RYAN PIENAAR
Human actions are altering the natural environment across the globe. As an ecologist, I study how plants and animals are affected by these human activities. My past research has been focused on how plants and animals in forests and desert ecosystems respond to wildfires while experiencing the novel effects of varying climate, herbivory, and invasive species.
The research questions I will be addressing at UW Madison focus on using remote sensing and simulation modeling to evaluate how changes in oak populations affect black bears on the Apostle Islands. Oak trees on the islands are the main source of food for bears. Our research objectives are to map oak distribution across the Apostle Islands, simulate changes in oak distribution under different oak wilt scenarios, and finally predict changes in black bear populations and behaviors.
email: rpienaar@wisc.edu