Ellen O. Aikens

Photo of Ellen O. Aikens

Assistant Professor

School of Computing
Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources

(307) 766-5294  | eaikens@uwyo.edu | ENG 4093

Education

PhD in Ecology, University of Wyoming

BS in Biology and Environmental Studies, Ursinus College

Background and Expertise

Dr. Ellen O. Aikens is a quantitative wildlife ecologist whose research is rooted in applied data science. Ellen holds a joint appointment with the School of Computing and the Haub School. A primary goal of Ellen’s research is to produce knowledge that advances ecological understanding, while also addressing critical conservation and management issues. Her research merges animal tracking, remote sensing, and field research to gain insights into the resource and habitat requirements of wildlife. This approach helps to define critical habitat for wildlife, understand wildlife responses to environmental change, and plan large landscape conservation efforts. Much of her current research focuses on highly mobile species, including migratory mammals and birds. 

Selected Publications

See Ellen O. Aikens' Google Scholar page for more. 

Aikens EO, I Bontekoe, L Blumenstiel, A Schlicksupp, and A Flack (2022). Viewing animal migration through a social lens. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 37(11): 985-996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2022.06.008 

Aikens EO, Wyckoff TB, H Sawyer, and MJ Kauffman (2022). Industrial energy development decouples ungulate migration from the green wave. Nature Ecology and Evolution 6(11):1733–1741. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01887-9

Aikens EO, A Mysterud, JA Merkle, F Cagnacci, IM Rivrud, M Hebblewhite, MA Hurley, W Peters, S Bergen, J De Groeve, SPH Dwinnell, B Gehr, M Heurich, AJM Hewison, A Jarnemo, P Kjellander, M Kröschel, A Licoppe, JDC Linnell, EH Merrill, AD Middleton, N Morellet, L Neufeld, AC Ortega, KL Parker, L Pedrotti, KM Proffitt, S Said, H Sawyer, BM Scurlock, J Signer, P Stent, P Šustr, T Szkorupa, KL Monteith and MJ Kauffman (2020). Wave-like patterns of plant phenology determine ungulate movement tactics. Current Biology 30(17): 3444-3449.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.032

Aikens EO, KL Monteith, JA Merkle, SPH Dwinnell, GL Fralick, MJ Kauffman (2020). Drought reshuffles plant phenology and impedes green-wave surfing for a migratory ungulate. Global Change Biology 26: 4215– 4225. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15169

Aikens EO, MJ Kauffman, JA Merkle, SPH Dwinnell, GL Fralick, KL Monteith (2017). The greenscape shapes surfing of resource waves in a large migratory herbivore. Ecology Letters 20(6): 741-750. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12772

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 






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