Michael Reed
Research/Areas of Interest
Avian ecology and conservation biology
Education
- PhD, Zoology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, United States, 1989
- MS, Zoology, University of Montana, Missoula, United States, 1984
- BA, Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, United States, 1981
Biography
Prof. Reed is interested in a wide variety of conservation related research problems. Most of his research focuses on identifying characteristics of species that put them at risk to human-caused threats, understanding why (or how) these characteristics put a species at risk, and to determining how best to reduce the risk.
I have a long-term interest in the effects of habitat loss and alteration on the distribution, abundance, and extinction risk of species, and on the importance of animal behavior in extinction risk and conservation. I have recently been linking this focus on persistence to resilience, and to tipping points in population persistence. I am continuing my research on endangered Hawaiian waterbirds. In addition, I have been working for the past 5 years on commercial forests in northern Maine with John Hagan (Our Climate Common, https://ourclimatecommon.org/). First, we focused on changes in the bird community from 30 years ago (work that Hagan did) – and were surprised to learn that most bird populations are doing better or are unchanged. We are now focused on late-successional and old-growth forest.
I am also working on several projects as part of APPEX – the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Pandemic Expansion (https://appex.org/research/), at Arizona State University, under the leadership of Nina Fefferman (https://search.asu.edu/profile/5533713). Among other projects, I am investigating various aspects of biological resilience, and the possibility of predicting pest outbreaks.
I have a long-term interest in the effects of habitat loss and alteration on the distribution, abundance, and extinction risk of species, and on the importance of animal behavior in extinction risk and conservation. I have recently been linking this focus on persistence to resilience, and to tipping points in population persistence. I am continuing my research on endangered Hawaiian waterbirds. In addition, I have been working for the past 5 years on commercial forests in northern Maine with John Hagan (Our Climate Common, https://ourclimatecommon.org/). First, we focused on changes in the bird community from 30 years ago (work that Hagan did) – and were surprised to learn that most bird populations are doing better or are unchanged. We are now focused on late-successional and old-growth forest.
I am also working on several projects as part of APPEX – the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Pandemic Expansion (https://appex.org/research/), at Arizona State University, under the leadership of Nina Fefferman (https://search.asu.edu/profile/5533713). Among other projects, I am investigating various aspects of biological resilience, and the possibility of predicting pest outbreaks.