Breadcrumb
Bio
Chris Ray studies and models the dynamics of plant and animal populations, focusing especially on threatened species with fragmented populations. Recent projects include hierarchical modeling of point count data on birds in western national parks, analyzing the role of metacommunity dynamics in the assembly of vernal pool plant communities, and modeling the spatial and temporal dynamics of plague in prairie ecosystems. Her long-term project involves research on the American pika, aimed at understanding climatic influences on pre-historic and recent local extinctions of this species throughout western North America.
Awards
- Denver Zoological Conservation Award, Denver Zoo, 2018
Research
My work centers on population biology, with applications in conservation. I like data analysis and modeling but I also like fieldwork, especially at high elevations. In support of long-term research and student mentoring, I have maintained an annual study of pika demography since 1988.
Publications
For additional publications, see Chris's Google Scholar profile.
Replicated landscape genetic and network analyses reveal wide variation in functional connectivity for American pikas
Publication Date: 2016-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Distribution of a climate-sensitive species at an interior range margin
Publication Date: 2016-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Habitat availability and gene flow influence diverging local population trajectories under scenarios of climate change: a place-based approach
Publication Date: 2016-04-01
Type: Journal Article
When can we measure stress noninvasively? Postdeposition effects on a fecal stress metric confound a multiregional assessment
Publication Date: 2016-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Of plants and pikas: evidence for a climate-mediated decline in forage and cache quality
Publication Date: 2015-11-02
Type: Journal Article
Children's book series and associated curricula support elementary education and outreach in water resources
Publication Date: 2015-11-02
Type: Journal Article
Alpine biodiversity and assisted migration: the case of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)
Publication Date: 2015-10-02
Type: Journal Article
Relating Sub-Surface Ice Features to Physiological Stress in a Climate Sensitive Mammal, the American Pika (Ochotona princeps)
Publication Date: 2015-03-24
Type: Journal Article
Parks, pikas, and physiological stress: implications for long-term monitoring of an NPS climate-sensitive sentinel species
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Quantifying the dominance of local control and the sources of regional control in the assembly of a metacommunity
Publication Date: 2014-08-01
Type: Journal Article
Determinants of pika population density vs. occupancy in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Publication Date: 2014-04-01
Type: Journal Article
A Long-Term Comparison of Hydrology and Plant Community Composition in Constructed Versus Naturally Occurring Vernal Pools
Publication Date: 2013-11-01
Type: Journal Article
The idiosyncrasies of place: geographic variation in the climate-distribution relationships of the American pika
Publication Date: 2013-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Process-based models are required to manage ecological systems in a changing world
Publication Date: 2013-02-01
Type: Journal Article
Stress hormone concentration in Rocky Mountain populations of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Retreat of the American pika: up the mountain or into the void?
Type: Chapter
On the generality of a climate-mediated shift in the distribution of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)
Publication Date: 2011-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Long-term dynamics of biotic and abiotic resistance to exotic species invasion in restored vernal pool plant communities
Publication Date: 2011-09-01
Type: Journal Article
Contemporary climate change alters the pace and drivers of extinction
Publication Date: 2011-06-01
Type: Journal Article
Spread of Plague Among Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs Is Associated With Colony Spatial Characteristics
Publication Date: 2011-02-01
Type: Journal Article
Modeling contemporary range retraction in Great Basin pikas (Ochotona princeps) using data on microclimate and microhabitat
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
Type: Journal Article
Effects of disease on keystone species, dominant species and their communities
Type: Chapter
Distribution of American pikas in a low-elevation lava landscape: conservation implications from the range periphery
Publication Date: 2010-10-01
Type: Journal Article
Spatial variation in keystone effects: small mammal diversity associated with black-tailed prairie dog colonies
Publication Date: 2010-09-01
Type: Journal Article
PLAGUE IN URBAN PRAIRIE DOG COLONIES
Publication Date: 2010-02-01
Type: Journal Article
Pages
Teaching
Current course
- EBIO 3990: Introduction to EBIO Honors
- Course for undergraduates in independent studies moving toward the goal of graduating with Honors in EBIO. Projects focus on collection and analysis of data on the ecology of a microhabitat specialist, the American pika, including field studies and a literature review complimented by statistical analyses.
Outreach
Citizen science
I am involved in two citizen science projects observing pika in Colorado:
The Front Range Pika Project is a citizen science effort in conservation research on the American pika. You can find more information about the project on the CU Outreach & Engagement web site.
PikaNet monitors pikas in the San Juan Mountains through citizen involvement.
Field courses for local nonprofits
I teach courses to benefit local conservation efforts. Examples include courses for the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, the Boulder County Nature Association, and Rocky Mountain Wild.