People — The Long Lab

Ryan Long – Associate Professor

I completed my B.S. in Wildlife Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2004), my M.S. in Wildlife Resources at the University of Idaho (2007), and my Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Idaho State University (2013). After a 1-year post-doc at Princeton University, I joined the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences at UI in the fall of 2014. My research focuses on the behavioral and physiological ecology of large mammals. I'm especially interested in how the interplay between individual behavior and physiology scales up to influence population performance, and much of my work seeks to quantify the fitness consequences of individual foraging and movement patterns. I work in a variety of ecosystems to address these types of questions, from the montane forests and high-elevation deserts of the Intermountain West to the woody savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Curriculum Vitae - Ryan Long, ResearchGate Profile, Google Scholar Profile.

Current Graduate Students

Ryan Martin – PhD Student

I have a broad range of interests that include state-dependent behavior, fitness consequences of individual niche variation, and application of rigorous quantitative methods. In collaboration with the National Park Service, I hope to apply these interests to assess nutritional carrying capacity and conduct dietary analyses of bighorn sheep in the Teton range of western Wyoming. My eventual goal is to produce research that answers both basic and management-oriented scientific questions. Before joining the Long Lab, I was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army and subsequently completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Idaho studying Ecology with a minor in Statistics. My other professional experience includes work with rare plant species, elk, and bighorn sheep.

Bryan Spencer – PhD Student

I am fascinated by how environmental variability shapes community dynamics and influences species behavior, physiology, and morphology. I earned my master’s degree from Texas A&M University – Kingsville in 2022, during which I was able to work with a variety of mammal species including white-tailed deer, cattle, nilgai, pronghorn, and coyotes. My PhD project, in collaboration with Alaska Fish and Game and Idaho Fish and Game, is focused on better understanding relationships among energetics, nutrition, behavior, body size and population dynamics of moose. My long-term goal is to use the knowledge and skills I learn during my PhD to conduct research that informs management and conservation of species in heterogeneous landscapes.

Emily Lowrimore – MS Student

I am drawn to spatial ecology and how utilization of the landscape relates to wildlife population dynamics and animal behavior. My goal is to conduct research that directly contributes to better management and conservation policies. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from Washington State University. I have worked on a variety of projects involving mule deer, black bears, grizzly bears, and bighorn sheep. In cooperation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, my research will focus on understanding the nutritional underpinnings of demographic variation in bighorn sheep living in the John Day River Canyon of Oregon. I am excited for the opportunity to help inform bighorn sheep management decisions in Oregon and elsewhere.

Alexis Means – MS Student

My research interests lie in understanding how nutritional variation impacts population dynamics. Since earning my bachelor’s degree in 2021 from Boise State University, I have held a variety of technician positions with Idaho Fish and Game. These jobs have allowed me to work with a variety of game species, and to gain knowledge about the flora of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems. Working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as an MS student, my research will focus on modeling the nutritional landscape available to bighorn sheep in the John Day River Canyon and understanding how variation in nutritional resources influences behavior and performance of sheep. My primary goal is to generate data that can be used to inform future conservation and management strategies for bighorn sheep in Oregon and elsewhere.

Amanda May – MS Student

My passion lies in understanding the relationship between habitat quality and population dynamics. Working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game my research goal is to build upon a fine scale vegetation model to map the nutritional landscape while factoring in environmental disturbances such as logging and wildfires. Understanding the nutritional landscape should allow us to make informed decisions about forest management for ungulate species in northern Idaho. Prior to joining the Long Lab, I attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst and from there worked on research projects with guppies, Arctic foxes, and white-tailed deer.

Amy Hilger – MS Student

I am interested in population and community ecology, and specifically in how top-down and bottom-up processes impact ungulate populations. I graduated from Oregon State University in 2018 and have since worked on projects studying mice, mesocarnivores, wild pigs, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. In the Long lab and in partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, I will be working on further developing Idaho’s fine-scale vegetation map so that it can be used to model nutritional landscapes and predict patterns in ungulate abundance.

Sarah Meronk – MS Student

I am interested in the underlying mechanisms that influence animal behavior and demography across landscapes. My primary goal is to conduct research with direct implications for the conservation and management of wildlife. Working with the Army Corps of Engineers, my project aims to evaluate the winter forage potential of the Grandad Elk Mitigation Area and determine how past and present habitat treatments have affected the nutritional landscape and the North Fork Elk herd. Previously, I worked on various seasonal projects, primarily with big game, across the U.S., and most recently with Idaho Fish and Game in Salmon, Idaho.