as one can in any likelihood pursue." Charles Darwin
This page contains more information than even my mother would appreciate--would you like to:
Examine
my Curriculum Vitae?
A pdf version (that is more complete and may be more up-to-date) can be
found here
See
a list of my Publications?
Learn
more about my Current
Research and Past Research
Projects
and the students with whom I have collaborated?
John
L. Koprowski
Wildlife
and
Fisheries Science
School
of
Natural Resources
Institute of the Environment
306
Biological Sciences East
University
of Arizona
Tucson,
AZ
85721
Phone: (520) 626-5895 (Office) Fax: (520) 621-8801 E-mail: squirrel@ag.arizona.edu
Education:
University
of
Kansas
Ph.D.(Honors)
Biology, 1991, Postdoctoral Studies, 1991-92
Advisor:
Kenneth B. Armitage
Dissertation:The
evolution of sociality in tree squirrels: the comparative behavioral
ecology
of fox squirrels and
eastern
gray squirrels.
Southern
Illinois
University
M.A.
Zoology, 1985
Advisor:
W.D. Klimstra
Thesis:
Fox squirrel population trends and regulation in a southern Illinois
woodlot,
1968-1984.
Ohio
State
University
B.S.
Zoology, 1983
Advisors:
John Harder & Tony Peterle
Undergraduate
Research Thesis: Nocturnal activity of woodchucks (Marmota
monax) in an urban park
Publications
(*
designates undergraduate student author)....Publications and pdf
copies
are undergoing transfer to another site...most can
be found under 'Publications' HERE
Books:
Steele, M. and J.L.
Koprowski.
2001. North
American
Tree Squirrels. Smithsonian Institution Press.
Sanderson, HR, Koprowski,
JL. (eds). 2009. Ecology of Endangerment: The Mt. Graham Red
Squirrel and
its Last
Refuge, University of Arizona Press.
Book Chapters and Journal Articles:
Koprowski, J.L., N.
Rajamani.
2007. Global hotspots, centers of diversity, and conservation of the
tree
and
flying
squirrels. Current Science 92: In press.
Koprowski, J.L. 2007.
Reproductive
strategies and alternative reproductive tactics of tree squirrels. In:
Wolff,
J. Sherman, P (eds). Rodent Societies. University of Chicago
Press.
In press.
Lurz, P.W.W., J.L.
Koprowski,
D.J.Wood. 2007. The use of GIS and modelling approaches in squirrel
population
management and conservation: a review. Current Science 92: In
press.
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2007. Communal nesting in asocial Abert’s squirrels: the role of
social
thermoregulation and breeding strategy. Ethology 113: 147-154. Contact
me for a PDF
Merrick, M., S.R.
Bertelsen,
J.L. Koprowski. 2007. Nest site selection by endangered Mt. Graham red
squirrels.
Journal of Wildlife Management, 71: In press.
Edleman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2007. Influence of female-biased sexual size dimorphism on dominance
of female
Townsend´s chipmunks. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 85: 1859-1863.
PDF
Johnson, H., P.R.
Krausman,
V. Bleich, J.L. Koprowski. 2007. Effects of antler breakage on
mating
Behavior
in male Tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes). European
Journal
of Wildlife Research,
53: 9-15.
PDF
Wood, D.J., J.L.
Koprowski,
P. Lurz. 2007. How small is too small? PVA assessment of tree
squirrel
reintroduction
and ability to recover from small population sizes. Journal of
Mammalogy
87: In
press.
Wood, D.J., S. Drake,
S.P.
Rushton, D. Rautenkranz, P.W.W. Lurz and J.L. Koprowski. 2007.
Fine
scale
analysis
of Mount Graham red squirrel habitat following disturbance. Journal of
Wildlife
Management
71:In press.
Zugmeyer, C.A., J.L.
Koprowski.
2007. Avian nest predation by endangered Mt. Graham red squirrels.
Southwestern
Naturalist, 52: In press.
Koprowski, J.L.,
R.J.Steidl.
2007. The dilemma of the small population: potential consequences of the
isolation
of Mt. Graham red squirrels. In: Sanderson, HR, Koprowski, JL.
(eds).
Ecology of
Endangerment:
The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title),
University
of
Arizona
Press. Accepted in final form
Alanen, M I, Koprowski, J
L,
Grinder M I, Greer, V L., Coates, C A, Hutton, K A. 2007. Habitat
characteristics
of the territories of Mt. Graham red squirrels: do sex differences
exist?
In:
Sanderson,
HR, Koprowski, JL. (eds). Ecology of Endangerment: The Mt. Graham
Red Squirrel
and its
Last Refuge (tentative title), University of Arizona Press.
Accepted
in final form.
Edelman, AE, JL
Koprowski.
2007. Introduced Abert's squirrels on Mt. Graham: Could they be
contributing
to the decline of the red squirrel. In: Sanderson, HR, Koprowski, JL.
(eds).
Ecology
of
Endangerment:
The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title),
University
of
Arizona
Press. Accepted in final form.
Greer, VL, JL Koprowski.
2007.
Time budget of the Mt. Graham red squirrel. In: Sanderson, HR,
Koprowski,
JL. (eds). Ecology of Endangerment: The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel
and
its Last
Refuge
(tentative title), University of Arizona Press. Accepted in final form.
King, SRB, JL
Koprowski.
2007. Effect of human and non-human disturbance on Mt. Graham Red
Squirrels.
In: Sanderson, HR, Koprowski, JL. (eds). Ecology of Endangerment:
The Mt.
Graham
Red Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title), University of
Arizona
Press. Accepted
in final
form.
Koprowski, J.L., T. Snow.
2007.
A comparison of the census methods used to monitor Mt. Graham red
squirrels.
In: Sanderson, HR, Koprowski, JL. (eds). Ecology of Endangerment:
The Mt. Graham
Red
Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title), University of Arizona
Press.
Accepted in final
form.
Munroe, K.E, J.L.
Koprowski,
V.L. Greer. 2007. The social and mating systems of red squirrels: do Mt.
Graham
red squirrels fit the pattern? In: Sanderson, H.R, Koprowski, J.L.
(eds).
Ecology of
Endangerment:
The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title),
University
of
Arizona
Press. Accepted in final form.
Bertelsen, S.R., J.L.
Koprowski.
2007. Site characteristics of traditional and newly established middens
of
the Mount Graham red squirrel. In: Sanderson, H.R., Koprowski, J.L.
(eds).
Ecology of
Endangerment:
The Mt. Graham Red Squirrel and its Last Refuge (tentative title),
University
of
Arizona
Press. Accepted in final form.
Pasch, B.S., J.L.
Koprowski.
2006. Annual cycles in body mass and reproduction of Chiricahua fox
squirrels
(Sciurus nayaritensis chiricahuae). Southwestern
Naturalist,
51: In press.
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2006. Seasonal changes in home ranges of Abert’s squirrels: impact of
mating
season and a novel habitat. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 84: 404-411. PDF
Koprowski, J.L., N.
Ramos,
B.S. Pasch, C.A. Zugmeyer. 2006. Observations on the ecology of the
endemic
Mearns’s Squirrel (Tamiasciurus mearnsi). Southwestern
Naturalist,
51:426-430. PDF
Rushton, S, D.J. Wood, P.
Lurz,
J.L. Koprowski. 2006. Population viability analysis of the Mt. Graham
red
squirrel:
can we predict its future in a changing environment? Biological
Conservation,
131:
121-131.
PDF
Koprowski, J.L., K.M
Leonard,
C.J. Zugmeyer, J.L. Jolley. 2006. Direct effects of fire on
endangered
Mt.
Graham
red squirrels. Southwestern Naturalist, 51: 59-63. PDF
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2006. Characteristics of Abert’s squirrel (Sciurus aberti)
cavity
nests.
Southwestern
Naturalist, 51: 64-70. PDF
Pasch, B. S., J. L.
Koprowski.
2006. Sex differences in space use of Chiricahua fox squirrels.
Journal
of Mammalogy, 87: 380-386. PDF
Koprowski, JL. 2005.
Annual
cycles in body mass and reproduction in the endangered Mt. Graham
red
squirrel,
a montane island endemic. Journal of Mammalogy, 86:30-313. PDF
Koprowski, J.L., M.I.
Alanen,
A.M. Lynch. 2005. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide: response of
endemic
Mt. Graham red squirrels to catastrophic forest damage. Biological
Conservation,
127:
491-498.
PDF
Koprowski, JL. 2005.
Response
of tree squirrels to habitat fragmentation: a review and
synthesis.
Animal
Conservation
8: 369-376. PDF
Koprowski, JL, MC Corse.
2005.
Activity, time budgets, and behavior of Mexican fox squirrels. Journal
of
Mammalogy
86: 947-956. PDF
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2005. Diet and tree use of Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti) in
a mixed-
conifer
forest. Southwestern Naturalist, 50: 461-465. PDF
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski.
2005. Selection of drey sites by Abert's squirrels in an introduced
population:
the role of structure versus tree species. Journal of Mammalogy
86:
1220-1226. PDF
Koprowski, J.L., G.T.
Kellison,
S.L. Moneysmith. 2005. Status of red-bellied squirrels (Sciurus
aureogaster)
introduced to Elliott Key, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist, 33:
128-129.
Koprowski, JL. 2005.
Management
and conservation of tree squirrels: the importance of endemism,
species
richness, and forest condition. Pp. 245-250 In Biodiversity and
Management
of the
Madrean
Archipelago II. Proceedings RMRS-P-36. (Gottfried, G. J., Gebow, B. S.,
Eskew, L.
G., and
C. Edminster, eds.) United States Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service,
Rocky
Mountain
Research Station, Fort Collins. PDF
Koprowski, J.L, A.J.
Edelman,
B.S. Pasch, D.J. Buecher. 2005. A dearth of data on mammals in the
Madrean
Archipelago: what we think we know and what we do know. Pp. 413-415 In
Biodiversity
and Management of the Madrean Archipelago II. Proceedings RMRS-P-36.
(Gottfried,
G. J., Gebow, B. S., Eskew, L. G., and C. Edminster, eds.) United
States
Department
of
Agriculture,
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins. PDF
Edelman, A.J., J.L.
Koprowski,
J.L. Edelman. 2005. Kleptoparasitic behavior and species
richness
at
Mt.
Graham
red squirrel middens. Pp. 395-398. In Biodiversity and Management of
the
Madrean
Archipelago
II. Proceedings RMRS-P-36. Gottfried, G. J., Gebow, B. S., Eskew, L.
G.,
& Edminster,
C. (Eds).
RMRS-P-36. Fort Collins: United States Department of Agriculture,
Forest
Service,
Rocky
Mountain
Research Station. PDF
Pasch, B.S., J.L.
Koprowski.
2005. Correlates of vulnerability in Chiricahua Fox Squirrels. Pp.
426-428.
In
Biodiversity
and Management of the Madrean Archipelago II. Proceedings RMRS-P-36.
(Gottfried,
G. J., Gebow, B. S., Eskew, L. G., and C. Edminster, eds.) United
States
Department
of
Agriculture,
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 2005
(July
20). Pine Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus): a technical
conservation
assessment.
[Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/pinesquirrel.pdf
McColgin, M., E. Brown,
S.
Bickford, A. Eilers, J.Koprowski. 2003. Coati use of Century Plants.
Southwestern
Naturalist, 48:722-725. PDF
Hutton, K., J. Koprowski,
V.
Greer, M. Alanen, Schauffert, C., P. Young. 2003. Use of spruce-fir
forests
by introduced Abert's squirrels. Southwestern Naturalist, 48:257-260. PDF
Schauffert, C., J.
Koprowski,
V. Greer, M. Alanen, K. Hutton. 2002. Interactions between predators
and Mt.
Graham red squirrels. Southwestern Naturalist, 47:498-501. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 2002.
Handling
tree squirrels with an efficient and safe restraint. Wildlife
Society
Bulletin, 30:101-103. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 2002. Book Review: An Atlas of Oregon Wildlife. Journal of Mammalogy 82.
Koprowski, J.L. 2002. Book Review: Animal Behavior. Journal of Mammalogy 82.
Koprowski, J.L., M.C.
Corse.
2001. Food habits of Chiricahua Fox Squirrels (Sciurus
nayaritensis
chiricahuae). Southwestern Naturalist, 46:62-65. PDF
Koprowski, J.L., N.
Perigo.
2000. Cooperative learning as a tool to teach vertebrate anatomy.
American
Biology Teacher, 26:282-284. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 1998.
Conflict
between the sexes: a review of social and mating systems of the
tree
squirrels. Pp. 33-41 in M.A. Steele, J.F. Merritt, D.A. Zegers (eds.),
Ecology and
Evolutionary
Biology of Tree Squirrels, Special Publication 6, Virginia Museum of
Natural
History. 310 pp.
Koprowski, J.L. and M.A.
Steele.
1998. Future directions: Research on the ecology of tree
squirrels.
Pp. 309-310 in M.A. Steele, J.F. Merritt, D.A. Zegers (eds.), Ecology
and
Evolutionary
Biology of Tree Squirrels, Special Publication 6, Virginia Museum of
Natural
History. 310 pp.
Koprowski, J.L.
1997.
Honing the craft of scientific writing: the role of peer review.
Journal
of
College
Science Teaching, 27:133-135.
Koprowski, J.L. 1996.
Natal
philopatry, communal nesting, and kinship in fox squirrels and
eastern
gray squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy, 77: 1006-1016. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 1996.
Book
Review of The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog. Journal of Wildlife
Management,
60:971-973.
Kneeland, M.C., J.L.
Koprowski,
M.C. Corse. 1995. Potential predators of Chiricahua
fox
squirrels. Southwestern Naturalist, 40:340-342.
Koprowski, J.L. 1994. Sciurus carolinensis. Mammalian Species, 480:1-9. PDF
Koprowski, J.L. 1994. Sciurus niger. Mammalian Species, 479:1-9. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1993.
Alternative reproductive tactics in male eastern gray squirrels: "Making
the
best of a bad job". Behavioral Ecology 4:165-171. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1993.
Behavioral tactics, copulatory success, and dominance among male fox
squirrels.
Ethology Ecology & Evolution 5:169-176. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1993.
The role of kinship in field interactions of juvenile grey squirrels.
Canadian
Journal of Zoology 71:224-226. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1993.
Sex and species biases in scent marking by fox squirrels and eastern
gray
squirrels. Journal of Zoology (London) 230:319-323.
Koprowski, J.L.
1993.
Do estrous female gray squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, advertise their
receptivity?
Canadian Field-Naturalist 106:392-394.
Fairbanks, L., J.L.
Koprowski.
1992. Piscivory in fox squirrels. Prairie Naturalist
24:283-284.
Koprowski, J.L.
1992.
Removal of copulatory plugs by female tree squirrels. Journal of
Mammalogy
73:572-576. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1991.
Response of fox squirrels and eastern gray squirrels to a late
spring-early
summer food shortage. Journal of Mammalogy 72:367-372. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1991.
Damage due to scent marking by eastern gray and fox squirrels.
Proceeding
of the Great Plains Wildlife Damage Conference 10:101-105.
Koprowski, J.L.
1991.
Mixed-species mating chases of fox squirrels and eastern gray
squirrels.
Canadian Field- Naturalist 105:117-118.
Koprowski, J.L. 1991. Book Review: Food hoarding in animals. Journal of Insect Behavior 4.
Koprowski, J.L.
1989.
Burrow distribution of thirteen-lined ground squirrels in relation to
tree
canopies.
Prairie Naturalist 21:185-188.
Koprowski, J.L.
1989.
Book Review: Reproductive success: studies of individual variation in
contrasting
breeding systems. Journal of Insect Behavior 2:449-450.
Koprowski, J.L., J.L.
Roseberry,
W.D. Klimstra. 1988. Longevity records for the fox
squirrel.
Journal of Mammalogy 69:383-384. PDF
Koprowski, J.L.
1987.
Nocturnal activity of the woodchuck in an urban Ohio park.
Canadian
Field-Naturalist
101:606-607.
Koprowski, J.L., N.M.
Koprowski.
1987. Joint nest-building in the eastern gray squirrel.
Canadian
Field-Naturalist 101:610-611.
Media Collaborations:
Guest, Birds &
Nature,
1330 KPTT Pittsburgh, 45 minute segment
Host,
Creature of the Week Discussion, Discovery Channel On-line, 2000
Collaborator
on
pitch tape with National Geographic TV, May-June 1999
Featured
on
The World of the Chiricahua Mountains, New Mexico State
University,
1998
Featured
on
Oregon Field Guide, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 1996
Scientific
Adviser:
The
Gray Squirrel, Morningstar Productions, 1999
Tall
Tales from a Mountain Slope/Los Rabos Altos de la Ladera by Maria
L.
Retana, High Desert Productions, Bisbee.
Some Past Research Project Titles:
Ecology of the
Endangered
Mt. Graham Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis)
Dates:
2000
to present
Location:
Pinaleno Mountains and White Mountains of Arizona
Project
Description: The Mt. Graham red squirrels is an endangered
subspecies
of the widespread red squirrel. Found only in the Pinaleno
(AKA Graham) Mountains, the Mt. Graham red squirrel was once
thought
to have been extirpated (as recently as the late 1960's) from these
mountains.
However, subsequent reports verified the existence of a small
population
in the high elevation forests of the Pinalenos. After listing as
an endangered species in the 1980's, the species has been monitored
through
regularly quarterly censuses by the University of Arizona's Red
Squirrel
Monitoring Program. Presently, we continue this monitoring effort
and are invoking on several studies to examine various aspects of red
squirrel
ecology. Currently, we are conducting intensive live trapping and
radiotelemetric analyses of endangered Mt. Graham red squirrels to
learn
more about their space use, reproductive tactics and success,
demographics,
and habitat use. Meghan
Yurenka, an M.S. student, is examining the microclimate of occupied
and unoccupied middens to test the idea that middens are cool, moist
places
to store cones. Kate Leonard, an M.S. student, is the
investigating
the impacts of experimental fuel wood removal strategies on the
demography
of Mt. Graham red squirrels to assess how fire management and squirrel
management strategies intersect. Claire
Zugmeyer, an M.S. student, is working on the ecology of MGRS in
high
elevation spruce-fir forests that have been severely damaged by insects
to discover just how a few MGRS have been able to cope with the massive
habitat changes induced by insects. Finally, David Wood, an M.S.
student, is endeavoring to link the demography of MGRS collected by
radiotelemetric
analysis with spatial data from high resolution imagery in a
collaborative
venture with the UA's Office of Arid Lands and the Univ of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne's
Centre for Life Science Modeling.
Ecology of
Introduced
Abert's Squirrels (Sciurus aberti) on Mt.Graham
Dates:
2001
to present
Location:
Pinaleno Mountains of Arizona
Project
Description: Abert's squirrels were introduced to the Pinaleno
Mountains
of Arizona in the early 1940's by the Arizona Department of Game and
Fish
in an effort to enhance hunting opportunities for the populace, a
common
conservation practice of the time. By the 1960's, biologists
began
to note the potential negative impact of this introduction on the
native
Mt. Graham red squirrel. Despite these concerns, there have been
no published studies on the potential ecological overlap between these
species. Abert's squirrels are often describes as Ponderosa pine
obligates; however, we have good evidence that on Mt. Graham the
Abert's
squirrels are resident in areas that are depauperate of pine. Andrew
Edelman, an M.S. student, examined the space and habitat use of
Abert's
squirrels using radiotelemetry on Mt. Graham and Nate
Gwinn, an M.S. student, is examining the response of Abert's
squirrels
to fire induced habitat changes. Current hopes are to initiate an
Abert's squirrel removal experiment to assess the role of this exotic
species
in the decline of endangered Mt. Graham red squirrels.
Ecology of the
Arizona
Gray Squirrel: an unknown native species AND
Status of the
Catalina
Gray Squirrel: The implications of introduced Abert's Squirrels
Dates:
2000
to
present
Location:
Huachuca Mountains, Catalina and Rincon Mountains of Arizona
Project
Description: Just as in the previous research project, Abert's
squirrels
were introduced into the Catalina Mountains just outside of Tucson in
the
early 1940's. Sometime after they appear to have colonized the
adjacent
Rincon Mountains. In the 1960's concern was expressed over the
status
of the Catalina Gray Squirrel, a subspecies of the Arizona Gray
Squirrel.
Few records have been reported in the Catalina Mountains since this
time.
Currently, we are revisiting sites where museum specimens have been
collected
for each species and using hair collection tubes and observations,
attempting
to document the continued coexistence of both species. Studies in the
adjacent
Rincon Mountains suggest that Abert's squirrels now dominate the
mountains
while the native Arizona Gray Squirrel may be relegated to isolated
areas.
Nichole
Cudworth, MS student, has recently extended our efforts to the
Huachuca
Mountains has initiated live trapping and radiotelemetric studies.
Ecology of Introduced Mexican Red-bellied Squirrels in Biscayne National Park and their impact on an Endangered Palm
Two pairs of Mexican Red-bellied Squirrels (Sciurus aureogaster) were introduced to the 10 km2 Elliott Key in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA about 70 years ago. The population expanded to the point where it was believed to negatively impact an endangered endemic palm. In 1992, the 7 m tidal surge that accompanied Hurricane Andrew submersed the entire key and the introduced tree squirrel was believed to have been eradicated as a result. Recent anecdotal observations suggested that the population was extant and growing. A visit by one of us (John Koprowski) to the site in March 2005 documented the persistence of the population. Our study will investigate the distribution, habitat use, and impact on palms of Mexican red-bellied squirrels using drey surveys, live trapping, radiotelemetry, and observation. Field work will be initiated in December 2005 and continue for 2 years. Geoff Palmer, an MS student, continues to document the ecology of the squirrel and its potential impact on the Sargent's Palm.
The conservation and ecology of Mearns's Squirrel (Tamiasciurus mearnsi) in Sierra San Pedro Martir, Baja California, Mexico
The Mearns's squirrel is
an
montane island endemic found in the highest regions of Baja
California's
greatest mountain range at elevations around 3000 m. The species is
considered
to be threatened in Mexico and no ecological studies have been
conducted.
In addition, eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) were
introduced to lower elevations over 50 years ago and their status is
unknown.
Related species in the United States typically larderhoard conifer
cones.
In our first visit to the region in November 2004, we caught glimpses
of
only two animals and did not find any larderhoards suggesting the
behavior
and ecology of this species may be quite interesting. Field efforts
began
spring 2005 the capture and radiocollaring of animals to assess their
habitat
use and basic ecology. Nicolas
Ramos, a PhD student, will continue this fieldwork into 2008.
Conservation and
behavioral ecology of the rare Chiricahua fox squirrel
Dates:
1993
to present
Location:
Chiricahua
National Monument, Arizona.
Project
Description: A Master's student, Bret
Pasch, recently completed work on this project incorporating
radiotelemetry
to examine space and habitat use of this uncommon species. Sandy
Doumas, an MS student, is expanding our research to examine the
entire
Chiricahua Mountain range to assess the use of fire-impacted sites by
Mexican
fox squirrels. The mountains of the desert southwest function as
relatively
cool lush islands of forested habitat in a sea of desert. The
Chiricahua
Mountains in extreme southeastern Arizona function as one such island
and
are unique in their location at the southern terminus of the Rocky
Mountains
and the northern extent of the Sierra Madre. As a result of this
unique location, the diversity of the Chiricahua montane (or sky)
island
is great. Chiricahua fox squirrels (Sciurus nayaritensis
chiricahuae) are a large bodied subspecies of the Mexican fox
squirrel
(S. nayaritensis) found only in the Chiricahuas.
Ecological
data on Chiricahua fox squirrels is scant and resulted in a listing as
a Category 2 species by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (a category
that
was eliminated by the USFWS). Our study represents the first
ecological
study of this montane isolate. Our efforts focused primarily on
habitat
use, nest tree selection, activity/movement patterns, and reproductive
performance. However, the large size of this tree squirrel
allowed
us to examine current ideas on the evolution of sociality in squirrels
in relation to body size. More than 2 dozen undergraduate
students
have worked on this research project with me over the years and several
have produced senior theses from ecological investigations:
Habitat
use and nest site location of Chiricahua fox squirrels--Nicole
Michel
Foraging
behavior of male and female Chiricahua fox squirrels--Michele
Corse
Vigilance
behavior of Chiricahua fox squirrels in relation to human activity--Mary
Kneeland
A Comparison of
Habitat between Sites Occupied by Black-tailed Prairie Dogs in Sonora
and
Unoccupied Sites in Arizona
Dates:
2001
to 2004
Location:
Grasslands of SE Arizona and Northern Sonora
Project
Description: Black-tailed prairie dogs were extirpated from
Arizona
early in the 20th century. BT prairie dog populations appear to
be
declining significantly throughout their range. Recently, several
relictual populations were rediscovered in northern Sonora just south
of
Arizona. Carol Coates, an M.S. student, examined characteristics
of these relictual sites with those of sites in the high elevation
grasslands
of southeastern Arizona.
Juvenile body
condition
as a proximate mechanism of dispersal and social group formation in tree
squirrel
Dates:
1999
to 2001
Location:
Cascade and Coast Ranges of Oregon; Salem, Oregon
Project
Description: This project is a new venture scheduled for Summer
1999. Group formation in mammals often involves the retention of
young in their natal area. This study examines the hypothesis
that
body condition is important in the natal dispersal of juvenile eastern
gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), a highly social species,
and western gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus), a solitary
species.
Western gray squirrels are a threatened species in the State of
Washington
but are not of conservation concern in Oregon. The body condition
of young will be experimentally enhanced through the provision of
supplemental
food. The impact of body condition on the rates of social
interaction,
group cohesiveness, and dispersal from the birthsite will be
examined.
Two undergraduates worked with me during the first year of this
project,
Scott Howe and Matt Woolsey. During the summer of 2000, three
undergraduates,
Ben Hudson, Jason Niedermeyer, and Aaron Tsuha conducted independent
research
on the project.
Click HERE
for a research update on this project
Ecology and
conservation
of a social carnivore: sociality of coatis in a xeric environment.
Dates: 1995 to present
Location:
Chiricahua
National Monument, Arizona
Project
Description: Social systems often
vary
dependent on the distribution of resources. White-nosed coatis (Nasua
narica) are diurnal social carnivores related to raccoons that
range
from northern South America to the southwestern deserts of the United
States,
where they are a species of special concern. The social system of
this species is unique amongst the Carnivora for the larger bodied
males
are solitary while the smaller females form groups of 10-20
animals.
Evidence from tropical forests suggests that males range over greater
areas
than females. The arid mountains of the Arizona deserts provide a
vastly different environment with resources much less common and more
widely
dispersed than in tropical forests. The objective of this project
is to examine the plasticity of social behavior and space use in coatis
by examining their ecology in aridlands. Thusfar, we have
documented
that home ranges are often 10X greater than those in the tropics and
that
males and females range equally widely (or during some seasons females
range MORE widely than males). This project has involved more
than
a dozen undergraduate students, most of whom have completed independent
research projects or senior theses on ecological topics using coatis as
a model. Presently, I am collaborating with Maureen McColgin, a
Ph.D.
student at Purdue University who is examining the mating system of
these
coatis using molecular techniques. Past undergraduate student
research
topics include:
Population
Ecology:
Differential
habitat use of male and female coatis--Robin
Panzer
Influence
of seed and lizard availability on space use patterns--Erica
Brown
Arthropod
availability as a determinant of space use in male and female
coatis--Ian Silvernail
Impacts
of El Nino on home range size in male and female coatis--Jessica
Girard
Behavioral
Ecology:
Differential
space use and patterns of spatial overlap of male and female
coatis--Sophia Bickford
Den
site selection of male and female coatis--Maureen
McColgin
Postparturition
group formation in adult female coatis--Anna
Eilers
Conservation:
Impacts
of fire on habitat use by coatis--Suzanne
Piluso
Influence
of human activity on coatis in a National Monument--Jed
Jorgenson
Conservation and
behavioral ecology of the rare Chiricahua fox squirrel
Dates:
1993
to present
Location:
Chiricahua
National Monument, Arizona.
Project
Description: A Master's student, Bret
Pasch, is working on this project incorporating radiotelemetry to
examine
space and habitat use of this uncommon species. The mountains of the
desert
southwest function as relatively cool lush islands of forested habitat
in a sea of desert. The Chiricahua Mountains in extreme
southeastern
Arizona function as one such island and are unique in their location at
the southern terminus of the Rocky Mountains and the northern extent of
the Sierra Madre. As a result of this unique location, the
diversity
of the Chiricahua montane (or sky) island is great.
Chiricahua
fox squirrels (Sciurus nayaritensis chiricahuae) are a large
bodied
subspecies of the Mexican fox squirrel (S. nayaritensis) found
only
in the Chiricahuas. Ecological data on Chiricahua fox squirrels
is
scant and resulted in a listing as a Category 2 species by the US Fish
and Wildlife Service (a category that was eliminated by the
USFWS).
Our study represents the first ecological study of this montane
isolate.
Our efforts focused primarily on habitat use, nest tree selection,
activity/movement
patterns, and reproductive performance. However, the large size
of
this tree squirrel allowed us to examine current ideas on the evolution
of sociality in squirrels in relation to body size. More than 2
dozen
undergraduate students have worked on this research project with me
over
the years and several have produced senior theses from ecological
investigations:
Habitat
use and nest site location of Chiricahua fox squirrels--Nicole
Michel
Foraging
behavior of male and female Chiricahua fox squirrels--Michele
Corse
Vigilance
behavior of Chiricahua fox squirrels in relation to human activity--Mary
Kneeland
Interspecific
competition,
seed removal, and population dynamics of mammalian granivores in
an oak-fir ecosystem
Dates:
1992-1995
Social
organization
and habitat use of the collared peccary, Chiricahua National Monument,
AZ
Dates:
1994-1995
Conflict between
the sexes: social organization in tree squirrels, Univ. of Kansas
Dates:
1986-1992
Demography of
fox
squirrels in a small urban woodlot, Southern Illinois University (w/W.D.
Klimstra)
Dates:
1983-1985
Teaching Experience:
Associate Professor of
Wildlife
Science
Aug
2000-Present
Director of the Mt.
Graham Red Squirrel Monitoring Program
Wildlife
and Fisheries Science
School
of Renewable Natural Resources
University
of Arizona
Tucson,
AZ 8572
Courses:Wildlife
Management: Mammalian Species, Biogeography
and
Conservation of the Sky Islands,
Applications
of
Behavioral Ecology to Conservation Biology, Natural
Resources
Ecology
Associate Professor of
Biology
Aug
1997-Aug 2000
Assistant Professor of
Biology
Aug
1992-Aug 1997
Department
of Biology
Willamette
University
Salem,
OR 97301
Courses:General
Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Biological Diversity, Topics in
Conservation
Biology,
Topics in Mammalogy, Field
Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology, Field Studies in Ecuador,
Evolutionary
Biology, Life Forms 2: Biology of Higher Organisms, Senior Research
Seminar,
Perspectives in Biology, Comparative Vert Morphology,
Marine
Mammals, Principles of Biology, .
Courtesy Assistant
Professor
of
Biology
Mar
1995 - Present
Department
of Fish and Wildlife
Oregon
State University
Corvallis,
OR 97331
Courses:Ecological Consequences of Habitat Fragmentation
Lecturer
Department
of Biology
University
of Missouri-Kansas City Aug 1991 - May 1992
Kansas
City, MO 64110
Courses:Vertebrate Zoology, Evolution, Mammals of Kansas City, Urban Wildlife
Graduate Teaching
Assistant
Department
of Systematics & Ecology
University
of
Kansas
Jan
1986 - May 1991
Lawrence,
KS 66045
Courses:Laboratory
in Experimental Ecology, Honors Intro Biology Laboratory,
Honors Physiology
Laboratory,
Animal Behavior Laboratory, Intro Biology Discussions
Adjunct Biology Faculty
Department
of
Biology
Aug
1988 - Dec 1989
Kansas
City Kansas Community College
Kansas
City, KS 66012
Course: General Biology
Updated
12
February 2004
John
L. Koprowski