|
B.A. 1988 Cornell University, Ithaca NY.
Taxonomist 1989-91, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco.
Ph.D. 1998, University of Texas, Austin.
International Fellow 1998, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Postdoctoral Researcher 1999, Environmental Protection Agency,
Durham NC.
Research interests:
Metapopulation dynamics (of insects [especially butterflies],
plants, macrofungae). Behavior, evolution, and ecology of
dispersal systems. Effects of disturbance regimes and land
use on biodiversity. Computer models of populations and landscapes.
Current research projects:
Currently, I am examining the effects of historical disturbance
regimes on the distribution of rare species, using as a "model
system" the old-growth specialists that inhabit the Coast
Range of Oregon (especially beetles, macrofungae, lichens).
The approach involves dynamic computer models of metapopulations
and landscapes. These generate predictions about species distributions,
which can be tested via field studies. Other ongoing projects
include empirical studies of metapopulation dynamics and dispersal
behavior in the Edith's Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas
editha), and theoretical studies of the relationships between
historical disturbance regimes, managed disturbance regimes,
and species viability.
Research applications:
Research is broadly aimed at developing multi-species
approaches to biological conservation on Federal lands.
Selected Publications:
- Boughton, D.A.
Species viability in stochastic landscapes. Conservation
Ecology, in review.
- Boughton, D.A.
The dispersal system of a butterfly: a test of source-sink
theory suggests the intermediate-scale hypothesis. American
Naturalist, in press.
- Boughton, D.A.,
E.R. Smith, and R.V.O’Neill. 1999. Regional vulnerability:
a conceptual framework. Ecosystem Health 5: 312-322.
- Boughton, D.A.
1999. Empirical evidence for source-sink dynamics in
a butterfly: Temporal barriers and alternative states. Ecology
80: 2727-2739.
- Thomas, C.D., M.C.
Singer & D.A. Boughton. 1996. Catastrophic extinction
of population sources in a complex butterfly metapopulation.
American Naturalist 148: 957-975.
Consider a rare species that is specialized
on old-growth forest…
Here's a model of the Coast Range of
Oregon, represented simply as an array of 1 km squares. The
model (Wimberly et al., Conserv. Biol. 14: 167-180) randomly
simulates the interplay of forest growth and forest fires
under a natural disturbance regime. Darker colors represent
older forest.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Year 0 |
Year 100 |
Year 200 |
Year 1000 |
Year 2000 |
Here are patches of old-growth forest,
defined as stands with more than 200 years since the last
stand-replacing fire. At grand time scales, the patches are
a shifting mosaic.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Year 0 |
Year 100 |
Year 200 |
Year 1000 |
Year 2000 |
Here are the portions of the landscape
that were continuously occupied by old-growth forest (according
to this one iteration of the model, of course).
| |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| |
Year 100 |
Year 200 |
Year 1000 |
Year 2000 |
|
