populations acting as sources that maintain the overall metapopulation? Answers to these questions can help target management to important habitat patches and corridors. I am interested in exploring these questions in a multi-species context to determine areas that may be important to multiple species and which areas are species-specific.

Why This Research Is Important

Protected areas comprise less than 15% of the land area of the planet and the remaining natural areas are becoming increasingly fragmented due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and development. Fragmentation and loss of natural areas are the main drivers of biodiversity loss so strategies that counteract this loss are key to ecosystem health. Identifying and maintaining connectivity among protected areas and habitat patches is one strategy to maintain networks of natural areas. In fact, connectivity has been referred to as 'Nature's Safety Net'. Identifying important habitat patches and areas of connectivity for wildlife that are viable today and where these areas might be located in the future will aid in natural resource use decision-making and management.

Education

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

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher, Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 2017 - 2020
Postdoctoral Researcher, San Diego State University, 2016 - 2017
Research Coordinator, Landscape Analysis Lab, Panthera, 2008 - 2011
Environmental Consultant, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2004 - 2011

Featured Publications

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

Other Publications

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

Citations of Non-Forest Service Publications

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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