Justin Kitzes

PhD Candidate

Research Description

My research broadly involves the development and application of theoretical and simulation models to predict the distribution of biodiversity in fragmented landscapes. I am also engaged in several field projects that aim to gather basic data on the distribution and abundance of bats (Chiroptera) in human-dominated areas. All of my work has direct relevance to the field of conservation planning, and I am working to develop user-friendly software tools that can be used by researchers and planners to identify which specific areas are most in need of protection to ensure the long-term persistance of biodiversity.

My specific ongoing research projects include:

A dynamic model for evaluating the conservation value of natural habitat - I am using population simulation models to predict which patches of natural habitat in fragmented landscapes are most important to ensuring the long-term persistence of biodiversity. This model will be the first to incorporate methods from population biology to create a dynamic, forward-looking tool that can be used for conservation planning applications.

Extensions of MaxEnt theory in ecology - I am working to extend existing Maximum Entropy theory in ecology to account for several new questions relevant to conservation biology. At the moment, I am attempting to use the existing theory to predict the rate of species turnover across a landscape, starting with only minimal knowledge of the characteristics of the community structure of that landscape.

Road avoidance in Northern California bats - I am sampling bat activity levels near major roads around the San Francisco Bay to determine whether areas near roads provide poorer foraging habitat than more "natural" lands farther from roads. Road avoidance patterns have been documented for many species of birds and mammals, but have never been studied in any species of bat.

I am also an Adjunct Senior Scientist at Global Footprint Network, where I was previously the manager of the Research and Standards Department. I continue to contribute to research and technical documentation on global models of human demand for biological goods and services.