Genomics

Understanding diets of Barred Owls in their invasive range is crucial to identify and protect at-risk communities of prey. Historically, owl diet studies are done using morphological pellet and stomach content methods, but these methods often undercount species that are soft bodied or hard to detect. We utilize next-generation molecular metabarcoding to gain a better understanding of Barred Owl Diet across the range.

Our projects involve: 1) Identifying changes in barred owl dietary diversity and composition along the invasion pathway in California, Oregon, Washington, and the upper Midwest. 2) Identifying which prey items are associated with high levels of anticoagulant rodenticide exposure near illegal cannabis grow sites in Northern California. 3) Determining differences in diet between old growth forests in parks and secondary growth on managed lands.

Using oxford nanopore, we measure gene methylation in the tissues of barred owls from wild populations in Northern California. Our aim is to identify how methylation patterns are associated with AR contaminants measured in barred owls around illegal cannabis grow sites found in remote areas. The genes of interest code for vitamin K receptors, stress response hormones, and hormones associated with reproduction to detect potential fitness consequences of secondary exposure to ARs. 

Spotted Owls consists of three subspecies ranging from British Columbia to central Mexico:  Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) in the Pacific Northwest, California Spotted Owls (S. o. occidentalis) in eastern and southern California, and Mexican Spotted Owls (S. o. lucida) in the southwest US and Mexico. All three subspecies are listed as conservation concern due to reasons such as urbanization, Barred Owl invasion, climate change, and habitat loss. Understanding genetic diversity, population growths and declines, and inbreeding can help identify populations at risk and guide conservation decisions. We are leveraging thousands of SNPs across populations of each subspecies to characterize how genetic population structure and variation is shaped by recent processes.