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SpacerMatt Marshall

Marshall Title: Adjunct Assistant Professor of WIldlife
Phone: 814-863-0134
Email: matt_marshall@nps.gov
Address: The Pennsylvania State University
School of Forest Resources
422 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA 16802
 
Education:
B.S., Miami University (1992)
Ph.D., University of Georgia (2000)
Academic Interests:
Avian Ecology; Conservation Biology; Ecology; Bird-Insect Interactions; Survival and Demographic Analyses
Courses Taught:
The Vertebrates; The Vertebrates-Lab; Introduction to Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Professional Affiliations :
American Ornithologists' Union
Cooper Ornithological Society
Wilson Ornithological Society
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Ecological Society of America
Partners in Flight
Recent Research/Education Projects:
Grassland Bird Abundance Estimates on Reclaimed Surface Mines
The restoration and reclamation of sites previously mined for coal are increasingly being recognized as potential habitat for a number of grassland bird species. These sites are typically planted in a variety of native and non-native grasses as part of the reclamation process. Bird species such as the Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) and Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), which are currently the focus of considerable conservation efforts due to steep population declines, are present at these sites. Accurate and precise estimates of population density are important components of this conservation effort. These results could lead to recommendations about the reclamation process that would further enhance the quality of these sites for grassland birds.

The Effects of Gypsy Moth Management on Non-target Organisms
The most prevalent insecticide used to control forest defoliation by the exotic gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is Bacillus thuringiensis. This naturally occurring bacterium is relatively target specific and therefore reduces the mortality of non-target organisms associated with more broad-spectrum insecticides. However it is lethal to the majority of caterpillars that contact the bacterial spores highlighting the concern for threatened and endangered moth and butterfly species as well as concern for species and populations of forest Lepidoptera for which we know little about. Application of Bacillus thuringiensis may also pose a potential problem for the large group of migratory birds that depend on these caterpillars to feed their young during the temperate summer. Our research indicates that this non-target caterpillar reduction had some negative effects on avian reproduction including reduced nestling weights. However, these effects do not appear to be dramatic enough to cause long term population declines for the species we studied. Applications of Bacillus thuringiensis over smaller spatial scales and for short periods of time should not severely limit the breeding productivity of the bird species studied.

Selected Publications:

MARSHALL, M. R., R. J. COOPER, J. A. DECECCO, J. STRAZANAC, AND L. BUTLER. 2002. Effects of experimentally reduced prey abundance on the breeding ecology of the Red-eyed Vireo. Ecological Applications 12(1):xxx-xxx.

GALE, G. A., J. A. DECECCO, M. R. MARSHALL, W. R. MCCLAIN, AND R. J. COOPER. 2001. Effects of gypsy moth defoliation on forest birds: A broad-scale assessment using BBC data. Journal of Field Ornithology 72:291-304.

MARSHALL, M. R., R. R. WILSON, AND R. J. COOPER. 2000. Estimating survival of Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds: Are they dead or just dispersed. In Bonney, R., D. N. Pashley, R. J. Cooper, and L. Niles, eds. Strategies for Bird Conservation: The Partners in Flight Planning Process. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-P-16, Ogden, UT.

DECECCO, J. A., M. R. MARSHALL, A. B. WILLIAMS, G. A. GALE, AND R. J. COOPER. 2000. Comparative seasonal fecundity of four songbirds in middle Appalachia. Condor 102:653-663.

COOPER, R. J., R. R. WILSON, G. D. ZENITSKY, S. J. MULLIN, J. A. DECECCO, M. R. MARSHALL, D. J. WOLF, AND L. Y. POMARA. 1999. Does nonrandom nest placement imply nonrandom nest predation? - a reply. Condor 101:920-923.

AUGUSTIN, C. J., J. W. GRUBAUGH, AND M. R. MARSHALL. 1999. Validating macroinvertebrate assumptions of the shorebird management model for the lower Mississippi valley. Wildlife Society Bulletin 27(3): 552-558.

 
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This page last updated on: June 27, 2008

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