Rebecca Flitcroft
Research Fish Biologist
Land and Watershed Management
3200 SW Jefferson Way
Corvallis, OR 97331-8550
United States
Corvallis, OR 97331-8550
United States
Phone
541-750-7346
Current Research
My work focuses on climate change effects on salmonid habitats in watersheds draining the Oregon Coast Range; analysis of dendritic stream systems; communicating science to non-experts and working with grass-roots watershed councils; and modeling salmon habitat and fire probabilities under different land management scenarios using Bayesian networks.
Past Research
My past work has focused on large-scale, long-term monitoring programs, writing rules for salmon protection for the State of Oregon, and historical reconstruction of dunes and vegetation on the north coast of Oregon.
Research Interest
I am interested in research that broadens our understanding of natural processes. I seek to be involved in projects and develop research questions that are integrative throughout the range of environmental conditions experienced by the species of interest. My research focuses on increasing our understanding of natural processes, thereby expanding our ability to conserve native species.
Why This Research Is Important
Research that expands our understanding of natural processes complements and enhances the effectiveness of land management. Alternative management approaches that work with natural processes offer land managers additional tools when making decisions about topics such as species conservation, natural resource use, and habitat restoration or enhancement.
Education
- Oregon State University, Ph.D., Fisheries and Wildlife, 2008
- Oregon State University, M.S., Natural Resource Economics, 1999
- Willamette University, B.S., Environmental Science and Economics, 1994
Featured Publications
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Dedrick, Dana C.; Smith, Courtland L.; Thieman, Cynthia A.; Bolte, John P. 2009. Social infrastructure to integrate science and practice: the experience of the Long Tom Watershed Council
- Steel, E. Ashley; Muldoon, Ariel; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Firman, Julie C.; Anlauf-Dunn, Kara J.; Burnett, Kelly M.; Danehy, Robert J. 2017. Current landscapes and legacies of land-use past: understanding the distribution of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and their habitats along the Oregon Coast, USA
- Kirkland, John; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Reeves, Gordon; Hessburg, Paul. 2017. Adaptation to wildfire: A fish story
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Falke, Jeffrey A.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Hessburg, Paul F.; McNyset, Kris M.; Benda, Lee E. 2016. Wildfire may increase habitat quality for spring Chinook salmon in the Wenatchee River subbasin, WA, USA
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Lewis, Sarah L.; Arismendi, Ivan; LovellFord, Rachel; Santelmann, Mary V.; Safeeq, Mohammad; Grant, Gordon; Young, Kyle A. 2016. Linking hydroclimate to fish phenology and habitat use with ichthyographs
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Bottom, Daniel L.; Haberman, Karen L.; Bierly, Ken F.; Jones, Kim K.; Simenstad, Charles A.; Gray, Ayesha; Ellingson, Kami S.; Baumgartner, Erin; Cornwell, Trevan J.; Campbell, Lance A. 2016. Expect the unexpected: place-based protections can lead to unforeseen benefits
- Falke, Jeffrey A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Dunham, Jason B.; McNyset, Kristina M.; Hessburg, Paul F.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Marshall, C. Tara. 2015. Climate change and vulnerability of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus ) in a fire-prone landscape
- Flitcroft, R.; Burnett, K.; Snyder, J.; Reeves, G.; Ganio, L. 2014. Riverscape patterns among years of juvenile coho salmon in midcoastal Oregon: implications for conservation
- Flitcroft, R.; Burnett, K.; Snyder, J.; Reeves, G.; Ganio, L. 2014. Riverscape patterns among years of juvenile coho salmon in midcoastal Oregon: implications for conservation
- Flitcroft, Rebecca; Burnett, Kelly; Christiansen, Kelly. 2013. A simple model that identifies potential effects of sea-level rise on estuarine and estuary-ecotone habitat locations for salmonids in Oregon, USA
Other Publications
- Santelmann, Mary V; Harewood, Alessandra G.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L. 2022. Effects of stream enhancement structures on water temperature in South Sister Creek, Oregon
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Brignon, William R.; Staab, Brian ; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Burnett, Jonathan ; Burns, Paul ; Cluer, Brian ; Giannico, Guillermo ; Helstab, Joseph M.; Jennings, Jeremy ; Mayes, Christopher ; Mazzacano, Celeste ; Mork, Lauren ; Meyer, Kate ; Munyon, Jay ; Penaluna, Brooke E.; Powers, Paul ; Scott, Daniel N.; Wondzell, Steven M. 2022. Rehabilitating valley floors to a Stage 0 condition: A synthesis of opening outcomes.
- Marsh, Anne S.; Hayes, Deborah C.; Klein, Patrice N.; Zimmerman, Nicole ; Dalsimer, Aliso ; Burkett, Douglas A.; Huebner, Cynthia D.; Rabaglia, Robert ; Meyerson, Laura A.; Harper-Lore, Bonnie L.; Davidson, Jamie L.; Emery, Marla R.; Warziniack, Travis ; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Kerns, Becky K.; Lopez, Vanessa M. 2021. Sectoral Impacts of Invasive Species in the United States and Approaches to Management
- Seybold, Steven J.; Frankel, Susan J.; Olson, Deanna H.; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Kerns, Becky K.; Lee, Jana C.; Ripley, Karen L.; Munson, Steve. 2021. Regional Summaries: Northwest Region
- Kirkland, John ; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Grant, Gordon. 2021. Let the fish do the talking: How fish behavior is linked to patterns of temperature and stream discharge
- Jager, Henriette I; Long, Jonathan W.; Malison, Rachel L.; Murphy, Brendan P.; Rust, Ashley ; Silva, Luiz G. M.; Sollmann, Rahel ; Steel, Zachary L.; Bowen, Mark D.; Dunham, Jason B.; Ebersole, Joseph L.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L. 2021. Resilience of terrestrial and aquatic fauna to historical and future wildfire regimes in western North America
- Bury, Gwendolynn W.; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Nelson, Mark D.; Arismendi, Ivan ; Brooks, Evan B. 2021. Forest-associated fishes of the conterminous United States
- Butler, Mackenzie B.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Giannico, Guillermo. 2021. The relationship between hydroregime and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) redd construction in the Smith River, Oregon
- Hessburg, Paul ; Charnley, Susan ; Gray, Andrew ; Spies, Thomas ; Peterson, David ; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Wendel, Kendra ; Halofsky, Jessica ; White, Eric ; Marshall, John. 2021. Climate and wildfire adaptation of inland Northwest US forests
- Kirkland, John ; Flitcroft, Rebecca. 2020. Location, location, location: For coho salmon, it’s all about the neighborhood
- Hessburg, Paul F.; Charnley, Susan ; Wendel, Kendra L.; White, Eric M.; Singleton, Peter H.; Peterson, David W.; Halofsky, Jessica E.; Gray, Andrew N.; Spies, Thomas A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; White, Rachel. 2020. The 1994 Eastside Screens large-tree harvest limit: review of science relevant to forest planning 25 years later
- LovellFord, Rachel M.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Lewis, Sarah L.; Santelmann, Mary V; Grant, Gordon E. 2020. Patterns of river discharge and temperature differentially influence migration and spawn timing for Coho Salmon in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon
- Santelmann, Mary V; Boisjolie, Brett A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Gomez, Megan. 2019. Relationships between salt marsh vegetation and surface elevation in Coos Bay estuary, Oregon
- Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Lewis, Sarah ; Arismendi, Ivan ; Davis, Chante ; Giannico, Guillermo ; Penaluna, Brooke ; Santelmann, Mary ; Safeeq, Mohammad ; Snyder, Jeff. 2019. Using expressed behaviour of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to evaluate the vulnerability of upriver migrants under future hydrological regimes: Management implications and conservation planning
- Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Cooperman, Michael S.; Harrison, Ian J.; Juffe‐Bignoli, Diego ; Boon, Philip J. 2019. Theory and practice to conserve freshwater biodiversity in the Anthropocene
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Arismendi, Ivan ; Santelmann, Mary V. 2019. A review of habitat connectivity research for Pacific salmon in marine, estuary, and freshwater environments
- Boisjolie, Brett A.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Santelmann, Mary V. 2019. Patterns of riparian policy standards in riverscapes of the Oregon Coast Range
- Davis, Chanté D.; Epps, Clinton W.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Banks, Michael A. 2018. Refining and defining riverscape genetics: How rivers influence population genetic structure
- Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Clinton, Patrick ; Christiansen, Kelly. 2018. Adding to the toolbox for tidal-inundation mapping in estuarine areas
- Beeson, Helen W.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Fonstad, Mark A.; Roering, Joshua J. 2018. Deep-Seated landslides drive variability in valley width and increase connectivity of salmon habitat in the Oregon Coast Range
- Flitcroft, Rebecca. 2018. Vignette: Rebecca Flitcroft, Research Fish Biologist, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR
- Penaluna, Brooke E.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Barnett, Zanethia ; Bisson, Peter A.; Buffington, John M.; Dolloff, Andy ; Flitcroft, Rebecca ; Luce, Charles H.; Nislow, Keith ; Rothlisberger, John ; Warren, Mel. . 2018. Using natural disturbance and portfolio concepts to guide aquatic-riparian ecosystem management
- Boisjolie, Brett A.; Santelmann, Mary V.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Duncan, Sally L. 2017. Legal ecotones: A comparative analysis of riparian policy protection in the Oregon Coast Range, USA
- Penaluna, Brooke E.; Olson, Deanna H.; Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Weber, Matthew A.; Bellmore, J. Ryan; Wondzell, Steven M.; Dunham, Jason B.; Johnson, Sherri L.; Reeves, Gordon H. 2017. Aquatic biodiversity in forests: a weak link in ecosystem services resilience
- Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Harrison, Ian; Butchart, Stuart HM; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Hermoso, Virgilio; Jonas, Harry; Lukasiewicz, Anna; Thieme, Michele; Turak, Eren; Bingham, Heather; Dalton, James; Darwall, William; Deguignet, Marine; Dudley, Nigel; Gardner, Royal; Higgins, Jonathan; Kumar, Ritesh; Linke, Simon; Milton, G Randy; Pittock, Jamie; Smith, Kevin G; van Soesbergen, Arnout. 2016. Achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 to improve the performance of protected areas and conserve freshwater biodiversity
- Flitcroft, Rebecca; Guannico, Guillermo. 2013. Keeping pace with future environmental conditions in coastal Oregon, USA
- Flitcroft, Rebecca L.; Burnett, Kelly M.; Reeves, Gordon H.; Ganio, Lisa M. 2012. Do network relationships matter? Comparing network and instream habitat variables to explain densities of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in mid-coastal Oregon, USA
- Oliver, Marie; Flitcroft, Rebecca. 2011. Watershed councils: it takes a community to restore a watershed
- Fullerton, A.H.; Burnett, Kelly; Steel, Ashley; Flitcroft, Rebecca; Pess, G.R.; Feist, B.E.; Torgersen, C.E.; Miller, D.J.; Sanderson, B.L. 2010. Hydrological connectivity for riverine fish: measurement challenges and research opportunities
Research Highlights
Connectivity Among Different Types of Freshwater Habitat is Important for Coastal Coho Salmon
Year: 2020
Threatened coho salmon require different types of freshwater habitat depending on life stage. Connectivity among these different habitats may have more influence on long-term population health than the quality of individual habitats alone.
Keeping Pace with Sea-level Rise: Insights for Oregon Estuaries
Year: 2014
Scientists mapped the margin of current mean high tide, and contour intervals associated with different potential increases. They found that some estuaries had increased potential for complex edge habitat for rearing juvenile salmonids, whereas others showed a marked decrease.
A New Tool Manages Salmonid Response to Climate Change
Year: 2019
Salmonids, like endangered Coho salmon in Washington and Oregon, have a complex life history that is tied to environmental cues such as river temperature and flow. As human development and climate change lead to altered river conditions, salmonids may find themselves in unsuitable conditions. The ic...