Keith Aubry

Emeritus Scientist
Ecological Process and Function
3625 93rd Ave. SW
Olympia, WA 98512-1101
United States
Olympia, WA 98512-1101
United States
Phone
360-753-7685
Current Research
My current research is focused on the ecology and conservation of rare and elusive forest carnivores in the Pacific Northwest, including the wolverine, Cascade red fox, Canada lynx, and fisher. My field work involves a long-term radiotelemetry study of the wolverine in the northern Cascade Range in Washington and southern British Columbia. This study is designed to gather baseline information on the distribution, biology, ecological relations, and genetic affinities of the wolverine in this region, where they have not been studied previously. We are now in our 6th year of fieldwork, and are planning to continue the study for as long as we can secure funding. We are also in the process of developing a long-term monitoring strategy for wolverines in the North Cascades based on specialized remote-camera stations that are designed to obtain clear photos of wolverine throat and chest blaze patterns, which can be used to identify individuals. I am also working with colleagues at the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Missoula, Montana, to study the potential effects of continued global warming on the distribution and connectivity of wolverine habitat in the western contiguous United States, and to understand their phylogeography in North America. I'm also working with colleagues at the University of California at Davis to study the phylogeographic history and conservation genetics of the red fox in North America, with particular emphasis on the montane red foxes, especially the Cascade red fox, which occurs only in Washington.
Past Research
I have been studying the ecology and conservation biology of terrestrial wildlife in the Pacific Northwest for over 30 years. My previous field studies have included community studies of amphibians and small mammals in unmanaged Douglas-fir forests, radiotelemetry studies of the pileated woodpecker in coastal forests of Washington and the fisher in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon, snow-tracking studies of the Canada lynx in the North Cascades of Washington, and a large-scale silvicultural experiment designed to evaluate the ecological effects of various levels and patterns of green-tree retention in mature Douglas-fir forests on a broad array of ecological and social response variables.
Research Interest
Distribution, ecological relations, evolutionary history, and conservation genetics of rare and elusive forest carnivores in the western mountains of the contiguous United States.
Why This Research Is Important
The lack of reliable information on the current and historical distribution, ecology, and evolutionary relations of potentially threatened forest carnivores is often a significant impediment to the conservation of their populations. My research is designed primarily to fill those information gaps so that informed conservation decisions can be made before a species becomes threatened, endangered, or extirpated.
Education
- University of Washington, Ph.D., Wildlife Science, 1983
- Yale University, M.F.S., Wildlife Ecology, 1977
- University of California at Berkeley, B.S., Forestry and Wildlife Management, 1974
Featured Publications
- Copeland, J. P.; McKelvey, K. S.; Aubry, K. B.; Landa, A.; Persson, J.; Inman, R. M.; Krebs, J.; Lofroth, E.; Golden, H.; Squires, J. R.; Magoun, A.; Schwartz, M. K.; Wilmot, J.; Copeland, C. L.; Yates, R. E.; Kojola, I.; May, R.. 2010. The bioclimatic envelope of the wolverine (Gulo gulo): do climatic constraints limit its geographic distribution?
- Sacks, Benjamin N.; Statham, Mark J.; Perrine, John D.; Wisely, Samantha M.; Aubry, Keith B.. 2010. North American montane red foxes: expansion, fragmentation, and the origin of the Sacramento Valley red fox
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Lofroth, Eric C.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Aubry, Keith B.; Magoun, Audrey J.. 2010. Comments on Brodie and Post: Climate-driven declines in wolverine populations: Causal connection or spurious correlation?
- Aubry, K.B.; Halpern, C.B.; Peterson, C.E.. 2009. Variable-retention harvests in the Pacific Northwest: a review of short-term findings from the DEMO study
- Aubry, Keith B.; Statham, Mark J.; Sacks, Benjamin N.; Perrine, John D.; Wisely, Samantha M.. 2009. Phylogeography of the North American red fox: vicariance in Pleistocene forest refugia
Other Publications
- Aubry, Keith B.; Halpern, Charles B.. 2020. The Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options (DEMO) Study, a long-term experiment in variable-retention harvests: rationale, experimental and sampling designs, treatment implementation, response variables, and data accessibility
- Raley, Catherine ; Aubry, Keith B.. 2020. The food habits of fishers (<em>Pekania pennant</em>i) in the Cascade Range of Southern Oregon
- Schwartz, M. K.; Walters, A. D.; Pilgrim, K. L.; Moriarty, K. M.; Slauson, K. M.; Zielinski, W. J.; Aubry, K. B.; Sacks, B. N.; Zarn, K. E.; Quinn, C. B.; Young, M. K.. 2020. Pliocene-early Pleistocene geological events structure Pacific martens (Martes caurina)
- Franklin, Thomas W.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Golding, Jessie D.; Mason, Daniel H.; Dysthe, Joseph C.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Squires, John R.; Aubry, Keith B.; Long, Robert A.; Greaves, Samuel E.; Raley, Catherine M.; Jackson, Scott ; MacKay, Paula ; Lisbon, Joshua ; Sauder, Joel D.; Pruss, Michael T.; Heffington, Don ; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2019. Using environmental DNA methods to improve winter surveys for rare carnivores: DNA from snow and improved noninvasive techniques
- Moriarty, Katie M.; Aubry, Keith B.; Morozumi, Connor N.; Howell, Betsy L.; Happe, Patricia J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2019. Status of Pacific Martens (<em>Martes caurina</em>) on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
- Aubry, Keith B.; Raley, Catherine M.; Cunningham, Patrick G.. 2018. Selection of rest structures and microsites by fishers in Oregon
- Akins, Jocelyn R.; Aubry, Keith B.; Sacks, Benjamin N.. 2018. Genetic integrity, diversity, and population structure of the Cascade red fox
- Proulx, Gilbert ; Aubry, Keith B.; Brandt, Adam L.; Brandt, Jessica R.; Sacks, Benjamin N.; Sato, Jun J.; Serfass, Thomas L.. 2018. Both reintroduction and recolonization likely contributed to the re-establishment of a fisher population in east-central Alberta
- Aubry, Keith B.; Raley, Catherine M.; McKelvey, Kevin S.. 2017. The importance of data quality for generating reliable distribution models for rare, elusive, and cryptic species
- Green, Gregory A; Sacks, Benjamin N; Erickson, Leonard J; Aubry, Keith B. 2017. Genetic characteristics of red foxes In northeastern Oregon
- Aubry, Keith B.; Proulx, Gilbert. 2017. The Martes complex: A monophyletic clade that shares many life-history traits and conservation challenges
- Statham, Mark J.; Murdoch, James; Janecka, Jan; Aubry, Keith B.; Edwards, Ceiridwen J.; Soulsbury, Carl D.; Berry, Oliver; Wang, Zhenghuan; Harrison, David; Pearch, Malcolm; Tomsett, Louise; Chupasko, Judith; Sacks, Benjamin N.. 2014. Range-wide multilocus phylogeography of the red fox reveals ancient continental divergence, minimal genomic exchange and distinct demographic histories
- Happe, Patricia J.; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Lewis, Jeffrey C.; Aubry, Keith B.. 2014. Evaluation of fisher restoration in Olympic National Park and the Olympic Recovery Area: 2013 Annual Progress Report
- Aubry, Keith B.; Raphael, Martin G.; Oliver, Marie. 2014. Martens, sables, and fishers: new synthesis informs management and conservation
- Proulx, Gilbert; Aubry, Keith B.. 2014. The "Martes complex"-- an opportunity to bring together marten, fisher, sable, wolverine, and tayra biologists
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Anderson, Neil J.; Clevenger, Anthony P.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Heinemeyer, Kimberley S.; Inman, Robert M.; Squires, John R.; Waller, John S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2014. Recovery of wolverines in the western United States: recent extirpation and recolonization or range retraction and expansion?
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Anderson, Neil J.; Clevenger, Anthony P.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Heinemeyer, Kimberley S.; Inman, Robert M.; Squires, John R.; Waller, John S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2014. Recovery of wolverines in the western United States: Recent extirpation and recolonization or range retraction and expansion?
- Aubry, Keith B.; Raley, Catherine M.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Zielinski, William J.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Golightly, Richard T.; Purcell, Kathryn L.; Weir, Richard D.; Yaeger, J. Scott. 2013. Meta-analyses of habitat selection by fishers at resting sites in the Pacific coastal region
- Statham, Mark J.; Sacks, Benjamin N.; Aubry, Keith B.; Perrine, John D.; Wisely, Samantha M.. 2012. The origin of recently established red fox populations in the United States: translocations or natural range expansions?
- Wells, Gail; Aubry, Keith. 2011. Tracing the fox family tree: the North American red fox has a diverse ancestry forged during successive ice ages
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Littell, Jeremy S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Squires, John R.; Parks, Sean A.; Elsner, Marketa M.; Mauger, Guillaume S.. 2011. Climate change predicted to shift wolverine distributions, connectivity, and dispersal corridors
- Parks, Noreen; Aubry, Keith. 2009. On the track of the elusive wolverine
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2008. Using anecdotal occurrence data for rare or elusive species: the illusion of reality and a call for evidentiary standards
- Maletzke, Benjamin T.; Koehler, Gary M.; Wielgus, Robert B.; Aubry, Keith B.; Evans, Marc A.. 2008. Habitat conditions associated with lynx hunting behavior during winter in northern Washington
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2008. Using anecdotal occurrence data for rare or elusive species: The illusion of reality and a call for evidentiary standards
- Koehler, Gary M; Maletzke, Benjamin T.; Von Kienast, Jeff A.; Aubry, Keith B.; Wielgus, Robert B.; Naney, Robert H.. 2008. Habitat fragmentation and the persistence of lynx populations in Washington state
- Aubry, Keith B.; McKelvey Kevin S., Kevin; Copeland Jeffrey P.,. 2007. Distribution and broadscale habitat relations of the wolverine in the contiguous United States
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Mckelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Pletscher, Daniel H.; Hornocker, Maurice G.. 2007. Wolverine conservation and management
- Schwartz, Michael K.; Aubry, Keith B.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Pilgrim, Kristine L.; Copeland, Jeffrey P.; Squires, John R.; Inman, Robert M.; Wisely, Samantha M.; Ruggiero, Leonard F.. 2007. Inferring geographic isolation of wolverines in California using historical DNA
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; von Kienast, Jeffrey; Aubry, Keith B.; Koehler, Gary M.; Maletzke, Bejamin T.; Squires, John R.; Lindquist, Edward L.; Loch, Steve; Schwartz, Michael K.. 2006. DNA analysis of hair and scat collected along snow tracks to document the presence of Canada Lynx.
- Wisely, Samantha M.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Russell, Gregory A.; Aubry, Keith B.; Zielinski, William J.. 2004. Genetic diversity and structure of the fisher (<em>Martes pennanti</em>) in a peninsular and peripheral metapopulation.
- Aubry, Keith B.; Halpern, Charles B.; Maguire, Douglas A.. 2004. Ecological effects of variable retention harvests in the northwestern United States: the DEMO study.
- Drew, R.E.; Hallett, J.G.; Aubry, K.B.; Cullings, K.W.; Koepf, S.M; Zielinski, W.J.. 2003. Conservation genetics of the fisher (<i>Martes pennanti</i>) based on mitochondrial DNA sequencing
- Aubry, Keith B.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Koehler, Gary M.; Krebs, Charles J.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Squires, John R.. 1999. The scientific basis for lynx conservation: Qualified insights [Chapter 16]
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Aubry, Keith B.; Agee, James K.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Koehler, Gary M.. 1999. Lynx conservation in an ecosystem management context [Chapter 15]
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Aubry, Keith B.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Koehler, Gary M.; Krebs, Charles J.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Squires, John R.. 1999. The scientific basis for lynx conservation: Can we get there from here? [Chapter 18]
- Aubry, Keith B.; Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Squires, John R.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Koehler, Gary M.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Krebs, Charles J.. 1999. Conservation of lynx in the United States: A systematic approach to closing critical knowledge gaps [Chapter 17]
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Schwartz, Michael K.; Aubry, Keith B.; Krebs, Charles J.; Stanley, Amanda; Buskirk, Steven W.. 1999. Species conservation and natural variation among populations [Chapter 5]
- Aubry, Keith B.; Koehler, Gary M.; Squires, John R.. 1999. Ecology of Canada lynx in southern boreal forests [Chapter 13]
- McKelvey, Kevin S.; Ortega, Yvette K.; Koehler, Gary M.; Aubry, Keith B.; Brittell, J. David. 1999. Canada lynx habitat and topographic use patterns in north central Washington: A reanalysis [Chapter 10]
- Buskirk, Steven W.; Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Aubry, Keith B.; Pearson, Dean E.; Squires, John R.; McKelvey, Kevin S.. 1999. Comparative ecology of lynx in North America [Chapter 14]
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Aubry, Keith B.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Koehler, Gary M.; Krebs, Charles J.; McKelvey, Kevin S.; Squires, John R.. 1999. Ecology and conservation of lynx in the United States
- Aubry, Keith B.; Amaranthus, Michael P.; Haipern, Charles B.; White, James D.; Woodard, Brenda L.; Peterson, Charles E.; Lagoudakisi, Cynthia A.; Horton, Alan J.. 1999. Evaluating the effects of varying levels and patterns of green-tree retention: experimental design of the DEMO study.
- Koehler, Gary M.; Aubry, Keith B.. 1994. Chapter 4: Lynx.
- Lyon, L. Jack; Aubry, Keith B.; Zielinski, William J.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Ruggiero, Leonard F.. 1994. Chapter 6: The scientific basis for conserving forest carnivores: considerations for management
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Aubry, Keith B.; Lyon, L. Jack; Zielinski, William J.. 1994. Chapter 7: Information needs and a research strategy for conserving forest carnivores
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Zielinski, William J.; Aubry, Keith B.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Lyon, L. Jack. 1994. Chapter 1: A conservation assessment framework for forest carnivores.
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Aubry, Keith B.; Buskirk, Steven W.; Lyon, L. Jack; Zielinski, William J.. 1994. The scientific basis for conserving forest carnivores: American marten, fisher, lynx, and wolverine in the western United States.
- Ruggiero, Leonard F.; Aubry, Keith B.; Carey, Andrew B.; Huff, Mark H., tech. eds... 1991. Wildlife and vegetation of unmanaged Douglas-Fir forests
Research Highlights

Habitat Preferences of Fishers
Year: 2013
This is the first study to investigate the broader applicability of habitat selection patterns for fishers derived from multiple independent radiotelemetry studies conducted over a broad geographic area.

Conserving Martens, Sables, and Fishers
Year: 2012
New book provides the first comprehensive synthesis of knowledge about these species in nearly 20 years