Harris sloan
Quantifying Beaver Dispersal and Colonization in Western MT
The presence of beavers on a landscape has significant positive effects on aquatic biodiversity, nutrient retention, and flood attenuation. By reshaping river geomorphology and extending hydroperiods, beavers create wetland environments with increased habitat diversity and the capacity to sustain higher species richness — particularly for at-risk groups such as amphibians. Beaver presence is also relevant to water resource management due to the impacts of their dams on hydrology, water quality, and irrigation planning. The aim of this research is to quantify dispersal in western Montana beavers, and use that information to: (1) address gaps in our basic understanding of beaver ecology, (2) test for individual predictors of dispersal success, and (3) predict future colonization patterns.
Harris is a PhD student of Ecology & Evolution at the University of Montana. He is interested in conservation biology and statistical ecology, particularly in the context of movement decisions made by animals navigating complex landscapes. When not working on research, he can be found hiking, fishing, or composing music for films and television.